The IT job market is highly competitive. There are currently more than a million unfilled positions so HR departments have their work cut out. The problem isn’t a stagnant economy, it’s a lack of people willing to fill the roles. It’s hard to find people to fill .NET, python, devops and Java developer jobs. 

For many, the solution is to work with an IT recruitment agency. Instead of having to find candidates yourself, these agencies seek them out for you. They slash your overall recruitment costs and ensure that you have the human resources your firm needs at all times, even in a tight labor market such as the one that we have today. 

In the following sections, we discuss some of the main reasons why IT companies go to staffing agencies. Convenience is part of the story, but it’s not the only factor involved. 

Reduce hire time

For firms, vacancies are a problem. Failing to fill a role means lost sales, revenues, and productivity. It also increases pressure on existing staff and, in some cases, can actually affect customer service.

Currently, the average hire time in the IT sector is a whopping 44 days, meaning that if someone quit your organization today, you’d be waiting more than a month to replace them. 

Partnering with an IT staffing company cuts this time dramatically. Agencies keep suitable candidates on their books throughout the year, giving you the opportunity to fill vacancies immediately, slashing operational overheads.

Get A Good Culture Fit

Depending on how closely you work with the IT staffing company, you may be able to source people who are a good culture fit for your business at short notice. 

Generally, most HR staff can find candidates with suitable technical skills. However, it can be difficult to get someone who also aligns with your company values.

Working in close partnership with a recruiting company resolves this issue. Quality agencies consult with you about your business’s values and then match you up with workers who fit the bill. 

Trial Workers First

When you source IT workers via recruitment agencies, you don’t have to sign a permanent employment contract immediately. Instead, you can hire workers on a trial basis for a few months, giving you time to see whether they are suitable for the role or not. At the end of the initial period, you can either offer them a permanent position or extend the trial period for a few more months if you are not sure. 

The benefit of this is that you can ensure that employees offer the value they claim to offer. Often, it takes several months for workers to get up to speed in complex IT roles and for you to find out what they’re capable of, so this protracted onboarding can be helpful. Moreover, it gives you time to see whether they have the temperament and attitude to succeed in your firm, not just the skills. 

Benefit From Flexibility

IT recruitment agencies also offer enhanced flexibility, whether you’re looking for specific Java developer jobs or something more general, IT recruitment agencies offer flexibility. They can supply you with a large number of workers at short notice – ideal for any brand looking to scale rapidly. 

What’s more, they can supply the people you need at short notice. For instance, if you’re working on a project and desperately need people with data engineering skills, they can provide these individuals immediately, instead of forcing you to go to expensive contractors or wait months for a suitable candidate to show up on a job site.

You can also take people on for a limited time. For instance, if you just need devops or .NET skills for a few months, IT recruitment agencies can supply them.

Get Qualified Candidates

Normal recruitment agencies tend to cast the net wide, but not very deep. They often have a lot of people on their books who are suitable for entry-level roles, such as sales, warehousing and driving, but they don’t usually have candidates with advanced skills. What’s more, they don’t always understand the IT industry and what HR departments need from prospective workers. Their ability to match you with the right people, therefore, is limited. 

With specialist IT recruitment agencies, though, the opposite is the case. These organizations typically have excellent access to highly skilled candidates in the job market that most run-of-the-mill recruiters can’t reach.

Their ability to access preferred candidates has to do with how they operate. IT recruitment agencies find niche staff through: 

• Peer referrals;
• Searching for candidates outside of business’s catchment area (including remote and overseas workers); and
• Finding passive job seekers – people who want to leave their current role but haven’t yet actively started applying for other jobs.

Pre-Screen Candidates

All IT companies know that there is a substantial difference between how a candidate appears on paper and what they are like in real life. Practically every HR department has hired someone who has a compelling CV but fails to live up to expectations once they get in the office. 

Regular recruitment agencies find it challenging to pre-screen for technical positions, such as data engineering, .Net, Devops, Javascript, and Python jobs. However, IT recruitment agencies have all the tools you need, These include: 

• Verifying skills and competencies;
• Running technical assessments;
• Doing background checks; and
• Ensuring that they meet minimum standards set by your organization.

Taking over these roles helps to reduce administration, and save time and money. With this approach, you no longer have to process candidates yourself: the recruiter does it for you. 

The Bottom Line

Recruiters are helpful in all industries, but they are particularly valuable in candidate-driven job markets, such as the IT sector. In many cases, there are only a handful of people in the labor force who have the precise set of skills and experience you need. IT recruitment agencies make them easier to find. They use their networking skills, contacts and strategic investments to connect you to the right people and grow your business saving you time, money and effort. 

HR Future Staff Writer

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