Today’s businesses need to have access to IT expertise. It is not a stretch to say this in our highly tech-reliant modern society, as business technology has become a legitimate advantage for organizations of any size to utilize against their competition. However, how confidently do you know what to look for in a job candidate?

Let’s go over the expertise—in both hard and soft skills—that you want any IT professional you depend on to have.

Essential Technical Capabilities to Look for in an IT Specialist

There are various skills you want your business’ IT team to have to support your business operations better. For instance:

Security

This is a critical skill that your IT team needs to possess, and they must actively work to maintain their knowledgeability. Check to ensure that a candidate is familiar with your industry and any applicable compliance requirements regarding IT, as well as the capability to establish and enforce safeguards that align with cybersecurity best practices.

With more cyberthreats and scams being developed daily, securing your business against attacks of all kinds is more essential than ever. You want to be sure that the people you’re entrusting this responsibility to are up to the task.

Cloud Computing

The cloud is everywhere nowadays. After all, it applies to various basic business needs, from storage to application deployment to data backup (and this isn’t a comprehensive list by any stretch). Therefore, your IT team needs to be capable of managing your company’s use of the cloud, whether you host your own, rely on an external provider, or some combination of the two.

Pay attention to any cloud-related certifications an applicant has. Their ability to manage your cloud solution will benefit your operations.

Network Design and Maintenance

Your network serves as your business' nervous system; without it, your operations wouldn’t be possible. Therefore, it is crucial for you to have people on hand and ready to not only assemble a reliable network but also keep it up, running, and, crucially, secure. Seek out team members with experience in designing and maintaining network infrastructures, so there are fewer challenges to deal with overall throughout the day-to-day.

Of course, this is just a tiny sample. In addition to these matters, you’ll want your IT team to be able to handle a lot more.

Additional Skills You Want an IT Specialist to Have

Of course, IT fills other responsibilities and roles around the office that require additional skill sets worth investigating during the hiring process. These include abilities like:

Customer (or “Customer”) Service

Your IT team must be populated with individuals who can work patiently and empathetically with everyone and anyone who needs assistance, from an intern to the big boss. Issues and errors don’t discriminate between departments or levels on an org chart, after all, so nobody is immune from experiencing technology problems.

You want an IT team that treats everyone professionally and courteously, if only to minimize friction in the workplace.

Curiosity

Due to the highly volatile and constantly shifting nature of the IT industry, it is important that an IT professional has an innate eagerness to learn and adapt to new developments with enthusiasm. Finding a candidate who has this inquisitiveness in their approach to work will allow you to leverage their creativity to optimize how your business technology is being used each day. Who knows… perhaps this curiosity will mean they have the critical thinking and knowledge necessary to solve what would otherwise be a disaster.

Flexibility

Any IT professional inherently wears a lot of hats. Not only are they responsible for ensuring that your business’ technology—the metaphorical engine that keeps your business running—remains operational, but they also are charged with optimizing it at every feasible opportunity. Mind you, as this is happening, they will also be monitoring your infrastructure to ensure no issues or threats arise. If one does, it is immediately their new priority taking precedence over everything else until it is resolved.

All this is to say that an IT professional needs to be capable of turning on a dime and picking up an entirely new thought process at a moment’s notice. Keeping an eye out for candidates who can cite occasions where this has happened will help you find the best ones.

Having Trouble Finding Talent? Consider Managed Services

Of course, we must acknowledge that it may not be easy to find IT professionals of this caliber seeking employment, especially if you already have a few employees who fit the bill. Fortunately, we have an alternative option for you to consider if unemployed technicians are in short supply: our managed services.

We have assembled a team of such professionals to provide our clients with fully managed IT services that fit everything we described above, from the skill sets to the professionalism. As a result, we are a feasible alternative to adding more people directly to your staff if candidates cannot be found. Following the proactive managed service model, our team can remotely monitor and maintain your IT on your behalf, working with and supplementing your existing employees to ensure all their critical roles in your business are fulfilled.

To learn more about what we have to offer your business, please give us a call at (760) 466-1200.