8 classic IT hiring mistakes and how to avoid them

Learn to make better hires and build loyal, skilled and collaborative teams

A poor hiring decision in IT can jeopardize budgets, the morale of other workers and the future of a company. From writing dated, irrelevant job descriptions to accepting a less-than-ideal candidate because the work is piling up, classic hiring mistakes are just waiting to trip up managers.

"I hated doing job descriptions and usually only made minimum effort to get them right," says Jim Smith, CEO of IT project consultancy Enterprise Management Group in Seattle. "Also, as I look back at my failings coming up the ranks, I made the mistake of promoting based on 'he's a good guy and I think he can do it.'"

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This results in recruiters, who might be unfamiliar with the latest technology or changes in work style, piling up managers' desks with too many or inappropriate resumes.

"Quite often recruiters will ask technical questions and take notes without truly understanding the answers, which prevents them from capably qualifying the candidate," Interactive99's Gordon says.

Hiring managers should meet regularly with recruiters and be available for update calls as needed. Also, companies should ensure the recruiters don't rely heavily on search engine optimization and keyword searches on career sites and overuse social media to identify prospects. A recruiter should have intimate knowledge of the industry, the organization and the open position's specific requirements.

8. Not sharing your job opening with your peer network.

Most IT executives -- and their subordinates, for that matter -- are part of online industry groups, peer networking sites and social media. These are optimal channels to unearth highly qualified applicants and referrals.

Hiring managers, who tend to leave job posting to HR, might have more success sharing the listing among their online contacts and friends and offering bonuses for employees who do the same.

"Job boards are a helpful recruiting tactic, but they are missing the communication and relationship aspect of recruiting," Russell says. "Research has proven time and again that a new hire is significantly more likely to succeed at a company if they come from a referral."

Companies that sail past these classic pitfalls are sure to make better hires, get projects underway in a timely and cost-effective fashion, and build a loyal, skilled and collaborative team working toward their next revenue-producing challenge.

Gittlen is a freelance business and technology journalist in the greater Boston area. Email her at sgittlen@verizon.net.

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