In a challenging technology job market still favoring candidates, companies need a discerning approach to make the right hire. An informed hiring decision especially becomes critical when considering two candidates with similar skills and experience. In this scenario, the interview provides the hiring team with enough insights to ensure the correct choice gets made.
With a great new hire in mind, check out this advice on red flags when interviewing tech candidates. Use this information to avoid hiring the wrong person, and losing the resources spent recruiting and training them. In the end, this approach ensures your company benefits from an efficient and effective staffing process.
Is The Candidate Unprepared for The Interview?
Any sign of a lack of preparation for the interview provides useful insights into a candidate’s worthiness. Perhaps they stumble when answering basic questions about their technical skills and experience. A lack of a professional appearance also matters, even when conducting remote interviews.
Another red flag might arise if you prompt the candidate to ask a question of their own. If they seem unaware about your organization’s project work, tech stack, or values, it shows a lack of research. Consider another candidate when making your hiring decision.
Poor Performance During a Technical Interview
Technical interviews provide your hiring team with the means to separate the wheat from the chaff when vetting candidates. Use standardized questions to make it easier to compare candidates’ performance with each other.
In a similar manner, when interviewing developers, pay close attention to their coding style. Someone showing a tendency to be sloppy might end up being a poor fit on your team. Modern software development teams thrive on teamwork, with sloppy coders ultimately hampering the cohesion of your staff.
Poor Communication and Listening Ability
The interview provides great insights into a candidate’s speaking ability as well as their listening skills. Ask open-ended questions for a reading on their verbal communication skills. However, listening ability is more difficult to vet. So also, pay close attention to the candidate’s affinity for teamwork and being open to ideas from others.
Ask Candidates About Reacting to Their Own Mistakes
A critical interview question involves asking about how a candidate dealt with making a mistake earlier in their career. A tendency to blame others or express a failure to learn
from it reveals a critical red flag. Ultimately, your company needs selfless technology professionals able to work together seamlessly.
Still searching for top tech talent?
If your business needs an influx of tech talent, connect with the team at Transcend Solutions. As one of the top technology staffing agencies in the Pacific Northwest, we provide exceptional candidates to help your success. Schedule a meeting with us to discuss your hiring needs.