IT Recruiter Magazine, November, 1999
With talent in short supply, it's tempting to bombard every qualified IT person who crosses your path with a job offer. But hiring for technical expertise alone is a big mistake. Unless your candidate works in a vacuum, his interpersonal skills, character and motivation matter as much as code-writing ability--maybe more.

After all, what happens when that hotshot with the heavy-duty C++ credentials bails out mid-project? Or the program manager who looked so good on paper alienates everybody on the team? Projects -- and deadlines -- are more often sabotaged by internal team politics and lack of commitment than by incompetence. And many IT recruiters are clueless about assessing non-technical skills.

Granted, in an industry this talent-hungry, you can't be too picky. But if you could predict that Candidate A's discomfort in a leadership role would make him far less effective than Candidate B, which applicant would you choose? Today, most IT development projects are a team effort. It's difficult enough to assemble a team that can operate smoothly under deadline and budget pressures. . I t's even harder with project investors or top management breathing down your neck. But even with these factors working against you, it is possible to create a group whose work styles, temperaments, and skill sets are compatible. And when that happens, everything clicks.

According to Joe Turner, an Atlanta writer and 20-year software development veteran, "Working with a competent, sharp project team is a wonderful experience. Sombody's always able to kick out the side of the box and reveal a larger room. On a great team, it's not always the same person who does it."

Five must-have temperament types

There are at least five specific "temperament types" essential to completing a major IT project on time and within budget. Keep in mind that no person fits any of these profiles perfectly, and some teams include more than five types. What you're aiming for, whether you're assembling a new team or augmenting an existing one, is balance.

The Icebreaker

The Icebreaker is the ideal systems architect. This person knows how to cut through that frozen expanse that separates users and techies. The Icebreaker understands the business situation from the user's point of view, grasps the technical possibilities, and creates a system blueprint that addresses both. If they're academically inclined, Icebreakers may have double degrees: computer science or engineering coupled with an MBA.

The Icebreaker's ability to straddle two worlds probably won't surface in a single interview, so it's wise to arrange individual meetings with technical and user personnel. Although few candidates will get a 100 percent approval rating, those who get a decisive "thumbs down" from either camp are likely to have a tough time succeeding on the job. As one seasoned IT veteran puts it, "The development team can tell who the losers are long before management can."

The Sherlock

The best systems analysts are Sherlock- the position most often "mishired." It's easy to be impressed by technical expertise when you're filling this position, especially if you're a non-technical person. But a true Sherlock is actually a problem-solver first, and a techie second. How do you assess a Sherlock? Give him something to solve. Pose a problem outside his comfort zone -- something he or she can't answer immediately. Then take note of the questions he asks. A Sherlock looks beyond the obvious, questions everything, and won't give up until the problem is solved (or at the very least, beaten to the ground). During the interview process, be careful about mistaking the Sherlock's natural introversion for arrogance. This person earns his colleagues' respect for perseverance and problem-solving abilities -- not his conversational skills.

Sherlocks have a stubborn streak that can damage the group's cohesiveness if not directed into something challenging and meaningful. It's a mistake, therefore, to hire a Sherlock for work that you know will be mundane or repetitive.

The Straw Boss

The Straw Boss is an ideal program/project manager. As a working member of the team, this person both performs the work and directs its progress.

He knows how to develop real-world programs, hire an effective staff, and get the work done on time. This individual has a strong need for completion, is not afraid to make decisions, and is comfortable in a leadership role.

This last characteristic is less common than you might think. Interview carefully to gauge your candidate's willingness to supervise. Many people believe they're supposed to want to be in charge, but they frankly don't like the conflict or the hassle that authority entails.

"Not long ago we interviewed a guy who said he wanted to move into project management," says Charlie Paparelli, CEO of Atlanta-based Insight Management Group. "He had a pretty rosy picture of the position until somebody on the interview committee remarked, 'This job's really a combination of traffic cop, marriage counselor, high school principal and ditch digger.'"

"That did it. We could tell from the guy's face that managing the work and the people was one responsibility too many."

Excellent Straw Bosses are a rare find. They are technically experienced enough to command the respect of peers (and to know when they're being snowed). And they also know when the project is ready to release. This is important because in a techie's heart of hearts, no development project is ever really finished. It always needs another feature, another tweak, another test -- and there goes the deadline.

That's why Paparelli makes a point of asking project manager candidates about their track record for bringing projects in on time. "The perfectionists and the blamers stick out right away," says Paparelli. "Their problems are always somebody else's fault."

