Julie Johnson Carlock, one of the country’s top recruiters for sales and marketing professionals and executives in the tech space, has compiled a list of her 10 Trends in Recruiting for Tech Sales & Marketing.
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You’ve spent a lot of time around technology. Whether through formal training or pursuing your natural interests, you have likely developed a skill set that employers all over will value. But if Computer Science is your subject of choice and potential career direction—you might well wonder if what you have is enough.
What computer science skills matter most? What do you need to land a job in one of the many careers a degree in Computer Science can lead to? How can you demonstrate your abilities to potential employers and turn your skill set into a salary?
Whether you are considering a career in computer programming, web development, software development or one of many other careers tied to this booming field, you want to make sure what you learn will match what employers want. Keep reading to find out which computer science skills matter most to hiring managers and a few bonus skills that will really help you stand out.
This article appeared on Rasmussen College’s website. TechCXO Partner Kevin Carlson is quoted.
We analyzed nearly 3,000,000 online job postings that sought applicants with Computer Science degrees in the last year to find out which technical skills employers were most commonly seeking.* Note that these skills aren’t pulled from listings for a specific job role—they reflect the skills identified in any job postings that are seeking candidates with a Computer Science degree. These are the desired technical skills listed:
But hiring managers and experts in various fields assure us that technical skills, while sometimes required for a position, aren’t necessarily the green-light signal job applicants might hope for.
“I care most about an applicant’s ability to solve a problem, how they think through a task and communicate with those around them,” says Kevin Carlson, vice president of development at DataFinch Technologies. “This shows me how they’ll work with the team long-term. I couldn’t care less if they can pass a pop quiz on a certain technology.”
Carlson explains that too many candidates think about meeting short-term needs and whatever is trending in the moment, when hiring is really a long-term play. In technology, constant learning is almost guaranteed, so some employers will be less concerned about which specific technical skills you have and a lot more interested in the soft skills and less-tangible traits and abilities you bring to the table.
Remember, an employer can always teach you a new process or platform—but it’s hard to teach someone to be a team player or a motivated problem-solver.
If you’ve ever looked for a job, you know.
You know what it’s like to put time and effort into a resume, research a company, and write a thoughtful cover letter. You send it off and wait. And wait.
And a response never comes, or comes long after you’ve already found another role.
In one case, I received a rejection email from a company a full 6 months after I had already landed another role. And yeah, I’d already figured out they weren’t interested by then…
The funny thing was that this company heavily sold their culture in the job posting. They said that people were their focus, they valued communication, and acted with a sense of urgency.
Unless you’re an applicant.
Well, OK, I added that bit, but you get my point. My experience with that company conflicted with who they wanted me to believe they were.
[The article was adapted from Kevin Carlson‘s original blog post]
A few years later, I found myself in the position of being responsible for the recruiting process. The roles I posted to job boards generated hundreds of responses. Of those I received, many were not qualified and some didn’t appear to have read the job description.
Even so, I remembered my earlier experience, and wanted to make sure I responded to everyone, even if it was to give them bad news. As applications piled up, the task seemed like a tough one to tackle.
“I’ve been there”, I thought. “I know what it’s like to face rejection and now I have to do the rejecting.” It’s a normal reaction to want to avoid this step in the process. If that’s how you feel, congratulations, you’re human.
The solution for me was two-fold:
We used our Applicant Tracking System to post jobs to job boards and to our web site. It organized responses and made it easy to move candidates through the pipeline. It also made it very easy to send candidates a response.
Applicant tracking systems allow you to create email templates that request a phone conversation, an interview, or let someone know they haven’t been selected. Take the time to create a template for each type of communication you might want to send a candidate, including those for rejection.
As a rule, I would go through the new resumes first thing in the morning, and send each applicant an email:
The first three? Pretty easy.
The last one is more difficult to send, and here’s why it’s so important: How you treat people outside of your company says volumes about the real values inside your company.
Wall posters that display company values — we’ve all seen them.
Integrity. Honesty. Collaboration. Blah, blah, blah.
Seriously? Those values are table stakes.
If you have to tell people that you like to collaborate, are honest, and act with integrity, that’s a pretty low bar. When I see that, I’d rather ask your customers what they think your values are and get the real scoop.
Values must be in your heart and mind, not on the wall. People you interact with will talk about how they experience your values and culture. Your actions and inactions will have an impact.
How many great candidates don’t apply because a friend ridiculed your recruiting process? Might be only a few. Might be only one.
So, take the time. Write the responses. Send the appropriate email now. With an Applicant Tracking System, it’s easy. Doesn’t matter if there are hundreds or even thousands of applicants. If you’re actually looking at the applications, it takes three seconds. And most savvy candidates know this.
You’ll get responses to rejections, no matter how tactful and kind you are. For me, they’ve varied from, “Your loss” to “Can you explain where I fell short?”
No, I didn’t respond to the first one. I have responded to many of the second type, though. Taking the time to help a candidate understand the skills or experience they need may result in their eventual hire. Ignore them and when they have the experience, they may ignore you.
The responses don’t have to be long. Send a simple note explaining there were candidates with more experience in certain areas (name them). Or perhaps tell them they need to brush on specific interview skills. It may help them and give them a little confidence to continue the hard work of looking for a job.
You’ll almost always receive a nice thank you note from those you hire or interivew. That’s common practice. Almost expected.
Yet I have received at least ten times as many emails from those that didn’t make the cut. The top responses may surprise you:
When this happens, you have preserved a future candidate. You may have given someone the boost they needed to write yet one more cover letter. You may have let them know that someone actually cares about the hard work they’re doing to find a job. They will remember you and your company. Your recruiting process, even in rejection, is showcasing your company’s values and takes a long-term view of candidate viability.
When you’re faced with a lot of applicants, I encourage you to take the time to respond. You will prove your values and show that the culture you talk about is real. As I mentioned in a previous post on tech culture, you are the guardian of the culture.
Screenwriters have a mantra: “Show, don’t tell.” It’s the same thing when it comes to company values.
So, do what’s right and not what’s easy. Let candidates know where they stand so they can progress or move on. It will prove to them that your company — and you — are worth talking to.
If you don’t have an applicant tracking system, don’t despair. There are a lot of them on the market with varying price ranges. Some cost as little as $25/month or charge a reasonable per job posting fee. Well worth the money. Below are links to a few that I have used or have that colleagues recommend.
If you’re on a tight budget, you can use something as simple as Excel to track candidates and responses. A little tedious, but worth it.
If I’ve missed an ATS that you have used with good results, please provide a link and your comments below!
