We gathered insights from top IT hiring managers through interviews on the Tech Talent Today podcast. Drawing from conversations with leaders, here are the top five soft skills to prioritize when hiring IT talent.

1. Problem-Solving Ability

Technical skills may help diagnose an issue, but problem-solving skills determine how effectively a candidate can find innovative solutions. IT professionals face complex, evolving challenges daily, and their approach to tackling problems speaks volumes about their capability.

Rob Diamond, VP Security Architecture/Engineering Manager, assesses this by introducing unfamiliar concepts during interviews. He observes how candidates apply new information on the spot, which reveals their problem-solving process and adaptability.

2. Adaptability

The tech landscape changes rapidly. New tools, frameworks, and security protocols emerge regularly, and the best IT professionals are those who can pivot without missing a beat.

Adaptable candidates are quick learners who embrace change, making them valuable assets in environments where priorities shift frequently.

3. Communication Skills

Strong communication isn’t just about speaking clearly; it’s about translating technical jargon into language that stakeholders, clients, and non-technical team members can understand. Effective communicators ensure projects stay on track and cross-functional teams remain aligned.

Sravan Muthiraj, VP Chief Product Owner, emphasizes that successful interviews are a two-way street. When hiring managers approach interviews with curiosity and aim to connect, candidates naturally reveal their communication style and ability to articulate complex ideas with clarity.

4. Emotional Intelligence (EQ)

Emotional intelligence is the ability to understand and manage one’s emotions while empathizing with others. IT projects often involve high-pressure situations, and professionals with high EQ navigate conflicts, offer constructive feedback, and maintain strong team dynamics.

Pasquale Cirullo, Vice President of IT, evaluates EQ by asking candidates why they left previous roles and what drew them to new opportunities. This approach sheds light on their self-awareness, motivations, and interpersonal dynamics—key indicators of emotional intelligence.

5. Time Management

IT professionals juggle multiple priorities, from tight project deadlines to unexpected system issues. Strong time management skills ensure they can deliver quality work efficiently without burnout.

During interviews, inquire about how candidates prioritize tasks or handle competing deadlines. Look for specific examples where they successfully managed time-sensitive projects without sacrificing quality.

Putting it All Together:

While technical skills get candidates through the door, it’s the soft skills that keep them thriving in your organization. Problem-solving, adaptability, communication, emotional intelligence, and time management are the cornerstones of IT success.

Want to dive deeper into how top IT leaders assess these skills? Check out the interview clips here: Work Together – Clearmont Technologies

The post Think Tech Skills Are Enough? Here’s Why You’re Wrong appeared first on Clearmont Technologies.

 The Overlooked Reality for Consultants Not every consultant has a spouse or family member with employer-provided benefits to lean on. For many, consulting is their sole income source, and the lack of benefits can leave them vulnerable.  A report by MBO Partners found that independent workers often face significant challenges in securing affordable health insurance, which can lead to financial stress and instability. Imagine trying to excel at work while worrying about affording medical care or saving for retirement. Consultants without benefits may face:

• Higher turnover: Seeking companies that can offer stability and support.
• High stress levels: Juggling health or financial insecurities on top of demanding projects.
• Decreased productivity: Concerns about personal well-being can lead to distractions and less focus on client needs.

Even consultants who do have access to benefits through a spouse or another source might hesitate to take on roles without benefits. Limiting access to benefits could narrow the candidate pool, leaving hiring managers with fewer options when sourcing the best talent.

Why It Matters to Hiring Managers As a hiring manager, you rely on consultants to deliver high-quality work efficiently. Without the stability that benefits provide, you risk losing your most skilled consultants or encountering underperformance.

Here’s why working with a IT staffing firm who offers benefits is a smart investment:

• Enhanced Commitment & Focus: Consultants who feel valued and secure—without worries about medical bills or retirement—are more engaged, motivated, and likely to stay with a project through completion.
• Access to Top Talent: Benefits make consulting companies more attractive, allowing them to recruit and retain the best professionals for your projects.
• Reduced Time and Cost of Turnover: Losing a consultant means starting over—wasting time on rehiring and training a new person and delaying project timelines as they get up to speed.

