How to Know Your IT Hire Has All the Skills Needed to Boost Your Business
Posted March 22nd, 2019
When you are hiring a new IT professional to join your team, making sure that they bring the right skills to the table is vital. Otherwise, you may bring in an employee who can’t help your company thrive over the long-term, leading to productivity and results issues.
Luckily, there are things you can do to evaluate the skills of a tech pro before you bring them on board. Here’s how to get started.
Conduct a Technical Interview
Unlike a regular interview, a technical interview challenges the candidate to put their work-related skills on display. It can involve anything from sitting them at a computer and asking them to perform tasks to using a whiteboard approach to demonstrate how they would work through a problem.
A technical interview does more than allow you to see whether your potential IT hire has the right technical skills; it also gives you insight into how they address issues and handle the unexpected. At times, you can integrate these questions into a traditional interview, though you may need to hold a separate one if you need to take a deeper dive into their capabilities.
Focus on Skill Gaps Within Your Team
If you want your new hire to elevate your team, then finding a candidate that possesses a capability that is missing from your current staff is an excellent approach. Skill gaps can hinder group productivity, so seeking out professionals who can cover them makes your team as strong as possible.
Begin by identifying any existing skill gaps. Next, make sure you list them as must-haves on your vacancy announcement. Then, pare down your other requirements as long as the skills are well-represented in your team.
By using this approach, you can make the cumulative capabilities of your team stronger. Plus, by keeping the requirements list shorter, you will attract more candidates who have the skills you need to address gaps. Plus, most applicants will bring more to the table than what you ask for, so you aren’t limiting the quality of the candidate. Instead, you are just getting your priorities covered.
Make Sure They Have a Passion for Learning
While ensuring that your new IT hire can handle the critical aspects of the role from day one, most tech positions evolve over time. By finding a candidate that has a passion for not just the subject but also learning in general, you increase your odds of selecting a job seeker who can grow with the position.
Testing a candidate’s openness to learning can seem challenging. However, if you ask them to describe an industry trend that excites them or see that they have a history of adding certifications or pursuing additional education, there is a good chance that they possess this trait.
Get Help With Your Hiring by Contacting Bayside Solutions!
By using the tips above, you can make sure your IT hire has all of the skills needed to up your business. If you would like to know more or are seeking experienced tech pros for your vacant jobs, the team at Bayside Solutions can help. Contact us to learn more about our unique and comprehensive hiring services and see how our expertise can benefit you.
