Tips for doing well interviewing tech professionals

One thing is not new, we know that the accelerated growth of the technology market has been challenging and transforming the way in which the Recruitment & Selection (R&S) area carries out its activities. This constant need has brought new requirements and thinking in this context, we brought here some tips that I use on a daily basis to be able to work quickly and efficiently in my selection processes for the technology area.

With the accelerated pace, the urgency to grow and develop high-performance technology teams has become a priority for most technology companies or even for companies of any other segment and size that are going through a moment of digital transformation.

Recruiting professionals in such a specific market as requires minimal knowledge of the subject. This does not mean that you will have to know how to develop software or understand programming logic in depth. =)

But if you want to be a good Tech Recruiter, here's my first tip: stay up to date and on top of what's going on in the tech universe. Podcasts about innovation and technology are a good starting point, here are some to get you started on your studies: Hipsters Ponto Tech, Café Debug, and Brain cast, among others.

Blogs and technology sites will also help you understand a little more about the subject, you can check out sites such as CanalTech, Olhar Digital, Alura blog, TechCrunch, The Verge, Porta 101, and Gizmodo, among others.

Another way to be up to date and even know a possible professional for your vacancy is to participate in discussion forums, you can find some on traditional social networks. A special tip, go directly to specialized sites like Stackoverflow, there is even a job post-service there that can help you get closer and meet professionals who don't easily apply to more traditional job platforms.

Talk to developers in your network and try to be open-minded to learn something different every day!

Tips for a good interview process

Here are some tips that, in my experience and understanding, work very well to be successful during an interview with technology professionals:

Understand a little about it.

Starting by understanding the difference between the departments that make up your company's technology area is critical.

All the main strands of technology are linked, but each with its different peculiarities. So, before anything else, when recruiting a technology professional, study a little about the characteristics of your area of ​​expertise.

Some examples of the main areas of technology:

– Engineering, development;

– Infrastructure, security;

- Data;

– Support and Operations;

– Innovation, and;

– in some cases: products.

Be ready!

For a good alignment with the technical team, even before the hunting process begins, it is essential to be aware of the technologies used by each professional and their difficulties in finding them in the market.

– Have in hand the MAIN technologies required by the vacancy, really know what is fundamental and what is desirable;

– Know the seniority level required by the requester;

– Know the structure of the technology team and where the professional will be allocated;

– Know well about the main challenges that this professional will face;

Hunting and initial approach

Tech professionals are sought after by recruiters daily in many ways, thinking about it, you have to win them over. Don't waste time, be direct and objective with the requirements of the position.

– R&S is serious business, but it doesn't have to be boring, be informal in your initial approach;

– Be clear in your approach and share as much information as possible about the company, projects, and challenges of the position and understand the level of engagement that the professional demonstrates in his first conversation. This can save you time on both sides.

Don't be afraid to ask

Don't be afraid or ashamed to ask about the technical part, and if you have to, ask more than once! There is no better way to learn than talking to those who really understand the subject. When a tech professional proposes to talk to a recruiter it is because he is interested in the opportunity, so it is also in his interest that the interviewer really absorbs the most relevant information. Every interview is a chance to learn something new, from the simplest, with the pronunciation of certain technologies to the functionality of frameworks. But one thing is for sure, after a few interviews, you will be much safer, asking fewer questions and with a much deeper knowledge of the position.

Conducting the interview.

Phew! If we've come this far, we're on the right track, now it's time for initial conversations.

– In a first chat, why not talk to the candidate over the phone? In my view, basic information about the professional's technical profile, salary expectations, and engagement in relation to the opportunity can be clarified in a brief phone conversation.

– Do we have the CV and basic information after the previous interview? Now is the time to schedule a little more in-depth conversation with the pre-approved candidates. At this point, each recruiter has a way of conducting the interview, but turning the interview into a more relaxed chat is a great way to capture the candidate's attention for the opportunity.

– As I said before, each recruiter has their method, but the interview has to have a beginning, middle, and end. Have it planned.

For example: We can tell more about the company, projects, and team structure at the beginning of the interview; In between, understand a little better about the candidate's professional experiences such as the main projects he participated, where and what technologies were used; and also better understand your behavioral profile; In the end, we can align candidate expectations versus company expectations.

Bonus Tips:

– Be open to inviting someone from the technical team to do the interview with you, it will be a great opportunity for you to learn even more, in addition to developing your technical colleague, who will learn with you how to conduct an interview.

– The candidate's fit in relation to the company is essential, identification with the company, culture, technologies, and projects must be 100% aligned.

– Salary expectation is an extremely important subject, leave it very well aligned from the first conversations

Conclusion:

To become an expert in recruiting technology professionals, there is no cake recipe, but prepare and be willing. Study, exchange knowledge with colleagues and candidates, and don't give up on any vacancy until you find the right candidate. You will have a great challenge ahead but the rewards are well worth the effort!