The key failure to hiring in IT, or any other business area, is unreasonable expectations.
When entering into any relationship, there is usually a set of expectations on both sides. These expectations are built from past experience and interactions with others. Our job, as IT recruiters, is to manage those expectations by assisting our clients to unlearn some aspects of hiring while relearning others, in order to guide them through the landscape of finding, interviewing and onboarding their hires successfully. If this recipe for success is followed, it will pay dividends.
Much like in every relationship, sometimes you have to walk away because there is too much baggage and the whole situation becomes toxic due to an inability to change perception. In other words, one of the parties in the relationship is unable to rewire themselves or open up their minds, in order to be introduced to a new solution. In this case, we usually have to assess the situation and, sometimes, end the relationship, as it has the tell tale signs of becoming a toxic or bad working environment.
Clarity about your real estate business is key
We have had some instances where potential clients—realtors—are not clear about how they want to run their business and look to blame external sources rather than look internally as to how they could better themselves and their processes. Have you ever heard the phrase: “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks?” That maxim applies in this case. It really comes down to the client’s own perception of the problems they are facing.
Valuing a variety of skills in your employees is key
We had a recent encounter with a IT Manager who was looking for a developer with a specific background. At first, it seemed like a pretty straight forward order to fill, especially when we walked them through the contract and performed a needs analysis along with a job description, which highlighted what they needed vs what they wanted.
As it turned out, there was nothing straightforward about the case. Value will not be seen unless the client has gone through a few rounds of hiring on their own, so that they realize why we exist: to fulfill a niche in IT. The value of a product or service is only realized if the client has lost a lot of money, energy and most importantly, time, hiring badly in the past.
Sometimes a client will get stuck on one expectation rather than looking at skill sets through a more holistic lens. In the instance mentioned above, this was the case. The client was stuck on the importance of a university degree over experiential knowledge. He placed too much emphasis on education. The second aspect was his desire to reduce the asking salary, after initially agreeing to it. By this, we mean a swift drop of 10K from the original value! This created a problematic relationship for us and we brought it to a calculated end, deeming this office to be an unfit working environment where a potential hire would likely be belittled and devalued for the work they put in. It is simply not something we at AGENTC will stand for while carving out our niche within the real estate market.
Reasonable expectations are learned and essential in hiring
Your positive energy will attract positive people and vice versa. That said, there is a lot of self exploration that happens as you bloom into a leader, within the realm of IT. It’s one thing to be a successful manager but it requires another layer to be a leader who hires and manages employees who will stay for years to come because you have taken the time to nurture them; in return, they will take excellent care of your clients, which is the bread and butter of your business.
