How to avoid hiring the blasé employee
In highly technical fields qualified candidates are as scarce as hens’ teeth. The title is meant to be funny but if you’ve ever hired a coffee-drinking chatty gabby, clock watcher guy that runs like his pants are on fire at 5:00, you’re not laughing.
A specialized staffing firm can be very helpful in locating the right person. They have networks of talent to source from. For example, star candidates who may be employed and are not currently seeking opportunities. Though let the right person entice them with the right opportunity, and everything changes.
Consider the following when contemplating technical staff augmentation:
Write accurate job descriptions. Don’t let someone who can’t write a line of code describe your programming job. A seasoned programmer will pick up clichés in a nanosecond and they are not impressed.
Avoid writing descriptions that include every duty including the kitchen sink; must be able to work in a fast-paced environment; must be flexible, etc. Too many of this kind of descriptive is read by the reader as: “Hey we are going to use and abuse you, you up for it?”
Once you have a succinct job description:
Make a list in order of importance the qualities most important to you.
Are you looking for a code horse, don’t care if s/he is mute and miserable if the result is fast and accurate?
Do you want someone outstanding in writing programs along with the personality to take direction, mingle and contribute innovative ideas? Someone who peppers a little humor into the office?
Maybe good spirit and loyalty, outstanding communication skills is a priority. Perhaps s/he has a bit to learn in the technical arena, that’s OK, you can trust him/her implicitly, and will benefit from creative contributions.
Sounds odd to articulate it in this way, doesn’t it? But do, in the long run, it will pay off.
Be sure this list of preferences is known to all stakeholders especially your friendly neighborhood staffing firm. After all, they too want to engage the best of the best!
Do enlist the help of a professional staffing firm who is specialized in seeking out the area of expertise you need.
They cast a much wider net; as someone who lives and breathes the marketplace, they know all the unfished coves where talent swims. Their talent pools lie in places where online ads and Internet job boards will never reach.
Don’t dither, especially if it is a consulting engagement. Quality tech professionals do not stay on the market for long.
Yes, it is an investment. People sometimes conclude that using internal resources saves money. When you add the costs of advertising, manpower to monitor and post job boards and time invested to weed out the dandelions; the real cost will surprise you. It’s not however just about budgets and costs. It’s about people. Not to mention the severe heartburn of hiring the wrong person.
Networking for job opportunities