MightyRecruiterHow to Hire for IT Skills
As more businesses are becoming increasingly reliant on technology, job candidates with IT skills are a hot commodity. There are numerous positions available for IT work, and in cities across the country, the demand tends to exceed the supply. When you hire for IT skills, there are various items to look for in applicants as well as certain things you need to offer in order to get the talent you need for your business to thrive.
What to Look for in Employees
One part of finding highly skilled IT workers is knowing where to look. Most people who are knowledgeable in this area will have some kind of higher education, and this can be anywhere between a bachelor’s to a master’s degree. Some of the most common majors in this field include software engineering, computer engineering, finance, marketing and supply chain management. Any time you hire for IT skills, it can be just as beneficial to look for business experience as it is technology expertise. With this in mind, it can be a great idea to find new candidates by visiting local colleges to find people who will be looking for work soon. Attend networking events and post job openings on campus or on a school’s website in order to find skilled workers.
Something else to be mindful of is that the tech industry tends to be a boy’s club. Some of the biggest leaders in the tech industry are predominantly male, and this causes problems when there are so many qualified female IT workers out there. Additionally, many of these companies go for younger employees since tech-related majors have just recently started to be offered at universities. Do not discount older employees who have acquired the necessary experience when you hire for IT skills.
Hiring for Attitude in Addition to Skills
When you are hiring new tech workers, you want to pay attention to an applicant’s attitude in addition to the skills and education he or she has. While working in the tech field does require a certain level of expertise with computers and software, you should also pay attention to how this person would fit into the overall climate of your organization. You also need to look for how this candidate can grow with the business, and if he or she seems to be willing to put in the work to grow with the business. Sometimes it can be more beneficial to hire someone with a great attitude who is lacking in certain areas than to hire someone who is highly skilled but does not work well with others. Skills can be learned, but a bad attitude is likely to stick.
Give Meaning to the Work
Many employers believe that if they offer a sizable paycheck they will be able to attract the best and brightest IT workers around. When you hire for IT skills, you need to realize that these are individuals who have lives outside of work and need to be treated fairly. A large salary may attract someone to apply for your organization right away, but if your office environment lacks in other areas, then your tech workers will be more likely to look for work elsewhere to find greener pastures. Employee retention is crucial to the well-being of any company, and in order to ensure employee loyalty, you need to provide additional benefits. This includes vacation time, paid time off, health coverage and a sense that the work your employees are doing is ultimately beneficial to the world. If you keep your workers engaged and happy, then the company will benefit in the long run.
Look at What Your Competition Is Doing
When you need to hire for IT skills, one of the most advantageous things you can do is to see what similar companies to yours are offering their candidates. They might be offering higher salaries, extra benefits or a more engaging work environment. Depending on the size of your organization, you may not be able to offer a higher wage, but you should look into what other areas you can improve in. An IT worker is not going to take a job at your company simply because you really want him or her to be there. You need to give job candidates a reason to take a position at your company, so do plenty of research to see what the competition is doing so that you get the best employees around working for you.
Hiring the best employees around require a bit of finesse, so check out additional Mighty Recruiter resources for more information.