TDLR: It is difficult to hire tech talents in Singapore. With soaring high salary costs and inflationary pressures, hiring tech software developers, engineers and programmers can be costly.

That said, Singapore’s technology sector remains a bright point in its economy. 

Today, Singapore is home to about 80% of the world’s top 100 IT corporations, with 261 software-as-a-service (SaaS) enterprises.

Consequentially, there is an insatiable hunger for more tech developers to power the systems and technologies of these IT companies.

Tech talents are in great and high demand in Singapore. Yet, this demand is not exclusive to Singapore.

According to Microsoft, by 2025, the planet will have 149 million new tech-related occupations, which further signifies that the demand for tech talents and software engineers will only seem to grow even more.

Recent reports by Facebook to hire 10,000 people in Europe, and Amazon to hire more than 55,000 people for jobs won’t be music to the ears of hiring managers all around the world.

The demand-supply gap for skilled tech talents and software engineers is expected to widen even further than in recent years, making it difficult to find, source, and hire tech employees. 

Are you an information technology recruiter, tech founder, or talent acquisition executive looking to hire strong tech talents in Singapore?

Then perhaps after reading this article, you will gain the knowledge, skills, and knowhows to source, find and hire top tech talents in Singapore.

To set the nomenclature of this article right, we will be using the terms “Tech Talent”, “Software Developer”, “Programmer”, and “Software Engineer” interchangeably.

The context of this article is written in a software domain, with the skillsets and requirements listed in this article being skewed more towards hiring a Software Developer.

Also, an important caveat must be sounded out.

Before venturing into this guide on hiring Tech Talents in Singapore, perhaps one might want to ask if there is a need to hire rather than outsource to a local tech development company?

Hiring vs Outsourcing?

If you are thinking of creating a one-off tech development project, i.e., to build a static website to showcase your company’s services, products, or portfolio, then perhaps your company might want to consider an outsourcing model instead.

In an outsourcing model, you do not need to hire software developers in Singapore.

Instead, you might want to look for capable software outsourcing agencies and, after that, negotiate the specifications and fees of the tech development cost with them.

In an outsourcing model, you do not employ nor own any of the software developers and probably will not contact any of them as well. The outsourcing agency will solely be responsible for liaising, managing, and paying the software developers.

However, if you are looking to build a tech product startup or company or establish in-house software capabilities, hiring and employing software developers might be a good choice for you.

Hiring software developers confer benefits such as long-term stability and a better degree of control, both of which might produce better long-term results for your organization.

If hiring tech talents are your final choice to go ahead with, then this article will be perfect for you.

Read on.

With over six years of hiring experience as one of the world’s best IT Recruiters, and highly involved in hiring hundreds and thousands of IT programmers, our 9cv9 team has distilled important learning points into this guide on recruiting/hiring the best tech talents in Singapore.

Here are our best tips and tools for your company to start hiring strong tech developers and, ultimately, to save costs and maximize your coding outputs.

In this article, we’ll seek to address this vacuum by providing tried-and-tested strategies to source, find, and retain top tech talent in Singapore.

Guide to Hire Tech Talents and Software Developers in Singapore

1. Understand the Tech Talent landscape in Singapore
   • Perennial Shortage of Tech Talents
   • Pandemic COVID-19
   • Salaries of Tech Talents in Singapore
2. What are the most in-demand tech talents today?
3. How to hire top tech talents in Singapore
   • Understand and Write the Job Description (“JD”) Clearly and Accurately
   • Make use of several different hiring sources
   • Showcase a Career Pathway
   • Establish a good organizational structure and corporate culture
   • Find out what works best for your business
   • Build a Strong Employer Brand
   • Listen to your current Tech Talent
4. How can businesses retain critical tech talent?
5. Summary

Understand the Tech Talent landscape in Singapore

1. Perennial Shortage of Tech Talents

While the tech talent shortage is a global concern, Singapore is among the most hit.

The country aspires to be Asia’s Silicon Valley, but as more foreign corporations move in, it faces a serious shortage of IT workers.

Amazon, Tencent, ByteDance, and Alibaba are said to be aiming to expand their operations in Singapore as the regional technology hub.

To make hiring matters more costly, the Government of Singapore created the Government Technology Agency (GovTech), increasing demand for software tech talents from the public sector.

This means local startups and Small and Medium Enterprises will have to compete more actively (in terms of salaries, and benefits) for talent.

Also, employers may have to spend up to 30% more than the average income level to retain tech talent to prevent other companies from poaching them.

In addition, even if the company can pay the required salary and have a wide array of attractive benefits.

Furthermore, Singapore has geographic and demographic constraints that limit the expansion of its workforce.

Singapore has 2,800 ITC graduates per year, despite an estimated need for 60,000 IT professionals over the next three years. This means that 51,600 jobs in the IT industry will remain unfilled.

2. Pandemic COVID-19

COVID-19 serves as a wake-up call that turning digital is no longer a choice — it is a need.

Businesses are extending their digital transformation activities to meet customer expectations in this uncertain era.

Unsurprisingly, the epidemic has resulted in tremendous development across the IT sector in Singapore.

In a time of worldwide COVID-19 lockdowns, behavioral change has also produced a new need for digital engagement, with online meetings becoming the norm for professional and personal relationships.

In other words, the pandemic has resulted in a dramatic increase in the need for people who can design and maintain digital infrastructure. This increased the lack of IT skills even more.

3. Salaries of Tech Talents in Singapore

The salaries demanded by tech talents in Singapore are among the highest in the world, or at least in Asia.

According to the Graduate Employment Survey done by the Ministry of Education in 2021, we can see mean basic salary earned by computer science graduates is around $5,900. This is even higher than those earning by law graduates, of around $5,400.

A 9% salary differential.

Note that “Basic Salary” comprises basic pay before deducting the employee’s CPF contributions and personal income tax. Employer’s CPF contributions, bonuses, stock options, overtime payments, commissions, fixed allowances, other regular cash payments, lump sum payments, and payments-in-kind are excluded.

