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We’ve all heard the cliches: “there’s a war for talent, it’s hard to find a quality developer, it’s a job seekers’ market.” In this case, they are cliches for a reason: they’re true. Employers are having to fight tooth and nail to find quality people to fill developer roles. At Lighthouse Labs, we are passionate about addressing this talent gap by teaching our students the skills that employers truly need, and connecting them with our hiring partners for fantastic fits on both sides.

However, many of our hiring partners have experienced the talent crunch even amongst our students. As our employer engagement continues to increase, our students are becoming increasingly in demand. It is not uncommon for students to weigh competing offers and secure a job before graduation. Unfortunately, this results in our hiring partners sometimes disappointed to find their top choice of student is no longer available.

So in this war on talent, how can you get a leg up in getting the Lighthouse Labs student you want? Here are four secrets that will help you land not just your Lighthouse Labs student, but any candidate, regardless of position:

Make following up a priority

Attending hiring events like Lighthouse Labs' Employer-Only Demo Day or Speed Interviewing is a time-efficient way to meet a large number of potential candidates. The candidates attending these types of events are actively looking for jobs, and it’s a time-efficient way for them to meet a large number of employers! Remember that you’re not the only belle at the ball though. If you meet someone you like, make sure to follow up on next steps ASAP before someone else does.

Interview thoroughly and efficiently

You’ve acted quickly and invited interesting candidates in for an interview, but do you know what you’re interviewing for? Put a simple process in place and ask each candidate the same questions to assess their fit. When considering a group of our students, I always recommend doing initial 20 minute back-to-back interviews to get that gut feel of who may be a “fit” with the team. From there, you can do a deeper technical interview/test with your top two-to-three candidates. You should be able to have both interviews done within the same week or so and have the information to confidently make a decision.

Know your brand, sell yourself

We all ask candidates, “why do you want to work for us?” But make sure you know why they should work for you too! Interviews are a two-way street with both parties trying to make decisions based on fit and future opportunities. You don’t need to be a big company with a well known name to attract killer talent. Know what makes your company/product/work environment unique, and don’t by shy about showing that.

If you like them, let them know

Your top candidate(s) should know where they stand through each step of the interview process. Remember, if you’ve identified top talent chances are other employers have too! With a little preparation and prioritization you can confidently close your top candidates and grow your team. As always, when it comes to hiring Lighthouse Labs graduates, I’m here to help with your hiring process and help you build your team!

Interested in hiring a Lighthouse Labs grad? Attend of our next employer events!