IT Staffing Process: What You Need To Know Hire IT Professionals

For many businesses, having experienced information technology (IT) professionals is key to maximizing what technology can do to improve organizations, which includes everything from lowering operational costs to bettering customer service to offering more organized project management. With that in mind, finding the right people to fill each IT position is essential to success.

The job of IT staffing is typically up to human resources or hiring departments, but can also be fulfilled by an IT staffing company. The IT staffing process may look a little different when working with a staffing agency, but clients will find that the process is much smoother with the help of a recruiter.

Here, we’ll discuss how the IT staffing process with a staffing agency will help your business find, hire, and train the IT professionals you need.

Table of Contents

What is the Process For Staffing IT Positions?

Regardless of which method you use to locate, recruit, hire, and onboard staff, the primary objective of the process is to find qualified candidates to fill open job positions on the IT side of your business. Whether your business hires employees on its own or uses a staffing firm, the approach to IT staffing is generally the same, but there are some key steps in the process that can be different with a recruiter on your side.

When working with a recruiter, they will handle the bulk of these time-consuming and detail-oriented steps, making things much easier for human resources departments and hiring managers.

What are the Key Steps in the Process?

IT staffing is done by attracting desirable candidates, evaluating their skills, choosing the right people to interview, and conducting the interview process. Once a job is offered and the candidate accepts, the onboarding process can begin.

Working with a staffing company streamlines this process and outsources the heavy lifting to experienced professionals who not only know the IT industry well but also have a wide network from which to pull qualified candidates.

Who is Involved in the Process?

When conducting these processes, all pertinent members of the organization are involved, including hiring managers, supervisors, and owners as well as the recruiter(s) from the staffing company assigned to the project. Everyone works together to achieve the goal of finding the right placement.

The key steps in the IT staffing process when working with a staffing company include the following.

Establish Criteria for Selecting IT Staff

Also known as workforce planning, this step is the first in the staffing process. It is when the staffing company evaluates the requirements of the job and plans out the recruitment strategy for locating and hiring the right talent for the job. Criteria that are considered at this stage include qualifications, education, skills, and experience needed. An example of a more specific requirement would be how many years of experience the business wants candidates to have in their field in order to be considered. Recruiters may help guide employers when setting these requirements to maximize success.

Recruitment and Selection

During this stage of the IT hiring process, recruiters will begin sourcing and searching for prospective candidates using their network. IT staffing firms have a variety of different processes through which they source potential employees for companies, but much of their job relies on experience in the industry, time in the staffing business, and a number of business relationships that can help find the right people for projects or employment opportunities.

During the selection process, staffing professionals will begin narrowing down their choices to the best possible fit. Things considered during this step may be how well the candidate meets the company’s criteria, how well they might fit into the company culture, and whether their personal desires for employment align with what is being offered. Employers will make their selections from the staffing company’s list of candidates to interview.

Placement and Introduction

In this step, which occurs after vetting, evaluation, and interviewing to ensure the right fit, the staffing agency will begin hiring and placing people who have been offered and accepted the role. Then, the candidate and their new employer meet and begin the process of learning about the job, the organization, and the expectations. This is known as onboarding, a process that can be completed either through the staffing agency or through the business directly depending on the company’s preferences. After onboarding, the employee is trained and begins their work. Again, this process can either be managed through the recruitment firm or by the employer directly.

What are the Challenges Associated With Staffing IT Positions?

The success of this staffing process depends on a variety of factors, including how well-planned the process is, how experienced the staffing firm is, and how difficult the criteria for the job are to meet. In addition, the supply and demand of qualified talent impact the process. All of those factors can be potential challenges when navigating the IT staffing process if not properly addressed.

However, with the help of a professional IT staffing company, your business can create and execute a solid IT staffing plan that allows you to identify your IT needs, source the right talent, and meet the needs of your business with experienced people.

The IT Staffing Process: How to Find, Hire, and Train IT Professionals