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Writer's pictureHeywood

How to Lose Candidates and Alienate Developers


Has it ever been more important to seize your tech recruitment opportunities? I don’t think so.


I haven’t written for our blog in a while, but I might just have done more writing than ever since my last post. Texts, emails, InMails, carrier pigeons… You name it, I’ve written and sent it.


I’ve been busy looking for and speaking to PHP developers across Staffordshire and Greater Manchester. If you’re reading this, you probably know how competitive it is out there.


If not, ignorance is bliss.


Businesses and recruiters are having to work harder and smarter to attract developers and I think that’s great. The power is in the hands of the candidates and they’re able to take the time to find an opportunity that ticks all the boxes for them.


That might include finding a role that’ll free them up to work on technologies that they’re genuinely interested in or a fully remote role that can be completed in sweatpants and a baggy hoodie. Whatever floats their boat.


It’ll be positive in the long-term


Employers who have crafted and invested in a strong employer brand/EVP are well-placed to remain competitive in a candidate-driven market. Those that haven’t, will need to.


What it means for every business is that it’s more important than ever to seize every chance you get to hire people with the skills, experience and attitudes you need. That means avoiding things that turn developers off.


What turns developers off employers


According to HackerRank’s 2019 Developer Skills Report, the top five turn-offs for developers are:

What turns developers off employers chart

So, if you’re looking to alienate developers, be vague, be slow, create and share a poor employer brand, ask irrelevant questions and give them no idea of what to expect.


If you’re looking to hire them, do the opposite.

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