What is IT Staffing?

Several changes in the business world have increased the need for skilled tech talent. According to McKinsey data, bolder decision-making with data foundation, reinvention, acceleration of operations, and smarter customer-centrism are the most in-demand solutions for the pandemic era. These trends increase the need for IT roles and the talent to fill them, but, maybe most significantly, technological advancements and organizations digitizing to become competitive in the digital era contribute to the increased demand for niche skilled tech talent.

This increasing need for talent has been met with a shortage of tech talent as of late. In general, there are 5 million more job openings in the U.S. than there are people to fill them. For U.S. tech talent, unemployment has been around 2% on average, dropping as low as 1.5% over the past couple of years.

Also, tech applications see an 80% drop-off rate, making it challenging to recruit the required talent to fill open positions. With the need for specialized IT professionals coupled with the tight labor market with limited available qualified candidates, IT staffing has evolved and emerged to meet the demands of the labor market. IT agencies offer solutions to the challenges of finding specialized IT talent that many employers face today.

Why Use IT Staffing Services?

In the traditional sense, IT staffing refers to companies working with an IT staffing firm or agency to fill their open IT positions; however, IT staffing can also refer to an in-house team of recruiters filling open IT positions for their organizations. IT talent might be needed to fill temporary or long-term needs in full-time, part-time, contract, or contract-to-hire positions.

As IT roles become more specialized and the IT job market lacks skilled IT talent, IT recruiting has become more complicated and competitive. Working with an IT staffing firm can help organizations fill their hard-to-fill open IT positions and overcome these types of obstacles.

An IT staffing company’s main goal is to provide a service to meet the needs of your organization. It is expected to offer staffing solutions that align with the required quality and qualifications required to deliver on job goals and expectations. Whether an organization requires a temporary backfill, a sole full-time developer, or a full-scale service team, a full-service IT staffing firm can provide a one-stop shop for all IT staffing needs.

To offer first-rate services, an IT service provider has access to a wide network of tech talent that can deliver IT-related tasks for the business. Additionally, the firm will be current with the latest IT trends and events that dictate the pertinent skills currently required.

What Are the Advantages of IT Staffing?

There are several pros to using an IT staffing firm. Deloitte research shows that digitally advanced businesses realize significant benefits compared to those with lower levels of digital engagement. These benefits include four times revenue growth, two times revenue per employee, six times the average employee growth rate, and three times the job creation.

It’s not all about revenue growth, however. There is a wide range of other advantages to outsourcing your IT talent acquisition to a dedicated IT staffing agency. Most obviously, you’ll have access to a wider pool of candidates and a broader skillset, making it easier to fill highly specialized positions.

Additionally, the recruiting process could be expedited compared to your business needing to handle its IT recruiting efforts on its own without external support. More of your internal resources would be freed up to focus on other business activities instead of investing a lot of time and resources into recruiting efforts. From writing job descriptions and posting on job boards to acting as a hiring manager and vetting candidates for you, agencies can significantly optimize your staffing process.

When working with a staffing firm, you have access to custom recruitment tailored to your specific business needs. Depending on the staffing firm, the candidates will already be vetted for you, including having taken any necessary skills tests, so you know they are capable.

These benefits, in conjunction with the demands of the digital era, make finding a top IT staffing company a go-to solution for businesses looking to fill open positions and grow their current IT teams.

What Are the Disadvantages of IT Staffing?

Though there are many advantages when working with an IT staffing firm, it’s not without its disadvantages in some circumstances.

Time and effort are required. Though the process can be expedited with a staffing firm, it still requires time for your organization to get acclimated with the staffing agency. It takes some time for the agency to get to know your organization and staffing needs to place the right candidates with your business. In the end, it tends to be worth it. Much like bringing on a new employee, the agency you choose will need an onboarding phase where they learn about your company culture and business goals.

It requires a financial investment. Staffing agencies require a cost investment due to you paying the recruitment agency’s fees. Sourcing the best candidates takes time and effort, and not all businesses are ready to pay the fee for these services. In addition, you likely will have less control. Since the hiring process takes place, in part, through a third-party vendor, you’ll have less control over the process. For some, this may be a benefit in its own right, but other business owners prefer to be an integral part of the hiring process.