How to Bridge the Gap Between Talent Crunch & Hiring Best Java Developers?

In the candidate-driven digital work environment, finding the right talent as the best fit for the role is an uphill struggle. With the exponential growth in the demand for Java developers, millions of applicants compete for the appropriate role. Out of the large talent pool available, it is imperative for the businesses to shortlist a good hire & not just hire to fill the vacant positions. This is where the tech talent shortage comes into the picture.

As per reports from Daxx, by 2030 the global talent shortage is predicted to reach 85.2 million workers. To address this talent shortage the smart hiring strategy that tech companies are adopting is skill gap analysis. 87% of the companies say they either are experiencing gaps now or expect them within a few years.

What Skills Should be Screened When Looking for Java Developers?

Now that we know, that 26% of the IT companies are keen to address the potential skills gap let’s look at how to screen Java developers.

Skill screening is a proportionate balance of technical & soft skills analysis. The majority of the companies are under the wrong perception of solely paying attention to the technical aspects of a Java developer. Ask yourself, would you hire a Java developer who has the highest degree of qualification but the least willingness to learn & grow?

Some of the essential skills to look for are:

1. Understanding of Java basics like OOP, algorithms, etc

2. Knowledge of Java testing tools

3. Object Relational Mapping (ORM) fluency

4. Active Listening

5. Strong communication

For a smart-screening guide with detailed insights on the required Java developer skills, check this out: Looking for Java Developers? Tips on screening their communication skills!

What are the Techniques for Addressing Skills Gap in Java Developer Hiring?

According to U.S. Labour Statistics, IT jobs are expected to grow 13% from 2020 to 2030. This growing demand also indicates that there will be cutthroat competition & requirements for a specialized skilled workforce. The scenario of talent shortage arises because the candidates lack the top in-demand skills that are needed by the best Java developers.

The most popular methods to address the skills gap are:

1. Hiring

A survey by Mckinsey in 2020 revealed that two-thirds of the respondents state hiring as the most common action taken to close the skills gap over the past 5 years. This trend continues to exist as more talent networks like Toptal, Uplers, & recruitment agencies are budding in the market.

The skills gap is the mismatch between the skills that employers rely upon in their workforce & the skills that job seekers possess. The purpose of hiring is to resolve this challenge as the new hire brings new knowledge & skills to the table. This gives recruiters a potential chance to find the appropriately skilled candidate by tweaking the hiring strategies to include skill assessment tests.

2. Skill building

Another feasible, popularly used & smart tactic to address the skills gap is building skills of your existing employees. This can be done by conducting training, reskilling programs, etc. Mckinsey 2020 survey indicated that 56% of the companies use skill-building to overcome the challenge of the skills gap.

Skill building is a win-win situation for both employers as well as employees. Employers need not pay the recruitment cost for a new hire but can instead update their existing employee skills. At the same time, employees experience a growth trajectory in their job role which is why they would want to stay with the company thus increasing the retention rate. Reports suggest that 94% of the employees consider training & education as one of the primary reasons to stay in a role for a longer time.

3. Contracting

A lot of companies today have adopted a contractual mode of employment, especially in the IT industry. This helps address the skills gap because the external talent can balance out the skills deficit in your internal talent. External talent can be in the form of contractors or freelancers.

As a result, there is no need to hire someone on a permanent pay role basis and at the same time, you can have the desired skills required for the job & get it done effectively in time. According to reports, Java developers are among the top 10 contractor roles in 2022 that continue to be in high demand for organizations of all sizes across the globe.

4. Redeploying

Redeploying existing employees into new roles is yet another method to address the rising skills gap concern. When you assign employees to new job roles it gives them the potential to adapt to new job responsibilities & upgrade their existing skills with the learnings.

This internal mobility not only offers a solution to the acceleration in skills shortage but also benefits in the form of cost-saving, employee engagement & positive branding. According to Gartner Inc., companies will have to shift their focus from external hiring to internal workforce training to address the global skills shortage.

Closing Comments!

As digitalization scales new heights, the demand for skilled tech talent will witness an unforeseen boom. It will be critical for Java developers to evolve their capabilities & increasingly important for tech recruiters to address the skills gap when looking for Java developers in the rising talent shortage recruitment market.