AWS is the OG when it comes to cloud services. With a seven-year head start over its competition, AWS has been smashing records as the fastest-growing public cloud service in recent times. From retaining the no.1 position in the IaaS market in 2019 to being recognised as a cloud leader by Gartner in 2022, AWS is making huge strides in the tech space.

According to Statista, AWS controls over 33% of the IaaS market segment, which is nearly as much as the next two top providers (Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud Platform) combined. Not only is AWS the clear leader in the IaaS market, but it also shows signs of enormous growth in other areas, like the SaaS market.

With such growth, it comes as no surprise that AWS jobs or AWS cloud jobs account for 60% of the job market. 

Why AWS? With an array of 50+ services, AWS helps companies scale rapidly, whether you’re a brand new startup or a well-established company with a sizable budget. 

Businesses throughout the UK are benefiting from AWS to the value of £8.7 billion, or 0.4% of GDP. 

Digital transformation demands different talents. There is a battle for AWS expertise currently, and to win, companies need to improve their strategy and hiring practices. What is the secret to solving the skills gap and becoming an AWS recruiting master? 

Let’s look at 10 strategies we use at Stack to turn AWS hiring decisions into impressive results

Let your employees do the talking

Candidates are more inclined to trust employees over hiring managers. Why? Employees have first-hand access to insider information that a hiring manager doesn’t. Leverage this to give prospects a feel of your workplace culture. What’s more? Your current employees might have a sharper instinct and might know which candidate would make a better fit.

Highlight the perks first 

What do you think is the most important step when it comes to hiring? Marketing? A seamless interview process? An outstanding hiring committee? It’s all of these.

But everything pales in comparison to knowing what the perks are.

Although compensation is still the primary factor, job seekers are ready to take a wage cut if it means getting better perks. If your organisation is willing to customise its perks to meet the needs of candidates, be certain to emphasise this fact, to attract quality talent.

Go beyond LinkedIn

Finding candidates who are well-versed with the latest AWS tools like Aurora Serverless v2 or AWS Amplify Studio can be a challenge. So, what can you do? Step up your AWS hiring game. Go beyond LinkedIn. Think Reddit, Twitter and Facebook. Take advantage of underrated platforms like GitHub, Stack Overflow and Discord. Be out there in places you otherwise wouldn’t think of to make your brand recognisable and you are sure to get that dream employee and great referrals.

Try professional branding solutions

Want to attract the best talent? Start by building a strong employer brand. Try solutions like OnGig to improve your job descriptions or tools like Sociabble for employee advocacy. Building a reputation and image for yourself is the key to setting yourself up for AWS hiring success.

Fostering an AWS culture

And that brings us to building a culture. 

What makes your company special to AWS job enthusiasts? Does your company have a special “AWS culture”? 

Seekers of Amazon AWS jobs or AWS solutions architect jobs live and breathe AWS. Understand your company’s USP and how it attracts top talent, both in absolute terms and in comparison to the competition and your clients. 

Does your company offer new and exciting challenges in the areas the candidate is passionate about? Bear in mind that in today’s competitive job market, establishing a powerful employer brand will help you distinguish yourself from the pack. Companies with a good reputation receive twice as many applications. Show off employee testimonials and do not shy away from sharing your workplace culture and values.

Nail the user experience across channels

The UX component of your company’s website (and the careers section) can make or break your brand image. Studies show that 47% of web visitors expect a page to load in under two seconds, and 40% will leave if it takes longer. With such tight figures, how do you lower your bounce rate and increase your engagement? 

Align your most important content to the famous F-pattern. This means the 3 most crucial elements of your website are the horizontal content at the top, the second line of horizontal content close to the top, and a scan down the left side of the webpage. This all happens within 8 seconds, before users decide to leave. 

Dig into the Twitter rabbit hole

Yes, you heard it. Who thinks of social media for hiring, you may ask. 

Well, that’s where you can find some hidden talent and fill up those AWS jobs, according to 84% of companies in this SHRM survey, who are already using it. 

Make the most of your social media by using the top hashtags AWS job seekers use. Take advantage of organic and paid marketing in LinkedIn and Twitter. Generally, be more social as well. Leverage tech conferences and events or even organise your own to build a valuable network for future hiring processes. 

Keep your friends close, but competitors closer

The demand-supply mismatch is a never-ending battle in the tech sector. Top IT talent is hard to come by, and training options are limited due to rising demand. This is especially true for AWS jobs, which are the hottest in the UK market right now. How can you attract the best and brightest before your competitors steal them? The questions that follow provide the solution. 

How do other organisations recruit talent? When was the last time you surveyed the job market for AWS requirements? What do your competitors offer that the top talent values? 

Doing your homework will set you apart. About 90% of job seekers rated workplace culture and interview experience as important factors when choosing an organisation. What opportunities do you provide for career progression and skill development? How can you make your hiring process more seamless for your candidates? Figuring out the answers to these can roll the dice in your favour. 

Review, reflect, and revise

Candidates that have a favourable recruiting and onboarding experience are more likely to stay with your organisation. One way to make it easier is to meet them where they are. Literally. Send a hiring manager to the candidates’ location. 

Also, don’t forget that candidates are happy with quick responses. Around 58% of applicants expect a response to their initial application within a week. Create a seamless interview experience by keeping your candidates informed of their application status throughout the interview process. A typical rule of thumb to follow is to contact your interviewee no more than 48 hours after your first meeting.

Take interest in their interests

An average adult spends two-thirds of their life at work. But there’s more to life than what you do for a living. Employees, like everyone else, want to feel valued. When employees see that their organisation cares about them they feel appreciated and work harder. 

Go above and beyond to make them feel special. Take interest in their personal lives. Donate to their favourite causes, support activities they care about, or provide opportunities to explore their interests at work. Make your employee feel heard and recognised and feel the difference.

---

Bottom Line

Recruiting and retaining talent is a serious issue for IT executives, particularly with complex roles like AWS cloud. But a perspective shift can help. And downloading the Stack playbook on best practices in hiring can help too!