These Top Questions to Ask a VP of Information Technology will help you understand the role better than ever before.
Top Questions to Ask VP of Information Technology
When hiring for a VP of Information Technology, most companies understand that they must go beyond a prospective candidate’s technical credentials.
Soft skills and initiative, for example, are significant considerations. And to gain that sort of knowledge, you’ll need to lay aside the resumes and develop a meaningful set of IT interview questions to ask your top prospects.
Predictable interview questions, such as “Where do you see yourself in five years?” are unlikely to reveal anything. A succession of “yes-or-no” questions will not work either. To evaluate if someone would be the ideal hiring for the position, you should draw them out, ask a combination of technical and situational questions, and pay close attention to what they say and how they say it.
Do you want to know if this person has the technical capabilities and ambition to succeed in this position — as well as the interpersonal qualities to thrive on your team? Here are 17 technical interview questions to help you decide:
What internet resources do you rely on to assist you in your job?
When most IT professionals want assistance, they resort to websites such as StackExchange or Github. Serious professionals will have their websites, online forums, social media feeds, and other resources tailored to their unique interests. The response to this question will indicate how involved the candidate is in the larger IT environment.
How do you maintain your technological abilities up to date?
Tech workers work hard to stay current on their expertise by reading blogs and forums, taking online courses, participating in hackathons, and working on personal IT projects. This tech interview question will help you evaluate the candidate’s enthusiasm for the field while also starting a discussion about professional growth.
Play a role. I’m not a computer whiz. Can you describe [a relevant technology] in layman’s terms?
Because information technology is so important in nearly every business, the ability to communicate with non-technical individuals is essential. With this IT interview question, you can analyze applicants’ communication abilities. Do they avoid abbreviations and jargon? How successfully can they deconstruct a complex process? To get a feel of how they’d engage with non-tech colleagues, ask a few “stupid” follow-up questions.
What do you believe are the most significant qualities in a developer [or another related IT position]?
This type of inquiry might show how the candidate thinks about the position and what they believe they can offer to it. Some applicants may emphasize technical skills and IT certifications, while others emphasize problem-solving, attention to detail, communication, and other general work qualities. Look for IT candidates that provide a balanced response.
How would your coworkers characterize you in three words?
The answer can reveal aspects of a candidate’s personality that aren’t easily obvious from their CV or standard interview questions. It also shows how the individual views themselves and the position for which they are applying. For example, if their response emphasizes their creative side but is mostly analytical, the job may not be a suitable fit.
