10 tips for recruiting entry-level technical talent

To find talent, you must create, invest in and nurture it; you must be willing to assume the risk that the talent you grow and nurture may sometimes benefit others, even your competitors. Still, companies that take a broader view of talent acquisition benefit in the long run. It is a law of nature: The more you give, the more you receive. The idea that the primary function of hiring managers is simply one of matchmaking--that is, finding the right person for the right job--is antiquated. Instead, forward-looking companies understand that talent acquisition also entails participating in the development of talent, particularly for entry-level positions.

Such companies play an active role in defining, creating, shaping and nurturing talent. Progressive companies understand that paying close attention to how talent is developed and grown is itself a rewarding experience, one that mutually benefits both institutions of higher learning and corporate America. This is particularly true for entry-level positions.

Across companies and industries, there is a frequent cry about the shortage of entry-level technical talent. Hiring managers and other executives often complain that today's graduates fail to meet the expectations of hiring managers. Graduates of today appear to be unprepared to become fully functional the first day on the job, and their critical thinking and problem-solving skills are often subject to criticism. Finding a graduate with technical knowledge, business acumen and a sense of professionalism appears to be a huge challenge. Yet it need not be this way. A small investment of time and resources on the part of CIOs and hiring managers can result in significant rewards on the talent acquisition front for managers.

Here are 10 simple ways to nurture, develop and recruit entry-level technical talent:

1. Get to know the colleges and universities in your area. Although this may sound like a simple idea, many hiring managers do not have a strong relationship with their local institutions of higher learning. It is worthwhile to review these institutions' program offerings and take time to understand the skill sets of graduates from their programs. In particular, pay attention to programs that have an interdisciplinary focus. For example, some programs may emphasize computer science with a business minor or a combination of information systems and liberal studies.

2. Host key individuals from select schools. Host the dean, the department chair and faculty from programs that are important to your company's recruitment plan, and get to know these individuals, their needs and challenges. When these decision makers get to know you, your company and its needs, they will happily recommend that good students consider your company as an employer. In other words, they will do the preliminary marketing for you if they believe in you.

3. Serve on advisory boards of colleges and/or key programs within the college. Most good institutions of learning have advisory boards. There are advisory boards for the university or college as a whole, advisory boards for schools or colleges within the university (like College of Natural Science or College of Business) and advisory boards for specific programs within the school (such as programs in computer science, finance and so on). Serving on these advisory boards is not only prestigious but also gives you excellent insight into the inner workings of the university. Further, such advisory boards are wonderful platforms to influence the curriculum of programs that interest you.