If you’re looking to hire the right tech talent, it is more than just checking boxes for technical skills. It’s about uncovering those individuals who not only know their craft but have that spark—the qualities that make them stand out and make an impact. In this article, we’ll explore what makes a truly great tech hire, beyond the usual skills, and how you can identify candidates who will drive your projects and your team to the next level.
There’s no getting around it: the tech talent pool is tight, and the demand keeps rising. Many companies are finding themselves in a situation where the roles they need to fill simply don’t have enough qualified applicants. According to Careerbuilder “the global economy is facing its greatest talent shortage in 17 years, but no industry has been hit as significantly as the technology sector” But here’s the good news - there are ways to address this gap creatively. One effective solution is to invest in innovative hiring practices like coding boot camps, specialized training programs, and partnerships with educational institutions. By taking a more active role in developing talent, you’re not just solving your current hiring needs—you’re also contributing to the broader talent ecosystem.
When competing with tech giants for talent, it can feel like you're up against an impossible challenge. Bigger companies often lure candidates with massive salaries, impressive benefits, and name recognition. So, how do you compete? The answer lies in what you uniquely offer. Highlighting your company culture, meaningful projects, and opportunities for personal and professional growth can make a world of difference. Candidates, especially those with significant skills, are often looking for more than just a paycheck—they want to be part of something impactful, to grow, and to have their voices heard.
Focus on creating a culture that’s collaborative and supportive. According to built in “46% of job seekers cite company culture as very important when choosing to apply to a company.”
Emphasize your company’s flexibility, career development opportunities, and work-life balance in your job descriptions and during interviews. One of your most powerful tools is showing how employees can make a real impact at your company, something that often gets lost in larger corporations.
Even after finding and hiring the right tech talent, retaining them can be another challenge you face. Retention in tech roles is tricky because of the competitive landscape and the quantities of attractive offers out there. To keep your talent engaged and committed, you need to focus on creating an environment where growth, recognition, and meaningful work are front and center.
One key aspect is fostering continuous learning opportunities. Tech professionals thrive on new challenges and developing new skills. Make sure your team has access to courses, workshops, and certifications that align with their career goals. Pair this with regular feedback and growth conversations to show employees a clear pathway forward.
Another retention driver is recognition. Celebrate both big wins and smaller daily efforts—everyone likes to feel appreciated. Lastly, be transparent about the impact of each person’s work. Tech employees want to know that the code they’re writing or the infrastructure they’re building has a positive impact. Reinforce their value by tying their daily tasks to the bigger picture and mission of the company.
Let’s be real—when it comes to hiring in tech, technical skills are the bare minimum. What really makes a tech hire great are those unique qualities that help them excel beyond the code. Here are a few attributes that really set apart the best from the rest:
You know that one person who always seems to see the bigger picture? That’s a systems thinker. They don’t just focus on the one feature they’re coding—they think about how it impacts the entire product, from the backend structure to the user experience. Systems thinkers make fewer mistakes because they’re constantly thinking about how everything fits together. In an environment where one change can send ripples across the entire product, having someone with this mindset is pure gold.
Tech is constantly changing, and you need someone who’s ready to change with it. A candidate with a growth mindset is eager to learn, adapts quickly, and sees every piece of feedback as an opportunity to get better. They’re the kind of people who don't get comfortable just doing what they already know—they're always pushing to improve, which means your team, your processes, and your product get better too.
Product sense is an underrated but incredibly valuable quality. It’s the ability to understand what makes a product genuinely good—not just functional, but something people want to use. Candidates with strong product sense don’t just write code; they think about user experience, what features make a difference, and how to build something people actually love. They’re the ones who can turn a decent feature into a standout one because they care about the end user’s experience.
Candidates with an entrepreneurial spirit can drive initiatives forward without needing explicit instructions. These people are proactive, resourceful, and comfortable with a little bit of chaos. They’ll figure things out, take ownership of their projects, and turn vague ideas into something real. In a fast-paced environment, someone who can take the lead and doesn’t need constant direction is a game-changer.
Let’s break it down: hiring tech talent is about more than just checking off boxes on a skills list. It’s about finding people who have the technical chops, the right attitude, and the vision to grow with your company. Here’s what to look for to find the best tech hires for your team.
A great tech hire obviously needs solid technical skills—but let’s go a bit deeper into the ones that really matter in today’s landscape.
This is the ability to solve problems using the most efficient paths possible. It’s not just about coding—it’s about understanding how to get from Point A to Point B in the smartest way. Candidates with strong algorithmic thinking can evaluate multiple solutions, anticipate performance issues, and write optimized code that can scale. Approximately 80% of tech companies include algorithmic challenges as part of their interview processes. This includes major players like Google, Amazon, and Microsoft, which are known for their rigorous technical interview formats.
