The IT Skills Your Ideal Candidate Should Possess
The changing nature of IT management is evident. Cloud solutions and mobility are being prioritized, while the network takes on a more central role in driving business objectives. IT, in general, is no longer simply keeping the lights on, but taking a strategic role in identifying and executing on opportunities. As a result, the IT skills you need in a candidate are also shifting in big ways.
Take a look at the following list to get a comprehensive picture of the areas of expertise you’re looking for when you interview a potential new hire:
Big data: Your candidate should have skills related to data storage and data integrity. The focus is shifting from data storage and analysis to putting insights into action for business objectives. A candidate should have a working knowledge of data configuration, recovery solutions and replication of data.
Software: Don’t fall victim to off-the-shelf product sales pitches from software vendors. Instead, consider having software expertise on your team so that you can design and implement products from your own developers and save your IT budget for other priorities.
ITIL knowledge: Information technology infrastructure library (ITIL) is the IT organization system used across the globe, and a candidate well-versed in ITIL can help you build a stronger IT team. From project management to implementation and managing updates, this set of IT skills helps ensure the right change management measures are in place.
Security: Security threats are changing by the minute, so invest in this area to protect your assets. Hire a security expert to protect against a wide spectrum of threats, including denial of service, viruses and compromised business and customer data. There’s a global shortage in this set of IT skills, so consider investing in some in-depth training for your staff.
Database management: Having staff in-house that understand database creation and management is a good investment. It can be costly to hire outside assistance for the support and management of a database system.
Network: Downtime is no longer an option for today’s enterprise network. An in-house team that possesses the skills to navigate services such as VoIP, mobile networking and handling increased data flows from cloud solutions is a valuable investment in a time where networks are more central to driving business objectives.
Cloud: As the cloud moves into the mainstream and cloud technology is increasingly adopted by enterprises, it becomes more important to have IT personnel that can handle the challenges and security concerns that come with placing workloads in the cloud. From implementation to load-balancing and determining how to prioritize different lines of business and their requests for cloud solutions, you need cloud-specific IT skills on your team.
Soft skills: IT is becoming more of a strategic role, advising and guiding executives in their plans for advancing the customer experience and improving productivity with digital transformation. IT personnel need to be able to communicate clearly and collaborate effectively to add value to your team.
Net Tel One Communications is your partner for leveraging the right technology, as well as identifying the skills you need on your IT team. Contact us for more information about balancing the right solutions with the right in-house expertise.