If you are in charge of finding the tech talent that will keep your organization running, you need to master the techniques for tech hiring managers that enable you to identify and onboard the best of the best.
As experts in technical recruiting, GTN has thousands of hours of experience interviewing candidates. This article shares our top methods for interviewing the world’s top tech talent for hundreds of organizations.
Understanding the Role of a Tech Hiring Manager
Before we delve into the techniques for tech hiring managers, we need to understand what sets a tech hiring manager apart. While all hiring managers are an essential cog in the recruitment wheel, an expert in the tech field requires that these individuals have a solid understanding of the tech landscape to be successful. The various positions a tech recruiter specializes in can range from software developers, software engineers, full-stack developers, installation field technicians, electrical engineers, cybersecurity specialists to desktop support.
In addition, an information technology recruiter needs a deep understanding of the industries they serve since each industry has specific worker requirements.
Seven Essential Techniques for Tech Hiring Managers
Recruiting for technical positions within your company can be daunting if you are underprepared. Perfecting the following seven techniques will ensure you hire the right candidate every time.
Showcasing Expertise through Technical Assessments
No surprise here; one of the first techniques for tech hiring managers to perfect is administering technical assessments – a staple of tech interviews. These evaluations measure the candidate’s hands-on skills and ability to face challenges. The assessment should visit the fundamental concepts required for the position you are hiring for and challenge the candidate to problem-solve.
Pose real-world scenarios that mirror real job responsibilities. For example, if hiring for a coding position, provide a challenge similar to one the candidate will face on the job. Such an evaluation can provide you with a glimpse into their on-the-job performance.
Assess how they approach complex challenges, their methodology in problem-solving, and their ability to break down problems into manageable steps. This will provide invaluable insight into how they would handle similar situations if hired.
The key here is not just to solve the problem but to showcase the applicant’s thought process. Being able to think critically and logically under pressure is a clear indicator of a strong tech professional.
Unveiling Character Through Behavioral Interviews
In the tech industry, beyond technical prowess, a candidate’s personal attributes play a significant role in their success in a position. Therefore, behavioral interviews are one of the essential techniques for tech hiring managers to master.
The SAR Method — Situation, Action, Result is a standard method used in behavioral interviews. This approach aims to explore past experiences and actions to predict future behavior. Behavioral interviews offer a comprehensive view of the candidate’s problem-solving skills, teamwork, adaptability, and tech capabilities.
Assessing Cultural Fit
While technical skills are vital, cultural fit is equally important. Therefore, one of the crucial techniques for tech hiring managers is crafting questions that give insight into how candidates align with your company’s values and team dynamics. This strategy may include inquiring about experiences working in diverse teams and how they’ve handled conflicts.
Remember that your role as a tech hiring manager extends far beyond just conducting interviews. Crafting questions that gauge technical proficiency and problem-solving skills, the applicant’s ability to collaborate, and how they handle feedback is critical to understanding the candidate’s fit in your company culture.
Evaluating Communication Skills
In tech roles, clear communication is essential, especially if the position you are hiring for requires client or customer interaction. A candidate’s ability to explain technical information to non-technical stakeholders – their clarity, conciseness, and willingness to adapt their communication style – can tell you much about whether they are well-suited for the role.
Navigating Remote Interviews
In recent years, remote interviews have become the norm. From initial get-to-know-you interviews to more intensive interviews with multiple phases, your technical prowess in the software platform you are asking the candidate to use can make or break the interview.
To excel in these settings, ensure a stable internet connection, a functional webcam, and clear audio to prevent technical issues. Choose a quiet, well-lit place with a neutral background to maintain a professional appearance. Taking the time to familiarize yourself with the video conferencing platform before an interview begins is one of the techniques for tech hiring managers that can give the candidate, and you, confidence in the process.
Ensuring Fair Evaluation
Structured interviews are a great way to ensure fairness. Doing so involves asking all candidates the same set of predetermined questions, enabling consistent evaluation. The focus should be on evaluating skills directly related to the role rather than making assumptions based on personal biases. This approach leads to more objective and informed hiring decisions.
Creating a Positive Candidate Experience
Creating a positive candidate experience in the tech industry is a vital technique for tech hiring managers to master. As technology evolves, the world is getting infinitely smaller, and creating an experience that reflects positively on your company’s values is crucial to your ability to recruit top talent. Start by providing clear instructions, regular updates, and constructive feedback after interviews.
Remember, even if a candidate isn’t the right fit for this position, their positive experience can contribute to a good reputation in your industry and potential referrals.
Bonus Technique: Leverage Your Needs With the Expertise of GTN Technical Staffing
Of all the techniques for tech hiring managers, leveraging the expertise of a technical staffing agency to simplify the interviewing process is quite possibly the most useful.
Whether you are searching for a CIO, cybersecurity expert, field services technician, or any tech role in between, GTN can streamline your hiring process, helping you find and retain the best employees. Our services and resources include a vast candidate pool, which we constantly grow, pre-screening candidates, providing pre- and post-interview feedback, and so much more.
Are you ready to simplify your tech hiring process? Please speak with one of our expert technical recruiters today to get started.