At another source, Glassdoor, the average base pay for a tech software developer is around $5,300, with additional compensation being in the region of $3,500 to $25,000.

As you can see, it is not cheap to hire tech talents in Singapore.

And the numbers above make sense, given the scarcity of tech talents and the high demand of tech talents in the country.

If paying around $6,000 a month in salary to a tech talent sounds a bit too “morbid” for your liking, then why not consider tech offshoring, in which you hire tech talents in the neighboring countries of Vietnam, Indonesia, Myanmar, or even the Philippines?

If you like to explore tech offshoring, then 9cv9 offers one of the best tech offshoring services in the world.

9cv9 is so good in its craft, that Enterprise Singapore (of the Government of Singapore) even endorsed 9cv9 Tech Offshoring in its GTTA program.

But.

If paying high salaries for tech talents who might not have the corresponding years of coding experience sounds like your cup of tea, then read on.

What are the most in-demand tech talents today?

Artificial Intelligence (“AI”), data science, engineering, cybersecurity, and software development expertise will be in high demand in 2022 – and the global tech employment market, which Forbes described as “blazing hot,” is showing no signs of cooling off.

According to Mr. Ravi Menon of the Monetary Authority of Singapore, there will be 9,400 new jobs in the financial sector, with around 3,000 of them will be in tech, and 700 will be roles for software developers and engineers.

In another news article, it is anticipated that Singapore will require another 1.2 million people with digital capabilities in the next three years to compensate for the talent gap. 

1.2 million is a huge number.

Around 24% of Singapore’s current population.

This rising need for IT personnel capable of creating, executing, and supporting digital blueprints has resulted in a hiring revolution.

With many possibilities available for competent tech professionals, they now have the upper hand in the labor market and can be pickier in their work choices.

This raises the following question:

What does this generation of IT talent seek in a new company?

Given the significance that tech talent places on picking positions that best suit their specific requirements and objectives, employers today have a greater role than in the past to persuade existing high performers and future tech talent why they should join their organizations.

Early-stage entrepreneurs may find it difficult to compete with digital behemoths with greater spending power, with local companies such as Shopee and Grab paying at least 12% over the market rate, and some international corporations might even be paying up to 25%.

However, businesses should take comfort that non-financial incentives are becoming increasingly important to tech talents in Singapore. 

Other important aspects that drive Tech Talent acquisition include strong career advancement, a healthy work environment and culture, and chances for professional growth and development (L&D).

How to hire top tech talents in Singapore

1. Understand and Write the Job Description (“JD”) Clearly and Accurately

Understanding and writing the job description (“JD”) of a Software Developer is usually the first move to hire Tech Talents in Singapore.

The JD contains the job scope and responsibilities, the job requirements, qualifications needed, activities, and other pertinent information about the Software Developer job.

It also contains the company information, i.e., where the company is located, the work details, etc.

Regarding job descriptions, there is a peculiar disparity between hiring managers and candidates.

Whereas 72% of managers believe they give clear job descriptions, just 36% of candidates agree.

The first step is to understand the tech developer’s job scope you’re looking for, not just in terms of capabilities, but also what the tech talent in that field anticipates from a career path and if your organization can give it.

It is critical that the description only covers what your organization can truly provide to retain the finest candidates.

One approach to looking at job descriptions is to include not just the job’s requirements and skills, but also the role’s influence and position within the company.

In terms of just being able to recruit the greatest people, it’s critical to make structural modifications to these descriptions, such as utilizing action words instead of duties to express what the possible employee would be doing at the company.

According to Randstad Singapore, 59% of the tech respondents rejected jobs due to a mismatch advertised job and actual job scope.

Job Title

The job title is usually the first thing that the Tech Talent in Singapore will notice.

Writing a compelling job title that is succinct and short will attract the right Tech Talent in Singapore to apply for your job.

There are two strategies in writing a Job Title.

1. Specific (Recommended): In the Specific method, the job title is written to focus on the key skillset of the Tech Talent in Singapore.

For example:

• Java Developer
• .NET Backend Developer
• Ruby on Rails Software Engineer

The Specific method is recommended as it is sharper and more accurate.

The result would be receiving Software Developer applicants who are more likely to fit snugly into your JD, saving precious hiring time in filtering and screening candidates.

The downside to the Specific method is the chance of missing out on the “Right” Software Developer applicant due to a “perceived mismatch” (Applicants might not apply due to the perceived impression that they do not meet the required skillsets) or the possibility to miss out on those who do not meet the technical skill requirements but excel in other areas, i.e., personality, soft skills.

One might ask, is writing a specific job title important?

According to Indeed, when they interviewed 2,000+ job seekers, they found that 36% of them use job sites to search for a job using the job title. Hence, they propose making the Job Title-specific and straight to the point.

The 9cv9 team also recommends this to get the right applicants applying for your Tech Talent role in Singapore.

2. Broad: In the Broad method, the job title is written in a way that aims to capture as many applicants as possible.

For example:

• Software Developer
• Software Tech Engineer
• Tech Developer
• Software Programmer

In the Broad method, this job title will attract all applicants, the good ones, the average ones, and the bad ones.

Hence, the hiring manager will be spending more time on filtering and screening.

However, in the Broad method, the hiring manager will not have the “perceived mismatch” issue.

In addition, the Broad method has the benefit of collecting data for subsequent Software Developer job openings in the company.

Job Scope

The job scope is important.

Tech Talent applicants in Singapore look to the job scope to understand what the role entails or the responsibilities to be undertaken.

Ideally, you should be writing the daily or monthly tasks required to be done by Tech Talent in Singapore. This will allow the latter to understand the activities and working duties needed.

If you were to write something like “The Software Developer should code software to create web applications.”

This sentence would not go down well, as it is too broad.

