Improving Candidate Experience: The Key to Retaining Talent

Shaun.t
3 min readMar 18, 2023

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Hiring developers is a crucial part of building a successful tech team. However, many companies struggle to find the right talent and often resort to hiring from famed companies instead of nurturing their own talent. While hiring from big-name companies may seem like a safe bet, it can result in missed opportunities for the company to grow and develop its own unique culture and expertise.

Root Cause

A company without a clear understanding of why they need a developer in the first place and expecting a software developer to solve every problem is unrealistic. This lack of clarity can lead to a number of issues, such as:

  1. Hiring the wrong person for the job.
  2. Developing products or features that aren’t aligned with the company’s overall strategy.
  3. Creating unnecessary expenses for the company.

Downsides of Hiring from Big-name

Many companies are attracted to hiring software developers from big-name companies, believing that these candidates have a certain level of expertise and experience. However, there are several downsides to this approach that should be considered.

Firstly, developers from big-name companies may be accustomed to working in large teams with established processes and may struggle to adapt to the needs of a smaller company or startup.

Additionally, these candidates may have developed highly specialized skills that may not be relevant to the needs of the hiring company.

Candidate experience and trial programs

Candidate experience and trial programs are becoming increasingly popular as companies seek to attract and retain top talent. These programs allow potential candidates to experience the company’s work culture, team dynamics, and job responsibilities before making a commitment to join the organization.

Trial programs may include job shadowing, short-term projects, or contract work that allow candidates to get a sense of the company’s culture, work style, and expectations. By offering candidates an opportunity to experience the company firsthand, organizations can ensure that new hires are aligned with their values, goals, and work culture.

This approach can also help to reduce turnover and increase job satisfaction, as new hires are more likely to be engaged and committed to their work. Ultimately, a positive candidate experience can lead to a stronger employer brand, increased referrals, and a more competitive edge in the hiring market.

Startup Side Note

It is common for aspiring entrepreneurs to start a startup simply because they are enamored with the idea of becoming the next big thing. They are often more focused on the glamorous side of entrepreneurship, such as pitching to investors, attending networking events, and being featured in the media. Unfortunately, this often results in startups that prioritize flashy features or gimmicks over solving real problems for customers.

And just don’t recruit interns for every position. Please don’t.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Companies should focus on nurturing their own talent and assessing candidates’ technical and soft skills, as well as providing ongoing development opportunities for their team members. By taking these steps, companies can build a successful tech team that contributes to the growth and success of the business.

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Shaun.t
Shaun.t

Written by Shaun.t

Tech, people, story. Evangelist of Team Forest. https://teamforest.co

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