Hiring IT; Looking Up Help Is Good

A number of years ago I was looking to hire a junior tech staff member.

Once I reached the point where I had my short list of candidates, I set up a computer with a few common things “broken’.

Nothing really difficult or strange, but common things that often need troubleshooting on our SME computer networks.

After the interview questions  process, the candidates were turned loose on that computer. I was not looking over their shoulder, but I was close enough to observe their behaviour.

Of that days candidates, one of them started using the Windows Help system to assist him in fixing some of those problems.

I hired that individual on the spot.

We cannot always know the answers. And I want people who will go out of their way to find the answers.

That candidate was with me for a couple of years and was later hired by a large organization as a senior tech staff member. Even working with different (UNIX) servers. 

I knew he could do it!

I knew it because he was not afraid to dive and learn what he did not know.

Let me tell you people, folks like that are solid gold.

In IT, or any where else in your business.

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