Interviewing IT Candidates? Three Red Flags to Look Out For

Employer Insights

red flags in candidates

Are you in charge of hiring IT workers for your organization? Because of the complex nature of the IT field, interviewing IT candidates can be a long and tedious process for many employers. While it’s generally easy to spot top candidates, it can be difficult to identify candidates who may not be a solid fit for your team. Here are three common red flags in candidates that indicate a poor IT employee:

Lack of accountability.

In the IT world, things on the job can go wrong all the time. That’s why it’s important that members of your team know how to resolve issues and admit their mistakes. When interviewing, is the candidate extremely negative about their past employment? Do they place blame on former coworkers and bosses for their failed projects or mistakes? If so, this is someone who will likely lack accountability for their actions in your workplace. One of the best ways to gauge a candidate’s level of accountability is to ask him or her why they left their previous job. If the candidate is quick to throw their former employer under the bus, this is a clear sign they may not be a great fit.

Lack of relevant skills.

IT jobs require a vast amount of hard and soft skills, from technical expertise and troubleshooting to teamwork and communication. Just because a candidate may have experience under their belt does not mean they possess the skills required to excel in a fast-paced IT setting. If a candidate cannot provide examples or situations in which they’ve applied IT skills in a real-life work setting, this an indicator they may not be fully prepared to handle the responsibilities of the job. Top candidates can connect their skills directly to the position at hand, articulating to hiring managers how they can contribute to your organization’s success.

Not asking questions.

Candidates who don’t ask questions during or after the interview are essentially showing a lack of interest in your company. If a candidate does not ask anything further about the nature of the role or your workplace culture, it’s safe to assume they may not be genuinely interested in the opportunity to be part of your environment. Even if a candidate is fully qualified on paper, it’s important that they’re excited and enthusiastic about the prospect of joining your team.

Investing in the right IT candidates is vital for the successful growth and functioning of your organization. Being able to identify the red flags above will help you prevent making bad hires and improve the quality of your IT workforce.