Are you planning on hiring or have you already hired professional IT help for your company? If you have, you are among tens of thousands of businesses who have taken this step. A good IT company not only steps in to fix problems but is constantly there to monitor your technology and to detect problems before they have a chance to cause damage or get out of hand. Truly, qualified and experienced IT professionals are a gift…and once you find a great IT service provider, you’ll want to hold onto them!
But let’s take a step back. Chances are that before you went out looking for an IT company, you accessed your technology needs. You likely considered the complexity of your system and the skill set needed to manage such a system. You probably considered upcoming projects or even additions to your company and determined how your IT needs would be altered by those changes. As such, you no doubt looked for an IT company or individual that was experienced in those specific areas in which you need help.
However, how do you know if that individual has the experience that’s right for you and your company? How can you determine if YOUR technology person can get the job done?
May we suggest that the right way to see if you’re the ideal match for each other is to get to know the individual, not just the business for which they work.
What are his/her credentials?
It’s possible that the IT person you’ve hired or are considering for hire has a degree in Computer Science or perhaps something like Management Information Systems. This is usually a good thing but not the ONLY thing that counts. As a matter of fact, you may be surprised to discover that your favorite IT person only attended a two-year program or has no degree at all.
A college diploma is no longer a deal breaker in the world of information technology. Times have changed in the IT industry and most employers now realize that when weighing education vs. experience, sometimes the experience part wins.
How do you determine the RIGHT experience for your company?
So, if you’ve decided that having a degree in computer science isn’t the be all-end all as you look at potential hires, how do you determine whether the experience these individuals have is the experience you need?
It’s all about asking questions and getting to know your IT professionals as individuals rather than just part of a company. Here are a few possible queries:
- What is your experience with data recovery and backup? Give specific examples.
- How do you keep up with changes in technology? (Continuing education classes, seminars, etc.)
- How do you keep on par with industry standards?
- What is your availability? Inquire as to how an emergency would be handled on a weekend or a holiday.
- Can you tell us how you would improve our technology’s security? (Or other aspect of your IT that’s been an issue for your business.)
In getting to know your IT people or a potential IT hire, look for specific answers rather than generalizations. Listen for responses that pertain to your company, not just any company’s IT, which will let you know that this person did their homework before meeting with you.
Most of all, look for an individual with good communication skills. So often, computer “nerds” get a bad rap for being rather introverted and uncommunicative. That’s behavior that can be unlearned if the individual truly wants a good relationship with the company(ies) for which he or she works. You’re looking for someone who’s not only a good critical thinker or problem solver but also someone who is confident and is a leader who’s eager to latch onto the next project and run with it.
At Stillwater IT, we’ve spent the last 16 years making sure that our team of IT professionals are more than just computer experts. We value individualism, leadership, personal service, honesty, and trust, all traits we hope you’ll find in our staff.
If you’ve been considering hiring a managed service provider for your IT needs or if it’s time for your business to have a technology audit, call Stillwater IT at 604-899-1105 to schedule a consultation to help us determine how we can best assist you.