Hiring the right IT team can be an arduous task. According to an article by CIOZone, a Robert Half Technology survey reported that it takes CIOs 56 days to hire staff-level openings, not to mention 87 days to hire new managers. As more companies hire IT consultants this year, you should consider a few things before jumping into the hiring process that will help you and your team in the end.
1. Value passion over skill
Hiring employees with the appropriate skill set is certainly an important consideration, but building a team of people who are excited about the company and will put forward their best work is just as essential. In an interview with CIO.com, CIO Nathan Brown says hiring someone who is passionate about working in IT is a worthwhile investment.
“It is a huge negative for me if someone says they applied because they have done everything listed in the posting and know how to do it all well. If they aren’t looking for growth and a challenge then they probably don’t have the motivation I’m looking for.”
2. Hire a smile
People skills are essential in any business. Arte Nathan is the Executive Director of the Center for Professional Education at UNLV’s William F. Harrah College of Hotel Administration. In the past, he has hired 125,000 employees for world-famous service organizations and viewed over four million resumes. In an interview with Forbes.com, Nathan shared his secret to hiring strong employees.
“I was asked once how we taught all 1700 employees who worked at one property to smile. We didn’t teach anyone anything. Instead, we hired people who were already smiling,” he said.
According to Nathan, good attitude equals good work ethic. You can train an employee the necessary skills for a job, but you can’t easily train them to have a team-player attitude.
3. Failure can be a good thing
According to an article by Maryling Yu, a digital and strategic marketing leader at SunGard Availability Services, failure taught her more than her achievements ever did.
“From these spectacular failures, I’ve learned to think ahead and weigh risk scenarios. I worked out the rough spots that a lot of managers struggle with when trying to lead… I became humbler. I acquired a teachable spirit.”
When you interview a potential candidate, ask them about their failures, and how they grew from the experience. Seek someone who has the ability to learn from their mistakes, and who is self-aware enough to accept the responsibility for their failures.
4. Consider the job search a PR opportunity
Executive director of Robert Half Technology, Katherine Spear wrote in an article that projecting a positive company image attracts more potential employees. Improve your company’s visibility by attending career fairs, writing articles or blog posts, posting on social media sites and informing the media about noteworthy accomplishments or service projects your company is involved in.
5. Turn it over to the experts
If you’re still struggling to find quality candidates for your next IT project, let Springborn do the work for you. Springborn Staffing offers expert recruiting to connect you with the best employees without the hassle. Talk with one of our professionals today.
