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Senior vs Junior Developers Hiring Process - Comparison & Differences

A report on the National Employability of Engineers released last year by Aspiring Minds showed that a mere 3.67% of software engineers are employable for large-sized companies. Other statistics show that 90.72% of graduating engineers do not have the programming and algorithm skills desired by IT product companies, 72.77% lack soft-skills, and 59.40% lack cognitive skills.

With such dismal numbers, how do you test developers who are graduate or senior engineers with the right mix of skills to fulfill your requirements? In this article, we will talk about the hiring process for developers with the required talent for your company and what to focus on when hiring fresh and senior engineers.

Regardless of the level, you’re recruiting for, the first step is the same — defining your requirements in the form of skills needed and roles and responsibilities to be performed.

“Alice: Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?
The Cheshire Cat: That depends a good deal on where you want to get to.
Alice: I don’t much care where.
The Cheshire Cat: Then it doesn’t much matter which way you go.” – Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland

Just like Alice, you will have trouble getting to your destination — finding the perfect candidates — if the path or requirements are not well-defined. Once you have defined the requirements, you can start the hiring process for your candidates.

Difference between senior and junior developers

Understanding the distinction between senior and junior developers is crucial for tailoring the hiring process effectively. These differences span various aspects, including:

Aspect
Junior Developers
Senior Developers
Experience and Skill Level
  • Less experience, often starting out or with a few years of professional experience.
  • Skills are foundational, focused on learning and growing within the role.
  • Extensive experience, often several years in the industry.
  • Advanced technical skills and deep understanding of programming languages, frameworks, and systems.
  • Capable of handling complex tasks with minimal supervision.
Problem-solving and Complexity
  • Developing problem-solving skills.
  • Suited for well-defined, less complex tasks.
  • Often require guidance to troubleshoot and solve problems.
  • Strong problem-solving skills, capable of tackling complex, ambiguous problems.
  • Can foresee potential issues and propose effective, scalable solutions.
Project Leadership and Mentoring
  • Not expected to lead projects or mentor others.
  • Focus on learning from others and gradually taking on more responsibility.
  • Often take on leadership roles within projects.
  • Mentor junior team members, provide guidance, and responsible for significant decision-making.
Autonomy and Decision Making
  • Require more oversight and direction.
  • Work often needs to be reviewed and validated by more experienced team members.
  • Operate with a high degree of autonomy.
  • Trusted to make critical decisions and often responsible for significant portions of a project or entire projects.
Contribution to Strategy and Planning
  • Focus on task execution, not heavily involved in strategic planning or high-level decision-making.
  • Play a key role in strategy, planning, and shaping the direction of projects.
  • Contribute to the broader technical strategy of the team or organization.
Salary and Investment
  • Command lower salaries, represent an investment in potential and growth within the company.
  • Have higher salary expectations, reflecting their experience and value in terms of expertise and leadership.
Cultural and Team Dynamics
  • Often bring fresh perspectives and new energy to a team, beneficial for team dynamics and innovation.
  • Experience significantly influences team culture and dynamics.
  • Often set technical standards and best practices within the team.

Hiring Process for a Fresh Graduate

Since a degree is clearly not a relevant measure of employability, it is critical that the hiring process is able to ascertain in other ways whether the candidate has the right skills and is a good fit for the company. It should check whether the candidate has technical acumen along with necessary soft skills such as the communication and interpersonal skills to work in a team. The hiring process for a fresh engineer looks something like this:

Sourcing

The first step in the hiring process is to source the right candidates for the job. You could try campus placements, use outside recruiters who do the sourcing for you or use inbound recruitment techniques to attract the right candidates. Any or all of these sources could give you a pool of candidates for consideration.

in this FastCompany article, Keawe Block, a recruiter at Google, says that they look for candidates who have experience at hackathons, coding competitions, or have had programming assignments at work. Check the resumes to see what coding languages they know, and what relevant internships they might have done. These give an insight into their technical acumen which can be tested further in the next stages.

Screening

You have a targeted pool of potential recruits. The next step is to filter them further by testing these candidates on their technical skills. Alternatively, you can use tools (such as HackerEarth Recruit) which have an online coding test, that allows you to check scores in real-time and use detailed test reports to analyze performance.

Selection

Depending on the job requirement, this could be an interview or a series of interviews with supervisors and peers. If your engineers are expected to work in an agile environment, your questions should check for whether the candidate is a team player, is patient, and resilient as she would be working for long periods of time with the rest of the team. Check mainly for “fit,” whether you see the person blending in and growing with the company.

Lastly, it does not matter if the candidate is not a full-stack developer, as long as she demonstrates a willingness to learn and has the right attitude. Technical requirements of companies are ever-changing, and any skills one has today might be rendered redundant tomorrow.

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Hiring Process for a Senior Developer

The hiring process for a senior developer differs vastly from that of a fresh graduate. For starters, the emphasis is on experience and accomplishments in past roles. The other vital difference is in sourcing senior managers, which is much more challenging because of the limited pool of qualified senior engineers available.

The hiring process for a senior developer looks something like this:

Sourcing

With fresh engineers, there is a problem of plenty; with senior engineers, the opposite holds true. There are few engineers at the senior level who have skills that you need, and they might not be motivated to switch jobs. Referrals are the perhaps the best approach to attract candidates in this case as they referrals a mutual interest from both the employer and the potential hire. You can also use inbound recruitment techniques, such as your website and social media handles, to advertise and invite candidates to apply. Alternatively, you can use recruiters to do the sourcing for you.

Screening

The quickest way to screen candidates is to conduct telephonic interviews where you can ask them for further details about their experience and skills. A more detailed way to check their acumen would be to assign a coding test, allocate some time to work on it and do a review with them. This gives you a chance to see them in action and judge their ability in a practical manner.

Selection

The selection involves interviews with the top management. The number of interviews is usually lesser for a senior engineer than a fresh graduate. The interview will focus on the candidate’s experience and how that might be relevant to the role that the candidate is being interviewed for. The interview should focus on how he has demonstrated leadership skills in the past with relevant examples. A candidate that attends conferences and technology meet-ups indicates that she’s in touch with changing technology trends.

No One-Size-Fits-all-Solution

Since the requirements for graduates and senior engineers are different, the skills tested and the hiring process cannot be the same for both. While you look for leadership skills, stability, and relevant experience for a senior engineer; you look for aptitude, a willingness to learn, and culture fit while hiring fresh engineers. As stated above, it all needs to tie back to the company’s requirements. A vital point of difference is also negotiations with senior candidates. It is difficult to make the switch if they don’t get the salary they’re looking for. With fresh graduates, because of the abundant supply, it is possible to find someone in your budget, but with senior engineers, the salary must be lucrative enough, hence the negotiations take longer.

If you are looking for a recruitment solution to efficiently hire fresh and senior talent for your organization, sign up for a free trial of HackerEarth Recruit

What’s wrong with today’s tech job descriptions?

“Love brunch? Have we got a job for you? Live for brunch, drink an Aperol Spritz®, look great, and collect a paycheck — it’s a hard job but, hey, someone’s got to do it.” This job description for Chief Brunch Officers sounds too good to be true, doesn’t it?

But it is true. In 2014, Campari launched a wonderful social media campaign for Aperol lovers to spread the happiness of the delicious Italian aperitif, which has been touted as the most fashionable drink of 2017. Sigh! Although such dream roles are few, we’d settle for good jobs that at least sound appealing.

Job descriptions are what your applicants see before all else. It can accomplish so much if done right.

And, this is especially true in case of tech jobs.

When you ask for team players, whatever do you mean?

Do you mean they shouldn’t ideally question authority? Heaven, forbid.

Or, “Works with minimal supervision” means what? That if anything goes awry, he or she gets the blame possibly? Or it could just mean what it says: your manager is too busy to keep after you and expects you do your job.

Point being made: Enough with the meaningless, ambiguous job descriptions already!

It is really up to you how you want potential hires to perceive your organization and responsibilities that go with the roles.

Like The Adler Group CEO, Lou Adler, says, “It seems obvious that if a company wants to hire people who are both competent and motivated to do the work required, they need to start by defining the work required. Yet somehow this basic concept is lost when a new job opens up. Instead of defining the job, managers focus on defining the person. The end result is not a job description at all, but a person description.”