It is also not required to drill down super deep to be writing numbers for the Key Performing Indicators in the Job Scope.

Again, the job scope of a Tech Talent in Singapore role can be written in either a narrow or broad fashion.

Narrow job scope will mean that the Tech Talent in Singapore focuses on one of the following Hardware or Software Development domains:

• Frontend Development
• Backend Development
• Fullstack Development
• Mobile Development
• Blockchain Development
• DevOps

Broad job scope will usually entail some or all of the above domains.

In the context of software development, we will analyze some keywords to write in your JD when you are hiring Tech Talents in Singapore.

Keywords to focus on when writing the Job Scope are:

• Planning: Planning software development is crucial to the success of the company. However, for a typical software developer, planning is usually not part of their job scope. The task of planning falls mainly on the Project Manager or, in some instances, the Product Manager or Solution Architect.
• Executing: The main key job responsibility of the Software Developer in Singapore. Simply put, the Software Developer in Singapore needs to code. Keywords to include in your JD are “Hands-on”, “Working Experience”, “Knowledge of…”, “Experienced in”, etc.
• Measuring: Measuring software development is a tricky process but typically, the Software Developer in Singapore should report on his/her daily or weekly coding activities in a scrum meeting.

We have reviewed several job scopes written by top companies and listed below some of the examples.

Sample Job Scope and Responsibilities Templates to hire Tech Talents in Singapore

• Apply CI/CD in the development process
• Apply operational knowledge to solve customer and operational problems using software and automation
• Be a versatile contributor that able to work in frontend as well as backend
• Build backend API function based on product requirement (using Node.js)
• Build frontend interfaces that are clean, testable, and reusable
• Build platforms which are supporting analytics and execution systems used directly by the users
• Build software, data sources, platforms, and systems that utilize automation to deliver efficiencies and performance
• Design and implement scalable applications and services and continuous integration and deployment
• Design, implement, and maintain wrapper codes for manipulating mobile devices
• Develop and maintain all server-side network components
• Develop and maintain various internal tools that manage several different aspects of the business
• Empower the team to work with development and cross-functional teams, influencing at a team level
• Maintain and improve the code quality
• Perform deployment and system setup for database, websites, and display management systems
• Perform hands-on analysis of the technical, data, and business functions and workflows
• Perform quality assurance tasks, including writing test cases, automated testing using scripts, testing, documentation, and issues reporting
• Perform requirement analysis and preparation of technical specification documents
• Play a key role in software development
• Responsible for user requirement analysis, functional specification, development, testing, and implementation of application systems and customized software programs
• Translate user requirements, business and industry needs into viable code and technical solutions
• Troubleshoot network, hardware, and operating system-related issues
• Work closely with teams to form good working culture and continuously adapt to different working environments
• Work in a cross-functional and international team to deliver a holistic solution
• Work with the team to define the architecture, design, development, code review, testing, and maintenance of applications
• Work with Product Owners to define feature requirements and deliver a product that materially impacts the business and improves the end-user experience.
• Write high-quality, clean, elegant, maintainable, and testable code

Note that the above copywriting for the JD to hire Tech Talents in Singapore can also be applied to JDs to hire Tech Talents in other countries and cities.

Paint a Professional and Accurate Picture of your Company

Usually, in the Job Scope, it is also a place to allow the hiring manager to share about the company or organization in Singapore or in another location (if your headquarters is located elsewhere)

Ideally, the hiring manager should paint a professional picture of the company, such as talking about the vision, mission, and working culture of the team that the incoming hire will be working with.

According to Indeed, 72% surveyed said it was crucial to see details about company culture in the JD.

Also, the hiring manager can share more about the working hours, whether the role is working onsite at the company in Singapore or working remotely in Singapore, the equipment provided, or any key mentors that the Tech Talent will be working with.

In this part, the hiring manager can also elaborate on the salary budget for the role, and company benefits, such as employee staff insurance schemes, bonuses, company perks, etc.

In Singapore, there is a good practice to pay an Annual Wage Supplement (“AWS”) to the Tech Talent. This is a fixed annual bonus regardless of their performance or working behaviors in the company.

AWS is not compulsory but is highly encouraged to retain your tech talents and increase their productivity.

Thus, do not miss out on attracting the best Tech Talents in Singapore to apply for your job by elaborating more about the company in the Job Scope.

Define the Job Requirements Clearly

In writing great job requirements, there are some principles to note.

For one, we refer to the Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices (“TAFEP”) from Singapore’s Ministry of Manpower.

The TAFEP recommends that the hiring manager not write or avoid writing discriminatory words in the job requirements for age, gender, race, religion, spoken and written language, and nationality.

For example, try not to write “Christian/Buddhist/Muslim/Hindu preferred” unless, for strictly religious purposes, your company needs a particular religion.

In that case, writing the reason for that would be appreciated.

In writing a good job requirement, there are several parts to focus on.

The first focus entails the level of experience needed.

1) Experience

From an intern to a fresh graduate, a mid-level manager, and even a Chief Technology Officer (“CTO”), it is prudent to specify the years of experience needed for your Tech Talent role in Singapore.

By stating an objective and quantitative number for the experience needed, you can reduce the number of unfit applicants and get only the right-fit Tech Talent applicants to apply for your tech job in Singapore.

For example, imagine getting applicants with less than 1-year experience when you need a leader and a highly experienced applicant for a Chief Technology Officer role in Singapore

The format for writing the experience field is usually written in a number of years.

Typically, the level of experience goes according to the job level:

• Intern: Less than 1 year of experience
• Fresh Graduate: 0 – 1 year of experience
• Junior: 1 – 3 years of experience
• Mid-level: 3 – 5 years of experience
• Senior: 4 – 5 years of experience
• Director/VP: 5 – 10 years of experience
• C-Level: Above 10 years of experience

In addition, as the Tech Software Development role is technical in nature, it is crucial to include keywords in writing your “Experience” requirements such as “Hands-on”, “Working Experience”, “Knowledge of…”, and “Experienced in”.

