What To Look For In A Network Manager

Are you looking for a new network manager, but finding that good candidates are hard to come by? It’s hardly surprising. Not in today’s technology obsessed world, where everybody can claim to be a computer whizz but few people have the skills needed to be an invaluable team asset. Hiring tech personnel can be an extremely tricky business. Hiring senior tech personnel can be even harder. After all, you’re putting them in charge of the system for a very good reason – you can’t manage the network yourself.

It doesn’t whether this is due to time restraints or a lack of IT knowledge, because as long as you find a reliable network manager – your system can be expertly run and maintained. Let’s face it, a company’s IT infrastructure is absolutely vital to its success. It’s important that your new network manager is fully aware of the responsibility that he or she carries, says TechTarget.com expert Linda Christie. Here’s what you should be looking for in a potential candidate.

Basic Knowledge

It can be tempting to try and catch a candidate out with lots of very complicated tech questions. Yet, the network expert who is confident enough to explain a sophisticated computing concept or solution in a very simple manner, is likely to be a top quality employee. Just because an individual can recite lots of big phrases, doesn’t mean that he or she has the practical skills necessary to be a true professional, says ComputerWeekly.com journalist Roisin Woolnough. During an interview, let a candidate go into a detailed answer if they so choose. You shouldn’t, however, try to catch them out with overly difficult questions. They’ll either fall into the trap or they’ll see right through it and wish that you could be a little more direct.

Genuine Passion

Ask candidates if they belong to any user groups – it will help you to determine how passionate they are about their work. It’s also a good indication of resourcefulness and pragmatism. User groups are a very good source of peer to peer communication and assistance. If your network manager is confronted with a brand new problem and gets into a bit of a bind, it is comforting to know that he or she has a series of resources in place that could help. You’re not looking for an individual who won’t ever make any mistakes. You’re looking for somebody who can mistakes and then solve them quickly, says CompleteITProfessional.com. A candidate should also be familiar with high profile computer networking companies like Comms Express.

Honesty

It might sound counterproductive at first, but you should ask a candidate what their biggest professional mistake has been so far. This will tell you a number of things. First off, it should be clear whether or not a candidate is lying through their teeth. Anybody who says they haven’t ever made a mistake is either unwilling to be honest, or genuinely doesn’t believe that they could make a blunder – both are negative reactions. It’s okay for an individual to feel nervous about the question and it’s okay for them to edit their answer. It doesn’t matter what their response might be – you’re trying to find out if they eventually learned from the mistake in question.

Reliability

For companies who work with government records or security data, confidentiality is extremely important. Your network manager should be somebody who can be trusted with very sensitive data. They should never be willing to discuss details of their work with people outside the company. A successful network manager is calm under pressure, reliable and extremely responsible. If they have a problem, they should only ever report it to a senior member of staff.

Author Bio:

Christoper West is the head of a human resources department. He recommends Comms Express for top quality, reliable computer networking solutions. Christoper can usually be found making the hiring and firing decisions in the company boardroom.