Recruiting is a very challenging task today, especially when you consider the talent shortage in the tech industry. For fear of not filling a vacancy, we may end up hiring something that turns out to be the wrong fit, whether it’s because they don’t have the right qualifications, or they don’t share the same company values. The cost of a wrong hire can be 2.5 times the amount of their annual salary, so not a mistake we can afford to make.
Here are 5 things that you should be doing to ensure you are vetting your candidates and hiring the best candidate is 2020.
- Choosing the Right Assessment Software
Hopefully, you will have received plenty of resumés. In the case of large companies, it could be hundreds. The first task is to filter out those candidates who do not qualify. Assessment software is able to do this much faster than humans can, including cover letters and additional material that has been sent with the resumé.
Not only can the right software help with the organization of candidates it can also greatly reduce the risk of bias. When humans vet resumés we tend to see certain characteristics that we may like rather than focusing on actual skills. Software with integrated AI uses algorithms to detect keywords in an applicant’s resumé. Rather than looking at age or the reputation of a university, AI will filter out candidates who have the skills to fulfill the role. The result can be a team with greater diversity.
Much of the software also contains programming tests and assessments that candidates are able to do online. Results are immediate and presented in a way that is easy to see who has the right skills. The time saved by using the right software can greatly speed up the recruitment process.
- Using an Outsourcing Company to Vet Candidates
There is still only so much software can do. Once you have a list of candidates with the right skills, human interaction is then required. Face to face or virtual interviews still need to be carried out and this is going to be time-consuming. Many companies are now using third-party recruiters to outsource the vetting process.
Outsourcing agencies can be more objective than choosing to interview candidates yourself. Like AI, they have the ability to focus on the skills and qualifications to match the needs of a company. They have more experience and are able to find one specific candidate or an entire team. They are certainly a preferred choice for companies looking to fill executive positions.
- Understanding What Questions to Ask
We have all been asked the usual questions such as “What can you bring to our company?” or “Why should we hire you?”, but how much value do we actually get from questions that lead to predictable, rehearsed answers? Today, recruiters are asking smart questions that are both job-related and assess for cultural fit. Asking a candidate when they learned from past programming mistakes they made shows you about their attitude towards personal development and overcoming challenges. It is not always best to hire the person how has the answers you want to hear, but those who are able to clearly express their ideas and opinions.
- Don’t Just Focus on Background
We still tend to prefer those with a university degree or diploma. There are now other ways that IT specialists can gain their skills and qualifications. IT Bootcamps are becoming more popular, as is self-learning. Somebody who has taught themselves and can prove their skills may turn out to be of more value than someone who has completed a degree. Bear in mind that although JavaScript is one of the most popular programming languages, it is rarely taught as part of a computer science degree. Don’t just consider what is on the resumé, look at career trajectory to find the hidden talents that aren’t on paper.
