Recruiting for any employee role involves following a variety of general recommendations for attracting top-notch talent, conducting careful screening and initial interviews, or otherwise increasing the quality of applicants. IT recruiting, in this regard, is no different. Aside from general recommendations, however, there are some tips to consider when recruiting IT professionals. Such tips include understanding the IT community, having a clear understanding of job descriptions and the associated skill sets needed, as well as reviewing resumes for accomplishments that are legitimately quantified.
Competition regarding professional accomplishments is steep within the IT community. Pursuit of accomplishments can often increase the expectations of IT professionals regarding the challenges, work environment, and autonomy offered by a particular employer. Laws of supply versus demand can greatly influence a particular professional's expectations of an employer, especially if the candidate has specialized certifications in high demand.
Existing IT team members have valuable information regarding candidates and public perception of an employer, so relationships with such team members should be developed. Understanding what value a particular company offers to potential candidates also helps recruiters address expectations and build a network of contacts within the IT community. Between fostering connections in the IT industry and understanding the expectations of candidates, professionals responsible for IT recruiting stand a better chance of attracting the best candidates.
Beyond community connections and understandings, job descriptions are also imperative to successful IT recruiting. Knowing exactly what a specific job entails and the skills needed helps hiring managers and recruiters attract the right candidates and evaluate resumes. As such, IT recruiting should also involve building a relationship and conducting needs assessments with IT managers. After all, the IT manager knows best exactly what type of candidate he or she needs in terms of skills, previous experiences, and accomplishments, as well as any formal education or certification needed.
Aside from specific job-related IT skills or industry certifications, candidates under consideration for IT recruiting should possess core skills sets and professional traits. The ability to coordinate multidisciplinary groups and projects is essential. Project management and leadership skills are needed to foster, and ultimately achieve, the ongoing collective success of an IT team or department. Additionally, the need for companies and organizations to analyze large volumes of data across numerous platforms makes critical thinking skills a must for any IT candidate. Equally important is an innovative nature, since technical innovations can save an organization on costs, offer a new unique selling proposition, or otherwise improve organizational performance.
Finally, professional accomplishments are a large part of an IT professional's resume. Quantified accomplishments, however, are easier to evaluate. For example, a candidate who states he knows a specific system is one thing, but a candidate who can state he used a specific system to cut an employer's operating expenses by 15% is another. Likewise, accomplishments such as managing a large software integration project should be quantified with specifics on maintaining monetary budgets and time commitments.