The CV gets them in the room. It shouldn’t be the only thing that gets them the job.
After years of working in IT recruitment, one thing has become clear to me: the candidates who thrive aren’t always the ones with the most impressive CV. They’re the ones who can think through a problem, ask the right questions, and genuinely fit the team they’re joining.
So if you’re hiring in IT right now, here are the things I’d encourage you to look beyond the CV for.
How they talk about problems they’ve solved
Anyone can list tools and technologies. What tells you far more is asking someone to walk you through a difficult technical challenge. How do they tell that story? Do they take you through their thinking, or do they jump straight to the outcome? The way someone narrates a problem says a lot about how they’ll approach the next one.
How they handle not knowing something
IT moves fast. You’re not just hiring for what someone knows today, you’re hiring for how they learn. When a candidate hits a gap in the conversation, do they get defensive or curious? The ones who say “I don’t know that yet, but here’s how I’d find out” are often the ones who grow fastest once they’re in the door.
How self-aware they are about their working style
People who thrive tend to know how they work best, what they find hard, and how they fit into a team. That kind of self-awareness leads to better collaboration and fewer surprises once someone is in post. It’s worth asking directly “how do you work best?” is a simple question that tells you a lot.
Whether their values match your culture
Skills can be developed. A poor cultural fit is much harder to fix. There’s no right answer here — it depends entirely on your team. Do you need someone to challenge, to steady, or to build? Knowing what you actually need before you start interviewing makes a significant difference to the quality of the decision at the end.
Whether they’ve done their homework
Not just on the role, on your business. Candidates who ask genuinely good questions in an interview tend to be the ones who’ll care once they’re in the door. Curiosity in the room usually translates to investment once they’re in the role.
The right person isn’t always the one with the most impressive CV. Sometimes it’s the one who asks the best question at the end.
If you’re hiring in IT and want help finding the right fit, not just the right skills , I’d love to have a conversation.