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Technology is advancing at breakneck speed, with AI, data generation and privacy currently at the forefront.
But is your business prepared to take full advantage?
Assembling a strong tech team can make all the difference to the success of your company. Of course, no two businesses are the same, which is why we’re going to walk you through how to identify these roles based on your company's size, industry, and needs.
Join us as we reveal the ins and outs of building an IT team, explore the essential tech profiles and skills to seek out, and highlight the main challenges involved in hiring IT professionals.
Understanding your company’s tech needs
Every business is unique, which is why you must consider your organisation’s tech needs before beginning the process of building a tech team.
The most important tech profiles to fill
If you’re a smaller company and unsure where to start, your best bet is appointing a project manager or IT manager. These skilled leaders will be able to assess your needs and help you create an efficient technology team at a suitable budget, or if necessary, outsource different processes to consultancy companies.
If your organisation is growing, consider implementing line management. Think about your circumstances: If you want to ensure that the services you provide to customers or clients are hitting performance targets, you should hire a service manager. If you need to effectively configure business processes and functions into a single unified platform, invest in an ERP manager. And if you’re seeking to bridge the gap between IT and your business objectives, appoint a senior business analyst.
Of course, the bigger your company is, the more complex your information technology team’s needs will be. Evaluate your growth as a business and ask yourself some questions. Do you require strategic leadership and oversight of your internal and external technology initiatives? Consider hiring a chief information officer (CIO) or chief technology officer (CTO). Would your complex project benefit from a scrum team? Start the recruitment process for a product owner, scrum master and development team.
What’s your industry?
Irrespective of the size of your company, it’s important to consider the industry you operate in.
If you’re a manufacturing business or operate in the world of logistics, you won’t be able to do without an IT manager or ERP manager. If you’re in ecommerce, you’ll likely require a software developer, UX/UI designer, and data analyst. And if you work in finance, software engineers, database administrators, and cybersecurity specialists should be near the top of your list.
Your needs matter most
When deciding on the type of profiles you need for your IT team, thinking about the industry you’re in is a good start, but you have to go deeper. Ask yourself two questions: What are your company’s objectives, and how can you achieve them?
No matter if you’re in healthcare, real estate, or retail, when you have a lot of data, you need a data engineer and data scientists. Of course, size does matter — bigger companies will require a head of data and a senior cyber security role like a chief information security officer (CISO).
If you have to build the infrastructure for your business, consider hiring a network administrator, system network administrator, and engineers. Transitioning to cloud computing? It would make sense to employ a cloud architect, cloud engineer, and cloud security specialist. And if you’re looking to build new applications, you’ll need developers proficient in a suitable coding language.
Key skills for tech profiles
While a skilled developer is often integral to a company’s success, you might not be sure what languages they should be able to code in.
Again, the choice largely hinges on your specific circumstances. In ecommerce, proficiency in PHP is often required. Across many other industries, Java or C# skills and experience are more frequently desired. For ventures into AI, Python expertise is indispensable, while JavaScript remains the most used language by developers worldwide for its versatility across various domains.
Another aspect to consider is resource allocation; opting for a full-stack developer may prove strategic with limited resources, whereas larger projects may benefit from dedicated front-end and back-end developers who bring specialised expertise.
Before pursuing candidates with specialised skills, it's important to assess the software market. Leading ERP software suites like SAP, NetSuite, and Dynamics are widely used across industries including logistics, telecommunications, retail, and banking. The surge in cloud technology has come with an influx of different software, but Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform (GCP) have emerged as the most popular options.
Why soft skills matter
Finding candidates with strong technical skills is certainly necessary, but the right soft skills can be just as important. So, which ones merit your attention?
In a recent survey, 58% of cybersecurity managers identified communication as the top soft skill. Smaller businesses don’t tend to have many employees who facilitate direct interactions between developers and management, which makes having good communicators on the team especially important. As well as communication skills, organisations with limited budgets typically benefit from “all-rounder” profiles who are proficient in multitasking.
While communication skills should be a priority, there are other soft skills to keep an eye out for. Strong organisational and problem-solving skill sets are extremely valuable in the complex world of tech. Likewise, given the speed at which the technology landscape is evolving, adaptability is paramount. With new tools, languages and frameworks springing up regularly, tech professionals must embrace change to remain relevant in their field.
If you’re looking for a senior technology profile like a CIO to sit at the top of your tech hierarchy, make sure they are strong leaders, skilled at risk management, and can make quick decisions. Target profiles with high levels of emotional intelligence and top listening skills — great leaders should lead by example.
The main challenges in hiring IT professionals
Identifying the right tech profiles is only the start. To make your IT team a success, you have to get contracts signed. While recruitment comes with its share of difficulties regardless of industry, we’ve identified three significant tech hiring challenges.
Talent shortage
In a 2023 EY survey, a staggering 81% of organisations reported facing a shortage of skilled tech workers. Data from Michael Page reinforces this trend, particularly in cybersecurity and data positions, where the shortage of qualified candidates is most pronounced. Although we expect to see more skilled candidates entering these roles in the coming years, businesses must pull out all the stops to attract and secure top talent today.
Candidate expectations
When there’s high demand and low supply, you inevitably have to pay a premium. While skilled tech workers expect competitive remuneration, they’re also looking for remote work, a healthy work-life balance, and plenty of flexibility.
Tech candidates hold high expectations not only for their own compensation but also for your company and its offerings. They seek opportunities with organisations that stay abreast of technological advancements while prioritising innovation, investment, and growth.
Cyclical hiring mistakes
If you’re looking to hire a tech candidate, but don’t quite have the budget to provide a competitive salary, beware — you’re about to kickstart employee churn.
The type of candidate drawn to a low salary offer is often less experienced or qualified than the calibre of candidate you should be aiming to recruit. Consequently, they’re more likely to underperform and eventually depart from your company. That means you have to start the recruitment process again, and in doing so, perpetuate the cycle of hiring and churn.
Another similar issue involves companies attempting to save money by not hiring a second employee for a technical position. If one employee is getting the job done, businesses are often hesitant to spend on an additional salary. What they neglect to see is the high return on investment: Hiring a second skilled worker often boosts productivity, leading to increased profits in the long run.
By now, you might have a grasp of the type of tech roles you need for your IT team, but do you know how to attract and secure top-tier tech talent? Read our latest article for our top tips.
Alternatively, start building your dream team by connecting with Michael Page, the world-leading tech recruitment specialist. Reach out today to get started.
