Hiring top-tier tech talent has become increasingly complex in today's rapidly evolving job market. As organizations strive to keep pace with technological advancements, the recruitment process for technical roles has had to adapt significantly. The need for new hires with a constantly growing skillset presents recruiters with a serious challenge, especially in organizations outside the tech industry.
Recruiting for technical roles is a complex task that demands a thorough examination of a candidate’s technical and social competencies. At HRCI, we recently navigated this process while hiring two full-stack engineers. Our journey provided us with valuable lessons we are eager to share. Remember, every mistake is a step towards success.
Early in our search, we encountered a startling issue: misrepresentation. Some candidates who appeared impressive on paper and passed initial technical screenings had provided misleading or false information about their experience, geographic location, educational background, criminal history, identity, and more! This issue is more common than you might think. One 2023 survey found that 35% of Americans admit to having lied during the hiring process, and a staggering 75% have lied on a resume or application. Talk about a minefield!
After a few imposters made it through early rounds of screening, we implemented a series of changes to weed them out. While hiring a reputable background check service is effective, it can be prohibitively expensive for many organizations. Instead, we opted for a more budget-friendly approach: deeper in-house vetting. We began by prioritizing referrals from our trusted personal networks. Once we’d found a candidate of interest, our team researched their resume, references, and general online presence to verify their identity and work history.
For applicants coming from outside your immediate network, it is also a good idea to ask for secondary references. Though time-consuming, conducting brief conversations with provided references and asking them to name others can offer additional insights. This approach often reveals a more accurate picture of the candidate and works to spot discrepancies or red flags.
Once we completed identity verification to ensure candidates were who they said they were, we set up a virtual, on-camera conversation with our CIO. This discussion was crucial for assessing technical know-how and their grasp of soft skills, such as the ability to explain problem-solving processes and communicate technical concepts effectively. For our purposes, we were seeking candidates who were transparent, concise, respectful, and able to articulate technical concepts. Hiring an engineer who understood our culture and would become part of the team was a non-negotiable in our search.
Following this initial interview, we invited the most promising candidates back for a rigorous technical assessment. We used online tools to evaluate their coding proficiency and problem-solving approach in a simulation of the work expected at HRCI. This provided another way for us to establish that the candidates skills and abilities were legitimate.
If you’re a recruiter coming from the non-tech world, at this point, you’re probably thinking, “This sounds like a lot of work.” And you’re absolutely correct. When hiring for a technical position, you need to be prepared to spend more time than you’re used to finding the right candidate—that’s why specialty recruiters and staffing firms provide these services. But at the same time, since it’s not every day our organization needs technical talent, this was our first rodeo with tech hiring—and we’re sure we aren’t the only ones!
Because the technical aspects of these positions may be outside your wheelhouse, you’ll need to work more closely with your tech team to adapt your recruiting process. Be prepared to change your approach as your understanding of the role and the current talent landscape changes. Be open to a search that lasts more than the standard few weeks—and be ready to explain why this kind search takes longer to your leadership team. After all, the expanded effort supports finding of the best possible additions to your team!