 Clearmont’s Commitment to Consultant Satisfaction: At Clearmont, we understand that satisfied consultants produce superior outcomes. That’s why we offer comprehensive benefits to our consultants, including medical, dental, and 401(k) matching. These benefits ensure our consultants can focus entirely on your needs, delivering the quality and dedication your projects deserve.

By supporting our consultants with benefits, we’re not just improving their lives; we’re giving you an edge. Hiring managers who partner with Clearmont gain access to a stable, loyal, and high-performing talent pool.

The Bottom Line Overlooking benefits isn’t just a consultant’s problem – it’s a risk for your project. Investing in consultants who are supported by benefits leads to better outcomes, stronger teams, and ultimately, greater success for your projects.

Are you ready to partner with Clearmont to ensure your consultants are supported, satisfied, and ready to excel? Contact us today to learn how we can help you build a high-performing team that’s committed to your success.

The post The Strategic Advantage: Why IT Staffing Firms Who Offer Benefits Deliver Superior Results appeared first on Clearmont Technologies.

1. Don’t Come Unprepared: Familiarize yourself with the candidate’s background and have relevant questions ready. This sets the stage for a productive and insightful conversation.
2. Avoid Talking Too Much: Remember, the goal is to learn about the candidate, not showcase your own expertise.
3. Don’t Ask Illegal or Discriminatory Questions: Steer clear of queries about age, race, religion, marital status, or other protected characteristics. Also note if your state bans discussing salary history.
4. Avoid Making Snap Judgments: First impressions matter, but don’t let them overshadow the entire interview.
5. Avoid Overpromising: Be honest about the role and company culture to ensure a good fit for both parties.
6. Don’t Neglect to Explain Next Steps: Always end the interview by outlining the rest of the hiring process.

Don’t Come Unprepared

When you’re stretched thin, it can be tempting to glance at a resume just before the interview. But doing so risks missing out on truly uncovering the candidate’s potential—or overlooking red flags. To ensure a fair and thorough interview, it’s a good idea to have a list of job-related questions prepared in advance. Consistency is key; by asking each candidate the same set of questions, you can better compare their responses and ensure you’re staying within legal bounds. Job-relatedness isn’t just a best practice; it’s essential for avoiding legal issues.

Avoid Talking Too Much

When you’re talking, you’re not learning what truly matters to the candidate. By giving them the space to speak, you can discover their priorities and hot buttons, helping you better match their needs with what your company offers. This becomes especially crucial when trying to attract top talent who might have multiple job offers. Understanding their motivations allows you to highlight aspects of your company that align with their goals, making your offer more appealing.

Don’t Ask Illegal or Discriminatory Questions

In some states, it’s illegal to ask about salary history, and there are several other questions you should steer clear of. For instance, asking if a candidate is a U.S. citizen is off-limits; instead, you should ask if they’re authorized to work in the U.S. Similarly, asking when someone graduated high school or college can be problematic. These questions, though seemingly innocent, can lead to discrimination claims. Conducting effective interviews hinges on knowing which questions are legally permissible.  If you’re unsure, it’s always best to consult with HR or legal to ensure your questions are compliant with current laws.

Avoid Making Snap Judgments

First impressions are powerful, but they can also be misleading. Having a set of job-related questions can help mitigate this bias. When you rely on a consistent list of questions, you can avoid snap judgments and instead focus on gathering comparable data from each candidate. This approach not only helps in evaluating who might work best in the role but also ensures a fairer assessment across all candidates.

Avoid Overpromising

It can be tempting to overpromise when you come across a candidate you really want on your team. But rather than making commitments you might not be able to keep, focus on understanding what’s truly important to them. This goes back to the importance of listening more than talking. For example, if a candidate values flexibility over salary, address that directly. Don’t shy away from discussing what the job can and cannot offer—it’s better to address any concerns upfront. This way, you can assess how critical those factors are to the candidate and whether they’re willing to compromise. A good long-term fit is always better than a quick hire.

Don’t Neglect to Explain Next Steps

One of the top complaints we hear from candidates is a lack of clarity on what happens after the interview. Always end the interview by explaining the next steps in the hiring process. This not only keeps candidates engaged but also reflects well on your company. Clear communication here can make a significant difference in the candidate experience, ensuring they feel valued and informed.