Working Experience in a Startup vs Corporate Company

For some hiring managers, it is important to list down the requirement of whether the Tech Talent in Singapore has had experience in a tech startup versus that of a corporate company.

Why so?

Due to the differences in the working environment and working culture between a startup and a corporate company, applicants with prior corporate backgrounds might not fit seamlessly into a startup tech development environment and vice versa.

Given the limited hiring and tech development budget, it is crucial to get this detail right – to hire the right Tech Talent in Singapore with similar coding and working style between his/her past companies and your company.

For example, if you are hiring a Senior Tech Talent in Singapore, you might want to include one of the following sentences in your job requirements:

• Minimum 5 years of working experience as a Software Developer
• At least 4 years of working experience in Software Development, preferably in a startup environment where you have shipped high-quality products to users
• 4-5 years of working experience in Software Development is an advantage but not a must
• Around 4 years of hands-on experience as a Software Developer in a corporate company

2) Education

For educational requirements, some employers might skip this as the Software Development domain is more practical rather than theoretical.

This means most hiring managers are looking for “hands-on” experience rather than a Ph.D. in Computer Science type of Software Developer.

That said, a degree usually signals some form of structured mindset capability and rigorous analytical training at the educational institution.

In that case, it might be relevant to input a certain education level.

In Singapore, there are some top technical universities that the hiring manager might want to take notice of and list in the JD.

1. School of Computing, National University of Singapore (“NUS”)
2. School of Computer Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological Univerisity (“NTU”)
3. School of Computing and Information Systems, Singapore Management University (“SMU”)
4. Information Systems and Technology Design, Singapore University of Technology and Design (“SUTD”)
5. Singapore Institute of Technology (“SIT”)

For example, if you are hiring a Software Developer, you might want to include the following copywriting in your job posting.

• A Diploma in Information Technology, Software Engineering, or Computer Science or equivalent required
• Degree in Computer Science preferred from NUS, NTU or SMU
• Degree or Diploma in Computer Science and relevant fields

3) Skillsets

Software Developer is a technical role with mandatory hard skills needed.

Period.

Hence, explicitly writing the skillsets in your JD is a crucial requirement in hiring the best Tech Talent in Singapore in 2022.

Of course, hard skills without soft skills would result in an incomplete JD.

The hiring manager should consider a blend of hard and soft skills in this portion.

We highly recommend inputting relevant soft skills into the JD to attract the right candidates for your Tech Talent role in Singapore.

Hard Skills of a Software Developer in Singapore in 2022

• Android
• AngularJS
• Apache HTTP Server
• Async
• Backbone.js
• Bootstrap
• Bottle: Python Web Framework
• Bower
• C, C++
• CakePHP
• Chai
• Chef
• Clojure
• CMake
• Codeception
• CodeceptJS
• CodeIgniter
• CoffeeScript
• Apache Cordova
• Crystal
• D3
• Django: Python Framework
• Docker
• Dojo
• Drupal
• ElasticSearch
• Electron
• Elixir
• Ember.js
• Erlang/OTP
• ExpressJS
• Falcon
• Fish
• Flow
• GNU Compiler Collection
• Git
• The GNU Fortran Compiler
• Go
• Godot Engine
• Grunt
• Haxe
• Immutable.js
• InfluxData
• Jasmine
• Java
• Javascript
• Jest
• jQuery
• Julia
• Knockout.js
• Kotlin
• Laravel
• Less
• Liquid
• lodash
• Lua
• LÖVE
• Backbone.Marionette
• Magento
• Markdown
• Matplotlib
• Meteor.js
• Mocha
• Modernizr
• Moment.js
• Mongoose
• Next.js
• Nuxt.js
• nginx
• Nim
• Node.js
• Nokogiri
• npm
• Padrino
• pandas
• Perl
• Phalcon
• Phaser
• Phoenix
• PHP
• PostgreSQL
• Pug
• Python
• Ramda
• React
• React Native
• Redis
• Redux
• Relay
• RequireJS
• Ruby
• Ruby on Rails
• Rust
• Sass (Syntactically Awesome StyleSheets)
• skimage
• Sinon.JS
• socket.io
• Solidity
• SQLite
• Symfony
• Twig
• TypeScript
• Underscore.js
• Unity
• Vagrant
• Vue.js
• Vulkan
• webpack
• WordPress
• XSLT
• Yarn
• .Net

Soft Skills of a Software Developer in Singapore in 2022

• Adaptability
• Communication
• Critical Observation
• Critical Thinking
• Desire to learn
• Determination
• Flexibility
• Innovative
• Listening
• Logical Thinking
• Negotiation
• Passion
• Presentation
• Problem-Solving
• Resilience
• Resourcefulness
• Storytelling
• Verbal Communication
• Visual Communication
• Willingness to learn and improve

For example, you might want to include the following copywriting in your JD:

• Awareness of “Clean Code” and clean coding practices
• Familiar with at least one (1) of the following JVM-based languages such as Java and/or Kotlin, Web application languages such as HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and/or TypeScript, Mobile development languages such as Kotlin, Swift, and/or Dart
• Familiar with Design Patterns
• Familiar with different persistence storage technologies such as RDBMS and No-SQL
• Great communication skills and can articulate complex, technical concepts to a non-technical audience
• Have a strong sense of ownership of your deliverables and love making stepwise changes to improve the product over a period of time
• Knowledge of Source Code Management tools such as Git
• Test Driven Development and ability to design Unit, Integration, and Functional tests
• You have a passion for building products that delight customers
• You approach your work with a strong product mindset

4) Certifications

The Software Developer role is technical in nature.

Hence, it is sometimes crucial but not always to include some proof of technical mastery requirements.

This can be either writing the educational requirements (as mentioned above) or writing the certification requirements.

