Do you ever feel like all the great programmers already have jobs? That’s because they do. So we asked some experts for advice and present these seven tips for hiring the best talent.  

1. Adopt a Coder
Bring in talent—and screen for compatibility—by offering office space.

2. Acquire en Masse
If it seems like all the best tech talent is employed, that’s true: but lots of highly skilled programmers work in independent small agencies.

3. Poach From the Competition
Tech talent poaching could reach frenzied levels this year, according to Dice.com.

4. Host Hacker Challenges
If you can put together a great challenge for programmers, you’re not only targeting the best, most competitive hackers with a passion for what they do, you’re also screening for skill.

5. Offer Outstanding Referral Rewards
If you have a great candidate, snag them by offering more than just a good salary.

6. Offer Irresistible Hiring Perks
Some of your company’s best advocates are your own employees, and you can be sure your tech team has a strong network of qualified friends in similar fields.

7. Seek Out Candidates With Asperger’s Syndrome
Perhaps Asperger’s syndrome has been called “the engineers’ disorder” for a reason.

Read more on how to hire the best tech talent on Inc.com ^[1]. Plus everything you need to turn that promising new recruit into a star employee in the 2011 Hiring Tool Kit ^[2].

—with contributions from Michael Krakovsky