Key Takeaways

A lot goes into finding the right person for a long-term match and avoiding these common interview mistakes can significantly improve your chances. By being prepared, listening more than you talk, asking job-related questions, avoiding snap judgments, being honest about what your company offers, and clearly outlining the next steps, you’ll gather the information you need to make the best hire.

The post 6 Interview Mistakes Every Hiring Manager Should Avoid appeared first on Clearmont Technologies.

Spotlight on Success: A Stellar Candidate Experience

Here’s an example (keeping names anonymous). A highly skilled individual, well-connected in their industry, was on the lookout for new opportunities. Through a connection with a former colleague, now a CFO at a reputable company, they were considered for a role not yet public. The process was remarkable: prompt responses, well-organized interviews, and engaging discussions with key figures at the company. This experience didn’t just make the candidate feel appreciated; it offered a glimpse into the company’s culture and its emphasis on valuing employees.

A Contrast in Communication: The Impact of Neglect

Contrast this with a different experience the same candidate had elsewhere. Here, communication was inconsistent, with promised interviews delayed for weeks, leaving the candidate feeling overlooked. By the time this company was ready to proceed, the candidate had accepted the other offer. The lesson here is clear: how you manage the candidate’s experience reflects your company culture and influences decisions to join your team.

The Difference Maker: Attention to Detail

In a competitive talent market, the candidate’s experience can distinguish your company. It’s not solely about marketing the role; it’s about showing genuine interest, maintaining communication, and respecting the candidate’s investment. A positive interview process not only boosts the likelihood of acceptance but also sets the tone for their journey with your company.

A little effort—regular updates, clear communication, and a respectful process—can convert a candidate’s interest into commitment. Avoid letting your top choice slip away due to interview process oversights. Demonstrating what it’s like to be part of your team from the start can fill the position and enhance your company’s reputation as an employer of choice.

The post How Your Interviews Unveil Company Culture to Candidates appeared first on Clearmont Technologies.

IT Job Growth a Mere Trickle in November Due to Ongoing Supply Shortages

IT Hiring Challenging and Projects Impacted Because of Talent Scarcity, says TechServe Alliance

Alexandria, VA, December 8, 2021 – After a strong recovery in IT employment since last August, employment growth in the IT sector slowed down to a trickle in November. The sector added 2,200 workers last month, a sequential increase of 0.04% to 5,385,400 jobs, according to TechServe Alliance, the national trade association of the IT & Engineering Staffing and Solutions Industry. On a year-over-year basis, IT employment was up 3.17% since November 2020, adding 165,600 IT workers.

Growth in Engineering employment also slowed down significantly to 0.16% sequentially, adding 4,200 workers to end the month at 2,658,800. On a year-over-year basis, engineering employment increased by 3.38% since November 2020, adding 86,900 engineering workers.

“While uncertainty about the impact of the Omicron variant did somewhat impact the IT sector, the slowdown in IT jobs market is more related to the supply squeeze on available talent rather than demand,” said Mark Roberts, CEO of TechServe Alliance. “Our members are telling us that their clients’ IT hiring needs are still unmet and projects are getting delayed because of lack of qualified IT professionals. “At this point, there is little likelihood the domestic talent pipeline will significantly expand in the foreseeable future. This is causing not only strong wage growth but also a need to offer a flexible work environment. In this tight labor market, what candidates want really matters and could make or break the success of IT initiatives,” Roberts added.

The following table presents information about the total number of jobs in certain sectors that provide a significant amount of employment for IT and engineering professionals.

Technical note: TechServe Alliance’s IT Employment Index and Engineering Employment Index are the first specific measurements of IT and engineering employment. These unique measurements of total IT and engineering employment are created monthly by studying the ongoing staffing patterns of a dozen IT and computer related occupations in 22 industries and industry sectors employing significant numbers of IT workers and nearly two dozen engineering occupations in 30 select industries and industry sectors employing significant numbers of engineering workers. Both the monthly IT Employment and Engineering Employment Indices are based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data, which is subject to monthly revisions, and is revised accordingly. Both indices are also subject to periodic revisions and annual rebenchmarking that includes revisions to several years of employment data, which also may incorporate new occupational definitions. Both indices were re-benchmarked going back several years through January 2021 data. In addition, both indices are subject to minor revisions to March and April data. The next major revision will be published in February 2022.