Most JDs demand you be a team player, be innovative, take initiative, show leadership skills and a willingness to learn, perform in a fast-paced environment, etc. Which applicant is actually going to admit a lack of these skills which you can’t test until much later anyway? How are these relevant in your very first advertisement of an open position? According to a Monster survey, 57% of applicants broke into a run the minute they spotted phrases such as “ninja,” “penetrate the market,” “rockstar developer,” “hit the ground running,” and “self-starter” in the JD.

When will they stop with the ill-defined job requirements?

Courting candidates is quite the order of the day now. A time when big companies could command as they wished is no longer possible. Today, highly skilled workers are in the driver’s seat. They get to choose who they want to work for and negotiate a lot more than they did before. So, companies really can’t afford to mess up while recruiting.

After analyzing best-performing job listings for a 6-month period, Stackoverflow found that “the average apply rate for the high-performing group was 30.9%, and the average for the lower was 3.2%.” One of the main reasons for their high performance was a clear and comprehensive JD.

Seriously outdated job descriptions

You know what is really irksome? Employers using antiquated job descriptions (JDs) that should have been binned a long time ago… If you can remember your job description for your current role, then take a bow. Not many of us remember what it said; it was so lackluster and generic. Half the time, it bears no resemblance to what we are doing now.

Incomplete, vague job postings

What’s the point in advertising for abstract skills instead of telling them how they will grow or what they will own, learn, and improve? Tell them what skills are absolute must-haves. Don’t ask them if they are going to be committed. (Like you’ll believe them anyway.)

Answer these questions before keying in the JD.

  • What is in it for the candidate?
  • Why should a developer feel excited about the company/role?
  • Are you describing enough about what your product is trying to achieve?
  • How is your product impacting the globe? (Developers will find one more reason to join you if they feel their work in the company has a larger agenda.)

    Confusing Ruby with a stone that’s red and shiny

Techies get it that a job role is more than a job. They get it that a job encompasses all sorts of qualities that are conventionally deemed non-job specific. However, they’d appreciate it if the recruiter knew if just knowing Java, and not Python, could jinx their chances. Talking to talent acquisition personnel who are clueless about the job requirements can’t be a whole lot of fun.

Unrealistic expectations

Companies advertise for developers who must know a string of programming languages. The tendency is to stuff the JD with many programming languages but, in general, a programmer is likely adept at not more than two or three. And what happens with the “over-optimization” of JDs is that some programmers use the languages as keywords in their resume. And eventually, this comes to bite the hiring managers when they go out to source and find that most programmers know almost half the languages on the planet. Over-optimization takes the fun away from life! Haven’t you seen this video – I miss the mob?

Ridiculous, impossible requirements

What’s really strange is when firms demand experienced professionals for jobs that are fairly new in the market. For example, if you advertise for programmers with 7 years of experience in a language that was introduced only 5 years ago, who exactly do you expect to get?

Also, before creating a JD, a recruiter should know the demographics and the sizable pool of a skill/requirement in a particular region. This sets realistic expectations and the JD will have more clarity.

Unheard of job titles

The Monster survey also found that 64% of the respondents were unlikely to apply for a job if the job title was not easy to understand. (Here’s an interesting infographic about the dilemma of job descriptions.)

According to an Australian Employment Office poll, 48% of employees say the role they were hired for isn’t the job they’re doing. For people in IT-related fields, misleading job titles are nothing new. How horrible it is when you sign on to be a project manager of an “entire group” and all you end up doing is leading a team of two (including yourself)! (It happens.) If you want a Technical Lead for Windows/Cloud, then say that and list the major skills instead of saying Technical Lead and giving a bunch of vague tasks.

How can bad job descriptions harm you?

With badly defined roles that helped you hire “talent,” you can expect to see poor productivity, higher absenteeism and turnover, and unhappy employees later on. Also, a survey showed that 78% of IT job postings are guilty of using meaningless jargon.

Rather than looking for Ivy League degrees, focus on the skills you need and tell them how they can grow with the company. It is ok to talk about the culture and the company, but not at the cost of a concise, clear, and comprehensive summary of key responsibilities. Culture and swag may win you good people, but you do need top quality talent to get the numbers going.

Sometimes, even imaginative JDs can translate into something awful or funny (if you’ve got a sense of humor). Jeff Bertolucci gave a Craigslist Wanted Ad a funny twist: Wanted: Skilled app developer who “will be paid from the profits of the app/business with a percentage stake in the company.” Translation: Until then, enjoy living out of your car. The point being that no-nonsense and clearly defined descriptions are a safer bet.

In today’s candidate-driven market, it pays to be savvy about every aspect of hiring. This makes streamlining their tech recruitment strategies imperative for hiring managers, talent acquisition officers, and recruiters. It doesn’t matter whether it’s something as high up the list as using online automated evaluation tools or crafting an attractive, realistic job description. It’s got to be well-designed if you want to have your share of great programmers in such a competitive industry.

On a side note, just what is a rockstar developer, a digital prophet, or a data science ninja?

The effect of poorly written job descriptions on tech hiring

  1. Attracting the wrong candidates: Poorly crafted job descriptions can attract applicants who do not align with the actual requirements or expectations of the role, leading to an influx of unqualified candidates.
  2. Missing out on high-quality candidates: Top talent may be deterred by vague, unrealistic, or overly complex job descriptions. Clear and realistic descriptions are key to attracting skilled professionals.
  3. Inefficiency in the hiring process: When job descriptions are not clear or accurate, it leads to a longer hiring process as recruiters and hiring managers spend time sifting through unsuitable applications.
  4. Damage to employer brand: Ambiguous or misleading job descriptions can harm a company’s reputation, as candidates may share their negative experiences with others or on social media.
  5. Diversity issues: Overly specific or unnecessarily stringent requirements can unintentionally exclude a diverse range of candidates, reducing the inclusivity of the hiring process.
  6. Increased turnover: If the role does not match the expectations set in the job description, new hires are more likely to become dissatisfied and leave the position, leading to higher turnover.

Tips to make your tech job descriptions better

  1. Be specific and clear: Clearly define the role, responsibilities, and required skills. Avoid jargon and overly technical language that might be unclear to potential applicants.
  2. Realistic requirements only: List only essential qualifications and skills. Overstating requirements can deter good candidates who might assume they’re underqualified.
  3. Highlight growth and learning opportunities: Mention opportunities for professional development, as many candidates in tech value continuous learning and career growth.
  4. Include information about company culture: Share insights into the company culture, values, and work environment. This helps candidates assess their cultural fit.
  5. Be inclusive: Use inclusive language to encourage a diverse range of applicants. Avoid gender-coded words and be mindful of language that may unintentionally exclude certain groups.
  6. Provide a clear application process: Outline the steps involved in the application process. This transparency helps set expectations for candidates.
  7. Salary and benefits: If possible, include a salary range and a summary of benefits. This transparency can be a significant factor in attracting candidates.
  8. Keep it concise: Avoid lengthy descriptions. A concise, well-structured job description is more appealing and easier to comprehend.
  9. Use a friendly tone: A conversational and friendly tone can make the job description more engaging and approachable.
  10. Get feedback: Before publishing, get feedback on the job description from current employees in similar roles to ensure it accurately reflects the position and your company culture.

PS: For more such insights on tech recruitment, we invite you to join our LinkedIn group – “Yours Truly HR”

4 steps to improve employee engagement

"Employee engagement is a workplace approach designed to ensure that employees are committed to their organization's goals and values, motivated to contribute to organizational success, and are able at the same time to enhance their own sense of well-being."1 Employee engagement is neither synonymous with employee happiness nor with employee satisfaction. Happiness and satisfaction are outcomes of engagement.

Engaged employees drive the organization forward. Four dimensions define an engaged employee:

Best ways to improve Employee Engagement at workplace, Employee engagement, , employee satisfaction, HR, Human resource, best tactics HR, HR skills, How to retain employee, improve employee engagement

How important is it to keep your employees engaged?

