3 Steps You Should Take Before Making an Offer
Looking for the right person to fill a position, especially in an IT role, can be a drawn-out affair. In many cases, the challenge of finding an appropriate applicant can feel so overwhelming people just want to get it over with. Of course, most decision-makers realize the danger in doing that.
Persevering with finding the right person for a job can often mean the difference between having to go through another IT recruiting process sooner than you would like, and having a new human resource that provides years of outstanding work and contributes to your company culture.
But what happens if you find someone who you feel “nails the interview” and really has you excited? Before you start thinking about making the call or sending an email with that job offer, there are a few essential steps you should take to ensure you’re making the right decision.
Verify the Information Listed on a Resume
One of the most important early steps of any evaluation is devoting time and energy to confirming the details an applicant gives you on their resume. It’s understood that this can be a tedious, time-consuming process, but at the same time, it can save you a lot of grief, especially if you’re not using an IT recruiting firm to do your research.
Remember, everyone knows how potentially lucrative an IT job can be, and, unfortunately, it doesn’t take much effort to stretch the truth about certain details on a resume.
If an applicant lists they’ve attended a particular school and received a degree there, be sure to check. Everyone wants to hire a graduate from a prestigious school, but if that applicant never actually attended, the fact that he or she misrepresented it should be a big red flag.
Check Out Their References
There’s a prevailing, very popular opinion with some job hunters that “no one actually checks your references.” In a majority of hiring scenarios, those job hunters may be right. Once again, as with verification, actually taking the time to reach out to references and talk about a potential applicant is something that many people fail to follow up on.
The reasons are varied, from it being too time-intensive to not being worth the effort when other factors are considered, but don’t ignore this opportunity.
In the best case scenario, taking the time to email or call and have a conversation with a reference can tell you more about an applicant than you know. You can get work-related stories this way, and a better understanding of how others regard the applicant.
In the worst case scenario, you may find the applicant embellished. But it’s more likely that you will be encouraged to hire them because they put their education to use and worked well in a previous position. Whatever the case, it is always better to get the full picture.
Discuss Hypotheticals
If you’ve got a good feeling about a candidate—or candidates—then the next step when it comes to exercising your IT recruiting skills is talking about hiring conditions. You want to make sure this potential hire stays with you, rather than jumping ship the first time a better offer comes along. You’re better armed with keeping this new hire around if you actually know what he or she defines as a better offer, so take the time to find out now.
Get on a call, inform the candidate that you’re taking things to the next level of decision making, and start feeling out what he or she needs in order to take the job. What are their salary expectations? Is there an upper threshold for just how much travel he or she is willing to do? Are there any special medical or family considerations that have to be met and are non-negotiable?
The more you know about what your candidate is looking for in an ideal tech job, the more you can see whether you can provide the right conditions. Once you know how well aligned your company and the candidate are, you can decide if making an offer is the best next step.
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Find more helpful articles like this one in our Ultimate Guide to Hiring Executive Talent in Technology.