Laurie Esposito Harley: Writer for Hire

As in any other role, soft skills are an important prerequisite when recruiting IT managers. Of course, candidates must be able to display the necessary technical knowledge, but working with employees, vendors, and clients requires distinct interpersonal skills to ensure success. Below are five traits that recruiters should consider when seeking IT managers.

1. Conflict management: Office disagreements aren’t always a bad thing. A good manager can minimize the negative aspects of the argument while accentuating the positive. A conflict may arise between employees or between another manager and an employee. An IT manager must be able to find a resolution that is acceptable to both parties, while even enhancing learning and compromise to prevent future occurrences.
2. Communication skills: Communication refers to more than just the ability to speak to others. IT managers must be able to listen to employees and really understand their needs. They must be able to verbally communicate with vendors and other managers to ensure that all process flow as they should. Additionally, they must be capable of writing using proper grammar and spelling, have a firm knowledge of email etiquette, and even be able to create and deliver presentations to upper management.
3. Time management: There are only so many hours in a workday and there is a constant cycle of projects that must be started, reviewed, finished, as new ones are begun. A manager must manage his own time effectively, but must also be capable of delegating projects. An IT manager with a keen sense of his team’s skills can assign jobs to the most suited worker, monitor progress, and coordinate all aspects of the process so that the deadline is met.
4. Decision-making skills: Effective decision making involves using one’s intuition as well as the facts. An IT manager should do his research and be committed to the decision he makes. Sometimes a snap decision is required and it is essential that the manager has enough base knowledge on the subject and is capable of analyzing all details as well as past decision results in order to implement any decisions he makes.

Recruiting for IT managers requires a look beyond the skills listed on the resume. Take time to speak to each candidate and learn how they’ve handled situations in their previous role. How did they handle an argument? Did they delegate tasks to stay on schedule? How did they handle snap decisions and what did they do if they made the wrong choice? Notice how they speak and hold themselves, as this is all part of determining essential soft skills that can – and will – be used on the job.

This article was originally written for Recluta.

Photo credits: Clock from Du Truong, handshake from reynermedia, business phone by kev-shine.