Look at some data before you answer…
  • A Glint study revealed that the regrettable attrition rate of disengaged employees is 12 times higher than highly engaged employees over the period of a year.
  • According to Gallup, engaged employees outperform disengaged employees by 21 percent.
  • A Hay Group study showed that highly engaged employees are 87 percent less likely to leave your company than disengaged employees.
  • According to a Temkin Group study, 63% of highly engaged employees always try their hardest at work, compared with 42% of disengaged employees, resulting in better productivity.
  • A Shandwick study reports that 33% of engaged employees share positive sentiments or comments about their employers without any encouragement.
Very important…

Having realized how valuable engaged employees are, the most obvious question follows:

How can you improve employee engagement?

You let your employee take home some “wow” moments by understanding them, equipping them with skills, nurturing talent, incentivizing initiative, listening to and acting on their feedback, encouraging teamwork, and rewarding top performers.

To bring down the staggering economic impact of disengaged employees, safeguard your investment, reduce attrition, and enjoy a significant competitive advantage, design an effective engagement strategy.

Find ways to increase team performance if you realize your workforce needs help. People are more satisfied in jobs that match their skills sets. Employees need to believe they are making valuable contributions to the business. They want to be recognized and rewarded for their efforts. But, there is no one-size-fits-all strategy.

Opportunities for personal growth can motivate employees like nothing else.
  • Run internal contests to boost employee engagement. Intranet skill-based contests motivate employees to up their performance. Friendly competition, teamwork, and a promise of prizes can be a great draw. Asking for suggestions and acknowledging them to foster an innovative internal culture.
  • Internal hackathons and gamified assessments can be the core of your employee engagement plan and can be tracked using employee engagement software. These create a buzz and spark interest.
  • Identify talent within the organization using assessment tools and techniques while keeping employees engaged.
  • For example, Recruit is a tool used by companies world over, such as Adobe and Wipro, to create internal programming challenges. It helps spot exceptional employees in and find solutions from the current workforce. Also, these coding competitions can build a talent pipeline for the future. Recruit comes with an exhaustive question library with over 18,000 questions in 32 programming languages across 51 major domains and inbuilt plagiarism checker. Any number of employees can take the test simultaneously. Submissions are checked for logical correctness, time efficiency, memory efficiency, and code-size limit; they are auto-evaluated instantaneously. Comprehensive test reports give you a complete picture.
  • Tailor training programs for better business outcomes; do a skill gap analysis before you design your L&D agenda.
  • Here’s a good read from McKinsey, and then another.
Using relevant, transparent, and fun schemes that are backed by inspiring leadership, effective communication, and incentives can ensure participation and boost morale. As Ian Hutchinson says, “Employee engagement is an investment we make for the privilege of future proofing our organization’s productivity and performance.”

Enable your employees by providing opportunities to showcase or build requisite skills, compete, and grow…



How to monetize your programming skills as a beginner

It is important for everyone to learn how to use their programming skills to lead a good life and be comfortable with their lifestyle choices. And that’s why, today, we will go through different ways a programmer can monetize his/her skills.

Beginners tend to struggle when monetizing their skills. Many of them have no idea where to start, or even what to do with their skills. It is easy to get lost and waste time to do nothing, and that’s why it is necessary to know different ways to make your skills count.

The latest trend is showcasing your skills by broadcasting real-world projects and building an audience. Also, don’t overlook traditional methods including freelancing, teaching others, and much more.

However, before we start, it is important to understand the need for programmers in the industry. Programmers are in huge demand right now, and the demand will only increase in the near future.

As a beginner, you need to make sure you don’t lose focus and be patient in anything you try. As the old saying goes, “there is no shortcut for success,” and resilience is what will help you overcome potential failures.

Moving back to the topic, let’s list the ways you can monetize your programming skills even as a beginner. We will be discussing both direct and indirect means. The direct methods can help you start earning immediately, whereas the indirect methods will ensure that you invest in a long-term manner with an eye to future growth. So, why wait? Let’s get started.

How to monetize your programming skills as a beginner

1.Start Freelancing

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Freelancing is growing at a rapid race. Even though freelancing is a great option, it does require more attention and patience than a traditional job. You can try many online freelancing platforms such as UpWork, HackerEarth, LiveEdu and others to get started.

It is a good idea to start with sites like HackerEarth or LiveEdu as you can practice, compete, broadcast your projects and build your portfolio, allowing clients to go through your projects or watch your code live.

With a better way to showcase your skills, you can find valuable prospective clients and work on projects suited to your skill set.

2. Use broadcasting to showcase your talent and build your portfolio

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It is not like a traditional resume where you just list your past projects, and the client needs to go to your GitHub repository. It is more of a visual display of work that you have done, and how you complete assignments.

Live streaming offers multiple benefits:

  • The client can easily gauge your work.
  • You can connect with like-minded people who can give you work in the future.
  • You can have fun while doing projects.

With tons of videos and projects, you are virtually creating a real asset regarding skill display which can help you monetize your programming talents long-term.

3. Work on open-source projects and build a portfolio for long-term benefits

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Few people will consider open-source projects as a way to monetize their skill. Yes, you are doing open-source contribution, but you will probably not be getting paid for it (unless you are working as a core team member for an open-source project which qualifies for pay). If you are ambitious, you can also make money from open-source contribution.

As a beginner, most of your energy should go in building a good online presence, and open- source projects do help a lot in this regard. You can also choose to broadcast your open-source projects and make the most of your invested time.

4. Volunteer for a non-profit organization and build relationships

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As a programmer, you need to work with people in the real world. To ensure that you grow in every possible way, it is a good idea to work for coding non-profit organizations.

Volunteering for them not only helps you understand the current state of computer science but also helps you get into one of the paid jobs that they may have to offer. Many non-profit platforms also offer placement guidance and internships.

5. Write about the technology that interests you

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As a beginner, you don’t really have to develop apps for a living. There are many other ways you can sustain and earn money. One of them is to become a technical writer or a blogger.

Both ways let you utilize your skills and use them to reach a worldwide audience. Working as a writer can easily fetch you good projects with decent payouts. For example, you may have to write the documentation, specifications, and tutorials for a technical product.

As a blogger, you can write about anything. You can choose to be a Java blogger and start a Java blogging website, or if you are front-end lover, you can start a blog for front-end engineers. The choice is all yours.

6. Teach others and earn some hefty amounts

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Becoming a computer teacher is another way to monetize your programming skills. The teacher-to-student ratio is a big issue in modern society. However, it’s slowly being taken care of by schools and universities.

Teachers are paid well and are also viewed with respect in our current society. If you are only interested in working online, you can also start by creating online courses and uploading them to different mediums or your own blog.

7. Learn new technologies continuously and invest in a better future

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As a beginner, you should always be learning. It doesn’t matter which technology you use or how popular it is; continuous learning will ensure that you can monetize your skills and build a better career. Most of the articles on the internet never speak about upgrading your skills or learning as you go. As a software engineer, you need to keep learning new stuff while mastering your core skill. Once you do that, you open multiple pathways for career and income growth.

Conclusion

Now, you are better informed on how to get started. As you can see, there is no single path for beginners. You can choose to be a front-end engineer, a technical writer, a teacher, and much more. All you need to do is find the path that interests you most and keeps walking it until you succeed.

If you want to earn your best, then you need to keep all the above points in mind. If you think that some important points have been missed, don’t forget to leave your comments below and let us know.

NASSCOM launches TechNgage to celebrate Technology and Technologists

Bright minds exist everywhere and technological expertise is an abundance, what usually falls short is the correct recognition, strengthening and harnessing of these skills. The NASSCOM IT service council has thus taken up an initiative to enhance technology skills by providing a platform to showcase them. They are inviting and rewarding highly skilled people in the technological domain for their efforts and expertise. The initiative called TechNgage is aimed at encouraging Indian technologists to become world class techies and stands by the objective statement of ‘Celebrating technology and technologists’.

NASSCOM is looking for working professionals, entrepreneurs, innovators, students or anyone who is driven by the passion for technology. The theme for TechNgage 2016 is Your city - Smart and Secure and aims at the development of a technological solution to make the city smart by enhancing the quality of services in domains like healthcare, water, education, waste management, transport, energy and citizen services. A smart city is essentially the one with a superior quality of all these services and hence healthy and viable living conditions.

