What do technology professionals value in a job? That was a key question in Dice’s Ideal Employer survey, which details how tech professionals regard the companies they work for (and want to work for). For any recruiter or hiring manager who’s spent enough time in the tech industry, many of these desired attributes will seem obvious. For example, offering a competitive salary ranked near the top (if not at the top) for tech pros of every age, although Baby Boomers placed it third behind challenging/interesting work and positive organizational culture. Tech pros also like benefits (including healthcare), with some groups ranking it higher than others—for example, women placed it first on their list of top attributes, while men placed it fourth. But the Ideal Employer data also offered a few surprises. For example, despite the emphasis that some major tech companies place on perks such as cafeterias, snacks, and fun in-office activities, tech pros seem far less interested in such things, preferring attributes such as positive culture and massive amounts of money instead. And although many tech companies position equity as a reason to join their ranks—especially startups lacking the cash to pay big salaries to top talent—tech pros don’t care nearly as much about ownership percentages and stock options as they do about other aspects of employment. If you’re a recruiter trying to hire specialized talent, in other words, a chunk of equity might not prove an unbeatable incentive, especially if you can offer other things like cool projects or a culture of open-transparent communication. In sum, the Ideal Employer data emphasizes what many recruiters have known all along: firms that are recruiting tech workers must offer a holistic package of pay, benefits, and positive culture in order to attract the best of the best. Check out all of the latest insights in the whitepaper.
What do technology professionals value in a job? That was a key question in Dice’s Ideal Employer survey, which details how tech professionals regard the companies they work for (and want to work for). For any recruiter or hiring manager who’s spent enough time in the tech industry, many of these desired attributes will seem obvious. For example, offering a competitive salary ranked near the top (if not at the top) for tech pros of every age, although Baby Boomers placed it third behind challenging/interesting work and positive organizational culture. Tech pros also like benefits (including healthcare), with some groups ranking it higher than others—for example, women placed it first on their list of top attributes, while men placed it fourth. But the Ideal Employer data also offered a few surprises. For example, despite the emphasis that some major tech companies place on perks such as cafeterias, snacks, and fun in-office activities, tech pros seem far less interested in such things, preferring attributes such as positive culture and massive amounts of money instead. And although many tech companies position equity as a reason to join their ranks—especially startups lacking the cash to pay big salaries to top talent—tech pros don’t care nearly as much about ownership percentages and stock options as they do about other aspects of employment. If you’re a recruiter trying to hire specialized talent, in other words, a chunk of equity might not prove an unbeatable incentive, especially if you can offer other things like cool projects or a culture of open-transparent communication. In sum, the Ideal Employer data emphasizes what many recruiters have known all along: firms that are recruiting tech workers must offer a holistic package of pay, benefits, and positive culture in order to attract the best of the best. Check out all of the latest insights in the whitepaper. 
