Hiring IT Candidates: Three Best Practices You Can’t Forget

Employer Insights

hiring best practices

As the field of human resources has grown in scope and complexity, the number of potential recruitment strategies has expanded exponentially. Unfortunately, many of them are contradictory, nonsensical, or just plain ineffective. If you are a recruiter that needs to find the best IT candidate right now, focus on these universally accepted hiring best practices.

Hiring for Experience

This has been the cornerstone of recruitment for centuries now and for good reason. You are hiring someone because you have a need, and if a candidate has a demonstrated ability to satisfy that need, they can be an asset.

It’s crucial, however, to consider all aspects of experience. Just because someone has educational experience doesn’t mean they can perform on the job. Just because they have done something before doesn’t mean they did it well. And just because someone can handle the job today doesn’t mean they will be an asset tomorrow. Look for clear metrics, proven successes, and wide-ranging skill sets.

Hiring Based on Potential

Unless you are staffing for a contract or temporary position, you are looking for candidates that can thrive in the long term. Most recruiters have been frustrated at one time or another by candidates that did great for a year but then floundered, quit, or under-performed after being promoted.

Assessing a candidate’s future capabilities is tricky, but there are a few reliable indicators. Look at their willingness to engage in professional development. Study their work history to find out if past employers have offered them promotions. And don’t be afraid to ask questions related directly to their drive, work ethic, flexibility, and commitment.

Hiring for Cultural Fit

This is the best practice that recruiters most often neglect. But in today’s workplace, it’s more important than ever to find recruits that fit into the company culture. Even if they are great at their job, an employee that compromises your culture can have wide-ranging and long-lasting consequences for your business.

First you need to define your company culture, and then you need ask the candidate questions that reveal their working style and workplace personality. Find out if they like to work independently or in teams. Do they prefer rigidly defined assignments, or something more free form? Ask what their ideal office environment would be like. Get as much information as possible, but don’t be afraid to rely on your gut.

Keep these three principles in mind, and you will turn up better candidates no matter what your recruitment strategy is. Simplify the process even further by contacting the experienced recruiting team at INSPYR Solutions to provide you with a pool of pre-screened and highly qualified IT candidates.

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