One red flag, says Paparelli, is a resume that includes many lateral moves. "My worst hiring mistake was bringing on somebody with loads of experience who'd never really gotten anywhere in his previous positions," he says. "During the interview, I thought, 'Man! Here's somebody who knows it all.' Boy, was I wrong."

The Guru

This is the senior developer. His abilities, standards and attitude influence the entire team. It's easy to be dazzled by rarefied technical skills when you're filling this slot, and there's no question that you must strive for the best talent you can get. But Gurus, like Sherlocks, suffer when they're underemployed -- and they make sure everybody else suffers with them.

Gurus often self-select based on your description of the work. Offer them an opportunity to break new ground whenever possible, and when that's not possible, don't apologize. (There's always a Guru-in-training out there who sees building AS/400 GUIs as a new challenge.)

A Guru is typically not impressed by titles or authority, nor motivated primarily by money. This person is an artisan and inventor whose creativity drives him more relentlessly than any program manager ever could. The problem is when that creativity is stifled, the Guru's commitment goes with it.,

"The most destructive element on a team is the 'Project Cynic,' says Paparelli. "This is the person who isn't fully committed to the task, and the effect is like slow poison." You'll need an astute project manager to recognize and deal with this, so your best move is to prevent the problem by hiring your Guru wisely.

The Sherpa

Could Mt. Everest ever have been conquered without Sherpas? That's precisely the role that programmers fill on a technical team. Intrepid and reliable, they're the foot soldiers who make everything happen. Job-hopping programmers are a real liability, especially when they bail out mid-project. How do you assess characteristics such as dependability, loyalty and commitment to completing the task?

The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is one instrument that predicts in very general terms, on-the-job behavior and responses. Administered and interpreted by a qualified professional, the MBTI can be a powerful tool when you're assembling a development team. Since group dynamics have as much -- or more -- influence on a project's success as professional skills, it makes sense to know what you're concocting before you throw everything into the pot and turn on the fire.

Who's on your team?

How do you go beyond the resume to figure out what "temperament type" you've got in the interview seat -- or already working on your team?

The best way to uncover essential traits like learning ability, character, analytical skills, relating preferences and the drive to perform is to ask questions that go beyond facts and shed light on behavioral patterns. Here are a few examples.

The Icebreaker needs to be a customer-focused strategist. Probe for this by asking questions like, "Think back to the most uncommunicative customer you've ever worked with. How did you get the information you needed to develop a solution? What was the outcome?" Ask for specifics and keep digging until you get them. Good Icebreakers can readily give examples of their ability to ferret out useful information even when it isn't readily available.

The Straw Boss has to be adept at solving group problems quickly, yet remain mindful of the long-term consequences of any decision. Probe for these skills by asking, "Give me an example of a time when your team was stalled because of indecision or a disagreement. What did you do? What was the outcome?"

The Guru, no matter how talented or experienced, must have certain interpersonal skills to be an effective team member. Ask him to describe the best and the worst project team he has ever joined. You'll know pretty quickly whether your organization's culture matches either description.

The Ghostbuster lives to solve problems. The solutions, however, must work in the real world. Probe for pragmatism by asking, "Tell me about a time you took a risk on a project and it paid off. Now tell me about a time you took a risk and it didn't turn out so well." The answers will tell you how risk-averse this candidate is (a quality that influences decisiveness and ultimately, deadlines). Problem-solvers who won't let go until they find the "perfect answer can stall a project in a heartbeat.

The Sherpa is often a relatively young and/or inexperienced member of the project team. Your goal here is to gauge, as accurately as possible, this person's level of ambition and commitment. Say, "Move the calendar ahead 18 months. Now tell me about the three accomplishments you're most proud of." Listen closely. If those accomplishments aren't possible within your organization, think twice before making an offer.

About the Authors

Based on the forthcoming book, "Winning the Technology Talent War: A Manager's Guide to Recruiting and Retaining Tech Workers in a Dot-Com World." By Mary Ellen Brantley and Chris Coleman.

Chris Coleman, president of Atlanta-based FolioZ, has consulted with and developed marketing plans for more than 200 IT firms since 1986.

Mary Ellen Brantley, president of BrantleyHouse in Atlanta, has 25 years of experience as an operating manager in Xerox and Digital (now Compaq), and as a consultant for technology companies worldwide.

Reprinted with permission by IT Recruiter Magazine. Career Advancement