Tech talent in the recruiting industry has been experiencing significant growth in recent years, becoming one of the fastest-growing factors in many countries. In the competitive tech landscape of Vietnam, where innovation and talent converge, finding and attracting the top 2% of tech talent can be a game-changer for companies looking to thrive in the job market.

1. The current state of tech talent recruitment in Vietnam

1.1. Analyzing the current tech job market in Vietnam

The need for more IT employees is typically the most difficult problem for the technology industry. Despite significant increases in salary and benefits for these occupations, it is estimated that Vietnam will continue to have a shortage of 150,000 to 200,000 developers/engineers annually from 2023 to 2025.

IT personnel demand in Vietnam 2018 - 2024

The majority of employers said they mostly need Back-end Developers, Full-stack Developers, and Front-end Developers. The widespread use of popular web technologies has increased the number of Web Developers significantly. Meanwhile, demand for these professions has grown greatly, with HR focusing more on Mobile Developers, Product Engineers, and DevOps Specialists.

Top hiring tech positions vs most popular positions in the IT industry

Despite some changes to the overall popularity of specific tech stacks in Vietnam and other regions, the top 5 IT skills that companies are looking for are Javascript, Java, PHP, C#/.Net, and Python. And nearly 80% of companies are looking for JavaScript developers.

Top hiring tech stacks vs most popular tech stacks

The market is also facing a shortage of experienced developers, with around 50% of developers having up to 3 years of experience in IT jobs; 4 -7 years account for 26.7%, and that of 7 years is 20.5%.

Years of experience in tech talent in Vietnam's job market in 2023

Most of the developers belong to GenZ and the Millennial generation, which accounts for the majority, with 56% aged 20 - 29 years old. These generations seek a better balance, a healthier lifestyle, more knowledge about the company, products/services, and a high level of involvement in the business process, which will influence their worth, their business, and society.

Age of Vietnamese developers in 2023

More than 45% of developers are from fresher to junior level, followed by 28% of middle developers. Senior developers only account for nearly 20% of total IT personnel while that of leaders and higher level is just 7%.

Level of qualifications in tech talent in Vietnam's job market in 2023

In addition, the top 2 educational backgrounds for developers are from universities (48%) and colleges (26%) with IT-related and computer science degrees in 2023. Other methods of coding learning have grown in popularity due to the market's growing need for technical expertise.

Developers’ education background from 2021 to 2023

These statistics prove that recruiting top talent in the Vietnamese tech industry is difficult but crucial for sustainable growth and staying competitive. These professionals are often highly skilled and efficient in their work, contributing to streamlined processes, optimized workflows, and achieving business objectives on time.

1.2. Identifying trends in recruiting top talent

About the Vietnamese tech talents, based on TopDev’s report in 2023, NodeJS, Java, MySQL, Spring Boot, Laravel, .NET Core, Django, and AWS are the most popular technologies in their respective tech stacks. These technologies form the foundation of many software development projects and are widely used across various domains.

Popular tech stacks in Vietnam

According to the Vietnam Tech Talents Report, the top 4 fields that developers want to master in order to climb higher in their career path are Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning, Cloud Computing, Full-stack Development, and DevOps.

Top technology developers want to work and learn

AI &ML technologies are currently in high demand, with developers using them for tasks such as natural language processing, computer vision, and predictive analytics. Some widely used frameworks are TensorFlow, PyTorch, Caffe, and Keras.

Developers also intend to learn about cloud architecture, deployment, and management. Cloud platforms such as AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud are commonly used to create scalable and adaptable applications.

Another trend in tech talent is full-stack development, which involves working with both front-end and back-end to build complete web applications. Some popular stacks include JavaScript-based frameworks/libraries like React.js, Angular, and Node.js.

DevOps brings together development and operations techniques to optimize software delivery and infrastructure management. DevOps engineers typically use Docker, Kubernetes, Jenkins, and Ansible to automate operations and accomplish continuous integration/deployment.

