If you are in the Information Technology market or IT is a strong component of your company’s objectives, then hiring a multitude of skilled IT specialists is something you must do often. However, focusing just on IT-related skills may be limiting your company in hiring the best. This actually could be bad for business. Here’s why your recruitment strategy must include hiring other complimentary skills to balance things out.
Hire for Personality
The truth is, IT professionals are known for their highly analytical and technical skills, but they are lesser known for strong interpersonal skills that drive the company forward. Your business needs a variety of personality types in order to function well and to grow. Developing a recruitment plan that includes hiring based on personality fit for your corporate culture is more important than just narrowing it down to IT skills.
Need Innovators and Creatives
Along with hiring people from diverse backgrounds like sales and administration to augment your current IT teams, you will also want to hire a certain number of creative types. These are independent thinkers, innovators, and outside-the-box candidates who have a strong entrepreneurial spirit. Think “Steve Jobs” and “Mark Zuckerberg,” and you have the idea.
Team Players Matter
IT professionals often work best alone, but some also play well with others in team environments. When hiring for your company, look for candidates who possess the ability to work well with different types of people, including cross-departmental and culturally diverse teams. Your company may be outsourcing work to other nations, so you need people who respect and can work with others in this type of global atmosphere.
Temporary Workers
If your company is struggling to recruit both IT professionals as well as other complimentary skill sets and personalities, then a temporary workforce model may be a solution. The staffing agency can bring in people who have worked well in the past with IT teams and who understand the uniqueness of this work. Temps can augment current teams for short and long term projects, or be hired on for occasional contract jobs.
Remember, when interviewing candidates, be sure to look at the bigger picture for your recruitment strategy and hire some big thinkers who can take your business to the next level.
