Looking for Emerging Tech Talent? Try these 5 Sourcing Channels
If you are looking for experienced machine learning and blockchain professionals on job boards then you shouldn’t be too optimistic about the results. With companies now relying on data to study user behavior as well as change the user interface of their products, emerging tech talent has come in huge demand. Not surprisingly, job titles like data scientists, AI developers, cloud computing professionals, and cyber-security consultants have become the target of every Fortune 500 MNC.
To give you a little perspective, currently, there are more jobs in data science than the talent to fill them. With emerging tech candidates being flooded with 4-5 offers at a time and recruiters constantly nagging them with requests, there is a limited chance of engaging them on generic mediums like job boards and social media. So, where do you source such candidates? In this article, we’ll highlight 5 sourcing channels where you can find top emerging tech talent.
1) Technology Forums
By far the best channel for emerging tech staffing, forums (stack overflow, GitHub, Techspot, etc.) give you a great idea about a candidate’s proficiency level. While you can check their logic from the quality of their responses, you can check their programming proficiency from the code submitted by them on open-source platforms.
2) Referral Platforms
Getting referrals from employees can only get you leads from immediate network, but what if you could scale employee referral programs to the next level. That is exactly what referral platforms like TalentDome and Aevy do. Since these platforms have a predefined user base all you have to do is enter your sourcing requirement, location, and budget, and the system does the rest.
Using candidate matching algorithms these systems run targeted referral campaigns on email and social media to leverage large-scale employee referrals. What’s important is that clients get many referrals from silver & bronze candidates which are considered a gold mine in the recruiting world.
3) Coding Schools
One of the best ways to get emerging tech talent is by collaborating with institutions like the Lambda School or the Coding School. Since these schools run short-term and long-term courses on technology, they are appropriate for IT staffing. You can also tie-up with local universities who run similar programs and showcase your employer brand during their annual placement sessions.
4) Technology Staffing Firms
If you think that sourcing technology talent is too much effort and diverts your interest from more pressing matters then partnering with a technology staffing firm would be a good idea. Make sure you look for a firm that has worked for similar clients and has offices in multiple locations. Ask them about their recruiting strength, screening methodology, and support systems before you sign them up for a contract.
5) Hackathons
Every year many hackathons happen in the USA that invite hackers and developers to solve technology challenges or work on immersive projects. These events offer a great opportunity to meet with top talent from different backgrounds. Some of the premier hackathon events that happen in the USA include WCEF Crypto Hackathon, NASA Space Apps Challenge, Doro Hacks Blockchain Hackathon, and many more. Make sure you register for these events well in advance as the entry tickets go out really fast.
Since the candidate volume is comparatively less in emerging technologies you need to be extra careful with every lead. That is why having a sound engagement framework is really important. Make sure you keep in touch with all leads through emails and social media and send them career progression videos and employee benefit campaigns regularly.