In conclusion, to become a top talent in the Vietnamese tech industry, developers will have to try their best to embrace these trends to stay competitive and enhance their skill sets in alignment with market demands.

2. CodeLink: Outstanding with under 2% acceptance rate

Despite these challenges posed by a scarcity of potential tech talent in the industry, CodeLink continues to uphold its criteria for excellence.

In both 2022 and 2023, CodeLink received 2773 and 2847 CVs, respectively. Only 651 and 542 candidates progressed to interviews, with 35 and 12 onboarded, showcasing the company's stringent recruitment process. With a focus on quality over quantity, CodeLink continues to nurture exceptional tech talent, setting a high standard in the industry.

Flow Report between 1 January 2022 - 31 December 2022

Flow Report between 1 January 2023 - 31 December 2023

At CodeLink, candidates will go through at least 4 to 5 rounds before being officially hired at CodeLink, depending on the significance and standard of the applied position. This outstanding technical recruitment, with under 2% acceptance rate from over an average of 2,000 candidates per year, guarantees the quality of our expertise.

3. Strategies to find top tech talent

To meet the number of potential candidate contributions in the technology market, CodeLink has used different recruitment strategies for each region.

3.1. Building a good working culture

One of the foundational pillars of attracting top tech talent aligns with cultivating a positive work culture. CodeLink focuses on work-life balance and offers great benefits to employees, such as:

• Flexible working arrangements, including hybrid or remote options
• Employee-led clubs and teams fostering camaraderie and engagement
• Modern open-space offices designed for comfort and productivity
• Yearly training budgets to support continuous skill development
• Bi-annual salary reviews, promotion opportunities, and spot awards
• Comprehensive yearly health check-ups and social insurance coverage

Through these initiatives, CodeLink has earned a reputation as an employer of choice, motivating candidates to join the team and contribute to the company's success.

3.2. Leverage employee networking

CodeLink also has a referral strategy, and our referral rate is quite high. This excellent referral rate reflects the belief that good people know other good people. With a culture that fosters enjoyment and satisfaction among employees, individuals are motivated to introduce talented individuals to the organization. This referral technique has proven to be an effective recruitment tool, helping CodeLink to attract top-tier candidates who share the company's values and culture.

3.3. Harnessing social platforms and job portals

CodeLink broadens its outreach and boosts visibility by leveraging social platforms such as LinkedIn, Facebook, and Zalo, along with job portals like ITViet and Vietnamwork. These tools enable our company to showcase job openings, interact with a diverse pool of tech talent, and effectively engage with candidates who resonate with their values and criteria. Leveraging these platforms is essential for casting a broader net and establishing meaningful connections with top talent in the industry.

3.4. Networking at tech events and conferences

Technology events and conferences provide great chances for networking with industry experts and thought leaders. In 2023, CodeLink attended many major technology events, such as TechSPO, TechWeek Singapore, and Hong Kong FinTech Week.

CodeLink at TechWeek Singapore 2023

This method helps CodeLink make more key contacts, learn about industry trends, and uncover suitable candidates with suitable skills and knowledge.

3.5. Partnering with universities and coding boot camps

In young recruitment markets, CodeLink strategically partners with universities and coding boot camps to access up-and-coming talent pools. Recently, we participated in Duy Tan University's Job Fair, underscoring our commitment to connecting young talents with exciting career prospects.

CodeLink at Duy Tan University's Job Fair!

By actively engaging with academic institutions and coding programs, CodeLink not only secures top tech talent but also plays a pivotal role in shaping the future workforce. These partnerships foster valuable relationships that benefit both the company and the emerging talent in the tech industry.

In conclusion, by leveraging stringent processes, employee networking, social platforms, tech events, and partnerships with academic institutions, CodeLink maintains an acceptance rate of under 2%, ensuring only the best candidates join the team.

With a focus on excellence and adaptability, CodeLink is poised to lead in tech talent recruitment, setting a high standard for success in the evolving industry landscape.

Contact us to schedule a discovery meeting for embedded teams and begin the journey toward assembling your customized team for success!