The contest comprises of 3 rounds viz. the online phase, offline phase and a 12-week challenge. You can know more about the contest at http://www.nasscom.in/techngage/.

There are cash prizes worth INR 30 lakh to be won but there is much more to the prizes than just the cash. The winners will be awarded as NASSCOM technology fellow and NASSCOM technology explorers at a ceremony that will have eminent people from the corporate, academic and government sectors. It is a great opportunity to receive the recognition and visibility that you have been waiting for. That is not all, there are other perks like an all expenses paid week trip to Silicon Valley with a pre-arranged tour of the top companies, one-year blanket pass to all major NASSCOM events, access to premium research reports and an opportunity to buy a tech gadget worth INR 1 lakh. Well, that is some great exposure and an awesome opportunity to learn.

Register for the event at the earliest, it isn’t an opportunity to be missed.

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7 Tech Recruiting Trends To Watch Out For In 2024

The last couple of years transformed how the world works and the tech industry is no exception. Remote work, a candidate-driven market, and automation are some of the tech recruiting trends born out of the pandemic.

While accepting the new reality and adapting to it is the first step, keeping up with continuously changing hiring trends in technology is the bigger challenge right now.

What does 2024 hold for recruiters across the globe? What hiring practices would work best in this post-pandemic world? How do you stay on top of the changes in this industry?

The answers to these questions will paint a clearer picture of how to set up for success while recruiting tech talent this year.

7 tech recruiting trends for 2024

6 Tech Recruiting Trends To Watch Out For In 2022

Recruiters, we’ve got you covered. Here are the tech recruiting trends that will change the way you build tech teams in 2024.

Trend #1—Leverage data-driven recruiting

Data-driven recruiting strategies are the answer to effective talent sourcing and a streamlined hiring process.

Talent acquisition leaders need to use real-time analytics like pipeline growth metrics, offer acceptance rates, quality and cost of new hires, and candidate feedback scores to reduce manual work, improve processes, and hire the best talent.

The key to capitalizing on talent market trends in 2024 is data. It enables you to analyze what’s working and what needs refinement, leaving room for experimentation.

Trend #2—Have impactful employer branding

98% of recruiters believe promoting company culture helps sourcing efforts as seen in our 2021 State Of Developer Recruitment report.

Having a strong employer brand that supports a clear Employer Value Proposition (EVP) is crucial to influencing a candidate’s decision to work with your company. Perks like upskilling opportunities, remote work, and flexible hours are top EVPs that attract qualified candidates.

A clear EVP builds a culture of balance, mental health awareness, and flexibility—strengthening your employer brand with candidate-first policies.

Trend #3—Focus on candidate-driven market

The pandemic drastically increased the skills gap, making tech recruitment more challenging. With the severe shortage of tech talent, candidates now hold more power and can afford to be selective.

Competitive pay is no longer enough. Use data to understand what candidates want—work-life balance, remote options, learning opportunities—and adapt accordingly.

Recruiters need to think creatively to attract and retain top talent.

Recommended read: What NOT To Do When Recruiting Fresh Talent

Trend #4—Have a diversity and inclusion oriented company culture

Diversity and inclusion have become central to modern recruitment. While urgent hiring can delay D&I efforts, long-term success depends on inclusive teams. Our survey shows that 25.6% of HR professionals believe a diverse leadership team helps build stronger pipelines and reduces bias.

McKinsey’s Diversity Wins report confirms this: top-quartile gender-diverse companies see 25% higher profitability, and ethnically diverse teams show 36% higher returns.

It's refreshing to see the importance of an inclusive culture increasing across all job-seeking communities, especially in tech. This reiterates that D&I is a must-have, not just a good-to-have.

—Swetha Harikrishnan, Sr. HR Director, HackerEarth

Recommended read: Diversity And Inclusion in 2022 - 5 Essential Rules To Follow

Trend #5—Embed automation and AI into your recruitment systems

With the rise of AI tools like ChatGPT, automation is being adopted across every business function—including recruiting.

Manual communication with large candidate pools is inefficient. In 2024, recruitment automation and AI-powered platforms will automate candidate nurturing and communication, providing a more personalized experience while saving time.

Trend #6—Conduct remote interviews

With 32.5% of companies planning to stay remote, remote interviewing is here to stay.

Remote interviews expand access to global talent, reduce overhead costs, and increase flexibility—making the hiring process more efficient for both recruiters and candidates.

Trend #7—Be proactive in candidate engagement

Delayed responses or lack of updates can frustrate candidates and impact your brand. Proactive communication and engagement with both active and passive candidates are key to successful recruiting.

As recruitment evolves, proactive candidate engagement will become central to attracting and retaining talent. In 2023 and beyond, companies must engage both active and passive candidates through innovative strategies and technologies like chatbots and AI-powered systems. Building pipelines and nurturing relationships will enhance employer branding and ensure long-term hiring success.

—Narayani Gurunathan, CEO, PlaceNet Consultants

Recruiting Tech Talent Just Got Easier With HackerEarth

Recruiting qualified tech talent is tough—but we’re here to help. HackerEarth for Enterprises offers an all-in-one suite that simplifies sourcing, assessing, and interviewing developers.

Our tech recruiting platform enables you to:

  • Tap into a 6 million-strong developer community
  • Host custom hackathons to engage talent and boost your employer brand
  • Create online assessments to evaluate 80+ tech skills
  • Use dev-friendly IDEs and proctoring for reliable evaluations
  • Benchmark candidates against a global community
  • Conduct live coding interviews with FaceCode, our collaborative coding interview tool
  • Guide upskilling journeys via our Learning and Development platform
  • Integrate seamlessly with all leading ATS systems
  • Access 24/7 support with a 95% satisfaction score

Recommended read: The A-Zs Of Tech Recruiting - A Guide

Staying ahead of tech recruiting trends, improving hiring processes, and adapting to change is the way forward in 2024. Take note of the tips in this article and use them to build a future-ready hiring strategy.

Ready to streamline your tech recruiting? Try HackerEarth for Enterprises today.

(Part 2) Essential Questions To Ask When Interviewing Developers In 2021

The first part of this blog stresses the importance of asking the right technical interview questions to assess a candidate’s coding skills. But that alone is not enough. If you want to hire the crème de la crème of the developer talent out there, you have to look for a well-rounded candidate.

Honest communication, empathy, and passion for their work are equally important as a candidate’s technical knowledge. Soft skills are like the cherry on top. They set the best of the candidates apart from the rest.

Re-examine how you are vetting your candidates. Identify the gaps in your interviews. Once you start addressing these gaps, you find developers who have the potential to be great. And those are exactly the kind of people that you want to work with!

Let’s get to it, shall we?

Hire great developers

What constitutes a good interview question?

An ideal interview should reveal a candidate’s personality along with their technical knowledge. To formulate a comprehensive list of questions, keep in mind three important characteristics.

  • Questions are open-ended – questions like, “What are some of the programming languages you’re comfortable with,” instead of “Do you know this particular programming language” makes the candidate feel like they’re in control. It is also a chance to let them reply to your question in their own words.
  • They address the behavioral aspects of a candidate – ensure you have a few questions on your list that allow a candidate to describe a situation. A situation where a client was unhappy or a time when the developer learned a new technology. Such questions help you assess if the candidate is a good fit for the team.
  • There is no right or wrong answer – it is important to have a structured interview process in place. But this does not mean you have a list of standard answers in mind that you’re looking for. How candidates approach your questions shows you whether they have the makings of a successful candidate. Focus on that rather than on the actual answer itself.

Designing a conversation around these buckets of interview questions brings you to my next question, “What should you look for in each candidate to spot the best ones?”

Hire GREAT developers by asking the right questions

Before we dive deep into the interview questions, we have to think about a few things that have changed. COVID-19 has rendered working from home the new normal for the foreseeable future. As a recruiter, the onus falls upon you to understand whether the developer is comfortable working remotely and has the relevant resources to achieve maximum productivity.

#1 How do you plan your day?

