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Hiring a senior engineer is a high-stakes game. You need someone who has plenty of experience, can be an excellent mentor to less experienced engineers and has a vast array of technical skills. So what qualities are most important when evaluating senior engineers before making a hiring decision? Let's take a closer look.

Determination

Engineers should have the tenacity to begin a project, problem-solve when necessary, hit deadlines, and complete the requirements within an established time frame. Determination sums up all of these instincts. Look for accomplishments on their resume that showcase the ability to follow a problem to its conclusion and resolve issues important for their success.

Simplification

It's not uncommon for engineers to make the process feel overcomplicated. Not necessarily because it is, but because they understand concepts not everyone does. You want to work with engineers who can simplify the ideas to explain them to anyone who may not have the same background, experience, or knowledge.

Critical Thinking

Problem-solving is often the most crucial aspect of any engineering project. Even when the work goes smoothly, engineers need to be able to see several steps forward, and that takes critical thinking skills. You can see this on the resume in terms of data regarding their previous work experience. You can also assess critical thinking skills through testing.

Motivation

You also want to hire engineers who are excited about the opportunity and eager to advance their careers with your organization. Motivation can be challenging to measure, but you can see evidence of how they've taken action in the past. How often did they change jobs to get more responsibility? You can also ask questions related explicitly to motivation, such as "how do you stay motivated on the job?"

If you need help finding quality senior engineers, consider working with an experienced partner like itec group!