Helen M. Overland

Top 10 Tips for Hiring Technical Staff
(For Not-So-Technical Managers)

By: Helen M. Overland, 2005

Hiring the right staff for the right position can at times be a challenging task. An organization is defined by its people. Your project is only as good as your developers and your Project Manager. You can implement all the systems and quality assurance testing in the world, but you can't improve without good people.

This is especially true when hiring for technical staff. You need good attitude, problem solving skills and creativity. You also need technical skills, and the ability to apply that technology to effectively solve real-world problems. Here are a few ideas on how you can maximize your search for the perfect technical employee.

1. Know Your Needs

Make sure you know what skills you need. Some skills are worth more than others and some skills cost more than others. Make sure you really need that Java developer, and not a JavaScript writer. If someone is leaving the position you are hiring for, get them to make a list of the skills required for the job. They should be in 2 categories: Required Skills, and Useful Skills. This could help make your decision easier and more cost-effective.

2. Explain Your Needs

Spell out clearly what is entailed in the job. If you need a Graphic Artist to create banner ads and leaderboards, then say so. Don't say "Graphic Artist needed for value-added marketing projects creating synergies with our target demographic". This may use a lot of interesting sounding words, but it does little to explain that you need someone with experience in web marketing. Instead try "Graphic Artist with experience in web marketing needed to create banner ads and leaderboards".

3. Hire For Your Needs

Some skills are gained through school, and some skills are gained through experience or on the job training. While both learning styles are equally valid, you need to make sure that the candidate actually understands the skills they are presenting. It's easy enough to learn a little CSS and say you know it. But to be able to use it to effectively solve problems, you need to really understand it.

Make sure you see a portfolio of their previous work. Find out what role the candidate played in the development of each piece. Whether it's print work, websites, programs or databases, try to get a sense of whether or not the candidate really knows their stuff. If at all possible, give a pop quiz at the interview. This can take the form of a short verbal or written test, or an actual "you have 15 minutes to build me something". Not only can this show you their abilities in their field; it can also show you their ability to work under pressure, and reveal more about their attitude.

4. Hire Appropriately

Hiring entry-level staff for mid-level positions may not be as cost-effective as it first appears. There are positions where this strategy can work out with supervision, such as hiring a student to seek out link exchanges. But positions that require planning, decision-making or strategy usually require some experience. There is a certain polished look that a good graphic artist gains after some experience. Some people are lucky enough to have natural talent in this area, but most people have to learn it. It is one thing to learn in school how to use the software. It is quite another thing to know how to effectively communicate the correct feeling to the target market.

This is even more true when hiring Website Managers. An experienced Website Manager has an understanding of what strategies work, and what strategies are more hype than substance. They are usually solid generalists who can excel in many areas. Don't assume that someone just out of school will understand how to use technology to improve service and ROI.

5. Go Where the Talent Is

Source your candidates where talent hangs out. If you know of a website where people with the skills you are looking for hang out, place an ad there. If you are not sure which site you need, or if you need more generalized skills, try a larger job board like monster.ca, or workopolis.com. Be prepared to receive a tidal wave of applicants. You may want to filter resumes and keep the deadline tight to limit the influx. It helps to set up a new email address just for the resumes and after the deadline simply have any new ones bounced or deleted. As a general guideline, avoid the classifieds. They are usually an inefficient way to find a job, and geeks generally turn to them only in moments of frustration.

6. Education Doesn't Mean School

Skills and experience can be learned on the job. What people learn in school is the proper use of software and conventions. These can also be learned outside of a school environment. Depending on the type of person, these skills are perhaps even better learned outside of school. A detail-oriented self-starter can learn a topic much more thoroughly in a real-world environment, where the goal is to solve actual problems, not get high marks.

7. Open-Ended Questions

It's not just technology skills that you need, it's also attitude, and the ability to apply those skills. You need to find out not only "can this person program in PHP?" but also "Can this person decide when to use PHP, make intelligent decisions on how to use PHP, and do it efficiently with minimum bugs, on time, and on schedule?

During the interview, ask open ended questions. Even if you know little about technology, you can get a good idea about the competence of the candidate by putting them on the spot a little. Ask questions such as:

• Explain how you have implemented the technology (that you require)
• What was your strategy for increasing online sales?
• How did you handle this situation?
• What issues did you encounter during the launch?
• What kind of bugs did you find and how did you deal with them?
• How can you improve our website/program/database?

8. Avoid Jumping on the Bandwagon

Just because you've heard about this such-and-such new technology that's so exciting, doesn't mean you need it. You may have heard that XML and RSS are the greatest thing since TCP/IP, but what are you going to do with it in a B2C environment? Is that worth the cost of this skill?

9. Get Help

If you are really not sure how to source and interview for the employees you need, consider hiring a headhunter. It could be worth the investment in the long run to get the right person for the right job at the right price.

10. Be Patient

If you hire in a rush, you may find it costing you more money in the long run. If you are pressed for time, consider a contract or temporary worker to fill the role until you can find just the right recruit.

Bear in mind, however, that hiring a temporary worker with the intent to try them out before hiring can sometimes help, but it can also backfire. This strategy does allow you to find out if someone is right for the position. However, successful professionals are usually employed professionals. What kind of candidate would be willing to leave a solid position for a temporary arrangement?

A company is defined by it's people, attitude and talent. It is worth the investment for the right employee.


©2005 Helen M. Overland. All Rights Reserved. SEO Search:    Search the Web with an SEO Focus: