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Houston Hiring Challenges: Why it's Hard to Fill That IT Consultant Position

Mar 23, 2020 12:02:26 PM

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The current (and rapidly shifting) national and global economy has absolutely had an impact on employment across the country as businesses adjust their work models to accommodate an increasing remote staff due to COVID-19 concerns. Despite the recent changes in the market, now is still a good time to be seeking remote employment across a wide range of industries.

This is especially true for IT professionals in the Greater Houston area. The regional economic climate, coupled with the vertical's highly-productive remote workforce, has helped Houston continue to demonstrate professional growth and opportunity.  This corporate upswing has prompted many area businesses to increase the use of technical consultants as both a short- and long-term staffing solution for projects as well as day-to-day operations.

Four Reasons You May Be Missing Out on Houston's Elite Technical Temporary Talent Contractors

The local economy has resulted in many Houston managers struggling to fill IT consultant positions, leaving their operations vulnerable to performance gaps and possible project fails. Understanding current market conditions and candidate expectations can help you attract and retain the best available Houston IT talent for your open position. Some Houston hiring challenges you may be battling include:

Ineffective Job Descriptions
IT managers often underestimate the power of a well-written job description, especially when sourcing a contractor. The job description can serve as your company's first (and often only) opportunity to command attention from potential technical candidates. Carefully craft an informative outline that includes key details, such as job title, experience levels, and daily responsibilities to compel elite talent to take a closer look at your open position.

Less-Than-Competitive Pay Rates 
It's a candidate's market right now, which means Houston's IT contractors (much like their permanent counterparts) can command higher pay rates for their services. Go into the search understanding what you'll need to offer the right candidates to ensure you don't lose them to the competition.

Prolonged Hiring Process
Many Houston companies use the same extended screening and hiring process when recruiting contractors as they do for internal employees. Today's technical contractors often find themselves being sourced by multiple Houston companies simultaneously, making efficiency and expediency crucial. Yes, it's essential to vet every potential candidate for your IT position thoroughly. However, before beginning your search, reevaluate your current practices to streamline redundancies and accelerate the time needed to close the right consultant as quickly as possible. 

Ineffective Candidate Interaction
Today’s job market has dramatically changed the dynamic between interviewer and interviewee. It's not enough to merely qualify applicants—today's hiring managers have to be prepared to discuss professional differentiators to help their position and company stand out from positions being posted by other industry players. Everyone on your team should understand how to conduct an interview that keeps top talent engaged and ready to keep them in the pipeline moving toward a hire. 

Are you hiring IT professionals in the Houston area? InQuest Staffing can help. Contact our team of recruiting professionals today to hear more.

Download the Houston Hiring & IT Salary Guide

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