The Interview Process: 2-key takeways from our search

Our metrics have been supporting the case for adding an additional Network Administrator position for a while now… staff utilization metrics, billable percentages, and our pipeline are all in agreement. So after posting an ad, getting a stack of resumes, and interviewing some candidates I thought I’d post some of my thoughts on the topic. Maybe even a series of posts… we’ll see how it goes.

First takeaway – Nobody really likes interviews.

That goes for all sides of the table. If you’re a job candidate, keep that in mind because it just may give you a bit of an edge. If you’re an interviewer, come prepared with discussion points, and facilitate the conversation. Obviously, you should have reviewed the candidate’s resume more than once, and should have some measurable criteria for comparing candidates. And if you’re a resource (not the lead on the interview), have some questions prepared. Have an idea of what you want in a fellow employee, and be prepared to insert yourself into the discussion if you see things getting off track.

Second takeaway – Make the most of what you have.

We’re not Microsoft… or Google… or any one of the big west coast tech employers.
We have a great team, a diverse talent pool, and a good mix of backgrounds… from Software Developers, to IT Professionals, to other Engineering types. But as a small-to-midsized technology company in the Midwest, we have limited time and limited resources. In practical terms, that means no day-long interviews with a dozen different people. We’re pretty much limited to three interviews… 1 phone interview, 1 one-on-one interview, and 1 team interview. Make the most of your time.

That’s about it for today. I’ll plan to follow-up with some more ideas, and add some interview questions that we've used - as there doesn't seem to be much in the way of intervew questions for netadmins floating around on the internet.