Through my recent work sourcing for both a VP of Digital and Head of Technology, I’ve seen firsthand how a poor hiring decision for a Senior IT Manager can wreak havoc on a business. The consequences can be truly disastrous!
What I mean by ‘bad hiring’ is not paying attention fully to the role that needs to be filled.
When the opportunity arises to bring on a Senior IT Leader, it’s crucial to access your business’s current IT needs and even more importantly your IT strategy and vision for the future of your company.
Heading to market for a top IT player? You need to know the answers to the following questions
- Have you plans to upgrade your ERP/CRM in the next 24 months?
- Are you concerned about further IT personnel leaving the organization and with all the historical knowledge of the company’s IT infrastructure?
- Are you finding it difficult to get collaboration across the management table for IT investment or an understanding of the importance of keeping up with technology for your specific industry?
- How is morale within the existing IT team?
In my experience, of interviewing and selecting IT candidates for senior management IT roles they often fall into 3 categories
- Category 1 – IT candidates who have focused on leadership roles for the past 5 – 10 years letting their tech expertise fall behind.
- Category 2 – IT Candidates focused solely on technology which can be detrimental to their people management skills.
- Category 3 – The Gold Star IT Candidates, those who blend strong people skills with a genuine love of technology and how new technologies can help improve efficiencies and solve company problems and provide IT solutions to business future needs.
When you think about it, you wouldn’t dream of hiring an accountant who struggles with numbers or an engineer who lacks design interest.
So the obvious is very important when hiring an IT Senior Leader. They most definitely have to be a people person, confident and experienced in leading a diverse team, no question but they need to be passionate about Technology.
They are your organizations Tech evangelists keeping the company’s technology in line with trends and solutions for your industry. They have to beat the drum everyday to bring everyone else on board so that your company will be at the forefront in your industry.
‘The Times they are a changin’ to quote Bob Dylan, never has it been so important to have the very best IT professionals working for you!
If you would like to discuss resourcing for IT personnel please email me imelda@starrecruitment.ie
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