From Panic to Excitement: Recruiting Tech Professionals in a Market of Disillusionment

Dice’s 2024 Tech Salary Report uncovers another year of widespread salary dissatisfaction among technology professionals, and for good reason. Not only did the average tech salary stagnate this year, but a higher cost of living has driven dissatisfaction. As a result, tech professionals are keeping an eye on the job market for opportunities that can help ease these fears.

In fact, 93% are interested in exploring new opportunities, with 29% actively searching. This dissatisfaction and resulting turnover could not only reshape the culture of the tech industry but also trigger a significant exodus of tech talent to other sectors, like healthcare, manufacturing, education, and government, many of which have long lacked qualified tech workers. This presents a golden opportunity for recruiters in non-tech industries to attract disillusioned tech professionals.

Ground Your Employer Brand in Transparency and Empathy

The widespread disillusionment of tech professionals is as emotional as it is financial. Not only does rolling news of layoffs fuel concerns among tech professionals regarding their livelihoods, but tech professionals in the tech sector are finding that the companies they have done their part to build are willing to cut them off suddenly and without cause. Regardless of the situation the job seekers you interact with are coming from, they do not exist in a vacuum. For tech professionals feeling disillusioned, this frustration is sure to make its way into their job search.

Consider how your employer brand presents to this disillusioned population with the following questions:

• Does your messaging offer an honest portrayal of life at your workplace?

• Does it seem superficial or sound hollow with aggressive positivity?

• Is your company transparent about past or future layoffs?

• Do the benefits you promote reflect a strong work-life balance and flexibility?

Do the work to reevaluate or emphasize what is needed to address the market challenges head on. Prepare answers to questions from tech professionals wary of more turmoil.

Build Out Your Pipeline

With 93% of tech professionals open to new roles, expect improved response rates to cold outreach on career platforms. However, many of these tech professionals are wary of recruiters and frustrated by the process in general. Remember, a strong recruitment strategy comes from building relationships, not one-time interactions. Build and nurture a pipeline of potential hires over months or even years. By having established relationships, you’ll better understand their interests and tailor your offers accordingly. Virtually every tech professional is open to a new opportunity, so 2024 is the ideal time to initiate and build these pipeline relationships.

Bring on the Gig Economy

Frustrated by layoffs and uncertainty, many workers in tech are seeking opportunities to work on their own terms. Freelance and gig work provides tech professionals an avenue toward greater flexibility and control, and in the meantime, they can develop their skill sets in the direction they choose, experience new team structures, and boost expertise in different industries. Even if finding a permanent full-time role is the ultimate goal, tech professionals can use freelance work to support them as they tackle a difficult job market.

Your recruiting strategy can benefit from this approach, as well. While you work on building your pipeline of tech professionals, maintain connections with those that want to try freelance work. Support the freelance tech professionals in your pipeline like you would support any other job seeker. In building your relationship with them, you can ensure that any time your tech department has a niche job to do or a one-off project, you have all-star tech professionals to contact.

However you decide to activate your recruitment strategy in the coming year, remember the human behind each interaction and consider the general sentiment of the market. While it is a great opportunity for you to snap up key tech talent, it is critical that your interactions come from a place of understanding and empathy.