How to Hire the Right Technical Employees

Have you ever hired and fired a technical employee in the same day? Do your interviews feel like bad first dates where in the first 5 minutes you start thinking of ways to escape? Did your last round of interviews result in nothing more than wasted time and effort? Hiring technical talent can be a challenge, especially when you lack the technical knowledge. Fortunately, there are ways to solve this problem.

Hiring the right employees is one of the most critical decisions you can make as a business owner. It can mean the difference between wild success and painful frustration. But how can you know that the person you’re interviewing will fit in and make the contribution you need to bring your business to the next level?

In the early days of my career I developed a method for picking out the most technical and skilled computer guy in a room. It often involved looking for a combination of long hair, beard, pot belly, awkward conversational skills, and/or wearing a t-shirt and sandals. But as I’ve refined my technique over the years, I find that my requirements have changed and so has my hiring strategy. I’m much more interested in people that not only understand the technology, but the business requirements driving those needs. But the most critical attribute for a new employee is having the right communication skills to fit with the team.

Phone Interview

I’ve found that phone interviews do two important things. First, it saves time. If the candidate doesn’t fit your needs and it’s readily apparent, it’s better to end things quickly on the phone and move on. Secondly it’s the perfect time to understand how well they communicate. Try having them help you install a piece of software or some other technical task on your computer. This will tell you a lot about their ability to provide service remotely, handle situations where they aren’t in control, and how hard they will work to help you accomplish your goals.

Office Interview

If they have passed the phone test it’s now time for the office interview. By reviewing their experience and skills, you can often find technical areas you don’t fully understand. That’s a great place to drill in and find the depth of their knowledge. Have them explain some technical concepts to you. You’re job is drill down to find the limits of their experience by asking “How” and “What” questions. Hopefully you can get then to say “I don’t know.” Good technical people understand their limits and can explain how they can move forward and figure things out.

Another thing to consider are the outside hobbies people have. I love to find employees that have hobbies that are closely related to their jobs. People who love what they do are more likely to be creative and excited about the tasks they are assigned. They are also more likely stay on task and be productive.

Nothing can compensate for actual ability. If possible give them some homework. It seems silly, but you test drive a car before you buy it, don’t you? Consider hiring them to do a small job as a consultant. Give them a task, an hourly rate, and a time limit. You’ll pay them for their time and receive valuable experience with the results of their work. Testing driving your new hires can help you find the blind spots before it’s too late.

Hiring employees that are both smarter and more knowledge than you can be intimidating to say the least. But with the right interviewing skills it becomes easier. Clearly it’s the right thing to do to help you business grow.