Your ideal tech hire should know how to navigate cloud platforms like AWS, Google Cloud, or Azure, because let’s face it, nearly everything is “in the cloud” now. Look for candidates who understand how to make the best use of cloud infrastructure to keep your development fast, flexible, and future-proof.
Your tech hires need to be security - conscious - period. This means knowing the best practices, like data encryption, secure coding, and incident response. Someone who understands how to avoid security pitfalls will protect your codebase and ensure that your users’ data stays safe. The right hire isn’t just a builder—they’re a builder who knows how to keep the house locked up tight.
Beyond technical skills, you need someone who fits in, challenges the team to grow, and brings unique personal qualities to the table. Here are some key personal attributes to look for:
Let’s talk about the “big picture”, the people who aren’t just in the code, but are looking beyond it. A tech hire with visionary thinking is someone who can anticipate industry shifts and help your company stay one step ahead. They’re always asking, “What’s next?” or “How can we do this better?” In an industry that changes by the day, having someone with an eye on the future can be the difference between leading and catching up.
Leadership isn’t just for managers. You want tech talent who can step up and lead when the situation calls for it, especially in times of uncertainty. Adaptable leaders are the ones who make decisions under pressure, who rally the team when there’s a last-minute project pivot, and who can adjust their approach based on who they’re working with. It’s not just about surviving change—it’s about thriving in it.
One of the most underrated qualities in tech is intellectual humility - the willingness to say, “I don’t know, but I’m willing to learn.” In a world where technology evolves constantly, you need people who aren’t afraid to admit they don’t have all the answers but are eager to go find them. A humble tech hire is someone who’s easy to work with, more open to feedback, and always ready to grow. This attitude is what makes teams stronger and more collaborative.
Skills are one thing, but the best hires also click with your company culture. They believe in your mission, they connect with your team values, and they bring positive energy to the table.
Candidates who align with your company’s values are more than just employees - they become advocates. According to qualtrics xm 56% of candidates would not consider a job at a company if they did not agree with its values.
Whether your company values innovation, integrity, or community, the right hire will naturally resonate with these. It’s a lot easier to keep someone motivated when they actually care about what your company stands for.
You want people who understand your mission and are excited about contributing to it. Someone who gets why your company does what it does will be more engaged and more willing to go the extra mile. It’s not just about fitting in, it’s about believing in what they’re building.
Finding great tech talent isn’t just about reading resumes. You need solid assessment techniques to really dig into what a candidate is capable of.
Ask about their past experiences to understand how they handle challenges. Questions like, “Tell me about a time you faced a major problem on a project - what did you do?” can reveal a lot about a candidate’s resilience and creativity. Remember, past behavior is often the best predictor of future performance.
Use real-world coding problems to evaluate practical skills. Some companies use take-home projects to let candidates showcase their work, while others prefer live coding sessions. A mix of both can help you get a comprehensive view of their technical abilities and how they think under pressure. According to Verocel “studies show that companies that use technical assessments see up to a 40% increase in quality of hire.”
It’s not just about skills—it’s also about how a person fits within your team. Personality assessments like DISC or Myers-Briggs can help you get a feel for a candidate’s work style. Are they more analytical? Creative? Collaborative? Understanding these traits helps you see how they’d interact with your team. A research done by TalentSmartEQ found that emotional intelligence is an important predictor of job performance, which accounts to 58% of success across different roles.
Culture fit interviews are about seeing how candidates align with the organization’s values and working style. Ask questions about their views on feedback, teamwork, and growth. A survey by Glassdoor found that 88% of recruiters believe that culture fit is essential for job satisfaction and long-term success.
Hiring the best tech talent requires more than a checklist of technical skills - it calls for a comprehensive, well-rounded approach that looks at every aspect of a candidate. Technical expertise like algorithmic thinking, cloud knowledge, and cybersecurity are foundational, but they’re only the beginning.
Soft skills like communication, problem-solving, and adaptability are essential for overcoming challenges and driving projects forward. Personal attributes - such as a growth mindset, intellectual humility, and systems thinking - are what truly differentiate good hires from great ones, allowing individuals to thrive in a rapidly evolving tech environment. Additionally, cultural fit remains vital for long-term retention and job satisfaction; candidates who align with your company’s values are more likely to remain committed and contribute positively to the organization.
The data is clear: 46% of job seekers prioritize company culture, and technical assessments can improve the quality of hire by up to 40%. This means successful tech hiring is about striking the right balance. By prioritizing a combination of technical skills, personal qualities, and cultural alignment, recruiters can ensure they’re hiring not just for current needs, but for future growth and success. Focus on building a diverse and well-rounded team that has the technical capability, personal drive, and cultural synergy to thrive in the challenges ahead.
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