The tech landscape changed considerably during the pandemic. It saw a period of astronomic growth. Then, it changed again in 2022— when the tech industry had to face hiring corrections, layoffs, and a reshuffling of talent. This means that over the past 3 to 4 years, there have been ebbs and flows that have marked considerable changes in the industry and among the professionals that work in it.
And among all of this, one question has plagued hiring managers and company owners through it all: what does tech talent look for? How do I find, keep, and develop talent?
There is no one-dimensional answer. The question involves a multi-dimensional view of the tech talent pool. Let’s look at the various ways to approach this question.
What Do Tech Professionals Look For When Looking for Work?
The tech industry is different from almost any other industry in this respect. In no other industry is poaching as common as it is in tech and in no other industry do professionals jump around from job to job as quickly and readily as they do in the tech world.
In 2021, for example, a Stackoverflow survey asked tech professionals to describe their current job search status. About 54% of those respondents said they were not actively looking but were open to new job opportunities, while 20% were actively looking. In total, about 74% were open to new opportunities.
Those numbers seem to accurately reflect a common theme among tech professionals: a majority of software developers and engineers are often willing to switch jobs even if they are not actively looking for work.
According to our 2023 data, the main reasons that tech workers like software developers, engineers, and others have left their previous employment include for better IT salaries, because of lack of growth opportunities, and for better benefits.
Top Reasons Mexico’s Tech Talent Left Their Previous Employment
| Better salary | 37% |
| Lack of growth opportunities | 18% |
| Better benefits | 17% |
| Boredom or lack of professional challenges | 10% |
| To work remotely | 8% |
| Clashing with company culture | 6% |
| Unsatisfied with leadership | 4% |
The chart illustrates some of the common themes that emerge among tech professionals and what they want to see in their next gig. According to a survey by Harvard Business Review, money is not usually the reason why employees start looking for a new job. Instead, what happens is, workers start looking because they are dissatisfied with their role, and once they begin that search, they might opt for a higher-paying opportunity.
In the Harvard Business Review survey, the top reason engaged employees started looking for a new job was a lack of learning and growth opportunities.
How Do Tech Professionals Look for Their Next Job?
So, once they know what kind of work they want, the kind of company they want to look for, and the values important for them, tech professionals go out and find it. What are the preferred methods used in the industry to look for work? Many tech professionals are part of tech communities, platforms, forums, and therefore build networks that allow them
According to our survey, tech professionals in Mexico prefer to look for work individually. The respondents answered in the following way:
How Mexican Tech Professionals Prefer Looking for Work
| Individually | 70.2% |
| Through a hiring agency or other entity | 12.2% |
| With the help of a professional | 17.6% |
The data suggests that many tech professionals still prefer to work individually when looking for work. A good 29.8%, however, like help from either a recruiter or a recruiting agency to help them sort through the different opportunities that come their way.
Most of the time, tech talent will steer away from recruiters when they think the recruiter might have little to no knowledge about the positions or have their best interest in mind. However, a new way of doing tech recruiting is changing that.
As a talent solutions partner, for example, CodersLink has people on the ground that understand the technical aspects of the positions and look for the right fit among technical expertise and company culture.
Tech professionals are weary of trusting someone with something as big as their next job opportunity. In order to achieve that trust an honest and trusted relationship must develop between the recruiter and the candidates.
Meet the Talent Where They Are & Find the Right Fit for You
Here at CodersLink, we strive to understand the talent pool we work with by establishing relationships and networks that make the hiring process more efficient and effective for companies. We invest time in getting to know the talent we are working with, vetting their technical and soft skills, and understanding the kinds of opportunities they are looking for.
Learn more about how CodersLink works closely with vetted developers and helps position them for the right job opportunity.
