Why mid-career change is the answer to the tech talent shortage

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The Big resignation Not finished yet. else Four million workers They quit their jobs in October 2022 – Not the best news for employers, but a particular problem for the tech sector. The demand for tech talent is on the rise as an increasing number of companies continue to launch digital transformation efforts in the wake of the pandemic. Almost everything is virtual, and transitions are here to stay.

Even as we move into a post-pandemic world, a significant portion of the workforce is no longer. At last count approx three millions The “workforce dropouts” say they have no plans to return to pre-pandemic activities. Complicating matters is dwindling talent pools. In fact, both undergraduate and community college enrollments are down, decreased 6.6% and 13%respectively, since 2019.

Winning the battle of talent

with up to 80% Of the tech workers considering a hiring change, the Competition for talent It is getting stronger day by day.

Tech companies must get creative with their sourcing efforts or risk an ever-widening skills gap — a skills gap that cannot easily be filled without workers who bring flexibility, adaptability, and critical thinking to the mix, allowing them to work alongside emerging technology.

This means not only evaluating hard skills but also skills with less variety. You want talent with a “growth mindset”. Openness and willingness to learn are necessities these days and (some believe) essential ingredients Creating a culture of inclusivity. So what do tech workers want in their employer today? want to work on Diverse and agile teams With flexibility to shift in people and technology.

Put your talents elsewhere

While it is always important to bring young talent into an organization, focusing only on people who are just starting their careers can be shortsighted, and miss out on the transferable skills found in the experienced workforce.

Mid-career shifters are already bringing to the table many soft and core skills, most of which will be transferable across industries.

And with invaluable experience and a unique perspective developed from previous jobs, they often excel and add unexpected value to almost any team.

Besides, this talent pool is growing at an unprecedented rate. newly Scan ZipRecruiter It found that 62% of job seekers would like to change their type of work or change their profession entirely. So now it’s a matter of turning your attention to attracting and hiring these talented individuals, all of whom are ready to be selected. With that in mind, these are some of the strategies you might use to attract mid-career professionals looking to change their career paths:

1. Understand what midlife shifters prioritize at work

The direction your recruiting effort takes will depend largely on your organization, but often the first step is understanding how to attract mid-career changers. Fortunately, it’s not as if tech companies can’t offer what job seekers want right now: higher salaries, upward mobility, stability, flexibility, etc.

A recent report found that 30% of mid-career professionals have left their job within the past year, and most of them They attribute their resignations to bad company culture or frustration with their bosses.

For your organization, it may make sense to highlight a culture of openness and training, opportunities to improve skills, supportive leadership, potential for growth and flexibility. Consider how best to position your business opportunities to stand out and attract experienced workers who are looking for new challenges.

2. Decide how to assess who is ripe for reskilling

The next task is to develop an evaluation process for Determine the candidates They are the best equipped for the skills in a particular role. In our experience, the most effective evaluation process screens for Soft skills Such as passion, drive, and willingness to learn, rather than just hard skills, not to mention logic and reasoning skills that are difficult to measure.

Candidates who want the job wholeheartedly are often more willing to put in the work and effort to excel in a role. Additionally, trainable candidates can develop challenging skills when given the opportunity, which naturally leads us to the next step: preparation.

3. Establishing training and guidance to qualify career changers

Not that you need to reinvent the wheel, but companies should create a structure for job changers on board and provide support for them. A formal training program can certainly help. The same can be said for mentoring software as well, which is often one of the most effective ways to learn how to do the job and the ins and outs of the office from a colleague.

At the same time, do not neglect “horizontal” training opportunities such as knowledge retention and sharing among peers.

It can be more challenging than just bringing together mentors and trainees. However, it is necessary to create structures for both mentorship and knowledge sharing in the organization so that workers at all stages of their careers can continually learn from each other.

4. Consider recruiting into groups

You may also find success employing multiple career changers in an apprenticeship or cohort-style structure. Bring new recruits who are in a similar position in their career change together because they can relate.

When they have peers and automatic confidants, so to speak, who are on the same journey, it becomes much easier for all new employees to feel heard and supported.

This feeling of support is crucial Retain new hires Because it helps prevent them from feeling lost and alienated as they adjust, and helps ensure greater success over time.

Next time you Looking for talentConsider hiring from a pool of mid-career creatives. Then your talent shortage issues may be short-lived, and you’ll be able to build a team that’s ready for success.

Featured photo credit: Annie Spratt; Unsplash Thank you!

Claire Anderson

Senior Director of Corporate Relations at LaunchCode

Claire Anderson is Senior Director of Corporate Relations at LaunchCode, currently matching high-quality tech talent with viable career paths in technology. Claire passionately draws on her higher education experience to create meaningful relationships in the workplace, while helping companies solve their biggest technology challenges. She heads the sales, hiring and marketing of junior technicians and leads the implementation of business development activities for various technical professionals nationally. Claire holds a bachelor’s degree from Webster University and a master’s degree from Washington University, both in St. Louis.

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