Some see interviews as the perfect opportunity to make new connections and showcase their skills. But if you’re on the hiring committee and you have to sit through endless answers to the “Tell us about yourself” question, it might be getting old. You need help from tech recruiters.
As tech recruiters, it’s our job to find exciting candidates and introduce them to roles relevant to their skills and personalities. But it’s ultimately the hiring manager’s responsibility to make sure each interviewee will fit and add value to your team and organization.
The key here is preparation: if you have a set of questions lined up, everyone has an equal opportunity to shine. We suggest IT hiring managers ask the following 3 questions to get past the basics and dig a little deeper.
How Do You Keep Your Tech Skills Current?
Technology is constantly changing, so it’s important to make sure the candidate can keep up with the latest developments. Asking them how they stay abreast of the newest trends and tools gives you an idea of their commitment to learning.
This will also help you know what kind of tools and technologies they use—maybe your organization uses specific software they haven’t had experience with yet, or they’re familiar with a certain platform you’re not. It’s all valuable information that can help inform your hiring decision.
Depending on how they answer the question, it can also give you insight into how creative and proactive they are about their own development. Do they take online courses? Attend tech conferences? Read trade publications or blogs? Do they have a home lab? Ask.
What Do You Hope to Achieve in the First Six Months of Working Here?
A candidate’s response to this question is a great way to assess their career goals and identify how they can contribute to your company. It’s also helpful in determining whether they’ve taken the time to research the industry and become familiar with tech trends specific to your organization.
It’s important the candidate understands your team’s objectives and knows how he or she can help you reach them. This will also tell you if candidates have realistic expectations of the role and what kinds of results need to be achieved in the short term so you can measure their impact on your organization.
What Type of Work Environment Do You Thrive In?
The person you hire will be interacting with other members of the team, so it’s important to understand the candidate’s communication style and working habits. Does the candidate prefer a fast-paced environment? Do they work best independently or in collaboration with others?
Asking this question helps you get to know them better to assess whether or not they’re a good cultural fit. A successful team has members who work well together, and this question can help you uncover if they have the right attitude to make that happen.
Hiring the right person for your tech team doesn’t have to be a guessing game—just make sure you ask the right questions and have help from the right tech recruiter.
After Working at this Company
Ask this question and be in touch with the reality of demographics and job tenures. Candidates will appreciate you dropping the false narrative that people work at jobs for 30 years and get a gold watch and company retirement party, because in most cases that isn’t how it works anymore. “Where do you want to work when you’re done working here?”
This can work wonders at creating a more open conversation. Candidates may reveal their hobbies and passion projects. You may get a sense they actually want to go back to school or switch careers entirely. The question helps foster openness and possibilities neither party may have considered discussing or mentioning if sticking to the good old, “Tell me about yourself?”
Finding Out Whether They’ll Be a Good Culture Fit During the Interview
After 50 years of combined experience as tech recruiters, our team knows that good interview questions are essential to finding a good candidate. Someone may look perfect on paper but if they don’t live by the values of your organization and team, it won’t matter how impressive their resume is.
Be sure to ask questions that focus on scenarios and how they react to certain challenges. By getting to the heart of someone’s decision-making process, you’ll gain a better understanding of whether or not they’ll be the right culture fit.
Tech Recruiting Simplified With Aris Search
At Aris Search, we specialize in helping people find a more relevant position and company – which is to say, we help companies, also, find proven, productive talent. Our technology recruiting services take the guesswork out of seeking top IT talent. Our expert recruiters handpick qualified candidates who have proven experience and are a culture fit for your team.
Each of our tech recruiters believes in treating each candidate as an individual, taking the time to understand his or her skill sets and motivations so that our clients can make the best hiring decision possible.
Contact Aris Search today and let us take care of the hard work for you.