Remote work gives employees the option to be flexible. You don’t have to clock in 9 hours a day as long as you get everything done on time. A developer who hasn’t always been working remotely, but has a routine in place, understands the pitfalls of working from home. It is easy to get distracted and having a schedule to fall back on ensures good productivity.

#2 Do you have experience using tools for collaboration and remote work?

Working from home reduces human interaction heavily. There is no way to just go up to your teammate’s desk and clarify issues. Virtual communication is key to getting work done. Look for what kind of remote working tools your candidate is familiar with and if they know what collaborative tools to use for different tasks.

Value-based interview questions to ask

We went around and spoke to our engineering team, and the recruiting team to see what questions they abide by; what they think makes any candidate tick.

The result? – a motley group of questions that aim to reveal the candidate’s soft skills, in addition to typical technical interview questions and test tasks.

Recommended read: How Recruiting The Right Tech Talent Can Solve Tech Debt

#3 Please describe three recent projects that you worked on. What were the most interesting and challenging parts?

This is an all-encompassing question in that it lets the candidate explain at length about their work ethic—thought process, handling QA, working with a team, and managing user feedback. This also lets you dig enough to assess whether the candidate is taking credit for someone else's work or not.

#4 You’ve worked long and hard to deliver a complex feature for a client and they say it’s not what they asked for. How would you take it?

A good developer will take it in their stride, work closely with the client to find the point of disconnect, and sort out the issue. There are so many things that could go wrong or not be to the client’s liking, and it falls on the developer to remain calm and create solutions.

#5 What new programming languages or technologies have you learned recently?

While being certified in many programming languages doesn't guarantee a great developer, it still is an important technical interview question to ask. It helps highlight a thirst for knowledge and shows that the developer is eager to learn new things.

#6 What does the perfect release look like? Who is involved and what is your role?

Have the developer take you through each phase of a recent software development lifecycle. Ask them to explain their specific role in each phase in this release. This will give you an excellent perspective into a developer’s mind. Do they talk about the before and after of the release? A skilled developer would. The chances of something going wrong in a release are very high. How would the developer react? Will they be able to handle the pressure?

SUBSCRIBE to the HackerEarth blog and enrich your monthly reading with our free e-newsletter – Fresh, insightful and awesome articles straight into your inbox from around the tech recruiting world!

#7 Tell me about a time when you had to convince your lead to try a different approach?

As an example of a behavioral interview question, this is a good one. The way a developer approaches this question speaks volumes about how confident they are expressing their views, and how succinct they are in articulating those views.

#8 What have you done with all the extra hours during the pandemic?

Did you binge-watch your way through the pandemic? I’m sure every one of us has done this. Indulge in a lighthearted conversation with your candidate. This lets them talk about something they are comfortable with. Maybe they learned a new skill or took up a hobby. Get to know a candidate’s interests and little pleasures for a more rounded evaluation.

Over to you! Now that you know what aspects of a candidate to focus on, you are well-equipped to bring out the best in each candidate in their interviews. A mix of strong technical skills and interpersonal qualities is how you spot good developers for your team.

If you have more pressing interview questions to add to this list of ours, please write to us at contact@hackerearth.com.

(Part 1) Essential Questions To Ask When Recruiting Developers In 2021

The minute a developer position opens up, recruiters feel a familiar twinge of fear run down their spines. They recall their previous interview experiences, and how there seems to be a blog post a month that goes viral about bad developer interviews.

While hiring managers, especially the picky ones, would attribute this to a shortage of talented developers, what if the time has come to rethink your interview process? What if recruiters and hiring managers put too much stock into bringing out the technical aspects of each candidate and don’t put enough emphasis on their soft skills?

A report by Robert Half shows that 86% of technology leaders say it’s challenging to find IT talent. Interviewing developers should be a rewarding experience, not a challenging one. If you don’t get caught up in asking specific questions and instead design a simple conversation to gauge a candidate’s way of thinking, it throws up a lot of good insight and makes it fun too.

Developer Hiring Statistics

Asking the right technical interview questions when recruiting developers is important but so is clear communication, good work ethic, and alignment with your organization’s goals.

Let us first see what kind of technical interview questions are well-suited to revealing the coding skills and knowledge of any developer, and then tackle the behavioral aspects of the candidate that sets them apart from the rest.

Recruit GREAT developers by asking the right questions

Here are some technical interview questions that you should ask potential software engineers when interviewing.

#1 Write an algorithm for the following

  1. Minimum Stack - Design a stack that provides 4 functions - push(item), pop, peek, and minimum, all in constant order time complexity. Then move on to coding the actual solution.
  2. Kth Largest Element in an array - This is a standard problem with multiple solutions of best time complexity orders where N log(K) is a common one and O(N) + K log(N) is a lesser-known order. Both solutions are acceptable, not directly comparable to each other, and better than N log(N), which is sorting an array and fetching the Kth element.
  3. Top View of a Binary Tree - Given a root node of the binary tree, return the set of all elements that will get wet if it rains on the tree. Nodes having any nodes directly above them will not get wet.
  4. Internal implementation of a hashtable like a map/dictionary - A candidate needs to specify how key-value pairs are stored, hashing is used and collisions are handled. A good developer not only knows how to use this concept but also how it works. If the developer also knows how the data structure scales when the number of records increases in the hashtable, that is a bonus.

Algorithms demonstrate a candidate’s ability to break down a complex problem into steps. Reasoning and pattern recognition capabilities are some more factors to look for when assessing a candidate. A good candidate can code his thought process of the algorithm finalized during the discussion.

Looking for a great place to hire developers in the US? Try Jooble!

#2 Formulate solutions for the below low-level design (LLD) questions

  • What is LLD? In your own words, specify the different aspects covered in LLD.
  • Design a movie ticket booking application like BookMyShow. Ensure that your database schema is tailored for a theatre with multiple screens and takes care of booking, seat availability, seat arrangement, and seat locking. Your solution does not have to extend to the payment option.
  • Design a basic social media application. Design database schema and APIs for a platform like Twitter with features for following a user, tweeting a post, seeing your tweet, and seeing a user's tweet.

Such questions do not have a right or wrong answer. They primarily serve to reveal a developer’s thought process and the way they approach a problem.

Recommended read: Hardest Tech Roles to Fill (+ solutions!)

#3 Some high-level design (HLD) questions

  • What do you understand by HLD? Can you specify the difference between LLD and HLD?
  • Design a social media application. In addition to designing a platform like Twitter with features for following a user, tweeting a post, seeing your tweet, and seeing a user's tweet, design a timeline. After designing a timeline where you can see your followers’ tweets, scale it for a larger audience. If you still have time, try to scale it for a celebrity use case.
  • Design for a train ticket booking application like IRCTC. Incorporate auth, features to choose start and end stations, view available trains and available seats between two stations, save reservation of seats from start to end stations, and lock them till payment confirmation.
  • How will you design a basic relational database? The database should support tables, columns, basic field types like integer and text, foreign keys, and indexes. The way a developer approaches this question is important. A good developer designs a solution around storage and memory management.
Here’s a pro-tip for you. LLD questions can be answered by both beginners and experienced developers. Mostly, senior developers can be expected to answer HLD questions. Choose your interview questions set wisely, and ask questions relevant to your candidate’s experience.

#4 Have you ever worked with SQL? Write queries for a specific use case that requires multiple joins.

Example: Create a table with separate columns for student name, subject, and marks scored. Return student names and ranks of each student. The rank of a student depends on the total of marks in all subjects.

Not all developers would have experience working with SQL but some knowledge about how data is stored/structured is useful. Developers should be familiar with simple concepts like joins, retrieval queries, and the basics of DBMS.

#5 What do you think is wrong with this code?

Instead of asking developer candidates to write code on a piece of paper (which is outdated, anyway), ask them to debug existing code. This is another way to assess their technical skills. Place surreptitious errors in the code and evaluate their attention to detail.

Now that you know exactly what technical skills to look for and when questions to ask when interviewing developers, the time has come to assess the soft skills of these candidates. Part 2 of this blog throws light on the how and why of evaluating candidates based on their communication skills, work ethic, and alignment with the company’s goals.

