Finding the right candidate for an ITAM position can be a challenge. To build your team, you need to think outside the box.
Tip #76 - June 2021: Think outside the box to build your ITAM team. Cast a wide net, consider training a potential candidate and use available sourcing options.
Tip 1: Cast a wide net
In order to be successful, ITAM Practitioners frequently take on the role of an analyst, researcher, or advisor depending on the situation. Strong skills in project and stakeholder management as well as process knowledge are also useful. Finding a candidate with the right combination of hard skills and soft skills is more important than software or hardware experience. Granted, a background in IT is preferable, but in many cases, candidates with a (slightly) different background can be valuable additions to our team, such as:
- Project Manager: Aside from the obvious project management skills, they usually bring experience in the fields of budgeting, negotiation, and technical knowledge to the table.
- IT Service Management: ITSM professionals are used to functioning in multi-vendor/multi-platform environments and can function as advocates within their own organisation. Other useful characteristics may include troubleshooting, situation tracking, and the ability to leverage several communication styles.
- Purchasing professionals: These candidates typically have a knack for negotiation, procurement, invoice management, and vendor management.
- Etc. You can probably think of some more examples yourself.
When you approach your search with this in mind the skills required for an ITAM hire may not be as unique as you first assumed. The most important thing to keep in mind is in all cases, the ability to work with a wide variety of stakeholders and attention to detail is a must!
Tip 2: Train them if you cannot find them
Candidates that tick all the boxes are usually already employed, and rarely enter the job market. Luckily, there is a wide range of training options available for you to form and strengthen your team such as:
- ITAM best-practice training, such as CSAM, CAMP, or CHAMP.
- Training specific for the ITAM / ITSM tooling you are using at your company.
Why spend endless hours trying to find that one perfect candidate on LinkedIn when you can hire a motivated candidate and train them instead? In addition, you can train them and mold them to fit within your organisation, utilising those newly learnt skills to deliver value back to your organisation.
Tip 3: Use the sourcing options available
Not all of your team members need to be full-time employees. You can build your team by:
- Hiring a consultant that specialises in a specific vendor such as IBM or SAP to help you with your quarterly reports, or with an audit,
- Outsourcing specific functions, such as management of ITAM tooling, or asset verification,
- Working with an ITAM service Provider to co-source your ITAM team as part of an ITAM service.
You have to consider, do you want to hire multiple permanent staff to fulfill all of these activities and have all these skills or is co-source a good option. Employing a co-source service may give you all the skills you need at a fraction of the cost.