In this week's news roundup for IT pros, we bring you articles on technology talent that do not include the words “war” or “crisis.”
Trends in tech talent
Writing for Bloomberg Technology, Sarah McBride reports on the trend of talent leaving startups to pursue opportunities with larger, more established tech companies (Big tech companies pounce as the allure of startups fades). She writes, “Some unicorns, such as Uber, Airbnb Inc. and Snap Inc., are still thriving. But there are questions about how much further their valuations can increase. That’s made it easier for public companies to recruit job seekers who once might have preferred startup stock that could double, triple or more in an initial public offering or acquisition.”
If you are still struggling to find tech talent, you may be able to bridge the skills gap with coding hobbyists and enthusiasts. In CIO Magazine, senior writer Sarah K. White writes that a hiring trend born out of necessity (i.e talent scarcity) is helping businesses bring new perspectives and innovative ideas into their IT organizations (Fight the talent shortage with citizen developers). Citing an interview with Perry Smith, senior vice president of engineering at RES, she writes, “Smith says some of the best developers were once engineers – especially those in the electrical engineering field. He says that he's employed people with degrees in psychology, biology, mechanical engineering, physics, history, nursing and music. The one thing they all had in common, he says, is that they expressed an interest in coding and developing before turning to it as a profession.”
The good news is that when you do find the right tech talent, chances are they will be just as happy about it as you are. A new study found that 72 percent of survey respondents feel appreciated on the job, and 71 percent cited a solid work/life balance (Why are tech workers so satisfied with their jobs?). Forbes contributor MeiMei Fox breaks down the reasons, which include creative problem solving, alignment with a larger purpose, and the chance to work on the new, exciting technologies.
More news for CIOs
Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn: How should managers use social media? [ZDNet]
Survey finds large gaps between business expectations and IT capabilities [Forbes]
