Surprising Skills That IT Hiring Managers Should Be Looking For
One of the toughest things about hiring IT professionals is how fast key technologies evolve – today’s “hot” can be tomorrow’s “not”. So what skills really set a top candidate apart from the rest? IT TechNewsDaily asked three experts for their take on IT hiring, and what they had to say might not only surprise you; it even could change the way you interview.
Interpersonal Interaction
The days of programmers being hidden away in back rooms amidst a rack of servers are long gone. IT departments are increasingly integrated with other aspects of a business. That means that today’s hiring managers need to look for tech employees who are team players – capable of working well not only with each other, but other departments throughout the organization and even directly with customers. In interviews, be on the lookout for candidates who are articulate, outgoing and who maintain eye contact. While technical skills are important, you may want to value a friendly face over the latest cert. As Sophos IT services manager Tom Sweeney puts it, “What I look for is a desire to serve – I can teach them the rest.”
Business Knowledge
As bottom lines have bottomed out, management is taking a hard look at what role an IT department should be playing in their organization. Cash-pressed companies are looking to shift IT from a cost center to value creator – a transition that requires a healthy dose of business savvy in addition to technical know-how. Rachel Behrle of IT recruiting firm Tek Systems says of today’s tech professionals, “We just need to make sure these folks can go in to speak to the business owners and translate what’s happening.” That means hiring or training employees who can explain what technology does instead of how it works, and have the insight and ability to quantify the results of IT department initiatives in relation to company revenue.
“Can Do” Attitude
For his novel CIOs at Work, IT expert Ed Yourdon interviewed Chief Information Officers at over two dozen top national and international companies. When he asked about hiring, he found that these successful CIOs were looking for people who, “never say ‘no’ to a new opportunity, who have an open mind, and are flexible about getting into situations that they aren’t familiar with.” Consider incorporating some behavioral or situational questions, such as “Tell me about a time where you were assigned a task outside of your comfort zone” into your interview process to help uncover candidates with a winning attitude.
There’s no doubt about it – hiring great IT professionals is tougher than ever. Fortunately, it’s easy to get help from the technology employment experts at Triumph Services. Explore our award-winning website, or talk to one of our specialized recruiters today. From business systems analysts to database administrators to technical support to project management, we’ll help you find the right candidate with the right skills – right now.
