If you’re hiring an engineer without the benefit of being an engineer we’ve got 4 hiring tips for you from an engineering recruiter.
- Understand their motivation
- Do your research
- Lead with your problem
- Assess hard & soft skills
Understand their motive
A great way to begin any candidate search is to ask the question, “What do they want out of their job, and how can I make that happen?”
In the past, candidates may have accepted a job offer based on how much money was offered. Those days are long gone, and workforce priorities have shifted. The one thing people want the most now is workplace flexibility.
That’s right. The ability to come into the office or work from home as they wish. Work-life balance is a must for the post-Covid workforce, and employers can help them achieve it by focusing less on where that work happens.
If your competitor offers lower pay but workplace flexibility where you do not, you may find a star candidate slipping through your fingers.
Do your research
One thing that recruiters often struggle with is hiring for technical positions without having the skills in question.
If you have another engineer at your workplace, consider asking them to sit in on the interview to ask relevant technical questions and assess whether the candidate knows their stuff.
But what if you don’t have access to an engineer?
It’s time to brush up on those study skills and do a crash course to understand the technical areas you’re hiring in. Prior to interviews, ensure you know what skills and competencies you’re seeking to get the job done right. After all, hiring an electrical engineer when your company needs a civil engineer would defeat the purpose.
Lead with your problem
Engineers, as a rule, are problem solvers. Pique a talented engineer’s interest during the recruitment process by structuring your approach with a problem your company solved in the past, and ask them what course of action they might take to solve it.
They’ll get an opportunity to show off their skills, and you give them a taste of what kind of projects they might work on at your company. As an extra bonus, you can use this exercise to assess hard and soft skills.
Assess hard skills & soft skills.
Many recruiters focus solely on whether a candidate has the knowledge needed for the post.
Avoid this mistake by asking the candidate to collaborate with an engineer from the company or another candidate, and fix a problem you present. You’ll get a feel for how they work in a team, their communications skills, and their ability to handle stress.
A team player that needs a little extra training to thrive might be a better option for your needs as opposed to an engineer with years of experience who is unable to work with a team.
There you have it!
Four hiring tips from an engineering recruiter to find the best engineer for you.
