How to recruit candidates in the computer and technology industry

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Software engineers develop new operating systems and applications, often seeing projects through from design to completion. That process includes research, design, testing, and configuration. Software engineers share many responsibilities with software developers, but the latter are not certified engineers, which is the main difference between the two roles.

Responsibilities

• Research, design, build, and test new software
• Create applications using a variety of coding languages and technologies
• Analyze operating systems, computers, and applications
• Collaborate to define and implement solutions

Skills and Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in software engineering, computer science, or mathematics  
• Experience in JavaScript
• Experience with HTML, Java, C/C++, Python, and Go
• Ability to think analytically and brainstorm creatively
• Ability to collaborate effectively with other engineers and team members

 

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A technical engineer’s specific role differs depending on the industry they work in. But at their core, technical engineering jobs are all about identifying and solving problems. This may involve building equipment, testing products, collecting data, or designing and developing products – all in an attempt to drive efficiency and success.

Responsibilities

• Oversee development of new technologies, ensuring they satisfy emerging requirements
• Communicate with stakeholders to learn the system’s needs
• Standardize and automate business processes
• Analyze service interruptions and create preventative measures
• Implement new operating systems, software, and hardware components
• Document all support procedures for routine tasks

Skills and Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in technology or computer science
• 3+ years of experience in a technical role
• Project management experience
• Ability to collaborate with a multidisciplinary team
• Ability to create, analyze, and repair large-scale distributed systems

 

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If a company computer is malfunctioning, it impacts one employee’s productivity. If the network goes down, the entire company is affected – and even stopped in its tracks. Network engineers play a critical role in the success of communication and effective business operations. They monitor and alter computer network topology based on user issues, traffic congestion, preventative maintenance, necessary infrastructure upgrades, and new product offerings. These technical experts are concerned with uninterrupted uptime, knowing that one command can bring the entire network down and cost the company thousands or even millions of dollars in lost business. Thriving network engineers are natural collaborators and will often interact with management and staff to facilitate the achievement of a successful network system.

Responsibilities

• Architect, implement, and maintain network solutions that provide core infrastructure, including private cloud, and integrate with services and systems running in virtual private and public cloud infrastructure
• Communicate with team to identify needs, monitor performance, and troubleshoot, diagnose, and resolve issues with network and systems
• Provide project management on various network activities including upgrades, new implementations, and migrations, with technical direction and user support as needed
• Create, revise, update, and maintain documentation of environment and operational procedures
• Create reports and documentation outlining findings and solutions

Skills and Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in technology, with a focus on network engineering
• Experience with network infrastructure and hardware
• Proficiency with infrastructure devices, including switches, routers, wireless access points, controllers, and firewalls
• Expertise in designing, monitoring, and repairing local area networks (LAN) and wide area networks (WAN)

 

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Network administrators keep a company’s computer systems running smoothly and seamlessly. That includes organizing, installing, and maintaining network systems, intranets, and local and wide area networks. When the system encounters a problem, network administrators are responsible for diagnosing the issue and finding an effective solution.

Responsibilities

• Install, configure, and maintain network systems
• Detect and troubleshoot network issues
• Create and maintain documentation for servers and devices
• Ensure network security
• Support implementation of upgrades and new products

Skills and Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science or a related field
• At least 3 years of experience in Windows server system administration
• Experience in SQL server administration
• In-depth knowledge of Windows operating systems from 2008 and 2012
• Knowledge of VMware

 

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Systems engineers play a crucial role in the success of valuable operations. They lay the foundation for projects or systems from conception through production and into realization. These technical business experts are concerned with the big picture of a project, in addition to details including costs, schedules, and any workability issues. The most successful systems engineers are natural collaborators and will often interact with project managers and the engineering team at every turn, taking the lead in facilitating the achievement of a successful system.

Responsibilities

• Communicate with stakeholders to identify what they want a system to accomplish
• Use expert-level administration and optimization of hosts and servers to ensure high availability and appropriate resource management
• Standardize and automate processes and monitoring using scripting technology
• Install and configure operating systems, software, and hardware components, and clearly document the design, maintenance, and support procedures for routine tasks to leverage
• IT support staff
• Routinely test software for bugs, redundancies, and security issues
• Conduct high-level root-cause analysis for service interruption and establish preventive measures
• Create reports and documentation outlining findings and solutions; oversee the overall backup strategy and daily operations for secure backups and restore testing

Skills and Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in technology or computer science
• Experience with, or knowledge of, programming languages and operating systems, current equipment and technologies, enterprise backup and recovery procedures, system performance-monitoring tools, active directories, virtualization, HTTP traffic, content delivery, and caching
• Experience in project management, application design and integration, and cloud computing (specifically Microsoft Azure)
• Expertise in creating, analyzing, and repairing large-scale distributed systems
• Knowledge of Git or other version control
  
  

 

