Adding to your tech team can feel like an impossible task. You are inundated with candidates that potentially may be a good fit, yet you are unsure of whom to hire. You want an IT candidate that is not only professional in their demeanor but highly skilled and experienced.

Knowing what traits can make for a solid tech team hire can ensure you pick the right candidate for the job without regret. Soft skills are crucial for day-to-day operations, while at the same time you need someone who has a reasonable chance of performing the tasks you need to be done. This means it is essential to hire a professional who can offer the optimal combination of soft and hard skills that will truly benefit your business when the candidate comes aboard.

To help you with your hiring decision, eight members of Forbes Technology Council share one trait they look for in a key hire for tech teams, something that helps them determine who gets the offer. Here is what they had to say: 

1. Ability To Communicate Technology Efficiently

When hiring for a tech team, I look for someone who is able to communicate technology to different audiences. Technical knowledge is important, but one must be able to share it in order for the rest of the team to leverage and build on that knowledge. I often ask how they would explain a technical concept to a six year old. – Hubert Yoshida, Hitachi Vantar

2. The Right Attitude

There is a base level of skill I am interested in when I look for key hires, but provided they possess that base skill level, I pick key hires on attitude over skill. Skill can be taught, but attitude can’t. I also check to see if their values are in line with my personal values to ensure a fit. I can deal with a difference in opinion and approach, but it is hard to fix a misalignment in core values. – Kamal Sadarangani, DeWired Now LLC

3. Good Collaboration Skills

A tech team not only needs to be able to solve technical issues but also to be able to work well with others. We look for effective communicators in our tech hires. Individuals who are effective at explaining technical issues to stakeholders help our business and our clients make informed decisions to help our companies. – Micheal Goodwin, Server@Work, LLC