First off, congratulations to the IT managers of SMBs! You are fortunate to have found two tech candidates that are willing to work for you. Many companies are struggling to find one these days. Here are some tips when you have two strong tech candidates and how to make the best decision.
One of the responsibilities of modern IT managers today is to find the right tech talent if there are any open positions on your tech team.
This process of hunting down the best tech talent out there is not as easy as it seems.
Choosing the right candidate who can fill in the position on your tech team involves more than just assessing their technical skills. What you want is tech talent that can offer the company value. You are looking for someone who has commendable interpersonal skills, a strong internal drive to learn and improve, and has an ability to function as a team player. This is somewhat a brief description of a candidate who can benefit your department and the company on the whole.
IT managers consider choosing between two seemingly ideal tech candidates for just one open position on their team a tough nut to crack. But there are few methods that can be employed to break the tie. This article will walk you through all those things which need to be considered when it comes to making a tough choice between two talented tech candidates.
1- What Are the Differences Between Them?
Selecting one out of two promising tech candidates is like choosing between Peyton Manning and Tom Brady. Both of them are top-tier quarterbacks, but still, there are some differences between them which ought to be considered if you are to name one better than the other. Same is the case when IT managers have to make a decision in favor of one tech candidate. One of the best ways to go about it is to identify the differences between the two candidates and list them down. This way, you will be in a better position to make the decision. You will clearly see which one of the candidates has the qualities that are better suited to you and your department.
2- In 5 Years…
After considering the individual qualities of both the candidates, IT managers can estimate which one of them would prove to be more beneficial and rewarding to the department and the company in the long run. Not too long, a period of next five years will be enough to consider. See which one of the tech candidates is more driven by ambition and opportunity. It’s a quality that can take the company to the next level. IT managers can also take into consideration candidates’ potential over experience. Consider which tech candidate is bringing a fresh perspective and new ideas that can pave the company’s way for success and innovation in the next few years.
3- Who Is the Better Cultural Fit?
There is one very crucial aspect of hiring that IT managers must never underestimate. It’s the impact new tech talent will have on the culture of the company. When it comes to hiring tech talent, there is a trend in SMBs of hiring a candidate who has the highest level of intelligence and the best skill set. Other important elements, like the ability to collaborate, teamwork, and humility are easily ignored. If you don’t factor in these traits of candidates in your hiring process, you will end up ruining the culture of your team, which would obviously impact the culture of the company. Thus, instead of risking the culture of your workplace, it’s better if you hire tech talent that complements the company’s culture and blends in without disrupting it.
4- Who Wants to Be Here More?
The candidate who’s willing to become a part of the company more than the other candidate deserves a chance. This kind of tech candidate will have three traits you must never overlook.
- Integrity: This is something which is a fundamental aspect of hiring tech talent. You can’t hire a tech candidate whose honesty you can’t trust. A candidate who respects the company and wants to be part of it will be honest and will do things that are in the best interest of the company.
- The Desire to Achieve: A tech candidate with a desire to achieve knows how to gather resources and accomplish the assigned task.
- Enthusiasm to Adapt: In this day and age, you cannot make the mistake of hiring a tech candidate who is not willing to adapt as the technology changes. The candidate who has this quality will go the extra mile to keep the company technologically ahead of time.
Always gauge the level of interest and excitement in both candidates to determine which one is more passionate about joining your team.
Who Lives Closer?
Commuting to work every day can be challenging and tiresome if you live far away from your office. It definitely impacts your work-life balance. If one of the candidates lives only five minutes away from the office, and the other lives an hour away, you can see which one of them will be happier with this job and which one will grow to hate it.
Can You Hire Both?
For IT managers, it can be very tough to decide in favor of one candidate. It can also hurt to let the other one go, especially if the second candidate was equally capable and brilliant. After all, good tech talent that is willing to work for you is a rare thing to find these days. So what can you do? You can consult with the CIO and CTO and see if there’s a possibility of hiring both of them. If it’s for the good of the company, then consider this option.
For IT managers, it is imperative to ensure that the values of tech candidates are in line with the values of the company. That’s the best way to single out one candidate. The candidate whose values are aligned with those of the company will be a good culture fit. And that’s what you’re supposed to do. You hire for fit and train for skills. As it turns out, companies that have put skills first have always come to regret it.
Are you finding it harder to locate the good technical and IT talent? Many companies find them selves in the same situation. There are some better ways to locate and attract the right it and technical people to your company. Contact us to learn more.