ABOUT TechServe Alliance
TechServe Alliance is the national trade association of the IT & Engineering staffing and solutions industry. IT & Engineering staffing and solutions firms count on TechServe Alliance to keep their leadership informed, engaged, and connected. TechServe Alliance serves as the voice of the industry before the policymakers and the national and trade press. By providing access to the knowledge and best practices of an entire ndustry and tapping the “collective scale” of its members, TechServe Alliance supports its members in the efficient delivery of best-in-class IT & Engineering staffing and solutions for clients and exceptional professional opportunities for every consultant.

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In this episode of Tech Talent Today, I’m excited to be joined by Steve Watts. Steve is a manager of storage, data protection, and automation services for a super-regional insurance carrier. He rose through the ranks from network engineer to storage engineer to storage & data protection architect to manager. With the increased prevalence of ransomware attacks, data protection, storage, and backup are essential topics. Listen to Steve’s perspective to learn what companies can do to protect sensitive information.

You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in…

• What can you do about ransomware? [02:53]
• How did Steve gain an interest in computers? [10:47]
• Automation’s influence on storage [12:53]
• Desirable attributes for new team members [15:32]
• The pandemic’s effect on hiring [20:30]
• Managing work/life balance while working from home [27:15]

Defending against ransomware

There was a point when the main concern for an enterprise was if they would get a computer virus. Nowadays, companies have to look at ransomware as “when” rather than “if” it will happen. Ransomware threatens the potential of having intellectual property locked up without the ability to access it. After an attack, the company is faced with paying the ransom. Some companies who deliver the ransom never recover their data. So, the best option is to have a plan in motion before an attack begins.

There are several approaches to defending data. A lot of companies have taken to using air-gapped solutions. They move their regular backups to a secondary, or sometimes tertiary, storage device that’s not on the network. That adds a whole new level of cost and complexity because there has to be a temporary storage device to connect to the backup. Then that backup has to be isolated, so it can’t be accessible in the event of an attack, except by the company.

How has automation influenced storage?

IT is ripe for automation. The days of building servers by hand are gone. Rather than manually building equipment, we have processes that will build repeatedly. The storage space is in the same position. There can be some complex processes that have to be repeated each time storage is brought online. Rather than needing to put the document in someone’s hands, hoping they get it right, it’s a lot easier to automate those processes.

Automation certainly won’t eliminate the workforce. There still need to be people who specialize in automation. Those people make the processes more repeatable and actionable, then they couple that with the cloud. Even with utilizing the cloud, the same work has to be done. Engineers need to be employed to work with all the automation because of the scale the cloud allows. A business needs to be able to scale up and scale down to continue to meet demands. Automation is the solution to managing business fluctuation. 

Staying informed and prepared

If you’re in the IT industry and working in storage, think about the people writing malware. Spend some time with your management team and vendors so you can understand the capabilities of the platform you’re currently using. If the platforms don’t have any suitable mitigations, then do some research. Find out where the gaps are in your environment and what you can do. Storage and backup are the bedrock upon which the rest of the organization is built, whether people know it or not. Backup can be thankless work. But if you have a good plan, the day the organization is under threat, you’ll know you’ve done your job well. 

Companies have to look at ransomware as “when” rather than “if” it will happen. #Ransomware #Storage
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Resources & People Mentioned

• Pure Storage: A Modern Data Experience | Data Storage Company
• Bread: A Baker’s Book of Techniques and Recipes

Connect with Steve Watts

• On LinkedIn

Connect With Jodi Kulek Mayer

• https://clearmonttech.com/about/meet-the-team/ 
• Follow Jodi on LinkedIn

Subscribe to Tech Talent Today on
Apple Podcasts,Spotify , Google Podcasts

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PODCAST FAST TRACK
https://www.podcastfasttrack.com

The post Defending Data and the Future of Storage with Steve Watts, Ep #3  appeared first on Clearmont Technologies.

