You can teach anybody to be a technician.
You can teach somebody how to reset passwords, replace hardware, troubleshoot networks, manage systems, follow documentation, or learn a new platform. Technology changes every few years anyway. If somebody is willing to learn, the technical side can be developed over time.
What is much harder to teach is attitude.
I can’t easily teach somebody how to genuinely care about people. I can’t teach somebody to stay calm under pressure when a faculty member, staff member, or student is already frustrated before they ever pick up the phone. I can’t teach humility to somebody whose glass is already so full they believe they already know everything worth knowing.
Some of the best hires I have ever seen were not the people with the longest resumes or the most certifications. They were the people who could walk into a room, listen before speaking, think critically, communicate clearly, and understand that technology decisions affect real people and real operations.
Technical skills matter. They absolutely do.
But give me somebody dependable, curious, adaptable, professional, and willing to learn over somebody who is technically brilliant but impossible to work with every single time.
The reality is that IT is no longer just about technology. Most environments today are deeply connected ecosystems. One careless change can impact classrooms, payroll, financial aid, cybersecurity, communications, and business continuity all at once. I need people who can see beyond the ticket sitting in front of them and understand the ripple effects of what they do.
And honestly, customers remember how you made them feel long after they forget the technical details of the issue itself.
I have seen technicians solve the problem and still fail the interaction.
That matters.
The longer I stay in leadership, the more I realize I am usually hiring for character, communication, emotional intelligence, professionalism, adaptability, and judgment first. The technical growth comes after that.
Anybody else finding this to be true in today’s hiring environment?
What qualities do you value most when building a strong IT team?