3. The traditional recruitment model is failing in the new hybrid world of work
With the talent market remaining ultra-competitive tech leaders are growing frustrated with the traditional recruitment process—which stands out as analog and outdated in a new world of work where tech leaders are under pressure to scale their teams and build faster than ever before.
In our survey, 67% percent of respondents said the traditional recruitment process is broken and needs an overhaul. And 70% said it is too long and too expensive.
This is illustrated most vividly when it comes to hiring product and engineering talent—62% percent of tech founders and executives say it takes four months or more to fill new product and engineering roles, on average.
With many tech founders prioritizing revenue growth to reach their next fundraising round—see our full report for more on this—waiting that long to build your team just isn’t an option.
4. Tech leaders are embracing a blended workforce of freelancers and FTEs
The Great Resignation has spawned a major new workforce trend that we wanted to study: the growing pool of highly skilled freelancers and independent workers, which has been chronicled everywhere from the Wall Street Journal to Harvard Business Review to McKinsey.
How do tech leaders view this growing talent pool?
They’re big fans, particularly in the context we find ourselves in right now:
- 71% say that bringing on freelancers gives their business greater agility in times of economic uncertainty.
- 70% said that a switch to remote work has made them more likely to bring on freelancers.
These workers aren’t just handling outsourced tasks in isolation. They’re now being integrated into blended teams with full-time employees—73% of respondents said they have integrated teams of full-time employees and independent workers. An additional 11% plan to do so soon.
5. 80% of tech leaders would hire someone without a college degree for any role
Tech leaders aren’t just more open to the independent workforce—they’re also becoming more flexible in their criteria for great talent.
In April, Elon Musk made headlines by saying that a college degree isn’t required for a job at Tesla, and our respondents agree. Eighty percent said they’re willing to hire a candidate without a degree for any role, if they have the right skills and experience.
It’s a clear sign that the traditional career path—four years of college leading into a full-time role—may be fading faster than we realize.
That’s just the beginning of what we learned in our comprehensive survey. Check out the full report to learn:
- Why tech upskilling is becoming a crucial area of investment—and key to keeping employees around.
- How tech leaders rank their biggest priorities over the next six months.
- Why the majority of founders plan to fundraise in the next year, despite VC warnings to not plan to raise another round until well into 2024.
This story originally appeared on A.Team and is republished here with permission.