However, again do note that Software Developers in Singapore might not have the time to attempt these certifications as they spend most, if not, all, of their waking time coding and solving bugs.

Most software developers in Singapore (as in many other countries) prefer certifications from globally recognized companies such as Amazon Web Services (AWS) or Scrum Alliance.

For a Software Developer role, some of the certifications that the hiring manager might want to include are:

Certification Requirements for a Software Developer Role in 2022

• AWS Certified Developer – Associate
• CCA Spark and Hadoop Developer
• Certified ScrumMaster
• Certified Scrum Developer
• General Assembly Software Developer Certification
• Le Wagon Software Development Certification
• Oracle Certified Associate, Java SE 8 Programmer
• Oracle MySQL Training and Certification
• PCAP – Certified Associate in Python Programming

The more certifications you list, the better it is to narrow your requirements and get in highly qualified applicants.

However, note that the pool of applicants will be smaller, and you might miss out on applicants who excel in other areas, such as great culture fit but do not meet your certification requirements.

in our opinion, hiring managers rarely stipulate certification requirements when hiring Software Developers in Singapore, as the former recognizes that both an experience in coding and a good portfolio are more important.

Also, these certifications can be attempted while working on the job at your firm so we recommend being judicious in writing them and listing those that you think are crucial to the role.

With that said, we collate some of the Job Requirements we have analyzed in hundreds and thousands of JD to list them below.

Your company can cherrypick the relevant Job Requirement keywords and phrases for your JD.

Sample Job Requirements to hire Tech Talents in Singapore

• A Diploma in Information Technology, Software Engineering, or Computer Science or equivalent required
• Degree in Computer Science preferred from NUS, NTU, SMU, or another equivalent.
• Degree or Diploma in Computer Science and relevant fields
• Excellent understanding of Software Development concepts
• Minimum 2 years of experience in Software Development, preferably in a startup environment
• At least 4 years of working experience in Software Development in a corporate company
• Have proven work experience in Java Development
• Proven work experience in developing Unix/Linux environments
• Familiar with at least one (1) of the following JVM-based languages such as Java and/or Kotlin, Web application languages such as HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and/or TypeScript, Mobile development languages such as Kotlin, Swift, and/or Dart
• Familiar with Design Patterns
• Familiar with different persistence storage technologies such as RDBMS and No-SQL
• You have experience with building Ruby on Rails applications
• You have experience with building multi-tenant SaaS applications
• You have experience with frontend frameworks like ReactJS
• You have experience with ElasticSearch
• You have worked with applications that handled and scaled huge amounts of data for online and offline data use-cases
• Knowledge of Object-Oriented Programming and SQL
• Knowledge of Source Code Management tools such as Git
• Awareness of “Clean Code” and clean coding practices
• Test Driven Development and ability to design Unit, Integration, and Functional tests
• Strong hands-on experience in C#, .Net Technologies
• Solid hands-on experience with AngularJS, ReactJS
• Strong communication, analytical and creative skills
• Strong creative and analytical skills
• Creative, detail-oriented, proactive and result-oriented
• Organized and detail-oriented
• Able to work independently and meet deadlines
• To be able to handle multiple projects within stipulated deadlines and work closely with different stakeholders
• Enjoy constant learning and working with new technologies

2. Make use of several different hiring sources

Today, hiring from a single source, such as LinkedIn, is insufficient.

You’ll need several hiring channels to tap into, such as employee referrals, job boards, etc.

This is especially crucial because most job boards or channels are focused on a single niche or can have limitations on how widespread your job advertisement will be shown on the channel. Hence, by focusing just on one job portal, you miss the opportunities to receive top-quality candidates from other sources.

Also, some top tech talents in Singapore are not actively hunting for work (or in talent acquisition speak, they are passive candidates), but are receptive to hearing about tech job opportunities if approached directly.

This form of candidate sourcing does need certain sourcing skills, knowledge, and the identification of the proper people, which may be developed in-house or outsourced to specialists.

Recruitment is fundamentally a number game.

You can improve your “winning” odds at finding the best tech talent in Singapore by first boosting the top of your candidate funnel.

Thus, in this guide, we will share some of the top job portals in Singapore that have been endorsed and verified to bring in top-quality tech talents.

Top Job Portals in Singapore for Hiring Tech Talents in 2022

• 9cv9: Using a myriad of modern recruiting technologies and having over 6 years of employer branding experience, 9cv9 has proven to be effective in showing your job advertisements to the right Tech Talents in Singapore. They partnered with over 8 major job boards worldwide, such as Talent.com, Jooble, Recruit.net, etc. This ensures your job posting will be disseminated to these partner job boards for maximum exposure. Free for 1 job posting.
• Indeed: General Job Board operating worldwide. Indeed is one of the biggest job portals in the world for attracting applicants. Many companies in Singapore also use it to attract tech talents. Free postings.
• Glassdoor: General Job Board operating worldwide. Glassdoor recently merged with Indeed to streamline their job posting processes to give maximum results to hiring managers hiring tech talents in Singapore.
• Linkedin: General Professional Networking Site operating worldwide. LinkedIn allows all companies to post 1 free job on their job list. Tech talents who use LinkedIn for professional tips and advice do sometimes encounter companies and job openings for tech jobs on LinkedIn. Free for 1 job posting.

For more job portals to post your JD to hire tech talents in Singapore, we have put together a complete guide to all the job portals in Singapore (Updated in 2022). In this guide, you get access to 22 job portals, some of which have been mentioned above.

Or if you do not have the time to read on all 22 different job portals and you would like to know the top 5 job portals that you can post for free to hire tech talents in Singapore, then read no further than our team’s guide on the Top 5 Free Job Sites in Singapore to post your Jobs for Free (Updated in 2022).

Also read: How to post a Job on 9cv9

Utilize Headhunters and Recruiting Firms

Sometimes, posting your well-written JD on the above job portals might not be sufficient.

Why?