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Best Pre-Employment Assessments: Optimizing Your Hiring Process for 2024

In today's competitive talent market, attracting and retaining top performers is crucial for any organization's success. However, traditional hiring methods like relying solely on resumes and interviews may not always provide a comprehensive picture of a candidate's skills and potential. This is where pre-employment assessments come into play.

What is Pre-Employement Assessment?

Pre-employment assessments are standardized tests and evaluations administered to candidates before they are hired. These assessments can help you objectively measure a candidate's knowledge, skills, abilities, and personality traits, allowing you to make data-driven hiring decisions.

By exploring and evaluating the best pre-employment assessment tools and tests available, you can:

  • Improve the accuracy and efficiency of your hiring process.
  • Identify top talent with the right skills and cultural fit.
  • Reduce the risk of bad hires.
  • Enhance the candidate experience by providing a clear and objective evaluation process.

This guide will provide you with valuable insights into the different types of pre-employment assessments available and highlight some of the best tools, to help you optimize your hiring process for 2024.

Why pre-employment assessments are key in hiring

While resumes and interviews offer valuable insights, they can be subjective and susceptible to bias. Pre-employment assessments provide a standardized and objective way to evaluate candidates, offering several key benefits:

  • Improved decision-making:

    By measuring specific skills and knowledge, assessments help you identify candidates who possess the qualifications necessary for the job.

  • Reduced bias:

    Standardized assessments mitigate the risks of unconscious bias that can creep into traditional interview processes.

  • Increased efficiency:

    Assessments can streamline the initial screening process, allowing you to focus on the most promising candidates.

  • Enhanced candidate experience:

    When used effectively, assessments can provide candidates with a clear understanding of the required skills and a fair chance to showcase their abilities.

Types of pre-employment assessments

There are various types of pre-employment assessments available, each catering to different needs and objectives. Here's an overview of some common types:

1. Skill Assessments:

  • Technical Skills: These assessments evaluate specific technical skills and knowledge relevant to the job role, such as programming languages, software proficiency, or industry-specific expertise. HackerEarth offers a wide range of validated technical skill assessments covering various programming languages, frameworks, and technologies.
  • Soft Skills: These employment assessments measure non-technical skills like communication, problem-solving, teamwork, and critical thinking, crucial for success in any role.

2. Personality Assessments:

These employment assessments can provide insights into a candidate's personality traits, work style, and cultural fit within your organization.

3. Cognitive Ability Tests:

These tests measure a candidate's general mental abilities, such as reasoning, problem-solving, and learning potential.

4. Integrity Assessments:

These employment assessments aim to identify potential risks associated with a candidate's honesty, work ethic, and compliance with company policies.

By understanding the different types of assessments and their applications, you can choose the ones that best align with your specific hiring needs and ensure you hire the most qualified and suitable candidates for your organization.

Leading employment assessment tools and tests in 2024

Choosing the right pre-employment assessment tool depends on your specific needs and budget. Here's a curated list of some of the top pre-employment assessment tools and tests available in 2024, with brief overviews:

  • HackerEarth:

    A comprehensive platform offering a wide range of validated skill assessments in various programming languages, frameworks, and technologies. It also allows for the creation of custom assessments and integrates seamlessly with various recruitment platforms.

  • SHL:

    Provides a broad selection of assessments, including skill tests, personality assessments, and cognitive ability tests. They offer customizable solutions and cater to various industries.

  • Pymetrics:

    Utilizes gamified assessments to evaluate cognitive skills, personality traits, and cultural fit. They offer a data-driven approach and emphasize candidate experience.

  • Wonderlic:

    Offers a variety of assessments, including the Wonderlic Personnel Test, which measures general cognitive ability. They also provide aptitude and personality assessments.

  • Harver:

    An assessment platform focusing on candidate experience with video interviews, gamified assessments, and skills tests. They offer pre-built assessments and customization options.

Remember: This list is not exhaustive, and further research is crucial to identify the tool that aligns best with your specific needs and budget. Consider factors like the types of assessments offered, pricing models, integrations with your existing HR systems, and user experience when making your decision.

Choosing the right pre-employment assessment tool

Instead of full individual tool reviews, consider focusing on 2–3 key platforms. For each platform, explore:

  • Target audience: Who are their assessments best suited for (e.g., technical roles, specific industries)?
  • Types of assessments offered: Briefly list the available assessment categories (e.g., technical skills, soft skills, personality).
  • Key features: Highlight unique functionalities like gamification, custom assessment creation, or seamless integrations.
  • Effectiveness: Briefly mention the platform's approach to assessment validation and reliability.
  • User experience: Consider including user reviews or ratings where available.

Comparative analysis of assessment options

Instead of a comprehensive comparison, consider focusing on specific use cases:

  • Technical skills assessment:

    Compare HackerEarth and Wonderlic based on their technical skill assessment options, focusing on the variety of languages/technologies covered and assessment formats.

  • Soft skills and personality assessment:

    Compare SHL and Pymetrics based on their approaches to evaluating soft skills and personality traits, highlighting any unique features like gamification or data-driven insights.

  • Candidate experience:

    Compare Harver and Wonderlic based on their focus on candidate experience, mentioning features like video interviews or gamified assessments.

Additional tips:

  • Encourage readers to visit the platforms' official websites for detailed features and pricing information.
  • Include links to reputable third-party review sites where users share their experiences with various tools.

Best practices for using pre-employment assessment tools

Integrating pre-employment assessments effectively requires careful planning and execution. Here are some best practices to follow:

  • Define your assessment goals:

    Clearly identify what you aim to achieve with assessments. Are you targeting specific skills, personality traits, or cultural fit?

  • Choose the right assessments:

    Select tools that align with your defined goals and the specific requirements of the open position.

  • Set clear expectations:

    Communicate the purpose and format of the assessments to candidates in advance, ensuring transparency and building trust.

  • Integrate seamlessly:

    Ensure your chosen assessment tool integrates smoothly with your existing HR systems and recruitment workflow.

  • Train your team:

    Equip your hiring managers and HR team with the knowledge and skills to interpret assessment results effectively.

Interpreting assessment results accurately

Assessment results offer valuable data points, but interpreting them accurately is crucial for making informed hiring decisions. Here are some key considerations:

  • Use results as one data point:

    Consider assessment results alongside other information, such as resumes, interviews, and references, for a holistic view of the candidate.

  • Understand score limitations:

    Don't solely rely on raw scores. Understand the assessment's validity and reliability and the potential for cultural bias or individual test anxiety.

  • Look for patterns and trends:

    Analyze results across different assessments and identify consistent patterns that align with your desired candidate profile.

  • Focus on potential, not guarantees:

    Assessments indicate potential, not guarantees of success. Use them alongside other evaluation methods to make well-rounded hiring decisions.

Choosing the right pre-employment assessment tools

Selecting the most suitable pre-employment assessment tool requires careful consideration of your organization's specific needs. Here are some key factors to guide your decision:

  • Industry and role requirements:

    Different industries and roles demand varying skill sets and qualities. Choose assessments that target the specific skills and knowledge relevant to your open positions.

  • Company culture and values:

    Align your assessments with your company culture and values. For example, if collaboration is crucial, look for assessments that evaluate teamwork and communication skills.

  • Candidate experience:

    Prioritize tools that provide a positive and smooth experience for candidates. This can enhance your employer brand and attract top talent.

Budget and accessibility considerations

Budget and accessibility are essential factors when choosing pre-employment assessments:

  • Budget:

    Assessment tools come with varying pricing models (subscriptions, pay-per-use, etc.). Choose a tool that aligns with your budget and offers the functionalities you need.

  • Accessibility:

    Ensure the chosen assessment is accessible to all candidates, considering factors like language options, disability accommodations, and internet access requirements.

Additional Tips:

  • Free trials and demos: Utilize free trials or demos offered by assessment platforms to experience their functionalities firsthand.
  • Consult with HR professionals: Seek guidance from HR professionals or recruitment specialists with expertise in pre-employment assessments.
  • Read user reviews and comparisons: Gain insights from other employers who use various assessment tools.

