Finding excellent talent is already a difficult task, but hiring the right people for the information technology (IT) field poses much more challenges. Even CIOs and CTOs admit that looking for and retaining top talents like IT executives are crucial in daily operations.
IT executives are strategic positions in every company. There are many skills needed to reach this senior level including strategic communication, ability to develop high-performing teams, strong IT background, and the capacity to solve complex business problems.
Hiring IT executives involves a more complex process compared to filling other senior positions because these are senior level posts in a technical field.
To nail your IT executive employment procedure, regardless if you have an internal search team or you’re working with a recruitment consultant, here are some ways to keep in mind.
HIRING PROCESS DEVELOPMENT
1. Agree on the hiring process
First and foremost, members of the management—board of directors, executive committee, or decision makers—have to be on the same page when it comes to the hiring process. Each step must be clear and agreed upon by everyone.
What are the necessary hiring steps you need to observe? Who will be part of the hiring process? Questions like these must be answered in this stage.
2. Create a search committee
Appoint a team who will take the lead in searching for the right candidates. They will be responsible for hiring deliverables to avoid any conflicts in the future such as the extent of the search. Are you allowed to hire an expat or should the search be strictly local?
Your team could be an external team like a recruitment agency in Cebu that specializes in richening and speeding up your search. If you are creating an internal search committee, include your HR team or team leaders having a good background in hiring. Remember, IT executive positions are complex because it is both a senior level position and a technical field.
3. Match the required skills with the organization’s needs
Whether it’s an old or a new IT executive position, remember that you are not just filling in a vacant seat or a new office. You are actively involved in filling specific needs of the entire organization.
Review the needs, expertise, skills, and experience required for an IT Executive. Get inputs from the board of directors and other IT executives in the organization. These may include skill set, expected salary, minimum years of expertise, and job profile.
4. Roll out the job advertisement and use your networks
Once the foundation of your IT executive search has been finalized, it’s time to post a job ad. Use appropriate channels to reach rightful candidates—your company website, job search sites, and social networking sites effective in connecting with professionals like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. Read our guide to using social networking sites for talent sourcing.
Sometimes, top IT Executives are not online. So, it pays to attend networking events or use your personal contacts and connections to find the best candidate for the position.
CANDIDATE ASSESSMENTS
1. First screening
Go through the submitted applications and referrals, and remove candidates whose CVs do not reach the minimum set of requirements.
The initial screening stage is critical as it sets the pace for the following interview levels. Determine who passes this stage successfully to make it easier to focus on the right set of applicants. This also prevents you from wasting time and resources in the long run.
Since this stage is when you schedule initial interviews with the candidates, it is important to take note of the time difference when doing a phone or video interview with those from outside the country.
2. Interviewing the candidates
Before conducting interviews, consult and review the questions with your HR team, board directors, and team leaders. Their inputs are highly valuable given their knowledge in the hiring process and requirements for the IT executive position.
Determine the selected candidates who will move forward and be interviewed by the board directors or team leaders during the second round.
The number of interviews must depend on the number of submitted applications. If there are too many candidates, a second interview by the search committee might be necessary before endorsement to the board directors who will decide who gets the job.
3. Onboarding the successful new hire
An outgoing executive often provides the company an adequate lead time to find a replacement. However, in some cases, the board of directors often choose a staff member to act as an interim while the new IT executive is in a transition phase.
To effectively onboard a new IT executive, sit down with the outgoing senior manager and list down any important events that the new one needs to attend. Also, you need to ensure that files are updated and find out who has the authority to sign any checks while the search committee was still in the hiring phase. Knowing this information beforehand will help you address any crossover between the old and the new.
Nail Your IT Executive Hiring Process
Hiring an IT executive or any senior management position can take longer. There should be no room for mistakes.
In an IT executive hiring process, the technical aspect of the job requires even more time for cross-analysis and decision-making from the search committee, recruitment consultant, and board of directors. So, improve your hiring process with these tips whether you have an internal search committee or working with a recruitment agency to ensure a quality hire.
WE LEAD INNOVATION IN HEADHUNTING
SPECIALIST RECRUITMENT SOLUTIONS DELIVERING UNRIVALLED RESULTS
IN THE PHILIPPINES
Manila Recruitment is recognized as the leading recruitment firm in the Philippines for headhunting, executive search, expert, technical and IT recruitment. We share an unrivalled passion to help your business succeed by understanding your goals, then sourcing and providing you with your number one asset – driven, dedicated and exceptional people!
Experience the Manila Recruitment difference, and give your business in the Philippines a competitive advantage by contacting us today. Whether you are exploring an offshore solution, or are an established entrepreneur, SME or Multinational in the Philippines, our team has the experience and a tailored recruitment solution to introduce you to the top talent in the Philippines.
Contact our Manila Recruitment team at hello@manilarecruitment.com.
