How to Spot (and Hire!) The Ideal Tech Job Candidate

As Kansas City IT recruiters, Morgan Hunter knows spotting and hiring quality tech talent is never easy. But top-performing employees can be far more productive than their average or under-performing counterparts, giving your company a competitive advantage in the end. So knowing how to recognize them is key during the hiring process. Here are some tips to help you:

Know what you’re looking for.

Too many times, hiring managers start out looking for candidates without knowing explicitly what they want. So before you hire, define the role. Know exactly what kinds of duties and responsibilities the new hire will have, as well as what the short and long term goals for the position are and how success will be measured. On the flip side, lack of clarity will slow the process and may mean losing an exceptional candidate.

Be willing to compromise on experience.

You’re looking for someone with three to five years of coding experience; a candidate you’re interviewing only has two. But they’re bright, passionate, and enthusiastic. Don’t overlook them. Skills can be learned; character and drive cannot.

Don’t blacklist imperfect candidates.

Just because a candidate has the ideal experience, doesn’t mean they’re the right person for the job and the company. Likewise, just because a candidate has an unorthodox background doesn’t mean they don’t have the talent or ambition to thrive at your organization. Sometimes the best candidates don’t come with the perfect resume, flawless grades from a top university, or clear career paths. In other words, top talent doesn’t always come in a neat package.

Do your due diligence.

Hiring mistakes cost a lot of time and money. So don’t let a perfectly polished resume and a list of achievements blind you to the fact that you still must verify each candidates’ credentials. Be sure to go through every step in the hiring process, including skills testing and reference checking, before making a hiring decision.

Sell the opportunity.

Once you have a few candidates you’re interested in hiring, sell the opportunity to them. Get specific about the interesting, challenging projects they’d be working on at the company. Talk about all that your organization has accomplished and where you see it going in the future. Get them excited about the work and the possibilities.

Need help hiring tech talent for your company? Call Morgan Hunter. As Kansas City IT recruiters, our Information Technology Division specializes in recruiting technology professionals, ranging from Chief Information Officers to Desktop Support. All candidates are rigorously screened by our consultants to ensure their technical compatibility, and to identify the personality traits which allow them to blend smoothly into your organization. Give us a call to learn more.