When to hire an IT manager

As businesses grow, IT systems grow with them and there comes a point where external IT support services are no longer cost-effective or convenient. But how can a business know when it is ready to hire a dedicated internal IT manager - and can it afford one?

Chris Todd, managing director for terrain product and services company Parkland Products, says with 40 staff, four servers, 35 PCs and a wireless network his company has reached the point where it now needs an IT manager but he's not sure how or when that will happen.

"Can we afford an IT manager? The answer is probably 'no'. But with more remote sites and mobile workers, the real question might be: can we afford not to have one?" says Todd.

With an internal IT manager, Todd figures IT issues could be handled efficiently and cost effectively and other staff members could be freed up.

He says an IT manager would also place emphasis on growing IT infrastructure and develop new strategies. However, Todd says even hiring is part of the challenge - how do you assess potential IT managers if you don't have knowledge of the job?

"They might have an excellent Microsoft background but not a clue about other [platforms]. You could be stuck with someone who always takes the same approach," says Todd.

To avoid this, smaller companies often seek the aid of recruitment consultants that specialise in IT. They may also engage help with advertising. Paul Weaver, account director for recruitment advertising agency Haines, says attracting the right IT manager requires adherence to a basic process. Advertising needs to stand out, the potential employer needs to build interest and desire by letting the candidate know what's in it for them, and the candidate needs to be convinced to act by applying for the role. Weaver says the best IT managers may not be actively looking for a job, and employers need to consider what their company can offer that others can't.

"Often, [offering] a bigger salary is not an option; employers must think about the benefits: the company's culture, the work environment, the type of projects and advancement opportunities," says Weaver.

He says word of mouth and employee referral is effective and delivers automatic candidate pre-screening; so ask satisfied staff to consider people who might be eligible for the role of IT manager. The company web site is also important.

"In the US, it is the second highest source of candidates. While there are newspapers and online job boards which work well, there are [other] options and the suitability of these depends on how well you understand the type of person your [potential] IT manager is," says Weaver.

Assuming a business figures this out, is there enough IT managers to go around, and are they affordable? Paul Heath, team leader for recruitment consultants Manpower Professional says there are plenty of IT managers on the market with a variety of strengths.

"If anything, there are almost too many candidates. IT managers need to work harder to set themselves apart from others competing for the same roles," says Heath.

Heath says what IT managers are paid depends on the scope of the role and their experience; those with more than five years in the industry probably won't work for less than $60,000. Employers also need to remember successful recruitment agencies require a commission of between 15 and 17 per cent of the individual's annual salary.

Damian Sainsbury, chief operating officer for Haines, says the agency hired its first IT manager five years ago.

"The value is you can be sure IT is aligned with business need. Technology helps drive our business forward and it is important to have skilled people looking after it," he says.

How to attract an IT guru

* Prepare a brief with the information needed to create a compelling advertisement.

* Describe the reason for recruitment; list the key characteristics of the organisation.

* Describe location and reputation. List recent successes reported from outside the company.

* Describe interesting/unusual aspects of the job.

* What is the salary, benefits and rewards of the position?

Supplied by Haines