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While many candidates are excited to get a message about a new opportunity, skilled computer and technology candidates receive a lot of messages from recruiters, both on LinkedIn and via email. To truly capture their attention, you’ll need to send a message that stands out. Here are some ideas:

• Start with a short, impactful subject line
  • Standout subject lines use keywords like “thanks,” “exclusive invitation,” “connect,” “job opportunity,” and “join us.”
• Make your message a conversation starter, not just a sales pitch
  • Instead of simply writing “look at the job and tell me if you’re interested” (which doesn’t perform well), start a dialogue about the candidate’s career trajectory and encourage them to explore your opportunity.
• Be genuine
  • Create an authentic, conversational tone throughout your message. Try to use words that reflect your personality and voice, and demonstrate your genuine interest in helping candidates reach their career goals.

Remember, it’s all about connection. It’s perfectly fine to use a template for your message, as long as you customize it to each candidate’s individual interests and goals, and to your own voice. Here are a few examples of InMails to help you spark a connection right away.

If you want to attract high-quality tech talent, a strong online brand is a must. With an online presence, you can build relationships with potential candidates, diversify your reach, and learn about candidates’ preferred communication and connection styles. Your brand’s LinkedIn page, careers site, and social media profiles are the prime places candidates look to learn more about your brand, so it’s crucial that these make a good impression. Establish a clear, compelling brand and candidates will think of you first when they’re looking for a job.

For tech professionals, a brand focused on innovation can be very effective. You want to show candidates that your company is ahead of the curve, that you value creative thinking, and that you’ll provide a stimulating environment for them to work in. If your brand resonates with candidates, they’ll want to know more about your company and the work you do.

You can start boosting your brand right now by doing the following:

• Share testimonials from your staff
  • Be honest
  • Give clear details about the role and workplace
  • Include a personal, relatable experience
  • Show that your company values its employees
• Provide meaningful insight into your culture
  • What it’s like to work at your company
  • What motivates your employees
  • What makes your culture or company unique
  • News about recent partnerships, innovations, or awards
• Post enticing pictures and videos
  • Be authentic
  • Highlight your company, workplace, and employees (no stock photos!)
  • Showcase your engaging office environment, so employees can imagine themselves working in the space
  • Include photos of your employees interacting with, and supporting, each other

LinkedIn Groups offers the chance to connect with professionals in your industry or with those who have similar interests. Users can network, talk about their experiences, ask questions, and discover new opportunities. Recruiters can use these spaces to discover and engage with new talent – and there’s a wide pool to draw from, as LinkedIn has hundreds of computer and technology-related groups.

Before you start recruiting, though, it’s important to understand the rules of a group. Some prohibit soliciting group members or posting job openings on the group page, so read the rules carefully in order to be respectful. That being said, there are a few groups designed with recruitment in mind:

• Technology Jobs Network
  Over 116,000 members strong, this group is dedicated to helping IT professionals find jobs, offering tips, encouragement, and of course, plenty of job postings.
  
  
• Information Technology Professionals
  This group aims to provide job opportunities, networking, and career development for its 207,000 members around the world.
  
  
• Information Security Careers Network (ISCN)
  The largest group on LinkedIn dedicated to careers in IT and cybersecurity, with over 69,000 members, ISCN provides opportunities to network, discuss IT topics, and find and post jobs.

How to join LinkedIn Groups

You can find groups in two ways:

1. By name or keyword: Type keywords or group names in the Search bar at the top of the LinkedIn  homepage. Click the Groups tab on the Search Results page.
2. By browsing groups recommended for you by LinkedIn: click the Work icon in the top right of the LinkedIn homepage and select Groups from the menu.
   

There are two ways you can join a group:

1. Click “Request invitation from a group member or manager. Joining a LinkedIn Group is easy. After finding a group that’s relevant to your needs and clicking onto its page, click the button to join the group.

How to post a message in LinkedIn Groups

• After joining a group, you’ll see a box called “Start a new conversation in this group.” Here, you can type your message, post links, and even upload images or video. You can type up to 1,300 characters in total, including spaces, so keep it short and sweet!
• When you’re happy with your message, simply click “Post” and you’re done.
  

How to start a discussion and engage group members

• One way to start the conversation in a group is to share stories and post relevant content that other members will be encouraged to comment on. This strategy can also help you find guidance and feedback about topics, while letting you get to know the group’s members.
• Respond to member’s comments and ask respectful, interesting follow-up questions or comments.

How to reach out to a candidate in LinkedIn Groups

• If someone catches your attention in the group, click on their profile to learn more about them and to connect with them. Once you’re connected, you can message them clicking the “Message” button on their page and reach out to them in an InMail (a direct message on LinkedIn).
• Start by mentioning that you’d like to connect because you enjoyed chatting with them in the group. Then offer some engaging details about the job you’re hiring for. Since you’ve already interacted in the group, you have a personal connection already, so they may be more open to talking to you.