iCIMS Inc. on Tuesday release its 2019 Benchmark Report which analyzed 25 million technology applicants and found companies in the U.S. are facing a technology talent deficit.
Here are some key findings of the report:
There’s a huge tech talent deficit.
The Holmdel-based recruitment software provider said employers hired only six for every 10 open tech roles in the U.S. over the last three years (Jan 1. 2016 to May 31, 2019). In contrast, companies made 12 hires per 10 job openings (some job posts account for multiple candidates) for all positions over the same time frame.
There’s no shortage of tech applications.
Despite a large number of unfilled roles, on average, 43 tech applicants were hired in 2018 (up from 36 in 2016) compared to 21 for all hires. iCIMS said the culprit is finding and hiring qualified tech candidates.
“To mitigate the chronic shortage, employers should look for tech talent within their own ranks and invest in professional development programs. Training the help desk team for specialized roles is a natural place to start,” Josh Wright, iCIMS’ chief economist, said.
App developer is the most sought after role.
Software application developers are the most attractive position, accounting for nearly one-third (32%) of all tech jobs, followed by user support (14%) and network administrators (10%).
Plan for time if hiring an app developer.
In the first five months of this year, it took an average of 66 days to hire a new tech employee — 23 days longer than all other types of hires and up from 55 days in 2016. For the role of app developer, it takes an average of 81 days to fill it.
Tech hiring grew faster than others.
In 2018, there were 18% more net new tech hires than in the previous year, outpacing the overall hiring trend of 14% net new hires. The telecom and information services and retail sectors assisted in the increase.
There’s a gender gap.
As of 2018, women made up half of the total U.S. college-educated workforce, but only a fourth (28%) of the STEM workforce. More than a fourth (27%) of tech applicants are women, but just 24% are hired. This gap has remained unchanged for three years.
Today’s candidates communicate differently.
Nearly 40% of all candidates submit applications through their mobile devices, up from 20% in 2016. Another 58% apply through their desktops (down 19% from 2016), and 2% through their tablets (down 1% from 2016).
“To attract more qualified candidates, creating and nurturing pools of tech talent is indispensable, as is implementing a recruitment marketing program optimized to meet candidates where they are: mobile phones, Google searches, and the like – the entire digital dashboard of today’s consumer,” Wright said.
