1. Why do you say that hiring technical people for a company is a tough task?

Because assessing knowledge workers is more difficult than assessing people's skills for non-knowledge work. It's not just technical skills, although that's a piece of it. It's more about how people work together. How they give and take feedback. Can they explain what they are doing and thinking to other people? How well can they collaborate to create a product together?

2. How did you gain sufficient experience to offer hiring guidelines and tips to companies when it comes to technical staff?

I was a hiring manager for years inside organizations. I have helped a number of my clients hire people. I have taken interim management jobs and hired my replacement.

3. What sort of technical-specific advice and tips do you provide in your blog?

-How to create auditions for different jobs. You want to see a person in action, if at all possible.

-How to create a job analysis and use that analysis to create a phone screen.

-How to create and use behavior-description questions to assess a person's experience.

4. What common mistakes do you think businesses and/or organizations make when they hire technical employees? What can they do prevent such mistakes?

Many organizations think that if they look for keywords for specific technical skills or certifications, they will get what they need. But that doesn't work. Yes, you need some technical skills, but you also want to know how well and quickly a person learns what they will need to learn in this context. What are their personal qualities, preferences and non-technical skills? Hiring a project manager with a PMP who has never managed short commercial projects, when you are a startup is not necessarily a good idea. And hiring a developer who has never had to support his or her code in production may not be a good choice for your IT organization.

5. What advice and tips can you give technically qualified people who are trying to land a job?

Use your entire network to market yourself. Yes, use the online job sites. But don't forget about your alumni group on LinkedIn. Use Facebook and maybe even Twitter. In person, attend local user group meetings or other meetings where you can network. Make business cards with a non-work email address and a phone number that you know won't be answered by a child (or someone who doesn't take messages).

6. How should a technical person market himself to prospective employers to get hired quickly?

Give the hiring manager what they want. If they want a resume in doc or pdf format, give it to them.

- If you have a public portfolio of work, that's helpful to point hiring managers to.

- Write a cover letter that is specific to the job you're applying for.

- Proofread your resume. It's amazing how often people don't do these simple things.

7. What tips can you offer our readers on preparing a good resume for the purpose of a technical vacancy?

- Put your experience in reverse chronological order; most recent experience first. Even if you have gaps in your resume, organize your resume by experience.

- Look for typos. Have a friend, colleague, spouse, child (all of the above!) read your resume and explain what seems misspelled or wrong to them.

- Never lie on a resume. Never exaggerate. Be factual.

- Explain your value. Did you save the company money? Did you help manage a project that was worth some amount of money to the organization? Explain that on your resume.