Big Data Talent: 6 Ways To Snag The Best
Many companies are looking for big data skills across the board, but the shortage of talent and the loose application of keywords can challenge candidates and the companies who want to hire them. Try these tips to minimize the risks.
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As PCs, networking, and the Internet once did, big data is redefining how companies compete. It's not just about ones, zeroes, and snapshot reports anymore. It's about trends, patterns, and correlations that not everyone understands.
The shortage of data scientists is well-documented, but there is also a growing demand for general big data skills throughout organizations. The C-suite has added the chief data officer, who is responsible for the strategic use of data, and perhaps a chief analytics officer, who may have a more tactical role. There is demand for data architects, database administrators who understand NoSQL databases, and developers with Hadoop, Pig, and Hive experience. And, of course, non-technical roles such as sales, marketing, and HR need to understand what their companies can accomplish with big data.
Recruiting or cultivating a critical mass of knowledge and talent in a timely fashion is a challenge for most organizations. Job candidates are stuffing their resumes with keywords relevant to big data so they can command higher salaries and attract more opportunities. Meanwhile, companies are posting job descriptions that may not align with their actual requirements and handing out "battlefield" promotions that may not be in the best interests of the individual or the company.
"The big data hype has got everybody interested. Almost every organization is looking at it because they think they'll be at a disadvantage if they don't," said John Reed, senior executive director of Robert Half Technology, in an interview.
The very mindset that enables businesses to use big data for competitive advantage may be absent when it comes to talent acquisition and development. However, there are small adjustments companies can make that can help ensure they are hiring or grooming the right people for the right reasons. On the following pages, we reveal some considerations.
Business strategy and talent acquisition need to be aligned, whether a company is hiring new talent, cultivating internal talent, retaining consultants, or combining those things. While the mix of big data skills often spans data science, IT, software development, and domain expertise, there is a risk of viewing the roles in isolation when they need to work together to meet objectives.
"Where you start is: What do I have today? What is the desired product I want? What skills will take us from point A to point B? And then you look for people with those skills," said John Reed, senior executive director at Robert Half Technologies. "I don't get hung up on titles because they vary from company to company."
Job descriptions don't always reflect what a company actually needs. While it may be true that certain candidates need experience with Hadoop, MapReduce, and NoSQL, it may also be true that the skills specified in a job description do not align with the actual needs of the organization.
Those writing job descriptions often abhor the task (and it's not like they have a lot of extra time) so they may not put as much thought, time, and effort into the process as they should. In addition, hot keywords, when applied gratuitously, can complicate the hiring process.
"You need to write a very specific job description for the role." said John Reed, Robert Half Technology senior executive director. "If you're pulling out an old job description or using a template you found somewhere, you're less likely to find the right person. Spend time honing down the job description into the requirements and job duties. Describe a typical day. Don't just list specific technologies. Talk about the skills you need to complete the project."
Adam Beberg, principal architect, distributed computing at AI company Sentient Technologies, makes a point of using language that only qualified candidates understand.
"I use terminology that is older than the Big Data for Dummies book," said Beberg. "I put in skills you will encounter if you've been doing this [for a while] but you wouldn't encounter if you just started doing it."
Candidates often sound alike on paper, but their abilities differ greatly. And today's keyword-laden approach to resume writing does not guarantee that search results will yield the most qualified candidates. When interviewing candidates, it's wise to ask individuals to provide in-depth explanations of what they've done and why, which is a process discussion rather than a checklist of tools, technologies, and languages. In some cases, a practical skills test is also wise.
The strategic use of big data requires cross-functional collaboration. Effective cross-functional collaboration requires every individual in the value chain to understand something about the areas outside their core area of expertise. The best people to judge one's depth of knowledge in a particular area are those who specialize in that area.
"Developers will be interviewed by a technical person, but you also want to have someone who can test their knowledge of the business and what the business is trying to achieve, because you can't just develop stuff in a black hole," said Lightspeed Venture Partner Barry Eggers. "A business person has to understand how they are going to use data and also have some idea of how data is used technically. You want to have a mix of developers, IT, and business people [interviewing candidates] because these groups are going to work together, and that's the way you operationalize data."
Sentient Technologies sometimes involves a product manager or executives as necessary. The downside of expanding the interview team is complicating the decision-making process, which can backfire when individuals with rare skill sets are in high demand. On the other hand, when only engineers interview engineers, the discussions tend to focus on technical skills only.
Hiring new people isn't always an option, because there isn't enough budget, there is a shortage of qualified individuals available, or a new hire can't be otherwise justified. The alternatives are to promote from within, train people so they are qualified to move into new positions, hire consultants, or a combination of those. The shortage of qualified, data-savvy candidates across the board, especially data scientists, is causing some companies to promote individuals into positions for which they may not be technically qualified -- not yet, anyway.
"There are a lot of battlefield promotions happening," said Robert Half Technology senior executive director John Reed. "While there are a lot of benefits to promoting someone who already knows your company and environment, you may also be setting the person up for failure because you don't have a well thought-out strategy. You can drive a good person out of the company because you put them in a no-win situation, you don't have well-defined requirements, and you have a take-it-as-we-go attitude, which can be frustrating. If you've thought it out and have a strategy in place, you won't have that problem."
Sometimes the most brilliant or qualified candidates aren't a cultural fit, or they lack the soft skills necessary for effective cross-functional collaboration. Alternatively, a candidate may excel in some areas and have great soft skills, but they lack knowledge or experience about a particular technology, tool, or language, for example.
Sentient Technologies principal architect Adam Beberg is more interested in conceptual understanding. For example, if a developer understands iteration, loops, abstractions, and other object-oriented concepts, Beberg is less concerned whether the developer knows Python or C++. He's currently hiring people who will be expected to use Go, an open source language developed by Google, but he doesn't expect them to know the language already since it's relatively new. However, candidates better be able to demonstrate that they can learn the language quickly and be productive with it.
Existing employees may require training to meet the requirements of their new or desired positions. Organizations should be prepared to make such investments. Employees should be eager to update their skills.
If you've decided on a new hire whose skills and background are in high demand, be prepared to sell them on your organization, offer a competitive salary, stay in touch, and move fast.
Sometimes the most brilliant or qualified candidates aren't a cultural fit, or they lack the soft skills necessary for effective cross-functional collaboration. Alternatively, a candidate may excel in some areas and have great soft skills, but they lack knowledge or experience about a particular technology, tool, or language, for example.
Sentient Technologies principal architect Adam Beberg is more interested in conceptual understanding. For example, if a developer understands iteration, loops, abstractions, and other object-oriented concepts, Beberg is less concerned whether the developer knows Python or C++. He's currently hiring people who will be expected to use Go, an open source language developed by Google, but he doesn't expect them to know the language already since it's relatively new. However, candidates better be able to demonstrate that they can learn the language quickly and be productive with it.
Existing employees may require training to meet the requirements of their new or desired positions. Organizations should be prepared to make such investments. Employees should be eager to update their skills.
If you've decided on a new hire whose skills and background are in high demand, be prepared to sell them on your organization, offer a competitive salary, stay in touch, and move fast.
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