For IT managers, one of your biggest challenges in the hiring process is getting the appropriate technology people with the best technical expertise for the right job. While many hiring managers focus solely on the technical expertise of a candidate, it is equally important to consider soft skills.
I find that interviewing IT candidates is more successful if I divide the hiring process into two parts: evaluating a candidate's technical capabilities and assessing their communication skills. Although credentials, in and of themselves aren't necessarily the best indicator of technical competence, certifications such as MCSE, MCSD and relevant work experience should be a main focus of an initial conversation.
As for the soft skills part of the hiring process, I've learned two key lessons in my many years of hiring Windows systems, network and database administrators. Pay attention to communication skills and don't forget that people will always look out for No. 1.
Hiring process tip: Pay attention to the candidate's communication skills
During the personality review, try to find out what motivates the candidate: Will she fit into the organization? Am I going to enjoy working with this person? You might have found the most intelligent Active Directory engineer on the face of the planet or the woman who knows everything to know about Vista, but if she can't communicate, how can you expect this individual to assimilate into your organization or have the wherewithal to handle an emergency situation? Keep in mind that communication skills are much more than l
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anguage; they are also interpersonal skills, common sense and written communication.
So how do you identify someone with the appropriate soft skills? It isn't an exact science but the following help me assess a technical candidate's soft skills during the interview process:
Hiring process tip: Don't forget that people will always look out for No. 1
Different people are motivated by different things, but I have learned that the common thread is that people will always look out for number one. Even if you're the best boss in the world, working at the best company in the world, people look for ways to achieve or satisfy what is important to them -- whether it be money, the possibility of a promotion, learning new technologies or working on a challenging project. If you can look at a candidate at the end of the interview process and clearly understand his or her motivations, you are well on your way to determining if the candidate will be a good fit.
I use the following questions to help me determine an IT candidate's motivations for taking a job with my company:
While there are never any guarantees, waiting for the person with the best technical expertise, good communication skills and appropriate motivation could be the secret to your success.
Russell Olsen is currently the CIO of a medical data mining company and previously worked for a Big Four accounting firm performing technology risk assessments. He co-authored the research paper "A comparison of Windows 2000 and Red Hat as network service providers." Russell is a CISA, GSNA and MCP.
