When it comes to technology recruiting, there is never a significant lag in hiring. There is a lag in finding highly qualified candidates. Technology skills are in hyper demand today. CIOs have a lot on their plate and need to find the ideal, innovative candidates who can make it happen. The CIO’s job is on the line, not to mention the company’s future. We dove deep into this topic earlier this month on the Vericour blog.
So, how do you identify the highly qualified, most likely passive candidate? A passive candidate is someone who is not currently seeking a new job, but has an emerging skill set that your CIO needs. And once you’ve found them, how do you lure them to your firm, knowing a performance bonus is likely to be received within Q1?
Luring them to your firm means, in most cases, foregoing a hard-earned bonus they might be waiting for. You may be asking a candidate to do more than accept your job offer — you may be asking them to leave money on the table.
Tough ask? Sometimes. Depends on how it is handled and what type of ‘bait’ you are fishing with to get top technology talent to say yes. At Vericour, we have a 12 year track record of placing highly qualified, passive candidates based on our deep Denver metro network.
Based on our experience, here are a few tips to secure and lure that big fish:
Signing bonus: If there is a way for you to provide a signing bonus that is commensurate with the bonus they are already expecting, it’s a win/win. You get the candidate and the candidate doesn’t need to miss out on hard earned bonus dollars.
Salary: Is the salary you’re offering competitive and/or does it exceed what they are currently earning? If the salary is strong, the candidate will hopefully understand that in the long run, they will be making more month over month versus a bonus that is highly contingent on company performance.
Relationship building: Build a relationship with the candidate over time so you can help them understand that if they are likely to quit a job after bonus, it might not be worth giving up a new job offer (likely at a higher salary) just to wait it out. Particularly if the candidate is excited about the role you have.
Refresh the big picture: Remind the candidate that a successful new job is more than just financial. It is about the job that allows for professional growth and is an opportunity they will enjoy, at a company they will love. It’s important to convey to the candidate that this will be a long-term smart move which will likely improve their earning potential over this possible bonus.
For more tips on how to lure away the best technology candidates during bonus season, contact information@vericour.com