The data and analytics market is changing at a very rapid pace. Data related jobs started flooding the market from the Millennium onwards, and the trends have continued to grow. From data engineering to data managers and specialist scientists, there is a wide array of roles that involves working with data and analysing it to a certain level.

In the UK, there is an ever-increasing demand for such roles in all sectors of the economy. You have data engineers and managers in banking, healthcare, transport, finance, and of course the tech domain as well. As the global economy moves into an era where data is extremely valuable, the demand for talent outweighs the supply.

But that does not mean anyone can be the right fit for a new role.

The changing face of recruitment

Finding the right fit remains the holy grail but it has to work both ways, for the organisation and candidate. There has also been a change in hiring trends, as Atif Hussain, Managing Consultant at Fyte, explains. “Companies like to get more creative in their hiring process, just to find the candidate in sync with the company’s frequency. Jobs these days don’t just look for a set of preferred qualifications and experience, but for a complete package in an individual.”

The way that hiring managers are engaging with individuals is also changing. “Organisations now often like to meet a candidate for an informal chat before a more formal interview takes place. Both parties benefit from that,” continues Hussain. From the company’s perspective, they are conveying the right role and responsibilities while getting a much better picture of the candidate than from a piece of paper. And vice versa, the candidate gets a far more complete picture of the role than they would from a job ad. And they’re much more at ease.”

The value of a specialist recruitment partner

Helping candidates finding new roles is more complex than it sounds. Hussain continues, “Naturally, we want to connect the right kind of job to every candidate. But there is a lot more to a candidate than their CV. Companies are now increasingly looking for the right cultural fit – background and work experience is important but you also need to have the right attitude.”

Key to overall success is meeting in person. As Hussain stresses, “Candidates looking for a job should always meet with the recruiter face to face. There is a lot of valuable information flowing from either side when you meet, instead of communicating via an email or a phone call. This enables us to paint the right picture for both candidates and the client. We can assess whether the role is the right one.

While interpersonal skills and cultural fit are pivotal, candidates need to have a strong base foundation. “To understand a candidate’s technical abilities, we look at their educational background and previous work experience. We then map the technical requirements of a client when we meet with the candidate for the first time. It is these initial client and candidate conversations that help both parties understand what the next steps could be”, notes Hussain.

(Fyte’s Atif Hussain was talking to Dr. Paul van Loon, Head of Analytics at Forecast)