Every business needs tech support. Whether you are looking to hire or outsource your tech, that person is going to be a central member of your team. And technical skills on their own are not enough. Your techies need to be able to work with others and have an enquiring and creative mindset as well. Here are five attributes you need to look out for when you take on a techie.
Curiosity
People who aren’t curious are always going to be satisfied with what’s in front of them. The best techies are endlessly curious. They don’t settle for average, and they are always trying to figure out how to push harder and create more. Make sure your technical support don’t just do what they are told. A good tech person is always wondering why something is done and how things work. Curiosity will push people to go further.
Passion
In technology, it’s not enough for people to just be good at what they do. Those working in technology have to have a strong passion for their job, as well. Technology is tedious, and it’s really easy for employees to get burned out if they don’t actually love it.
Innovation
Technology is an incredibly fast-paced industry, and it’s easy for an idea to be dated or become old news quickly. Your tech hire needs to show proof that they are innovative and forward-thinking. No one in the tech industry can spend too much time celebrating a success because it doesn’t take much for that success to become obsolete. For example, for every security trend in technology, there are people trying to break it. Your tech hire needs to be thinking ahead for solutions to problems that don’t even exist yet.
Creativity
Technical employees need to come up with solutions that others couldn’t on their own. With technology, the answer is rarely obvious. Solutions come in the form of creativity, not in typical equations or answers from a manual. You want your tech partner or employee to be able to come up with solutions and ideas that aren’t average or standard. That takes a lot of creativity. When interviewing, ask questions about using creativity to create a solution for a problem. Their answers can give insight into whether they have this remarkable quality.
Collaborative Mindset
It’s rare that an idea turns into a product or technology through the work of one person. Find a person who works well with others and gets along with others. Tech workers need to have a level of humility to accept help when they need it. They also need to be able to bounce ideas off of others and help others find solutions. When you have employees or outsourced partners who don’t work well with others, you’re solely reliant on their knowledge and problem-solving skills.
Everyone in your team needs to be educated in the field and have tangible proof of their work and successes. In the tech industry, a relevant education isn’t enough. Techies also need to work well with others and always be thinking about the next big thing to stay competitive.