Hiring a CTO? Key considerations for attracting and retaining the right candidate

Author: James Nunns / Source: Computer Business Review

With so many different technology solutions to choose from, the CTO needs to be decisive and quick if they’re to make the right investments and add real value to the business.

Technology is touching every industry, with businesses across all sectors becoming increasingly digitally-led.

From the rise in new technologies such as automation, robotics and AI to embracing new and more flexible working practices, business models are being disrupted and organisations must adapt now to keep pace with the change. As a result, the CTO role is growing ever more integral to organisations’ future progress, with individuals being brought in to help navigate the business through these times.

That said, hiring this type of person – with a unique blend of management and technical skills – might be a totally new concept for a small business leader who up until now hasn’t had any requirements for a CTO. Traditionally, bringing in a dedicated technical strategist to a lean small business would have been seen as more of a luxury “nice-to-have”.

Today however, technology sits at the heart of every organisation and hiring a CTO could enable the core team to focus on what they do best – whether that’s scaling the business, focusing on R&D, bringing a new product to market or reaching new audiences. With this is mind, it’s incredibly important that for any small business who is looking to bring a CTO in, they can get this senior hire right. Here are my top tips to make sure this process goes as smoothly as possible.

Identify individuals who have ambition to grow with the business

When hiring a CTO, SMEs need to look for individuals who are both comfortable setting the technology strategy and managing small teams today, but also capable…

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