By carefully considering these factors, you can select the pre-employment assessment tool that best aligns with your organizational needs, budget, and commitment to an inclusive hiring process.

Remember, pre-employment assessments are valuable tools, but they should not be the sole factor in your hiring decisions. Use them alongside other evaluation methods and prioritize building a fair and inclusive hiring process that attracts and retains top talent.

Future trends in pre-employment assessments

The pre-employment assessment landscape is constantly evolving, with innovative technologies and practices emerging. Here are some potential future trends to watch:

  • Artificial intelligence (AI):

    AI-powered assessments can analyze candidate responses, written work, and even resumes, using natural language processing to extract relevant insights and identify potential candidates.

  • Adaptive testing:

    These assessments adjust the difficulty level of questions based on the candidate's performance, providing a more efficient and personalized evaluation.

  • Micro-assessments:

    Short, focused assessments delivered through mobile devices can assess specific skills or knowledge on-the-go, streamlining the screening process.

  • Gamification:

    Engaging and interactive game-based elements can make the assessment experience more engaging and assess skills in a realistic and dynamic way.

Conclusion

Pre-employment assessments, when used thoughtfully and ethically, can be a powerful tool to optimize your hiring process, identify top talent, and build a successful workforce for your organization. By understanding the different types of assessments available, exploring top-rated tools like HackerEarth, and staying informed about emerging trends, you can make informed decisions that enhance your ability to attract, evaluate, and hire the best candidates for the future.

Tech Layoffs: What To Expect In 2024

Layoffs in the IT industry are becoming more widespread as companies fight to remain competitive in a fast-changing market; many turn to layoffs as a cost-cutting measure. Last year, 1,000 companies including big tech giants and startups, laid off over two lakhs of employees. But first, what are layoffs in the tech business, and how do they impact the industry?

Tech layoffs are the termination of employment for some employees by a technology company. It might happen for various reasons, including financial challenges, market conditions, firm reorganization, or the after-effects of a pandemic. While layoffs are not unique to the IT industry, they are becoming more common as companies look for methods to cut costs while remaining competitive.

The consequences of layoffs in technology may be catastrophic for employees who lose their jobs and the firms forced to make these difficult decisions. Layoffs can result in the loss of skill and expertise and a drop in employee morale and productivity. However, they may be required for businesses to stay afloat in a fast-changing market.

This article will examine the reasons for layoffs in the technology industry, their influence on the industry, and what may be done to reduce their negative impacts. We will also look at the various methods for tracking tech layoffs.

What are tech layoffs?

The term "tech layoff" describes the termination of employees by an organization in the technology industry. A company might do this as part of a restructuring during hard economic times.

In recent times, the tech industry has witnessed a wave of significant layoffs, affecting some of the world’s leading technology companies, including Amazon, Microsoft, Meta (formerly Facebook), Apple, Cisco, SAP, and Sony. These layoffs are a reflection of the broader economic challenges and market adjustments facing the sector, including factors like slowing revenue growth, global economic uncertainties, and the need to streamline operations for efficiency.

Each of these tech giants has announced job cuts for various reasons, though common themes include restructuring efforts to stay competitive and agile, responding to over-hiring during the pandemic when demand for tech services surged, and preparing for a potentially tough economic climate ahead. Despite their dominant positions in the market, these companies are not immune to the economic cycles and technological shifts that influence operational and strategic decisions, including workforce adjustments.

This trend of layoffs in the tech industry underscores the volatile nature of the tech sector, which is often at the mercy of rapid changes in technology, consumer preferences, and the global economy. It also highlights the importance of adaptability and resilience for companies and employees alike in navigating the uncertainties of the tech landscape.

Causes for layoffs in the tech industry

Why are tech employees suffering so much?

Yes, the market is always uncertain, but why resort to tech layoffs?

Various factors cause tech layoffs, including company strategy changes, market shifts, or financial difficulties. Companies may lay off employees if they need help to generate revenue, shift their focus to new products or services, or automate certain jobs.

In addition, some common reasons could be:

Financial struggles

Currently, the state of the global market is uncertain due to economic recession, ongoing war, and other related phenomena. If a company is experiencing financial difficulties, only sticking to pay cuts may not be helpful—it may need to reduce its workforce to cut costs.

Also, read: 6 Steps To Create A Detailed Recruiting Budget (Template Included)

Changes in demand

The tech industry is constantly evolving, and companies would have to adjust their workforce to meet changing market conditions. For instance, companies are adopting remote work culture, which surely affects on-premises activity, and companies could do away with some number of tech employees at the backend.

Restructuring

Companies may also lay off employees as part of a greater restructuring effort, such as spinning off a division or consolidating operations.

Automation

With the advancement in technology and automation, some jobs previously done by human labor may be replaced by machines, resulting in layoffs.

Mergers and acquisitions

When two companies merge, there is often overlap in their operations, leading to layoffs as the new company looks to streamline its workforce.

But it's worth noting that layoffs are not exclusive to the tech industry and can happen in any industry due to uncertainty in the market.

Will layoffs increase in 2024?

It is challenging to estimate the rise or fall of layoffs. The overall state of the economy, the health of certain industries, and the performance of individual companies will play a role in deciding the degree of layoffs in any given year.

But it is also seen that, in the first 15 days of this year, 91 organizations laid off over 24,000 tech workers, and over 1,000 corporations cut down more than 150,000 workers in 2022, according to an Economic Times article.

The COVID-19 pandemic caused a huge economic slowdown and forced several businesses to downsize their employees. However, some businesses rehired or expanded their personnel when the world began to recover.

So, given the current level of economic uncertainty, predicting how the situation will unfold is difficult.

Also, read: 4 Images That Show What Developers Think Of Layoffs In Tech

What types of companies are prone to tech layoffs?

2023 Round Up Of Layoffs In Big Tech

Tech layoffs can occur in organizations of all sizes and various areas.

Following are some examples of companies that have experienced tech layoffs in the past:

Large tech firms

Companies such as IBM, Microsoft, Twitter, Better.com, Alibaba, and HP have all experienced layoffs in recent years as part of restructuring initiatives or cost-cutting measures.

Market scenarios are still being determined after Elon Musk's decision to lay off employees. Along with tech giants, some smaller companies and startups have also been affected by layoffs.

Startups

Because they frequently work with limited resources, startups may be forced to lay off staff if they cannot get further funding or need to pivot due to market downfall.

Small and medium-sized businesses

Small and medium-sized businesses face layoffs due to high competition or if the products/services they offer are no longer in demand.

Companies in certain industries

Some sectors of the technological industry, such as the semiconductor industry or automotive industry, may be more prone to layoffs than others.

Companies that lean on government funding

Companies that rely significantly on government contracts may face layoffs if the government cuts technology spending or contracts are not renewed.

How to track tech layoffs?

You can’t stop tech company layoffs, but you should be keeping track of them. We, HR professionals and recruiters, can also lend a helping hand in these tough times by circulating “layoff lists” across social media sites like LinkedIn and Twitter to help people land jobs quicker. Firefish Software put together a master list of sources to find fresh talent during the layoff period.

Because not all layoffs are publicly disclosed, tracking tech industry layoffs can be challenging, and some may go undetected. There are several ways to keep track of tech industry layoffs:

Use tech layoffs tracker

Layoff trackers like thelayoff.com and layoffs.fyi provide up-to-date information on layoffs.

In addition, they aid in identifying trends in layoffs within the tech industry. It can reveal which industries are seeing the most layoffs and which companies are the most affected.

Companies can use layoff trackers as an early warning system and compare their performance to that of other companies in their field.

News articles

Because many news sites cover tech layoffs as they happen, keeping a watch on technology sector stories can provide insight into which organizations are laying off employees and how many individuals have been affected.

Social media

Organizations and employees frequently publish information about layoffs in tech on social media platforms; thus, monitoring companies' social media accounts or following key hashtags can provide real-time updates regarding layoffs.

Online forums and communities

There are online forums and communities dedicated to discussing tech industry news, and they can be an excellent source of layoff information.

Government reports

Government agencies such as the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) publish data on layoffs and unemployment, which can provide a more comprehensive picture of the technology industry's status.

How do companies reduce tech layoffs?