In this episode of Tech Talent Today, I’m delighted to be speaking with Arthur Phidd, CIO. Art has more than 25 years of executive-level experience leading information technology and corporate-wide business transformation programs. He’s worked in multiple industries, including retail, financial, gaming, eCommerce, government, and more. An award-winning leader, Art is also a faculty member at the University Of The West Indies graduate schools of business, where he lectures on contemporary topics impacting organizational change, technology management, and transformation HR management strategies. You’ll want to hear what Art has to share from the transformation he’s led across the globe.

You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in…

• The biggest challenge in corporate transformation [02:24]
• How to encourage change in internal structure [06:40]
• Having a teaching mentality [10:01]
• Art’s journey to technology [13:58]
• Combating complacency [20:35]

The obstacle to change

Art has been involved with corporate transformations for many years over multiple industries, countries, and geographies. Everywhere he goes, he’s met with resistance to change. This resistance is commonly blamed on culture. But is culture an accurate culprit? Blaming culture removes the human element from accountability, as though it’s some being from another planet that shows up and ruins things. Passing the blame like that prevents us from addressing what the real problem is.

The actual barrier to change is our nature. As humans, we are creatures of habit and are inherently built to oppose change. Because of this, we tend not to accept something new until we’ve experienced it. People get comfortable with what they know, even when it’s not the best fit, and lack the willingness to let go of a function that doesn’t belong where it’s placed in an organization. The result is misplaced responsibilities, inefficient work, and unsatisfied people.

Collaborative accountability

To overcome the resistance to change, Art creates a sense of collaborative accountability. He does this by effectively communicating to his client the importance of establishing centers of excellence. As leaders, we have the responsibility to manage people and their careers. That means placing people and talents in teams that can understand each other. For example, if you aren’t an IT professional, how will you manage the career and lead someone who just graduated with a degree in computer science? It’s not possible. This sort of logical discussion is what helps people understand the value of making adjustments to internal structures.

The awesome responsibility of leadership

Art’s parting thought is to warn us to think carefully about our desire to be a leader. We need to understand the differences between management and leadership. Managers focus on the status quo. Leaders focus on change. There’s plenty of management but not enough leadership. One of the most common reasons for people to leave companies is the lack of leadership. If you’re going to be a leader, you’d better understand the awesomeness of that responsibility. You have to be ready for the panicked, late-night calls from your people. You’re going to have to become someone’s big brother or big sister. You have to want to do that.

Managers focus on the status quo. Leaders focus on change. #Leaders #Improvement
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Resources & People Mentioned

• The Prince, by Nicolo Machiavelli; CHAPTER VI Page 2
• Arthur Phidd, CIO of REEDS, Best CIOs of 2020

Connect with Arthur Phidd

• On LinkedIn

Connect With Jodi Kulek Mayer

• https://clearmonttech.com/about/meet-the-team/
• Follow Jodi on LinkedIn

Subscribe to Tech Talent Today on
Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts

Audio Production and Show notes by
PODCAST FAST TRACK
https://www.podcastfasttrack.com

The post Successful Business Transformation through Putting People First, with Arthur Phidd, Ep #2 appeared first on Clearmont Technologies.

If you’re looking to attract more women to your workplace, you may want to take a good look at the benefits your company offers. Not just the standard health insurance and vacation days. Women in many instances are solely responsible for being the primary caretaker of the children or elderly parents in their family, while also managing a full-time job. Being able to ease this burden a bit will go a long way in attracting women to your company. So what does this look like?

Childcare Options

If you’ve followed the news recently, you’ve no doubt heard about the efforts of the female employees at Amazon to get onsite childcare included in their benefits. Amazon employees are on a campaign to get Jeff Bezos to offer onsite childcare, citing increased productivity from its current employees and an ability to attract and retain high-quality candidates in the future.

Taylor Soper, a writer for GeekWire.com shares, “Apple, Facebook, Microsoft, and Alphabet all offer backup daycare benefits. Starbucks began providing it this past October, citing a study from the National Survey of Children’s Health that showed 2 million working parents quitting their job in 2016 due to childcare issues.” Soper goes on to say, “They could point to examples such as Patagonia, which has an on-site childcare center and in 2016 saw a 100 percent retention rate for women who had children over the previous five years.”

