5 Things You Might Not Think to Check About a Potential New Hire 

Hiring new people is not always easy. Every job listing these days seems to collect hundreds of resumes from people who may or may not have the right knowledge and experience for the IT position you are filling. And even if they do have the perfect background for your needs, they may not be a good fit personality-wise. How do you make sure that you are getting the best person for the job when you hire them? Here are five things you might not think to check - but totally should - for a potential new hire.

Do They Get Along with Coworkers In many office settings it is necessary for people to work closely together, in shared office spaces or on different projects. An IT professional may need to talk with fellow employees on a regular basis to meet the technical needs of the company. This means they need to get along on a basic level with other people. They could have the best resume you've ever seen, but if they can't talk with their coworkers they can't do their job. It's a good idea to find out how they have been with previous coworkers when you check their references. First see if they have only included friends and previous bosses as references. This could be a sign they didn't get along well with other coworkers so didn't want to include them. Then when you call their work-related references, ask how they got along with people in those environments. This can help you determine if they'll get along in your office.

Are They Reliable?
This is another thing you'll want to ask when checking someone's references. Did they show up on for work at their previous jobs on a regular basis? Did they come in late and leave early often? Were they constantly coming back from lunch late, or taking an hour when they should have only taken half? If you are hiring someone to fulfill IT duties, you will need them in the office to do their job. Someone who never shows up or shows up late all of the time may not be a good choice.

Do They Change Jobs Often?
Look at their resume closely and see how many jobs they've had in the last five to ten years. If they are changing positions every few months or every year, they may not be the best choice. They could have personal issues going on that make them unreliable, or could have trouble working in an office or similar setting. They may have had regular clashes with management or gotten bored with their duties quickly. If there are a lot of different jobs listed on their resume (or big stretches of time where they don't seem to have been working at all) ask them for details to explain why.

Does Their Education Suit Your Needs?
While it would be great if all degrees covered all career needs, that just isn't the case. Some people specialize in very specific technical things, while others are educated with more general knowledge. It's a good idea to compare the education on a resume with the nature of the position you are hiring for. If you need someone who can perform very specific tasks, make sure they have some education to help them with that.

Are They Willing to Stay with the Company a Long Time? Hiring people takes a lot of time and energy that you could be using for other things. When you go to hire a new person for a full-time regular position, you want to know that they will stay with the company as long as possible. Once again, check the previous job listings on their resume and be sure to see how long they worked at other businesses. Ask why they left each one. Maybe the company closed down, maybe they were downsizing, maybe they just weren't a good fit. Be sure to check the details as you'll get important insight into whether they will work well for you if you hire them.