Strategies for Hiring IT Professionals: An Empirical Analysis of Employer and Job Seeker Behavior on the IT Labor Market

Are IT professionals different from other occupational groups concerning their values and goals and ultimately the ways they search for jobs and select employers? And do IT firms vary in their recruiting practices from other industries? In this paper, we empirically reveal that there are differences in employer and job seeker behavior distinguishing the IT and the non-IT world. The analysis explains particularities in job seekers’ and firms’ preferences and recruiting practices. Based on this, we derive recommendations for HR managers on how to effectively recruit qualified IT professionals and on how IT can assist in creating and maintaining a flexible workforce.