Understanding the “IT Guy”
Posted August 21st, 2013
Hiring is hard. It takes time and understanding, and when the complexity of the IT discipline is added in – with its numerous specialties, confusing acronyms and unique skill requirements – the task becomes protracted, arduous and frustrating.
HR will send stacks of résumés. Most are rejected, and managers then spend endless hours interviewing candidates only to quickly figure out that they are not right for the job.
To alleviate this problem, many companies are adding IT workers to their human resource staff or working with specialized external recruiters.
These IT hiring specialists’ main job is to understand what the IT managers need and then find them the right candidates. Without specialized knowledge, it can be very challenging finding the right person.
In a recent survey, 40% of IT managers believe IT professionals commonly get positions for which they are unqualified. In many cases, this is due to the HR generalist’s inability to detect contradictions and inconsistencies on the résumé or during the screening interview.
When working with a recruiter that “gets IT” the process becomes much more efficient. The recruiter understands the basic nuances between titles (systems engineer vs. systems administrator), language (Java vs. C++), technology (web-based vs. web-enabled) and acronyms (ERP vs. CRM)
They also learn very quickly what works and what doesn’t work for the departments that they support. This helps them proactively recruit for the skill sets and competencies that the department needs.
Retaining a recruiter who specializes in IT also makes particular sense given the current high demand for certain occupations (application software developers, IT project managers, network administrators, etc.) and the ever- and constantly- changing world of information technology.
Innovation and obsolescence, coupled with IT’s fast-moving environment, can quickly confuse and overwhelm an HR rep who’s assigned to help only when an immediate hiring needs pops up.
In addition, having candidates work with an IT-conversant recruiter is beneficial as well. Many candidates are approached by recruiters several times a week, and being able to speak with someone who understands the company’s systems and architecture is a welcome relief and provides a better overall impression of your company. This can help you hire hard-to-find talent who may have been less impressed with another company’s rote, generic hiring process. Frankly, no one wants to talk to a recruiter who simply reads out the job description due to a lack of understanding.
Bayside Solutions has the knowledge needed to attract and hire top IT talent. We understand the world of IT, and we go above and beyond to résumés to discover the best candidate for you. If you are looking for an IT recruitment agency in Pleasanton CA, we can provide the people you need. Contact us today!
