Finding qualified talent in tech is easier said than done these days. Companies are paying up to try and find talent. And when 70% of the workforce is passive and not actively searching, your candidate pool is more limited than ever.

This makes finding quality employees challenging.

You can’t afford to hire the wrong person when hiring for a tech job. Use the guide below to learn how to vet each IT candidate to see if they can handle the job.

Learn the Basics

You shouldn’t need to be an expert to hire a tech worker — but that doesn’t mean you can get by with knowing nothing. Without a basic understanding of technical terms, it’s hard to know if the person you’re interviewing knows what they are talking about.

Try to familiarize yourself with the terminology used in the tech field. If a candidate uses terminology you don’t understand, it’s hard to know if someone is using buzzwords or not.

Create Clear Job Descriptions

It’s essential to let job seekers know what you expect of them before the interview. Potential employees don’t want to waste time interviewing for jobs when they aren’t the right fit.

Try to be as thorough in your job description as possible to avoid this problem. Doing this means you’ll attract candidates with the proper skill set to handle the work. It also means you’ll waste less time interviewing people who don’t have the tools to handle the job.

Focus on the Right Job Boards

There is a lot of noise on general job boards. Every company posts there, which makes it hard for an individual company to stand out. It’s even worse if you’re hiring for a specific role.

Niche job boards can help in this situation. Many tech job boards cater to the IT industry. Post your job posting there to attract suitable candidates.

Talk to Current Employees

Word of mouth is one of the best ways to find talent. If you have people who enjoy working for you, the chances are good that they are willing to recommend friends and previous coworkers for jobs they are qualified for.

This will give you a good shortlist of potential candidates to start with. It may not always work, but it’s a good way of vetting an initial batch of candidates.

Use Recruiters

You don’t have to take on the employee search on your own. There are many companies out there that specialize in placing qualified candidates in jobs.

Look for recruiting companies that specialize in tech and learn more about what they offer. Many of them offer placement guarantees, so make sure to investigate all your options.

Vet Candidates Carefully for Your Tech Job

You’re making a big choice when you hire someone for a tech job. You may not understand what the job entails if you don’t have a tech background, so you have to use your best judgment to verify that a tech candidate can handle the work.

The good news is that there are many things you can do to help in your decision-making. Remember the advice above to make sure you find the best candidate for your IT job.

Do you want to learn more business tips that you can use after finding your next employee? Find more business management tips on the blog.