With IT recruitment at a peak currently, especially in the Indian startup sector, the demand for the best tech candidates is at an all-time high.
This has resulted in more resources being expended on hiring the right candidate. Any shortcoming whilst IT recruiting might result in missing out on a great candidate and losing a lot of resources at this financially critical time.
At CodeQuotient, we have made a list of mistakes to avoid during IT recruitment.
The 6 Mistakes to DEFINITELY Avoid During IT Recruitment
The list below covers some of the most common yet significant mistakes recruiters make during IT recruitment. Steer clear of the below-mentioned mistakes to make the best hire without using a lot of resources.
1. Waiting for the Perfect Candidate
Every recruiter wants to hire the perfect candidate who ticks all the boxes. However, hoping to find the perfect candidate every time you hire seems more like an ideal scenario than one based on reality.
Passing off candidate after candidate in the hopes of finding ‘The One’ can result in losing a lot of resources over a period. Instead, figure out beforehand what you’re willing to compromise and start the hiring process. This way, you know when to stop looking.
2. Hoping a Candidate Will Fit Into the Company’s Culture
Every company has its way of functioning, and it’s given that a new hire needs to adjust to that. So while some candidates may blend themselves immediately into the company’s environment, others might take a while.
However, the problem arises when the candidate is a complete misfit, yet you hire that person hoping they’ll eventually blend in. Some candidates never make the transition or take a long time to blend in.
Even with a well-structured induction system, spending resources to make the candidate learn your way of working may not be worth it in the long run. So, you’ve got to foresee if the candidate can blend in.
3. Not Testing for the Specific Skill You’re Looking For
From leadership skills to problem-solving to interpersonal skills, there are many requirements that a particular position might have. Unfortunately, recruiters often make the mistake of testing a candidate to see if they make for an overall fit rather than checking to see if they have specific skills.
Tech jobs require specific skill sets like proficiency in certain languages and being in IT recruitment, you need to test for those skills. A great way to do this is to get domain experts to interview or be a part of the interviewing panel.
4. Not Having Timed Assessments
Assessments are a great way to test a candidate’s skill set. However, even more, important is to test the candidate in a timed environment, which some recruiters fail to do.
A timed assessment is essential because, in an actual workplace, there are always going to be deadlines to adhere to. Therefore, a timed evaluation is a perfect way to see whether the candidate can perform under pressure.
So, hiring without making the candidate go through a timed assessment is like taking a gamble, which is never good for IT recruitment.
5. Check for Unconscious Bias
There is a significant gender disparity in the tech industry. Women make for less than 14% of the total workforce in software engineering and 25% in computer-science-related jobs. This has resulted in an unconscious bias in IT recruitment, especially when writing job descriptions.
Many recruiters use terms like ‘coding ninjas’ or ‘warriors,’ which many women don’t associate with, rather than gender-neutral terms like ‘team player’ and ‘proficient coder’.
The use of gender-specific adjectives subtly hints to women candidates the job profile is exclusively for men. Therefore, you need to keep your job descriptions gender-neutral to attract talent from all spheres and genders. Choosing the right word in the 21st Century is critical.
6. Taking Too Long to Respond
Often, recruiters take their own sweet time to get back to a candidate after an interview. It’s a psychological trick that sometimes works as it puts you in the driver’s seat; however, the same may not hold in the current job market.
Today candidates have plenty of companies to choose from. So, if you take too long to respond to them after an interview, you risk losing them to a competitor.
Therefore, during the interview, give the candidate a tentative date by which they could expect an outcome. And if there are any delays due to unforeseen circumstances, you need to keep them in the loop.
How can CodeQuotient Help with IT Recruitment?
We hope you can find a suitable candidate soon now that you know what mistakes to avoid when recruiting for IT jobs. At CodeQuotient, we help companies find the best IT professionals, so please contact us with any questions or concerns about IT recruitment.
Our grads work with industry leaders like Samsung, Amazon, Oyo, 1mg, Gojek, and Posist. How our hiring works:
- We enrol the top 10% of applicants in our program
- CodeQuotient learners work directly with industry-leading mentors for about six months
- All learners build at least two market-ready applications using the latest tech before they grad
- You hire industry-ready candidates trained by experts with a fully functional portfolio
Interested? Strike a conversation today. Click here. You can also visit the CodeQuotient blog for expert info and advice about digital hiring HR management.
