IT Hiring Strategy: Internal vs. External

Versique

September 9, 2015

Among IT employers, 33% currently have positions they are unable to fill and 38% of them say they’ll hire and train employees with no technology experience. With a shortage of IT talent and a widespread, fast-growing need for mobile, big data, cloud, and IT security experience, companies in Minnesota will face two options to stay atop of the digital trends. They can recruit new IT professionals from outside the organization, or they can develop internal employees for the IT positions they want to fill. Both options have pros and cons, but which is best depends on the individual company and their goals.

Here are some guidelines to help your company determine your IT hiring strategy:

When to Hire New IT Talent

You are looking to change organizational culture by infusing new talent.
You don’t have the time to let someone grow into a position.
You want quick turnaround on a project, which is more often accomplished by outside hires.
You are looking to reach a larger candidate pool and attract talent from another organization.
You want to bring new ideas/skills into a particular team.

When to Develop Internal IT Talent

You want to build your brand by showing potential candidates they will be rewarded with career development.
You understand that poaching candidates from other organizations means other companies can also poach from your talent pool.
You know that growing talent from within can solidify succession-planning issues.
Your company’s internal talent is a known commodity – you are aware of the current strengths and weaknesses, and can direct that talent to different areas of the company over time.

Minnesota has 19 Fortune 500 companies; the second most Fortune 500 companies per capita, after Connecticut. With so many Fortune 500 companies and an extremely limited number of computer science and engineering graduates each year, IT companies in the Twin Cities will always need to recruit externally.

As a result, many companies are turning to consulting firms, such as Versique’s IT Consulting for assistance in quickly finding IT professionals.

To learn more about how to hire top IT talent and get up-to-date on the latest IT industry trends, download our 2015 IT Salary Guide today!

Versique / About Author

Versique is a high-performance recruiting firm that specializes in interim solutions, direct hire, and executive leadership search. Our team of experienced professionals and seasoned leaders across various areas of expertise and industries have been in your shoes. We can quickly assess your whole people picture and identify the elements that will take your business to the next level.

In 2019, 2020, and 2021 Versique was recognized as Star Tribune Top Workplace, was nominated as a Best of Business Finalist by Twin Cities Business, and made the Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal's list of Twin Cities Largest Executive Search Firms. Versique also ranks as one of the top 25 most socially/marketing engaged staffing firms in the country and #1 in Minnesota by LinkedIn.

The Versique brand represents a powerful combination of “versatile” and “unique” as it hints at the concept of “search” in its pronunciation: ver-seek.