It’s a software developer’s hiring world and we’re living it. The demand for software developers outweighs the supply. And it’s vital that companies have a strong technology employment brand in order to attract the best of the best to their company.

The developers who you want to hire are involved in coding communities. If one developer has a negative experience, then they are going to tell their buddies, who tell their buddies and it could put a bad taste in their mouth. It could even turn them away from your company.

How can you build your technology employment brand?

One way you can start building your technology employment brand is by getting involved in organizations for developers. Some examples of these organizations are:

• The Association of Software Professionals
• The Technology Association of Georgia
• The Computing Technology Industry Association
• The Association of Information Technology
• And so many more

There are so many communities tied to specific development tools and platforms on Meetup.com – and they are almost all volunteer and free – that you can get involved with a group-specific to your development needs (Python, Ruby, Java, etc.).

The “Secret Sauce” to making the most of any of these groups, is consistency. The more you (or your company) attend and support – perhaps sponsor – these groups, the more the developers in those communities will recognize your organization as a place they want to be!

Building these ties will give your company a presence in these circles, further your network, provide the opportunity to share your industry knowledge and you may even learn a thing or two.

Another way to build your employment brand is to foster an environment where your developers are happy, where they have opportunities to grow and make an impact in your organization. This doesn’t happen overnight, of course. But check in with your developers to see what they enjoy about your company and what they’d like to see improved.

What software developers are looking for

Of course, when hiring new talent, you want to keep in mind what they might want from your company. But in the realm of software development, this is even more important because of the lack of candidates with this skillset. With nearly 500,000 job posts on multiple platforms, reported through LinkedIn, developers have the opportunity to be selective in where they want to work. So, let’s look at a list of what’s important to them in an employer:

• Work-life balance: According to 30,000+ software developers surveyed by LinkedIn, 63% of them said that being able to have a good work-life balance is valuable when looking for a new job.
• A need to be challenged: Software developers want to be challenged. And they don’t want to be in a job where they do the same thing every day. Make sure that your development teams are pushing their employees to go further and try new things.
• Contribution to the business objective: Developers want to make a positive impact on their company. Make sure that you communicate how their projects will contribute to the overall business objective. No one wants to feel like their work doesn’t matter, especially not software developers.
• Continuing education: Developers want to learn. This relates to their need to be challenged. Offering internal continuing education or allotting a portion of your budget to external courses and programs will not only benefit your developers but also your company.
• Flexible work schedule: According to a LinkedIn survey, 42% of software developers find it important to have the option for a flexible work schedule. This could be non-traditional work hours, a compressed workweek or work-from-home options.
• Work with superstars: Since software developers have the ability to be more flexible in their job selection, they want to work with a team that is going to push them. So, don’t be afraid to tout that you have a sharp architect who’s a guru with vast accomplishments on your team. Lean on your marketing team to spotlight these employees. Showing off your achievements will let candidates see that they will be joining a team where they will get to work with superstars and learn and grow together. If your company is known for hiring talented individuals, then they may want to come work for you.

At the end of the day, your brand matters. When a software developer is looking for their next career move, they want to work for a company with an excellent technology employment brand. And of course, a good way to accomplish this goal is partnering with the right staffing firm that can tell your company story and can help build and reinforce your brand. I’d love to chat with you about your technology employment brand and how we can find you your superstar software developer.

About Steve Wright

Steven Wright serves as a Senior Account Executive for Synergis and volunteers his time as President of the Atlanta chapter of the Association of Information Technology Professionals. Steve has had a career in technology, spanning more than 25 years.  He has always served in an advisory, and relationship development capacity, working within sales and business development groups for healthcare technology outsourcing, manufacturing, professional service, and, most recently, the staffing industry. In his free time, Steve enjoys learning about new and emerging technologies. This love of tech has helped him aid clients and candidates alike in their career and talent journeys.