Competition for IT talent may have companies overlooking important steps when it comes to candidate screening.
So suggests new research from Janco Associates, a consulting and research firm specializing in information technology.
Checking Them Out
Janco finds that less than half, only 46 percent, of employers check references as standard practice before a job offer is made.
Companies do screen candidates in other ways, but those methods are spotty at best. At worst, they are inconsistent and unreliable.
Here is how companies screen IT candidates:
- 46 percent check references
- 30 percent of companies say they depend on a candidate’s answers during the interview process
- 26 percent evaluate a candidate’s social media persona
- 17 percent contact employers/schools listed on resumes
- 6 percent ask follow-up questions after the primary interview
- 4 percent implement probationary hiring
- 2 percent review samples of candidate’s work
- 2 percent test the candidate during the hiring process
The numbers are greater than 100 percent, as many employers use a variety of screening methods.
“It is important for the success of an organization that it find and hire individuals who can succeed. Janco has identified a number of common reasons why new hires do not work out: job responsibilities nor clearly defined, different expectations for new hire and the enterprise, cultural mismatch, project lost sponsorship/funding, and others,” said Victor Janulaitis, CEO of Janco Associates.
Rush to Hire
In a highly competitive job market, time to hire takes on greater significance. As a result, companies may be tempted to take shortcuts.
Nevertheless, candidate screening is a critical component of the hiring process. Poor screening increases the likelihood of a bad hire, and all the implications that come with making an uninformed decision: engagement and productivity issues; cultural mismatch, as Janulaitis points out; and employee retention.
Therefore, regardless of the job market, or the position for which a company is hiring, it should always follow best recruiting practices.
There are numerous tools that can help. Automated reference checking – an IT solution – is one example.