• Top Tech Talents in Singapore are few and far between. They would have many recruiters queuing up to get their signatures and these top Tech Talents in Singapore generally do not have the time, and the need to apply for the tech job on the job portals.
• Some top Tech Talents in Singapore are passive applicants. This means that they are not looking for a new job at the moment, but perhaps, a well-craft tech job offer from headhunters might entice them otherwise?

In addition, headhunters and recruiting firms have in-house screening capabilities to help separate the “wheat from the chaff” in your tech talent applicant pool.

When searching for a headhunting agency, we highly recommend finding one that specialized in finding Tech Talents in Singapore.

These agencies will usually label themselves as “IT Recruiters” or “IT Recruiting Agency”.

Top IT Headhunters in Singapore for Hiring Tech Talents in 2022

• 9cv9: Besides having its own job portal for hiring Tech Talents, 9cv9 has a strong track record in headhunting top Tech Talents in Singapore. With over 6+ years in IT Recruitment in Singapore, and having its own in-house technologies driving strong talent acquisition for Tech Talents in Singapore, 9cv9 has received accolades for its headhunting HR technology services, including from Enterprise Singapore (of the Government of Singapore) for its GTTA Program.
• Jobsrefer: Jobsrefer is the world’s 1st CV referral platform and contains the largest pool of freelance IT recruiters, referrers, and professional IT recruitment consultants. Jobsrefer uses the social network method to headhunt IT Professionals 5-6 times faster than traditional recruitment firms.
• Michael Page: PageGroup is a British-based recruitment business with operations worldwide. Its recruitment consultants are highly experienced in finding the best Tech Talents for your organization.
• Robert Walters: With more than 4,000 people in 31 countries, Robert Walters has delivered top recruitment consultancy services, staffing solutions, recruitment process outsourcing, and managed services across the globe. With its track record, hiring top Tech Talents in Singapore is a breeze.

3. Showcase a Career Pathway

Most IT talent is looking for a clear career path in terms of where they may be inside the organization, for example, in five or ten years.

If you do not specify that inside your organization’s structure, you may be able to hire the greatest tech talent for only a short period of time.

As it will be exceedingly difficult to keep them for an extended period.

Create Learning Opportunities

It is advised that firms should give adequate opportunities for their tech talents to develop outside of their day-to-day tech coding job.

Some examples include offering access to on-demand training options, the ability to devote work hours to charity projects for the organization, and so on.

Agility is also vital to enable your workers in this context. It can be accomplished by involving them in the problem-solving process, not just at their personal level but also at the larger project and product levels.

This ensures people are invested in the organization as a whole, rather than simply their individual function.

4. Establish a good organizational structure and corporate culture

What determines your company’s culture depends on how you do things; however, several standards must be considered.

First, there’s external culture, which refers to how your company interacts with external stakeholders, the environment, and other factors regarding the job it conducts or promotes.

Second, internal culture: what are the regulations regarding internal hiring for senior roles (which may help to encourage career paths and retain people), how do you handle prospects (which helps to develop the organization’s image), and so on.

Also read: Effective Company Culture: 4 Tips on How to Build It

5. Find out what works best for your business

It’s also crucial to keep track of some recruitment indicators in the day-to-day operations of your company to see how your policies are performing.

Time to hire, an applicant-hire ratio, recruitment source, typical tech retention period, and other factors should all be taken into account.

These indicators will assist you in determining your recruitment team’s areas of concentration.

6. Build a strong employer brand

The brand of your company is a combination of your business’s and your team’s image, and it is critical in attracting top personnel.

The more attractive your employer brand is, the more high-quality prospects will be ready to speak with you about your open positions, and the higher the quality of your recruits.

7. Listen to your current Tech Talents

Nobody understands a Tech Talent like a Tech Talent himself/herself.

To find out what is working or not in your current organization, simply have a coffee chat or a meeting with some of the Tech Talents currently working in your company.

They are the ones who will know the best when it comes to hiring and retaining Tech Talents in Singapore

Since the tech community is usually closely knitted, your employed Tech Talents in the company is your own hiring channel to convince and upsell your organization to prospective Tech Talent hires.

How can businesses retain critical tech talent?

When it comes to keeping talent, it is notable that an appealing wage package is not the primary priority for employees.

Today’s IT talent values corporate culture, work-life balance, promotion opportunities, and workplace flexibility just as much as they appreciate compensation.

The Harvard Business Review (HBR) recently published a study that found that perks and rewards do not always correspond with engagement and retention. So, what can businesses do to maintain their talent?

Employers must establish a healthy cycle in which employees are empowered to learn and use new skills at their own pace.

Such efforts demonstrate how much firms cherish their employees. Such an atmosphere will not only attract people eager to push themselves, but it will also contribute to long-term company success by keeping the brightest and most motivated personnel.

Incorporating flexible work arrangements (FWA) is another critical approach for keeping employees in 2022. Employees’ perspectives of work have shifted dramatically due to the epidemic since many have become accustomed to the flexibility of working from home (WFH).

Employees with families value the ability to spend time with their loved ones without affecting their employment. By allowing employees to work at their own speed and in surroundings that suit them, an element of trust is developed between talent and management.

These swings in thinking are critical;

Firms may struggle to attract and maintain a new generation of elite tech talent if they adhere to old working patterns for no reason.

Creating a structure in which workers have the flexibility to select where, with whom, and on what they work may go a long way toward keeping them satisfied.

Summary

With the emergence of Covid-19, the trend toward digitization of business and consumer behavior is picking up speed.

Technology has become more important than ever in driving value creation and innovation in the global economy.

The scarcity of tech talent is a perennial problem in Singapore

In addition, salary levels demanded by tech talents can be very high, pricing many SMEs and startups out of the labor market.

Recruiting IT professionals with high technical expertise is, therefore, becoming increasingly difficult for businesses in this country. 

The above are a few things to keep in mind while hiring and retaining top IT talent in Singapore, according to our experience.

