How to find the best candidates for IT support positions?

Unlike many other sectors, the IT market has not been affected by the Covid crisis. On the contrary, there is more need for IT support than ever. As a company, how do you find the best talent in IT support roles?

Due to the Covid crisis the importance of good IT support has only increased. “Now that almost everyone is working is from home at least part of the time, you see that the need for a good helpdesk, application management, and a secure IT network is even greater than before the crisis,” says Elodie Picard,  Executive Manager of the IT division at Michael Page.

Unlike in most sectors, the demand for good IT candidates has increased rather than decreased. As a company, how do you ensure that you hire the best people? And what is the added value of a recruitment agency if you are looking for IT talent?

What is the best advice for companies that want to hire good IT professionals?

Elodie Picard:  Don't just focus on the perfect candidate, with all the proven skills, experience and knowledge. You will never find that candidate. Instead, I would advise to look at potential and personality. Does she or he want to learn? And does a candidate have the potential to develop within the organisation? If that´s the case, provided that he or she has the basic skills, the rest will follow.”

What makes a company interesting for good candidates?

Elodie Picard: “As a company, you are interesting for IT professionals if you give them the opportunity to further develop their skills and knowledge. For example, do you give them the opportunity to work with new programs? That is often a more important reason to apply for a position than the salary.”

Which trends currently have the greatest impact on IT recruitment?

Elodie Picard: “The most important long-term trend is the digitisation of companies. In the past, the IT department mainly had a supporting role, but now it is part of everything companies do. It is increasingly the core of the organisation and determines its activities.”

“As with many trends, the Covid crisis has further accelerated the digitisation of organisations. Working remotely has become the new normal, which has only increased the importance of a good IT infrastructure, IT security, management and a remote help desk.

What is the added value that a recruitment agency like Michael Page can offer companies? Companies don´t need an agency if they just put and advertisement on LinkedIn themselves. 

Elodie Picard: “The difference is that we are also in contact with candidates who are not immediately looking for a new position. We have a large network that we continuously maintain and expand. We often already have the right candidate in our network when a client sends a job opening. That saves a lot of time in the search for talent.”

“In addition, we not only look at someone's CV, but also at his or her personality. Is the candidate a good match with the organisation? Can he or she communicate well with colleagues who are less technically skilled? That is at least as important as someone's technical skills.”

Why do candidates choose to work with Michael Page when the work is there for the taking?

Elodie Picard: “They know that the personal approach that I just mentioned is important to us. We do not place candidates just for the sake of it, but we also want to make sure if a company is the right fit for them. In the near future we also would like to invest more in the training of IT candidates, and then offer them a secondment contract.”

“That would add a new service for our customers. We constantly try to innovate and address new needs in the market, so that customers know that they are always in good hands with us.”

Looking for good candidates for IT support positions? Contact us here.