Attracting & Retaining IT Employees Interchange Notes
April 15, 2008

Focus: This Interchange focused on initiatives companies are taking to retain existing staff and attract new talent to their organizations.

Issues Discussed:
Career Pathing
Retain - Motivate - Develop (After layoffs)
Target Generation Y
H1B

Career Path:
- Have PMO - How to recruit
- Put on Internet
- MIP – Grid system for certain qualifications to reach each level

Retention - Motivation - Development:
- Pull back off shoring to create more jobs locally
- Have top level exec give a date for final layoffs
- Award recognition

Targeting Candidates:
- When interviewing have potential employee show and tell how they would handle different requirements for this position. This will show you what qualifications they have.
- Have candidate interview with several people at one time.
- Do temporary to permanent (520 hour contract. This length of time will show if person is right for the job.) Interview temporary company to be sure temp wants to go permanent.
- Use recruiting firms
- Go to meetings: SIM, TAG, PMI
- Use internet job sites; monster, etc. (Also look at non-traditional web sites like Craig’s List)
- Some companies have an alumni group for people that have left company
- Look for skill set (not the title) that fits job
- www.LinkedIn.com (Network with people you have worked with or gone to school with)

H1B:
- Should have a specific person in company dealing with it.
- There is a set process and it takes a long time. The person that needs the VISA should be involved in the process from the beginning, and keep up with it.
- Go to the Dept. of Labor’s web site for H1B information.

Targeting College Students:
- Have internships
- Have a 90 day program to discuss skill base, life skills, do lunch and learns
- During the interview discuss that grunt work will be expected; what steps need to be taken and time normally required to reach next level, and that this is the company policy and approved by the company executives.

Comments/Benefits:
Recruiting
Career Pathing/Keep technical people motivated
Sharing of knowledge/Practices from people in similar situations
Networking