Attracting Top Software Engineering Talent in the US in 2024

It’s no secret that software engineering talent is in high demand across the United States in today’s job market. As that demand rises, so does the competition to land top-tier talent in the field, at any level of expertise and responsibility.

As a result, it’s more crucial than ever for organizations to entice their top candidates to come and work with them and to stand out among what may be a selection of other opportunities or even on-the-table offers candidates may be considering.

Offer a Strong Base Compensation and Benefits Package

When it’s a candidate-driven market and talent is in high demand, you must make strong offers to stay in the running and stand out.

That generally starts with a strong base salary, combined with your total compensation package, including bonus potential, equity opportunity, appealing health benefits, and a strong 401K program.

To help you hire software engineering talent, use our 2024 Engineering & Manufacturing Salary Guide  comprised of the latest salary benchmarking and key insights into talent acquisition.

Embrace a Flexible  Working Model and Remote Culture

It is inarguable today that remote and hybrid ways of working are here to stay, and that many—if not most—people prefer the flexibility to work remotely at least some of the time compared to being in the office five days a week.

Offering the option to work remotely or in a hybrid format can make you a more exciting and viable employer for the most in-demand software engineering candidates. It can also broaden the recruiting pool for your company to source talent from all over the country, which means you can set your recruiting bar higher due to a lack of geographical constraints.

Simultaneously, software engineering candidates are going to set their bars higher and have more options because being in the same area, or even time zone, is not always a requirement. 
So, if you can offer flexible working, it will likely give you a leg up  on your competition and ultimately land you with the talent you need to move toward your organization’s goals.

READ MORE: Find Out the Changing Attitudes of Employees

Identify Candidates Who Align with Company Culture and Mission

Retention is key. The less often you must hire replacements for certain positions, the better. So, it’s important when searching for an open role that you find candidates who are ready to embrace your company’s mission, culture, and ways your organization works to stay true to them for the long haul.

This is one factor that may indicate their willingness to really buy into where your company is headed in the future, and that they’ll stay with you for an acceptable tenure before entertaining a move to another organization.

It’s always worthwhile to reexamine your organization’s Employer Value Proposition (EVP) which includes all aspects of your business a candidate considers when evaluating you as a potential employer. See how you can create a great EVP. 

Don’t Settle for Less Than the Best

In a competitive market, when your company is growing and needs to fill roles quickly and efficiently, it could be tempting to hire quickly instead of waiting until you find the absolute perfect candidate. However, it’s better to stay true to what your company needs to ensure continued success and retainment of the candidate.

For example, if you need someone who can not only meet your software engineering needs, but also can communicate well internally or in a client-facing capacity, make sure you’re doing your due diligence in seeking out those individuals. Because the star candidates are often people who are personable as well as talented, the technical skills your organization needs are not the only things you may want to consider in a candidate. It’s important to look for the overall package.

This can all be challenging to navigate in a candidate-short talent pool such as software engineering, but our expert recruiters in this space can help to find that ideal next hire.

Reach out to one of our consultants today to discuss your hiring needs.