Written by Lee Ferrante, Consultant
Technology is everywhere in today’s world. Given how prolific it has become, it’s no surprise that tech jobs have grown exponentially as well. Whether it be IT specialists, Security Analysts, or Software Developers, you need high-quality, reliable tech employees for your business to survive. The ever-changing nature of technology creates a need to hire individuals that are adaptable and able to constantly learn new systems and features as they come about. It is no easy feat to find the right tech talent, but here are three tips to focus on that will point your hiring efforts in the right direction.
- Assess for ability
New technologies and systems are commonplace and the best tech workers need to demonstrate higher-than-average learning abilities to keep up with innovations. This is where cognitive ability tests can shine. Measuring an individual’s ability to identify information patterns, make logical decisions, and solve complex problems allows you to objectively tap into those hard skills necessary for technical projects.Simulations and gamified tasks are particularly welcomed as they are often familiar territory with the tech candidate pool. An added benefit is that using such assessments as part of your hiring process can help reduce bias associated with subjective evaluation and scoring. As always, ensure due diligence is performed and that the assessments are appropriate for your particular position, which can be confirmed with a job analysis. - Consider the importance of soft skills
Although the first focus is ideally on strong technical skills and cognitive ability, failing to acknowledge the role that soft skills play can cause problems down the road. Communication, collaboration, and emotional intelligence can be developed, yet are also easily measured to give you an idea of where a candidate stands at the present time. Candidates that start off with stronger soft skills are more easily integrated into your existing teams, so identifying a candidate that has the technical know-how, learning agility, and interpersonal skills to succeed will decrease the time between hire and autonomous work production. - Provide development opportunities
Growth and advancement entice candidates seeking upward movement in their career. Providing information about how your company supports employee development is one way to communicate to candidates that you can be a long-term employment option. Be transparent about future promotion opportunities, stopping short of promising specific promotions which may cause issues down the road if the employee expects to advance but the company does not feel the same way. Instead, try focusing on up-skilling programs or ways that they would interact with different areas of the business. Highlight the teams that the candidate can be a part of, key working relationships, and the sorts of projects that have come about because of those relationships. Developing happens outside formal programs too, and these types of experiences often contribute to growth in knowledge and new abilities.
Ultimately, it comes down to sourcing and evaluating information about a candidate beyond the resume screening stage. Using assessments and designing your communication to showcase the company’s mission, involvement, and benefits can go a long way in helping you identify and hire quality tech employees.
