Hiring the wrong person can be expensive for any company, but choosing the wrong IT employee can be even pricier. Here are some common mistakes companies make when hiring for IT roles:
- Not Understanding Technical Needs: If you don't really know what the IT job requires technically, it's hard to judge candidates properly. Having IT experts who know the job's requirements can help with hiring and interviews. Otherwise, you might end up with someone who lacks important technical skills or knowledge.
- Focusing Too Much on Tech Skills: While tech skills matter, soft skills like communication, critical thinking, and problem-solving are also crucial for IT roles. Don't get so focused on technical skills that you forget about a candidate's ability to work well with others, explain things to non-tech people, and quickly come up with solutions.
- Skipping Reference Checks: It might take time, but checking references is crucial, especially for IT hires. Ask open-ended questions to understand how the candidate handles pressure, solves tough problems, collaborates with colleagues, and more. Look for specifics and pay attention if there's any hesitation. You want a realistic picture of the candidate before hiring.
- Not Testing Skills Hands-On: Candidates can exaggerate or misrepresent their skills in an interview. Include a practical technical test in the interview process to truly assess their skills. For coding roles, this could be a coding challenge. For roles dealing with systems, this might involve setting up a network. A skills test can show if the candidate is genuinely the right fit.
Choosing the wrong IT employee can cost you money, time, efficiency, and team morale. By avoiding these typical mistakes and carefully evaluating candidates, you'll find an IT professional who fits your needs perfectly. The effort you put into hiring will be worth it when you have an employee who excels in the role.
Avoiding a wrong choice in hiring for IT jobs can save you a lot of time, money, and frustration. Here's what you can do:
- Check Candidates Thoroughly: Don't rush the interviews. Take your time and do a bunch of interviews, call their references, and look at their past work. Search for relevant experience, any certificates they have, and proof that they've done well before.
- Test How Good They Are Technically: Get them to show their tech skills. They could do tests where they code, pretend to help with tech problems, or show their past projects. This helps you see how they deal with tricky issues. Also, look for those who keep learning about new tech stuff.
- See How They Act in a Team: Being good with people matters. Find people who can talk well, learn quickly, and pay attention to small details. They should be patient, understand others, and explain tech things in a simple way.
- Make Sure They Fit In: The person needs to get along with your team's way of doing things. Look for those who like working with others, can work by themselves when needed, and agree with your company's values. They might need to talk to different kinds of people, so they should be professional, friendly, and positive.
- Talk About Pay Sensibly: Don't pay too little or too much. Be ready to pay well for someone good, because paying too little might make them leave fast. But don't go too far and spend too much. Know what's normal to pay for that job, and talk about money based on how much they've done before and what they know. You can even offer other good stuff like more time off, flexible work hours, or chances to learn more.
Finding the perfect IT person takes time, but it's worth it. You want someone who can handle both the tough tech parts and working well with others. Because hiring the wrong person can cost a lot when they don't stick around.
