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IT Hiring Strategy: Internal vs. External

Among IT employers, 33% currently have positions they are unable to fill and 38% of them say they’ll hire and train employees with no technology experience. With a shortage of IT talent and a widespread, fast-growing need for mobile, big data, cloud, and IT security experience, companies in Minnesota will face two options to stay atop of the digital trends. They can recruit new IT professionals from outside the organization, or they can develop internal employees for the IT positions they want to fill. Both options have pros and cons, but which is best depends on the individual company and their goals.

Here are some guidelines to help your company determine your IT hiring strategy:

 

When to Hire New IT Talent

  • You are looking to change organizational culture by infusing new talent.
  • You don’t have the time to let someone grow into a position.
  • You want quick turnaround on a project, which is more often accomplished by outside hires.
  • You are looking to reach a larger candidate pool and attract talent from another organization.
  • You want to bring new ideas/skills into a particular team.

When to Develop Internal IT Talent

  • You want to build your brand by showing potential candidates they will be rewarded with career development.
  • You understand that poaching candidates from other organizations means other companies can also poach from your talent pool.
  • You know that growing talent from within can solidify succession-planning issues.
  • Your company’s internal talent is a known commodity – you are aware of the current strengths and weaknesses, and can direct that talent to different areas of the company over time.

 

 

Minnesota has 19 Fortune 500 companies; the second most Fortune 500 companies per capita, after Connecticut. With so many Fortune 500 companies and an extremely limited number of computer science and engineering graduates each year, IT companies in the Twin Cities will always need to recruit externally.

As a result, many companies are turning to consulting firms, such as Versique’s IT Consulting for assistance in quickly finding IT professionals.

To learn more about how to hire top IT talent and get up-to-date on the latest IT industry trends, download our 2015 IT Salary Guide today!