Executive Career Coach: Here's How To Recruit And Retain IT Talent

Recruiters should shift their mindsets in order to attract and keep talent, especially with younger people entering the workforce

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L. Michelle Smith, CEO and founder of No Silos Communications LLC

Despite news of massive layoffs at Big Tech firms like Google, Cisco, Amazon and more, there remains an IT staff shortage at many companies, especially in smaller and midsized organizations.

A recent survey from Deloitte of IT leaders found that nearly 90 percent of those leaders said recruiting and retaining talent were moderate or major challenges.

Our own MES Computing survey in February of 30 senior U.S. IT leaders, revealed that 27 percent planned to spend more of their budgets on salaries to recruit and retain talent.

Why are these companies facing struggles with recruitment and retention, and what are some strategies they can adopt to overcome this issue?

MES Computing spoke with certified executive and personal coach L. Michelle Smith for advice and insight. Smith is the CEO and founder of No Silos Communications LLC, where she develops high-performing executive leaders with a specialty in women and women of color. She's also a bestselling, award-winning author, podcaster and Fortune 100 adviser.

Smith offered advice for companies in attracting and recruiting talent, which includes a shift in mindset. Long gone are the days when an employee is hired and settles in for long-term employment. She said there needs to be a realization that these employees go into a job no longer thinking long-term unless they feel engaged and included.

Being a good brand ambassador is also important, she said. Companies that are good brand ambassadors are ones with authentic and transparent leadership.

Desirable companies offer continued training and a career trajectory plan, Smith advised. IT careers often require many certifications and continued learning. Smith said companies invested in their workforce will help offset costs of often expensive continued learning.

She also said fostering trusting is essential: Be an organization that actually listens, Smith advises, and not one that punishes people who raise dissenting opinions or ask questions.

She also offered a host of other tips on the subject:

We hear news everyday of Big Tech serving these massive layoffs. Why do IT leaders of smaller and midsized organizations report having problems filling tech positions?

As we know that there are layoffs going on in the market right now. And it's been brutal. These companies are actually right-sizing. So, they may be laying off, but they're also hiring for key positions.

It's extremely competitive, because while there are positions there, they're not a lot. And they're looking for the top talent and these big companies, they have the budget. So, the smaller companies have to really fight to try and come with it, with either a competitive salary or the perks or other things that they could bring to the table that would at least allow them to compete.

One of the issues we've heard from IT leaders is with recruiting younger staff. With older members of the Gen Z cohort set to enter the labor market, how can recruiters attract this demographic?

I'm an adjunct professor at Texas Christian University. I'm dealing with seniors …They are highly intelligent … they have access to this democratized internet. And they're well read … You can't pull the wool over their eyes. Very like your millennials, who were very keen on centering themselves, when it came to their job search, and the companies that they work for, and understanding that if I work here, I'm not only growing and there's opportunity for me, but I'm also making an impact in this world.

Because what they figured out is, I may need to be there for a while, but I need to make an impact. [Otherwise] I'm going to go find another adventure that feeds my soul, that allows me to make an impact, but also gives me some ownership, and also gives me the opportunity to make more money and increase my responsibility.

If [companies] aren't good corporate citizens … it really does play into their values.

And then once younger people are recruited, some of our IT leaders say, they train them and then they up and leave the company.

If employees feel disengaged, more than likely, they're going to leave, they've got to feel happy. There's research across the board that says your employees have to feel engaged. Now, what does that look like? We're living in an age where people can see past the beer cart, and the Wine Down Wednesday, and the free meal. And the so called, you know, unlimited PTO, we see the jig is up.

And that's not really what people are looking for. If there's an opportunity for someone to spread their wings and do a little bit more and have a little bit more responsibility, or even having a very clear career trajectory mapped out for them you're actually rewarding them for their good work, you're incentivizing them, you're praising them when they do a good thing.