How Can You Identify Top Technical Talent?

Evaluating technology talent can be one of the most trying efforts of your HR department. This is due to the variable, ever-changing nature of the IT industry. Let’s take a look at some differences between a winning candidate (Do’er) and a losing one (Speaker).

The Difference Between a Do’er and a Speaker

A Speaker is a major fear of hiring managers as it represents a type of bait-and-switch effect for an organization. Those who are simply gifted at the verbal aspects of interviews but do not have the sustenance in their abilities to actually get the job done can be a critical hiring mistake.

Do’ers are those who may or may not provide the same vocalization of their talents, but are actually able to deliver on their promises to a prospective employer. These are the type of candidates a given HR department dreams about at night. Although there are significant discrepancies in the results of these candidates, it is unfortunately a difficult task to differentiate between them during the pre-hire period. Generally, these are the two categories of candidates that make it to a point where they are truly being considered for a position, as the others should be weeded out by then.

How to Spot Speakers Early

There are several methods for evaluating these two types of potential candidates, such as:

1. Test Their Knowledge – Try giving them an aptitude test that is specific to the position to assist in evaluating their value to your organization. Personality testing can also be a viable option here as they give insight to a candidate’s inner self, hopefully resulting in valuable data to aid your decision.
2. Trust, but Verify – While we would like to believe that no candidate would lie about their accomplishments with a past organization, it is a cause for concern. Trust what they say during the interview as skepticism may be off-putting to the candidate. After that, verify their responses with previous employers.
3. Get Specific – Make sure to ask relevant, specific questions about the responsibilities of a role. This is a vital aspect to the separation process as those who are equipped with the tools to succeed will prove themselves if their plans are closely scrutinized (within reason, of course).

Numbers Don’t Lie

The constant variable in an evaluation, no matter what type of wordplay accompanies them, are numbers. That’s right, quantifiable metrics need to be included as part of the explanation of their experiences and professional victories. It is important to not get too caught up in the pleasant thoughts that accompany a Speaker’s motive and ground their production in the reality of the situation. Finding dedicated, competent IT talent can be a real headache for any HR department. If you’re spending so much time and resources securing interviews with potential candidates, why not make sure they can actually do the job once they are hired?