Onsite childcare is not the only option to consider. Some employers are opting to contribute to childcare costs or offer backup childcare for times when their childcare provider may be sick, or they need alternate care.

Why Is this Necessary?

If your company does not currently offer childcare options, you could be eliminating an entire pool of candidates right off the bat, as more and more companies increase their benefits in these areas. Most of the companies listed in the Working Mother’s 100 Best Companies, list childcare benefits, including more paid leave options and backup childcare as standard benefits.

Katheryn Reynolds Lewis, a writer for Working Mothers.com, goes on to say in an article about caring for special needs kids, “Employers are looking for other ways to support their workforce’s caregiving needs—and differentiate themselves in the war for talent. More and more, this means benefits for children with autism and other special needs, as well as programs for older school-age children. Of this year’s 100 Best Companies, 94 percent provide emotional-support counseling for teens and tweens, 88 percent offer support for treating employees’ children with autism, 63 percent facilitate college coaching, 41 percent have tutoring services, and 25 percent give employees a homework hotline. While there’s a fee for some of these, others are free.”

It’s becoming clear that to stay competitive in attracting new talent, companies need to step up their game and offer the best benefits packages possible to mothers and caregivers. Childcare costs are a major source of stress for mothers, with the national average for in-home childcare being $28, 354 and $8,589 for in-center care, as reported by The 2016 Care Index. These costs are even higher for those living in major metropolitan areas. Julia Beck with the Harvard Business Review points out that, “…NYC, Boston, Atlanta, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. These are the very same cities where employers struggle to recruit and maintain skilled talent.”

If your company is not providing any benefits specific to mothers, it would be worth looking at what some of these other companies are doing and finding ways to incorporate some of their practices into your company culture, if for no other reason than to remain competitive when recruiting.

The post How to Attract More Women to Your Tech Team appeared first on Clearmont Technologies.

With Glassdoor and other social media platforms it’s easy for prospective candidates to learn about almost any company’s culture. If candidates are turning down your offers or not even applying, it may be time to ask yourself, “Are top candidates turned off by your company culture?” Read on to find the factors today’s top candidates look for when evaluating your company culture.

Are Top Candidates Turned Off by Your Company Culture?

You’ve posted your job opening on all the right boards. You’ve reached out to the most qualified candidates, and tried to set up interviews. You’ve put together a competitive salary and benefits package. But the top candidates – the ones you’re really eager to hire – don’t seem to be showing much interest in following up.

What could be the cause? One possible reason is that the industry’s top candidates have been doing some digging on your company’s culture, and aren’t liking what they find. This problem can be tough to see and acknowledge – and even tougher to change – from within. But if you’re having trouble hiring the candidates you’re most interested in, it’s an issue worthy of serious consideration.

Here are the three biggest factors today’s top candidates look for when they evaluate the company culture of a potential employer.

1. Transparency

If a candidate perceives a lack of trust among employees in your organization, that’s a major turn-off. If your previous employees are sharing stories of negative office politics, backstabbing, and sudden, surprising policy changes, any smart candidate would think twice before signing on.

Candidates have good reason to keep an eye out for a lack of transparency in the workplace. According to one recent study by the American Psychological Association, a full 25 percent of American employees say they don’t trust their bosses.

Meanwhile, forward-thinking companies are trumpeting their transparency from the rooftops. They share company performance data freely with their employees, provide employee feedback in a clear, open manner, and treat team meetings as dialogues, where everyone is free to contribute. As more and more companies recognize the value of transparency, your organization may need to become a bit more open, in order to attract the top talent you seek.

2. Flexibility

It wasn’t so long ago that “full-time” meant at least eight hours every day at a desk, no questions asked. But today’s top performers – especially millennials – expect a lot more flexibility in terms of work hours, as long as they turn in their assignments on time.

In fact, that same APA survey found that 82 percent of American workers rate flexibility as a top factor in their choice of employer. That means not only flexible work hours, but also the freedom to work from home at least one day a week, or to work remotely from a park or cafe.

As work-life balance becomes an ever-greater part of the dialogue around employment, companies that insist on eight hours a day, five days a week, are attracting less and less of their industry’s foremost talent. If your organization still makes this demand of its employees, it may be time to ask whether those old rules are actually paying dividends anymore.

