The Seven Most Important Things to Know About Finding the Best IT Candidates for Your Company

It’s not easy to find good tech employees these days. Demand for these professionals is growing amidst a shortage of talented workers. Even so, it’s never a good idea to rush into hiring an employee if you’re not sure he or she is the right person for the job. If you’re not sure how to find the best employee for a position, consider the following seven tried and proven tips on IT recruitment.

1. Know Who You’re Looking For

Analyze your current and future business needs to determine what type of employees you need. Are you looking for someone who specializes in cloud computing, or who can prevent cyberattacks? Does the employee need to know JavaScript, SQL, and/or Python? Bringing in potential employees for an interview and then discovering that they don’t have the skills you’re looking for wastes both your time and theirs. In some cases, employees who have similar or related skills are eager and willing to learn new ones, and they can be an ideal fit for your firm. However, in other cases, a person who is specialized in one field won’t excel in another position that requires a different skill set.

Just as importantly, you want to make sure your employee has the right soft skills for the job at hand. Do you need a self-disciplined individual who can perform well working remotely? Or are you looking for a good “team player” who can coordinate projects with other team members? Other skills you’ll want to look for are problem-solving skills, attention to detail, and a willingness to stay abreast of new tech trends and developments. 

2. Create an Attractive Offer

IT technicians are in short supply. If you want to find good workers, you need to provide an appealing offer that will attract top talent. This includes not only a generous salary but also appealing benefits. The ability to work from home is one of the most popular job benefits. What’s more, allowing for remote work enables you to bring in talent from all over, not just your city. Other appealing benefits include paid sick leave and vacation time, health insurance, dental/vision insurance, and maternity/paternity leave. 

Another aspect of creating an attractive offer is to create a great work environment. Provide staff members with all the tools and equipment they need to get their jobs done as quickly and easily as possible. Offer plenty of opportunities for professional growth and development. An attractive workplace will help you not only retain the best job candidates but also keep them long-term.

3. Don’t Discount Campus Recruitment

It’s ideal to find a job candidate who has many years of experience in his or her line of work. You certainly want to post attractive job listings on sites such as Indeed, Hired, and LinkedIn Jobs. However, these aren’t the only spots for finding good job candidates.

On-campus recruitment helps you meet talented candidates who are actively looking for a job. Some of these candidates may need a bit more in-house training than a candidate who has been in the workforce for at least a few years. However, those with the right skills can learn the ropes in short order and be an asset to your firm for many years. It’s also worth noting that college and university students are learning the latest tech trends and developments. They have experience using tech all the time and have the up-to-date tech skills you need to take your business to the next level. 

4. Be Open to Unconventional Candidates

You need to know which skills and abilities an employee has to have in order to be a good fit for your business. However, don’t automatically pass up unconventional job candidates. Many tech companies are dropping the requirement that job candidates have a university degree because they’ve found that skills and experience are more important than a conventional study program. Additionally, bringing in candidates from different backgrounds can boost innovation as new employees bring in not only new skills but also new perspectives. 

5. Draw up a Plan for the Interview

Create a list of questions to ask potential job candidates. You’ll also want to have a list of answers to questions you expect candidates to ask you. This is especially important if you’re looking for specialized IT employees who likely have offers from other firms. 

Additionally, make sure your interviewers have the tech awareness they need to identify the right job candidates. If not, you may want to consider having one of your IT technicians join the interview. Don’t be afraid to test your candidate’s knowledge and skills in a particular area. You may even want to use a work sample test to see if a potential candidate is a good fit for the position. However, bear in mind that the interview is not a tech test. Use the process to learn as much as you can about the candidate, so you can see if he or she is the right person for the job.

6. Examine a Candidate’s Background

It’s important to check a job candidate’s background before the interview. Look over his or her social media accounts to see if the person would be a good reflection of your values. Avoid candidates that engage in hate speech or who trash former employees and/or clients online. You’ll also want to watch out for candidates who post images of illegal drug use or wild partying. Don’t hesitate to call a candidate’s former employer to ask about the candidate’s performance. This is especially important if a client claims to have done certain jobs at another company but doesn’t have a reference letter. 

You’ll also need to do some additional research after the interview is done. Look for evidence to back up any claims a candidate has made during the interview. If, for instance, a job candidate claims to have designed a successful app or run his or her own IT business, check for online evidence showing that this is indeed the case. 

7. Partner with an IT Staffing Service

It can be challenging to advertise for job candidates and then sift through job applications to find the candidates who will be the best fit for your firm. This is especially true if you need to research multiple candidates on social media to find ones who will reflect positively on your business. IT staffing services can save you a lot of time and hassle by connecting you with candidates who are likely to be a good fit for your business. We can also help you identify the type of employees you’re looking for and vet potential employees to avoid hiring mistakes.

Innovar is a cutting-edge IT recruitment firm offering services to job candidates and employers alike. We make it easy for IT technicians to find jobs that are a good fit for their skill set, and we help employers connect with potential employees for any IT-related position. Our staffing business has been providing top-tier services to the tech industry since 2000, and we specialize in communicating with job candidates and employers to make the right connections for all involved. Get in touch with us if you’re looking for outstanding IT job candidates and we’ll use all the tools and connections at our disposal to match you with the right candidates.