Layoffs in tech are hard – for the employee who is losing their job, the recruiter or HR professional who is tasked with informing them, and the company itself. So, how can we aim to avoid layoffs? Here are some ways to minimize resorting to letting people go:

Salary reductions

Instead of laying off employees, businesses can lower the salaries or wages of all employees. It can be accomplished by instituting compensation cuts or salary freezes.

Implementing a hiring freeze

Businesses can halt employing new personnel to cut costs. It can be a short-term solution until the company's financial situation improves.

Also, read: What Recruiters Can Focus On During A Tech Hiring Freeze

Non-essential expense reduction

Businesses might search for ways to cut or remove non-essential expenses such as travel, training, and office expenses.

Reducing working hours

Companies can reduce employee working hours to save money, such as implementing a four-day workweek or a shorter workday.

These options may not always be viable and may have their problems, but before laying off, a company owes it to its people to consider every other alternative, and formulate the best solution.

Tech layoffs to bleed into this year

While we do not know whether this trend will continue or subside during 2023, we do know one thing. We have to be prepared for a wave of layoffs that is still yet to hit. As of last month, Layoffs.fyi had already tracked 170+ companies conducting 55,970 layoffs in 2023.

So recruiters, let’s join arms, distribute those layoff lists like there’s no tomorrow, and help all those in need of a job! :)

What is Headhunting In Recruitment?: Types & How Does It Work?

In today’s fast-paced world, recruiting talent has become increasingly complicated. Technological advancements, high workforce expectations and a highly competitive market have pushed recruitment agencies to adopt innovative strategies for recruiting various types of talent. This article aims to explore one such recruitment strategy – headhunting.

What is Headhunting in recruitment?

In headhunting, companies or recruitment agencies identify, engage and hire highly skilled professionals to fill top positions in the respective companies. It is different from the traditional process in which candidates looking for job opportunities approach companies or recruitment agencies. In headhunting, executive headhunters, as recruiters are referred to, approach prospective candidates with the hiring company’s requirements and wait for them to respond. Executive headhunters generally look for passive candidates, those who work at crucial positions and are not on the lookout for new work opportunities. Besides, executive headhunters focus on filling critical, senior-level positions indispensable to companies. Depending on the nature of the operation, headhunting has three types. They are described later in this article. Before we move on to understand the types of headhunting, here is how the traditional recruitment process and headhunting are different.

How do headhunting and traditional recruitment differ from each other?

Headhunting is a type of recruitment process in which top-level managers and executives in similar positions are hired. Since these professionals are not on the lookout for jobs, headhunters have to thoroughly understand the hiring companies’ requirements and study the work profiles of potential candidates before creating a list.

In the traditional approach, there is a long list of candidates applying for jobs online and offline. Candidates approach recruiters for jobs. Apart from this primary difference, there are other factors that define the difference between these two schools of recruitment.

AspectHeadhuntingTraditional RecruitmentCandidate TypePrimarily passive candidateActive job seekersApproachFocused on specific high-level rolesBroader; includes various levelsScopeproactive outreachReactive: candidates applyCostGenerally more expensive due to expertise requiredTypically lower costsControlManaged by headhuntersManaged internally by HR teams

All the above parameters will help you to understand how headhunting differs from traditional recruitment methods, better.

Types of headhunting in recruitment

Direct headhunting: In direct recruitment, hiring teams reach out to potential candidates through personal communication. Companies conduct direct headhunting in-house, without outsourcing the process to hiring recruitment agencies. Very few businesses conduct this type of recruitment for top jobs as it involves extensive screening across networks outside the company’s expanse.

Indirect headhunting: This method involves recruiters getting in touch with their prospective candidates through indirect modes of communication such as email and phone calls. Indirect headhunting is less intrusive and allows candidates to respond at their convenience.Third-party recruitment: Companies approach external recruitment agencies or executive headhunters to recruit highly skilled professionals for top positions. This method often leverages the company’s extensive contact network and expertise in niche industries.

How does headhunting work?

Finding highly skilled professionals to fill critical positions can be tricky if there is no system for it. Expert executive headhunters employ recruitment software to conduct headhunting efficiently as it facilitates a seamless recruitment process for executive headhunters. Most software is AI-powered and expedites processes like candidate sourcing, interactions with prospective professionals and upkeep of communication history. This makes the process of executive search in recruitment a little bit easier. Apart from using software to recruit executives, here are the various stages of finding high-calibre executives through headhunting.

Identifying the role

Once there is a vacancy for a top job, one of the top executives like a CEO, director or the head of the company, reach out to the concerned personnel with their requirements. Depending on how large a company is, they may choose to headhunt with the help of an external recruiting agency or conduct it in-house. Generally, the task is assigned to external recruitment agencies specializing in headhunting. Executive headhunters possess a database of highly qualified professionals who work in crucial positions in some of the best companies. This makes them the top choice of conglomerates looking to hire some of the best talents in the industry.

Defining the job

Once an executive headhunter or a recruiting agency is finalized, companies conduct meetings to discuss the nature of the role, how the company works, the management hierarchy among other important aspects of the job. Headhunters are expected to understand these points thoroughly and establish a clear understanding of their expectations and goals.

Candidate identification and sourcing

Headhunters analyse and understand the requirements of their clients and begin creating a pool of suitable candidates from their database. The professionals are shortlisted after conducting extensive research of job profiles, number of years of industry experience, professional networks and online platforms.

Approaching candidates

Once the potential candidates have been identified and shortlisted, headhunters move on to get in touch with them discreetly through various communication channels. As such candidates are already working at top level positions at other companies, executive headhunters have to be low-key while doing so.

Assessment and Evaluation

In this next step, extensive screening and evaluation of candidates is conducted to determine their suitability for the advertised position.

Interviews and negotiations

Compensation is a major topic of discussion among recruiters and prospective candidates. A lot of deliberation and negotiation goes on between the hiring organization and the selected executives which is facilitated by the headhunters.

Finalizing the hire

Things come to a close once the suitable candidates accept the job offer. On accepting the offer letter, headhunters help finalize the hiring process to ensure a smooth transition.

The steps listed above form the blueprint for a typical headhunting process. Headhunting has been crucial in helping companies hire the right people for crucial positions that come with great responsibility. However, all systems have a set of challenges no matter how perfect their working algorithm is. Here are a few challenges that talent acquisition agencies face while headhunting.

Common challenges in headhunting

Despite its advantages, headhunting also presents certain challenges:

Cost Implications: Engaging headhunters can be more expensive than traditional recruitment methods due to their specialized skills and services.

Time-Consuming Process: While headhunting can be efficient, finding the right candidate for senior positions may still take time due to thorough evaluation processes.

Market Competition: The competition for top talent is fierce; organizations must present compelling offers to attract passive candidates away from their current roles.

Although the above mentioned factors can pose challenges in the headhunting process, there are more upsides than there are downsides to it. Here is how headhunting has helped revolutionize the recruitment of high-profile candidates.

Advantages of Headhunting

Headhunting offers several advantages over traditional recruitment methods:

Access to Passive Candidates: By targeting individuals who are not actively seeking new employment, organisations can access a broader pool of highly skilled professionals.

Confidentiality: The discreet nature of headhunting protects both candidates’ current employment situations and the hiring organisation’s strategic interests.

Customized Search: Headhunters tailor their search based on the specific needs of the organization, ensuring a better fit between candidates and company culture.

Industry Expertise: Many headhunters specialise in particular sectors, providing valuable insights into market dynamics and candidate qualifications.

Conclusion

Although headhunting can be costly and time-consuming, it is one of the most effective ways of finding good candidates for top jobs. Executive headhunters face several challenges maintaining the g discreetness while getting in touch with prospective clients. As organizations navigate increasingly competitive markets, understanding the nuances of headhunting becomes vital for effective recruitment strategies. To keep up with the technological advancements, it is better to optimise your hiring process by employing online recruitment software like HackerEarth, which enables companies to conduct multiple interviews and evaluation tests online, thus improving candidate experience. By collaborating with skilled headhunters who possess industry expertise and insights into market trends, companies can enhance their chances of securing high-caliber professionals who drive success in their respective fields.

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