3. Innovation

It’s not always easy to quantify innovation – but people know a forward-thinking organization when they see it, and they can tell instantly if innovation isn’t ingrained in your company culture. In the IT industry, especially, people want to work for employers that value employee innovation, and remain open to adopting new technology and techniques.

A recent survey by Deloitte found that 78 percent of millennials believe innovation is crucial for the growth of any business. This younger generation of workers actively seek out innovative employers, and remain fiercely loyal to them – but they also won’t hesitate to jump ship from an employer they feel is holding them back.

Is your organization agile in the face of change and disruption? Do your leaders value suggestions from younger employees, and adopt new solutions when they offer clear benefits? These are the traits that attract high-performing talent – especially the young, forward-thinking innovators who’ll keep you ahead of your competition.

If your organization isn’t exactly top-of-class in these three areas, that doesn’t mean you’ve got no chance of attracting top talent. But some small, incremental changes in each of these three areas probably wouldn’t hurt. Company culture can’t be transformed overnight – but even a few steps in the right direction can make all the difference, in terms of the candidates you attract.

The post Are Top Candidates Turned Off by Your Company Culture? appeared first on Clearmont Technologies.

But the only way it could possibly work is if the hiring manager forms his or her own preconceptions about the candidate prior to the interview. And if someone on your staff is taking mental shortcuts in their candidate evaluations, your organization is likely missing out on some of the best hires on the market.

Here’s how confirmation bias can creep into your hiring process – and how to fight it.

Confirmation confusion
There’s nothing inherently wrong with wanting to confirm ideas we suspect to be true. After all, that’s how science works: by forming a hypothesis and then testing it. But problems start to creep in when we allow our favorite hypothesis to shape our view of the results.

Say, for example, that your hiring manager believes any candidate who went to a certain university is automatically well-suited for your company culture. That might be true – but it’s most likely not; and that belief is going to exclude a whole lot of qualified candidates before they even get a chance at an interview.

This is an extreme example, of course. But the same principle subtly influences many of us, whether we’re aware of it or not. Any time a decision maker assigns extra weight to evidence that confirms their preconceptions, while discounting evidence that goes against those assumptions, they’re likely to miss out on some great opportunities.

The pitfalls of bias
The most obvious downside of confirmation bias is that it’s unfair to candidates. For example, if the hiring manager believes that confident candidates are always best for the job, the client with the strongest eye contact and firmest handshake will be the most likely to “qualify” on this basis – never mind the stellar portfolios presented by many of the other applicants.

Confirmation bias can also influence hiring decisions in less obvious ways. If a certain hiring manager believes that (for example) an Oracle database certification is more meaningful than one from IBM, then any candidate who’s failed to obtain that specific certification will be less likely to make a positive impression, regardless of their actual expertise in that area.

Preconceptions like these can seriously limit your organization’s talent pool. Even worse, these kinds of biases can disqualify candidates who’d bring innovative perspectives to departments that desperately need new thinking. In short, confirmation bias may be eliminating the very candidates your organization needs most.

How to fight it
It’s not always easy to see confirmation bias, especially in oneself. One helpful technique can be to simply write down a short list of factors you believe are most important in a candidate – and have your hiring manager do the same. Check one another’s lists carefully, keeping an eye out for any qualifiers that aren’t particularly relevant to the job and its skillset. And make a conscious, verbal commitment to set those biases aside during the hiring process.

In the interview itself, make sure you give the candidate time to make a case for the benefits they can bring your business. Set aside the outdated belief that you can “size up any candidate in five seconds,” and be aware that first impressions may not always be accurate. Some candidates may simply be nervous to meet you, or may not be sure where to begin. Give them the benefit of the doubt, and focus on their portfolio rather than on their handshake.

The more you’re able to recognize confirmation bias at work in yourself and your hiring team, and take steps to counteract it, the more likely you’ll be to hire candidates who actually fit your business’s needs. Invest a bit of time in rooting out this bias, and your new clarity will pay dividends for years to come.

The post How to Fight Confirmation Bias in Your Hiring Process appeared first on Clearmont Technologies.