HITS

The vast majority of IT hiring managers have made bad decisions when recruiting new talent for their companies, according to new research by Robert Half Technology.

Ninety-five percent of IT hiring decision makers who responded to an online survey by the company admitted to making a bad hire and 38% acknowledged it was because of a skills-based issue, Robert Half said. Translation: the new hire couldn’t perform the job he or she was hired to do because they lacked adequate technical skills.

“Whether they’re recruiting for a ‘purple squirrel,’ ‘unicorn’ or ‘rock star,’ tech hiring managers say there is often a disconnect between the skills they need and the skills of the people they hire,” Robert Half said in a news release announcing the findings.

Interpersonal issues and poor corporate culture fit cumulatively accounted for more than 50% of the hiring mistakes and 39% of technology leaders indicated technical skills were the hardest thing to assess in a job interview, the company said.

The challenges often start right from the beginning of the hiring process, as 39% of IT managers said adequate technical skills were the most difficult thing to evaluate during job interviews. Corporate culture followed close behind, at 37%, while 23% of survey respondents indicated soft skills were the hardest to gauge.

“Hiring someone who is a poor job fit can hurt your business by hindering productivity and eroding team morale,” Ryan Sutton, district president at Robert Half Technology, said in the announcement. He added: “Current employees who are likely already stretched thin must scramble to fix mistakes or handle extra work.”

Sutton went on to say: “The interview process should be thorough enough to evaluate technical and soft skills, and determine a candidate’s fit with the organizational culture, while also being fast enough to avoid losing top prospects to other offers.”

Robert Half Technology provided five suggestions to assist hiring managers in avoiding costly mistakes when recruiting IT talent. First, they should be clear with what they are looking for in a new hire. “Recruiting the right talent starts with a solid job description,” the company said, adding: “When drafting one for an existing position, re-assess the responsibilities to ensure the current requirements still match the role. If it’s a new position, include the full scope of duties so there’s no confusion once an employee starts.”

Second, it’s important to test technical skills, so strong candidates should be asked to take a technical assessment to test them on key skills required for the jobs they are being hired for, according to the company.

Third, it’s important to get one’s team involved in the hiring process, the company said, suggesting: “When conducting interviews, have peers, direct reports and other colleagues meet with the candidate early in the interview process. This will give you insights into the potential new hire’s interpersonal skills and whether he or she will be a good fit with the team and your corporate culture.”

Fourth, it’s important to be flexible, the company said, adding: “In this tight candidate market, it’s challenging to find applicants who meet 100 percent of the requirements. Determine which skills and experience are must-haves versus nice-to-haves and be willing to train promising candidates who may fall short on skills or experience but would otherwise be a great fit.”

Last, it’s a good idea to “take a trial run,” the company said, concluding: “Consider bringing on a contract employee when you’re hiring for a critical role. This will take some stress off your team while allowing you to evaluate the candidate’s fit for a full-time position.”

The online survey was developed by Robert Half Technology and conducted by a leading independent research firm. The report was based on responses from more than 2,500 senior managers in 26 major U.S. markets, the company said, noting all respondents were screened to have hiring authority for the information systems or information technology department of a company.