Many companies find it challenging to hire IT professionals, especially if the interviewer isn’t well-versed in the particular specialty. Often, a tech employee’s success isn’t just based on possessing the right skills, so a simple checkbox approach won’t be sufficient. To make sure you are hiring the right candidates, it’s important to ask the right questions. Here are a few that every IT job seeker should be asked, and what you can learn from the responses.
What are two major trends affecting the IT industry, and how do you see them impacting your profession?
This question helps hiring managers determine a candidate’s perspective on the bigger picture. It allows the applicant to show their awareness of current trends and their potential effect on the industry. Additionally, it lets you know which job seekers are staying abreast of what is happening in their profession and what changes may be on the horizon.
Candidates who can identify the trends and describe their impact with relative ease are often more in tune with the industry and are more likely to have a passion for the subject matter.
Tell me about a time you were asked to perform a task that you had never done before or didn’t understand.
The purpose of this inquiry is to assess how an applicant handles assignments when they aren’t familiar with the subject matter. Are they a self-starter who will research solutions and gather necessary information? Are they immediately going to expect more direction from the supervisor?
With many IT positions, facing the unknown or dealing with emerging technology is part of the job. This means most strong candidates should have suitable examples that demonstrate how they handle these challenges. Job seekers who can’t provide an answer may not have experience with managing change on the job or could struggle if such a situation arises.
Do you get bored easily?
While this question doesn’t have an inherent right or wrong answer, it can provide insight regarding whether they are right for a particular role. For positions that involve a lot of variety or moving between projects at a fairly rapid pace, a person who says they bore easily may appreciate the challenge of the work and find it engaging. However, if the role is more consistent, someone who doesn’t bore easily and enjoys digging deeply into a single aspect of the work may be ideal.
If you could make one change at your current/previous workplace, what would it be?
This question serves multiple purposes. First, it gives the candidate a seemingly open opportunity to criticize their current or prior employer and co-workers, which can provide indications about their overall attitude. Second, it gives them a chance to look at that workplace strategically, analyzing whether something could be shifted to make the workplace more appealing.
The exact content of their answer is less important than how they address the question. And it can provide you with important information regarding their attitude and potential underlying motivations that have them back on the job market.
If you are looking for an IT professional to join your team, the recruitment specialists at The Squires Group have the industry expertise to help you find an ideal candidate. Contact us today to see how our services can ease the strain of finding the right tech worker for any position.
