Pragmatic Hiring for IT teams

Over the years, I have hired somewhere around a hundred individuals at various software development companies. In the beginning, it was really tough to know how to hire the right candidates and, like anything else, one gets better with practice. Here, I try to shine light on the processes I use and why these tips work for me. These suggestions work particularly well for hiring IT staff.

The Selection Criteria

There are three things I look for when hiring:

  • Talent and Passion
  • Ability to Work with Others
  • Team Fit

Talent and Passion Over Background

I have found that choosing the best candidates is not always about what’s on the resumé or depth of experience. If I’m hiring a Senior developer for team lead position, of course, I will look for that experience in the job candidate’s background as a primary criteria for the job fit. However, I do not place an emphasis on whether that candidate has a Ph.D. or what his/her GPA is.