Step by step: IT selection processes

A future tech job is always an unknown path for employers who can’t find the key that convinces candidates. And all because they don’t have a very effective IT selection process. This has to stop.

In any sector and in any profession, profile selection processes are a very important part of the working world and usually generate stress in the candidate.

8 out of 10 candidates in an unsatisfactory process openly talk about their experience, and 1/3 of them do it proactively

The IT selection process is similar to the rest of the searches in other fields, but it has differences that make it unique, starting with the fact that it is not the tech professionals who come to the offer, it is usually the recruiters who contact them.

• Step 1. When the company is looking for the candidate
• Step 2. The (first) interview in IT selection
• Step 3. More interviews during the process
• Step 4. Technical test, mandatory in the IT selection process
• Step 5. Negotiating conditions

Step 1. When the company is looking for the candidate

There are advantages and disadvantages to the fact that it’s the company that’s looking for the employee. Obviously everyone likes to have variety and ease when looking for a job but this can turn into something negative when companies go from making offers in a sensible way to what we at Joppy call “spam”.

In the words of Jose, Full Stack at Joppy, “when a developer like me is looking for a job it’s nice to receive offers, as long as they more or less match what you are interested in and fit you. The problem comes when you start receiving offers even though you indicate that you are not actively looking for a job”.

❗️First stopper: when the offers start to be too many, without having a filter. Positions where you don’t fit, waste of time for both of you, lack of information regarding conditions and requirements… (a philosophy and values that we at Joppy do not share).

Jose goes on to tell us that even “once the offer is rejected the company may continue to insist or some even contact by somewhat invasive methods, such as calls to a phone number you never gave them or WhatsApp messages”.

“With this I don’t want to sound like a victim. I understand how hard it is for many people to have to constantly be applying to offers with no response. It is still a huge privilege for IT profiles to have a wide variety of jobs with good working conditions to choose from.” Having this privilege does not detract from the fact that companies must:

• Respect candidates’ privacy
• Maintain correct and polite forms of communication.
• Review which profiles fit with the offer to offer something meaningful.

Step 2. The (first) interview in IT selection

You have already found the profile that seems to fit and you are going to arrange the first contact. The first interview usually serves to resolve doubts on the part of both the company and the employee.

In most selection processes, the first phases are managed by the talent team (Human Resources)

❗️Second stopper: in our sector this first phase becomes especially complicated when sometimes the developer asks some technical data of the offer and the company does not know what to say, since usually the person in charge of the first contact does not have the necessary knowledge to answer.

¡Tip for recruiters! Before this interview it’s advisable to talk to the candidate to explain how the interviews will be: the first one with HR, the second one with his boss or team… so the techie will prepare his doubts according to who he has in front of him (for this, for example, in Joppy we have a chat to contact the different candidates).

Step 3. More interviews during the process

The questions and technical issues discussed in the previous step are usually left for a second interview with someone from the technical team.

This interview is necessary and dreams to be the one that works best. The person you talk to already knows how to answer your technical questions and also knows how to tell you more about the position you are applying for, everything flows better.

❗️Third stopper: in this phase of the interview you may forget to evaluate something as important as technical knowledge, which are the soft skills. Soft skills are non-technical communication and job performance skills that a candidate needs to perform 100% of his or her job.

Communication, creativity, determination, flexibility, leadership, negotiation and presentation are important soft skills for tech professionals. But every job is different

Step 4. Technical test, mandatory in the IT selection process

Here comes the famous (and dreaded) technical test. A tool that can be very useful for both parties but, be careful, it can also be a big problem in the selection process.

What are the characteristics of an optimal technical test?

• Logical duration. It cannot be a week of work, it has to be the minimum time to demonstrate a fraction of your knowledge.
• General subject matter. The best (and most useful) are those that pose a problem and require a process, which is what is really interesting. If you’re looking for specific solutions… well, you’re hiring a techie profile for a reason.
• Work ethic. Your tests should be focused on demonstrating experience and knowledge, not on solving a current problem in your company.

Step 5. Negotiating conditions

After the interviews and the technical test, both parties seem to be interested. It is time to reach an agreement on the termsofthecontract. At this point, the tech professional knows their advantageous position. In many occasions they will receive more advantageous conditions than in other sectors, or at least they will have more capacity to negotiate in their favor.

There are companies that offer a salary in the average of the sector, but that does not meet the candidate’s expectations. What can they complement it with? Jose tells us what they should NOT offer, because “telling you that they have fruit, a coffee machine and a very good environment is not an incentive. You can’t compensate me with a good environment, it should exist without being an advantage. If the company cannot meet your expectations, they should be honest from the beginning”.

He adds that the employee himself will decide, based on other benefits and the motivation of the project, whether to accept the position.

Tips for an efficient IT recruitment process

1. For the ideal candidate. That is, the one who fits perfectly with your needs and is interested in working with you.
2. Make clear the purpose of each interview. This way the candidate will be clear about what questions to ask in each phase.
3. It is not only important to ask technical questions. It is also important to ask questions about soft skills that will make the developer’s job more bearable.
4. Make a realistic technical test. Make sure you know the techie’s skills without asking him/her to solve a current problem.
5. Be aware of certain conditions from the beginning. Salary, associated benefits, responsibilities… don’t leave it to the end.

Source: Devskiller, Liveabout

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