Ever tried to find software developers with a recruiter that handles generalized hiring? You may find that the outcome isn't quite what you're looking for, to say the least: Generalist recruiters may provide generic results when hiring for specialized roles.
Recruiters or hiring managers without the right technology, tools, and an extensive network of contacts sometimes struggle to find qualified candidates in an appropriate time frame.
For candidates, the experience can be frustrating. When recruiters aren’t intimately familiar with the software development and engineering world, misunderstandings ensue — and the unfamiliarity with tech terminology, programming languages, and various development frameworks can make it feel like engineering candidates are speaking an entirely different language.
The solution? There’s an art to hiring the right engineering professionals, and thus, there’s an art to finding the right software engineering recruiter. We’ll show you what it takes to be a recruiter in the highly competitive world of technology — and what to look for in a software engineering recruiter.
The Importance of Software Engineering Recruiting
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, demand for software engineers and people in related fields is expected to grow by 25% between 2021 and 2031. Part of the reason for this growth is because software engineering is an incredibly diverse field with major innovations happening all the time.
Recruiting for this field can mean many things, from recruitment for companies who create software-as-a-service (SaaS) products, to recruiting for companies that work in fintech or other fields. Through it all, recruiters for software engineers need to be able to find top-quality talent — but with several caveats.
Engineering recruiters can’t just search for engineers. They need to be able to find people who work in specific sub-sectors of the software development industry, like people familiar with healthcare tech, fintech, as-a-service apps, consumer technology, and beyond.
From there, recruiters need to further winnow the talent pool down to people who have specific skill sets, like web developers, full stack developers, and DevOps specialists. And last, they also need to find people who are the right cultural fit for individual companies.
Key Roles and Responsibilities of a Software Engineering Recruiter
To find an outstanding software engineering recruiter, you need to be sure that they can handle the typical responsibilities of the role — but there’s a lot more to the job than just hiring a software engineer.
Sourcing the right professionals is a tough job that requires a broad skill set. In the sections below, we’ll explore the top responsibilities of a software engineering recruiter and how to spot a great one.
Sourcing Top Engineering Candidates
Competitive recruiters for software engineers and programmers will be able to source top candidates with specific experience for specific job opportunities. To do that, software engineering and IT recruiters alike should have some industry knowledge regarding programming languages, front-end and back-end programming, web development, and overall information technology.
This helps with a variety of responsibilities, from writing accurate job posts to finding and shortlisting qualified candidates for jobs that often have highly specific requirements.
Screening and Interviewing
Screening and interviewing is another key part of the process. During this part of the hiring process, your recruiting team should be able to sort through resumes and applications to find and shortlist the people with the right skill set.
From there, recruiters will interview job seekers to find candidates that have not only the right web or software development skills, but who will also be a great cultural fit for a particular company, too.
You need a recruiter with experience in the software engineering industry not only to make the screening and interview process more efficient and effective, but also to help make a good impression on potential candidates.
For example, when creating interview questions, recruiters should demonstrate a working knowledge of the field for which they are hiring. When recruiters know the lingo of the tech world, it helps build rapport with candidates and instill trust.
Data Management
When companies need to hire software engineers, they often need to assemble entire engineering teams in which each team member has unique skills to round out the overall skill set.
This means that tech recruiters are often tasked with hiring at moderate to high volumes — and that’s a lot of applications and other data to handle. Thus, software engineering recruiters need to not only be highly organized, but also equipped with the right software and tools to help them manage all of this data.
Data management also helps a great recruiter keep a steady talent pool going, too. There are many different types of engineering professionals out there — and while one candidate’s skill set may not be ideal for one position, it could be for another position in the future. The ability to keep track of these candidates for future reference is a huge advantage that helps recruiters fill positions more quickly.
Building and Maintaining Relationships With Candidates and Clients
No matter the industry, a good recruiter will always work hard to build and maintain relationships with both candidates and clients. This is doubly important in the world of software development.
Why? Because candidates will all have unique skill sets to bring to the table.
So, for example, while one candidate may be a highly experienced Java developer, another may be a pro with Python. Building relationships with candidates means getting to know them and their skills — and being able to place them in the positions where those skills will shine.
Similarly, clients will all have unique needs, not just in terms of skills needed, but also company culture and other factors.
For instance, the overall vibe can be a lot different between companies depending on whether or not they’re a startup, in the growth stages, or a fully-fledged enterprise. It’s crucial to get to know the “personality” of each client’s business in addition to learning about their hiring needs.
Closing the Deal
Competition among companies for top engineering candidates can be ferocious — and that’s why it’s essential for recruiters to have the communication and negotiation skills to be able to close the deal.
During the recruiting process, a technical recruiter will need to negotiate salaries, benefits packages, and working arrangements, while showcasing their client companies as highly desirable places to work.
How To Find a Successful Software Engineering Recruiter
Finding a software engineering recruiter or a recruitment agency with the specific expertise you need can be challenging. Use the tips below to search among individuals and recruiting firms to find experts who fit your needs perfectly.
1. Look for Modern Recruiters That Use the Right Technology
These days, competitive recruiters use a variety of software and tech tools to post job descriptions on job boards, manage applications for specific job openings, communicate with applicants and clients, and more.
Be on the lookout for a recruiter who is well-versed in applicant tracking systems and other important tech tools designed for hiring.
Here at Hunt Club, we use leading technology to source, qualify, and hire top talent for a variety of industries — including software development.
Want to learn more about how we work? Get started here.
2. Host a Live Conference or Event
Conferences and events are a great way to network and get to know people. If you’re searching for a recruiter or staffing agency to help you fill engineering roles, hosting a live conference or event lets you create a networking opportunity so that you can find people who fit your needs.
3. Use LinkedIn and Job Boards
LinkedIn and job boards aren’t just for the job search or finding engineering candidates. They’re a great place to find recruiters, too. Look for people or agencies that not only bring years of experience to the table, but who also specialize in filling software engineering roles.
4. Check Online Directories
There are a lot of great directories out there that let you search for recruiters. For example, LinkedIn has one that you can use.
Do some searching to find online directories that specialize in helping companies find recruiters — it’s even better when you can find directories that let you sort by expertise. This way, you can filter recruiters by expertise or whether they handle outsourcing if you need to hire contractors versus full-time engineers.
5. Focus Specifically on a Single Position
When you’re a recruiter searching for people to fill positions, it’s best not to focus too narrowly since you’ll often encounter candidates who have a great skill set — even if it’s not the perfect skill set for the particular job opening when you’re trying to fill. Part of talent acquisition is keeping these people in mind for future reference.
When you’re searching for a recruiter, however, the opposite is true. Keep the focus narrow and targeted on filling a single, specific position: a software engineer recruiter.
Recruiters who don’t specialize in tech or in filling software development roles can often provide lackluster results — and create frustration among candidates who are familiar with things like full stack development, SQL, or other terms that non-tech recruiters may not be familiar with.
Keeping the focus specifically on finding a software engineer recruiter will help you find someone with the right qualifications to help you find top talent.
Need Help Recruiting? Partner With Hunt Club Today
Looking for software engineers and other tech talent? Get started by finding a specialist in recruiting for the software engineering industry. Hunt Club has the expertise you need — plus a tech-driven approach to finding the top talent and helping you place them in their new job.
Ready to learn how we work? Connect with our team to see how your business can leverage our innovative sourcing technology and growing network of over 8 million qualified professionals.
