Now is a great time to be working in the Information Technology (IT) sector. According to CareerBuilder’s recent IT forecast, “More than half of IT employers plan to add full-time, permanent staff this year…in addition, 59% of IT employers will add temporary or contract workers.” The survey also found that employers are having difficulty finding candidates with the skills they need, and as a result, they are focusing on enticing talent in various ways.
What does all this mean for you, the recruiter? Your services are in demand on both sides. Clients need a good recruiter to match the job openings they have with the skilled candidates they need and can’t find. In-demand candidates need a good recruiter to cherry-pick the most enticing opportunities and present their skills to the client. And according to the above statistic, one of the best ways to position yourself for recruiting success in 2015 is to recruit contract workers.
The question is – where can you find the skilled candidates employers need? The type of candidates IT employers are looking to entice also tend to be with those who would benefit most from working on contract. In addition to your standard recruiting practices, below are two strong demographics to pursue for contract work:
- College Graduates. It may seem counter-intuitive that 70% of IT employers want to hire inexperienced college grads when they are currently experiencing a skills gap. However, these new graduates also bring fresh talent and cutting-edge training into the workplace. Even better, recent grads overwhelmingly belong to the Millennial generation, well known for being independent digital natives with nomadic tendencies – traits which make them perfect picks for contract IT work.
- Retirees. We’ve already written about the “retiree restaffing” trend gaining ground in the recruitment industry this year, and the benefits to both employer and employee still apply. In this case, over half of IT employers surveyed will likely bring on retirees this year. They may not have the cutting-edge training of the new college grads, but they have an unmatched level of experience that employers need equally.
Setting yourself up as a valuable resource for IT employers and candidates alike is a smart move for 2015. Make sure you’re able to provide all the services they need, from contract staffing to direct hire placements.