Companies unable to adapt to changing circumstances will have difficulty hiring and maintaining tech talent. By spending time and money developing a positive work culture, companies can keep their employees happy and attract the appropriate people. 

To simplify recruitment, we recommend that you should use the 9cv9 platform.

9cv9 is Asia’s leading trusted partner of global companies and corporations for talent recruiting and management. We help your company connect with talented candidates locally and throughout the area, and onboard new remote talents to your firm fast and effectively.

If you find this article useful, why not share it among your recruitment and talent acquisition counterparts, and also leave a nice comment below?

We at 9cv9 Research Team strive to bring the latest and most meaningful data, guide, and statistics to your doorstep.

The post How to hire Tech Talents in Singapore? (Updated in 2022) appeared first on 9cv9 Career Blog.

COVID-19 has transformed the way we live, work, and communicate for the foreseeable future, compelling businesses to accept remote working as the new normal.

According to Ladders, 25% of all professional jobs in the US and Canada will be remote by end of 2022. This is a big jump from 4% of all high paying jobs before 2019.

Given proliferation of remote jobs in the past few years, the trend of hiring remote workers has showed no indications of slowing down.

But, what is a remote job?

And, how do we apply for them?

Or, how can we find a remote job?

Remote jobs are like any other typical jobs, ranging from simple chores to highly specialised professions with excellent perks and benefits, and also flexible hours.

With the noteworthy aspect (of a remote job) being the ability to work from anywhere.

You are no longer constrained by the requirements of reporting to a physical office or work environment

Thus, if you are ready to explore the virtual workplace setting and work from anywhere around the globe, this article is perfect for you.

1. What is a remote job?

2. Pros of working remotely

3. Five Easy steps to Apply and Get Hired for a Remote Job

4. 9cv9 – Best website for finding remote jobs or recruiting remote employees

1. What is a remote job?

A remote job does not need you to be present in an office or physical location.

Such jobs usually involve some form of communication and work over the Internet.

As such, such jobs usually will entail software development, creative graphic designing, strategy formulating and digital marketing type of roles.

Remote work or “Telework” may be done from home or anywhere that has a Wi-Fi or an Internet connection.

People in remote roles generally perform the majority of their activities and projects on a computer, laptop, their iPad, or even on their mobile phone.

They can also connect with their supervisors and team members through phone calls, video conferences, and chat messaging platforms. 

Working a remote work consists of performing the same obligations as a physical workplace employment.

But your responsibilities might include being autonomous, managing your time effectively, and staying on target and fulfilling your key performance indicators without direct supervision.

2. Pros of working remotely 

What are some pros or benefits of working remotely?

2.1 Improved work-life balance

Remote employees do not have to spend hours every day stuck in traffic, allowing them to spend more time with their families or take up a hobby.

According to Business Insider, by working remotely, employees can save an average of 70 minutes per day.

That is nearly 5% of your daily living time saved.

With these much time saved, employees can use it for other personal activities, i.e., spending more time with their loved ones, reading a book, etc.

Employees who get enough rest and leisure time each day (from the saved time) focus better on their job, which leads to improved productivity and efficiency.

Hence, obtaining a better work-life balance.

2.2 Increase in work productivity

It should come as no surprise that those who work remotely are more productive in their work.

According to McKinsey, “More than 20 percent of the workforce could work remotely three to five days a week as effectively as they could if working from an office”.

Some possible reasons for this increase in productivity, are no direct one-on-one distractions, work stress, peer pressure, or other factors that make it difficult for individuals to focus on their work.

According to an Airtasker survey, which is based on the habits of 1,004 employees, remote employees dedicate more time to work assignments and breaks throughout the workday.

A two-year research done in collaboration with C-Trip by Stanford professor Nicholas Bloom backs up Airtasker’s findings, demonstrating that remote workers have had a productivity gain compared to a full day’s work every week when compared to in-office colleagues.

Working remotely on your own with remote work tools provides a sense of tranquility that is lacking at work.

There is a high degree of focus since there are no continual chit-chats, breaks, or individuals coming to a desk for work at one point or another.

2.3 Save costs

According to USA Today, working remotely might save you roughly $4,000 per year.

Gas, car maintenance, transportation, parking fees, a professional wardrobe, purchased lunches, and other expenses may all be lowered or eliminated.

These savings can accumulate and thus, put more money in your bank.

Employers who enable employees to do remote work can save around $11,000 per year per employee according to Global Workplace Analytics.

The figure that would rise even more for remote employees who frequently do overtime.

Companies save money on real estate rents, public transportation subsidies, in-office benefits, and other expenditures linked with a physical workplace.

Google, an American multinational technology company, is anticipated to save more than a billion dollars in 2021 because its workers worked from home, saving money on workplace promotions, travel, entertainment, and in-office amenities.

2.4 Healthier Work Life

Remote, flexible workers tend to be happier and are more loyal, in part because working from home has led to lower stress, more time for hobbies and interests, and improvement in personal relationships, amongst other things.

In addition to personal health and well-being, the relationship between the coworker and manager is much stronger without the distractions and policies that come along with an in-office job.

According to a survey done, 72% of employers say remote work has a high impact on employee retention.

Plainly put, employees are sticking with their employer when they have remote work options.

2.5 Work schedule flexibility.

Another significant advantage of working remotely is that personal matters may be handled concurrently.

Appointments, obligations, activities, or occasions to attend may all be handled concurrently with the work schedule using remote work tools.

Seeing a doctor, attending a social function, or going to the bank may all be done without interfering with work hours.

Individuals can also take breaks at any time, which adds to their flexibility.

3. Five Easy steps to Apply and Get Hired for a Remote Job

Step 1: Rework Your Resume

The first thing before applying for any remote job is to create a CV or a resume.

