Looking to expand your IT team?

The latest evolutions in workplace technology, including cloud-based platforms, mean that IT isn't what it used to be. This also means that the process of recruiting the best IT professionals now and in the future has changed.

Check out these tips for successfully building your IT team:

Build a Team with Mixed Skills

According to the article “Building your IT Team: How your Recruiter Should Help,” building a great IT team starts with finding professionals who have a mix of skills.

Each IT professional you hire should have a well-rounded skill-set and each professional should bring and new and unique skill-set to create a well-rounded team.

For example, more experienced IT professionals have gone through the trenches of technology change while newer professionals have often grown up with cloud-based technology.

By stocking your team with professionals who have varying viewpoints and experience, the team will be better equipped to push your company's technology into the next era.

Entice the Right Talent

Want to recruit the best IT talent in your area?

Entice the top professionals to apply for the job opening by crafting great job posts.

Make the posts interesting, relevant and engaging to IT professionals. Make the posts visible to job boards that are most frequently visited by IT talent and, if you aren't getting any bites, revise as needed.

Ask the Right Questions

You can't find the best IT talent if you aren't asking the right questions. The IT industry comes with a range of terms that are often confusing to outsiders.

Your recruiter should be familiar with the industry's lingo and, if not, should bring your company's IT manager or another technology professional into the recruiting process.

Asking the right questions also means that you're probing a candidate's job skills, educational background, leadership skills and other areas.

Get the most out of every interview by avoiding pointless questions and, instead, by honing in on the questions that will lead you to the best candidate.

Know your Company's Needs

What is the biggest IT challenge your company faces now and what challenges is it set to soon face?

Knowing the answers to these and other technology-centered questions will help hone your search for the best IT help.

If you don't know your IT needs, you can't possibly find the best IT professionals to meet them.

Knowing your company's IT requirements can also help entice professionals who are interested in working on those needs.

Consider the Culture

A candidate's IT skills aren't the only pertinent qualities to assess through the selection process.

Rather, candidates you recruit should also match the company's culture.

Hiring IT candidates that are also solid culture matches can bring several future benefits including increased job satisfaction, lower employee turnover, fewer workplace conflicts and higher productivity.

Recruiting the best IT talent is crucial for pushing your company's technology into the next era.

Find the right candidates for your tech job openings by enticing them to apply, by asking the right interview questions and, most of all, by knowing your company's IT needs.

Photo credit: Image courtesy of cooldesign at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

About the Author: Shayla Ebsen is a freelance writer and editor with more than 10 years of professional writing experience both in the corporate and freelance settings.