There are always inherent risks in managing any organization, especially in the technology world. This concept also applies to your IT staffing policy. Ultimately, playing it safe isn’t always the best strategy when putting together the best possible tech team.

Sometimes, the most talented developer or technologist doesn’t boast a typical background, including education and professional experience. Taking a chance on candidates like these, who simply “do the work”, might be the difference in the success of your organization. Let’s take a closer look at taking risks when it comes to your technology recruiting process.

Not hiring Talented, but Non-Traditional, Candidates is the Biggest Risk

Traditional HR policies typically depend on candidate vetting that include checking their résumé for the required abilities, educational criteria, and professional background, followed up by a round of interviews to ultimately determine the best  applicant. Some HR pundits feel a significant number of talented candidates aren’t even making it through this initial screening to the detriment of many technology organizations.

Harj Taggar, the CEO of the technical hiring process developers, Triplebyte, commented how conservative screening practices hamper talent acquisition in the industry. “What’s happening is a lot of these ‘nontraditional’ people are getting screened out at the top of the funnel, based on things like educational background or even unconscious biases around gender, race, that kind of thing. You have to take the risks of letting more people through initially if you’re going to reap the benefits,” said Taggar.

Transforming IT Hiring Practices

Companies need to change their hiring process to find the best talent to successfully compete in an increasingly diverse marketplace. For technology candidates, consider leveraging tools like online coding or network management tests as an initial screening to ensure truly talented professionals aren’t filtered out because of a lack of a traditional educational background or work experience.

Adding HR employees with marketing and social media experience helps you target your open positions at candidates able to thrive in your company’s culture. Focus on finding potential employees with the problem solving and interpersonal skills vital in this collaborative era of Agile and DevOps. Consider partnering with a top notch technology staffing agency for the necessary assistance in a wide-ranging talent acquisition strategy.

Whenever you need assistance with building a great IT team at your office, talk with the knowledgeable staff at MindFinders. As one of the top technology staffing firms in the DC area, we provide the tech talent able to make your company succeed both now and in the future. Schedule some time with us as soon as possible.

Written by Tim Booker, President and CEO of MindFinders, with over 20 years of industry experience.