When creating your CV, be sure to:

• Highlight your success (rather than experience) in managing, supervising, or coordinating remote teams. Make it as quantitative as possible.
• Use phrases like virtual, remote, self-directed, and dispersed workforce to demonstrate your ability to flourish in various groupings.
• Write down in your CV your in-office, hybrid/remote working experience (for example, the technologies you’ve learned to utilize), the problems you had, and how you handled them.

Your objective is to highlight this information in order to attract the recruiting or hiring manager of the remote role to reach back to you and arrange for an interview.

If you are facing some difficulties in creating a CV, then try UrbanCV easy-to-create feature and purchase their proven professional CVs for remote jobs, only from $5 per CV.

Over thousands of professionals use UrbanCV to create CV for remote jobs.

Step 2: Salary negotiations

Before you begin seeking work, decide what wage ranges you will and will not consider.

This will save you from wasting time looking for jobs that do not pay close to your desired rate.

• Prepare yourself by conducting market research on the typical salary for your position.
• Inquire about the value of your talents and expertise. Don’t be embarrassed. You might not get a “yes,” but if you never ask, you’ve already missed the boat.
• Consider other perks and benefits, such as paid child care or schooling, as well as more vacation days.

Step 3: Search the Remote Job Market

Your resume is complete.

Next, it is time to search for remote jobs.

The internet is the best place to start your search.

There are many job sites, and it is the most time effective way to find remote jobs.

You will be able to expand or filter your search results, identify the positions that are most interesting to you, and then apply to them immediately.

You do not have to do a lot of networking, i.e., to talk to recruiters before applying for the job,

Nor do you have to travel to the company office or reception area to apply for employment

What’s the purpose of doing travelling down to apply when in the first place, you might be looking for remote jobs to save time commuting right?

To save your time, the websites listed below are excellent places for finding the your dream remote job, such as full-time or long-term, contract-based remote employment.

Remember to look for companies that prioritize remote work hiring or provide remote-friendly positions.

• FlexJobs: One of the most prominent websites for finding remote employment and work-from-home possibilities. Over 28,000 jobs are currently offered by over 5,500 firms.
• 9cv9: 9cv9 offers thousands of remote tech roles in Asia and occasionally, all around the world. Till date, 9cv9 has helped more than 100,000+ job seekers find the top remote roles in the world.
• Career Builder: Career Builder is a job website where you can locate online employment, remote jobs, in-person jobs, and other opportunities.
• Jobspresso: Jobspresso is a job website dedicated to remote work jobs.
• JustRemote: JustRemote is a global online job platform that lists totally and partially remote employment.
• We Work Remotely: With over 23,000 remote job postings, We Work Remotely is a prominent remote work website.
• Remote OK: Over 46,000 remote jobs have been placed on Remote OK in sectors such as web development, design, copywriting, customer assistance, and more.
• Indeed: One of the longest-running job-search websites Indeed has been in operation since 2004. Indeed posts jobs from job websites, staffing firms, corporate websites, and other sources.
• Working Nomads: Working Nomads is a job website for telecommuters and digital nomads. Jobs are available all around the world, and fresh job posts are updated on a daily basis.
• AngelList: AngelList is a technology and startup, an employment website. Salary and equity are visible on their site as well.
• Outsourcely: Outsourcely is an online job platform that links businesses with remote employees in areas such as web development, design, app creation, writing, administration, customer care assistance, sales, marketing, and more.

Step 4: Prepare for a Remote Interview

If you apply for a remote job, you will almost certainly be interviewed remotely.

Virtual video interviews have also been used by recruiters for hybrid and even onsite positions to save time and money.

The workhorse tool that most recruiters use now for virtual interviews is Zoom.

Zoom Video Communications was founded in 2011 by Eric Yuan to disrupt the online communication industry and since the start of Covid19, has seen phenomenal growth in their flagship tool, Zoom.

For effective communication and interview techniques using Zoom, we highly recommend to read Effective Communication on Zoom: 4 How-to Tips.

To prepare for the job interview questions, follow these steps.

• Rehearse potential answers: A few days before your interview, improve your competitive edge by preparing responses to probable interview questions.
• Look up and research for some behavior-based questions: Be prepared for a series of behavioral-based questions from the interviewer. The questions might be more utilitarian (What experience do you have working with distributed teams in different time zones?) or something that edges on being more bizarre (What is the title of your autobiography, if you were to have one?). While the answers are vital, how you respond to the questions is more crucial. Interviewers are evaluating your ability to think on your feet and react under pressure. 
• Prepare your surroundings and yourself: Clean up your background, optimize your gadgets, and practice utilizing the interview platform. Put on a professional attire and check your face, teeth, and hair in front of a mirror before the interview. According to The Undercover Recruiter, The first 90 seconds of an interview are critical.

• Confidence: During the interview, be enthusiastic and charismatic. Allow the interviewer to get to know you and your abilities. Demonstrate self-assurance in your accomplishments without being overly-arrogant.

Also read: 10 Tips and Tools on How to Prepare for a Job Interview

Step 5: Following Up

Send a quick thank you note and connect with interviewers on LinkedIn within a day of the interview (to send them a quick thank you) so you may create a long-term relationship even if you aren’t hired.

Conclusion: Are you for your remote work career?

The most part of the 21st century work will revolve around remote working. As such, it is imperative that jobseekers start to tweak their job seeking behaviours and approaches towards remote work applications.

In this article, we have shared tools and tips on finding and applying for a remote job.

To make it easy for our readers, we highly recommend using 9cv9, a remote job site for finding remote jobs and hiring remote workers effectively.

If you’re a company looking for remote employees, 9cv9 enables all employers to create a free company profile.

Tell your organisation’s narrative, build your remote hiring brand, and hire the best remote workers. Share your company’s culture and technology stack to attract remote applicants.

Remote jobs can be the most optimal jobs to have in your career, especially if you value work-life balance and flexibility.

The post Remote Jobs. What are they and how to apply for them? appeared first on 9cv9 Career Blog.