Hiring the Right People

Introduction

In Managed IT, hiring is not simply about adding another technician to the schedule. Every hire affects ticket response times, client trust, security risk, and the number of after-hours escalations that reach the owner. The right person can follow standards, communicate clearly, and solve problems without creating new ones. The wrong person can cause missed SLAs, poor documentation, unsafe changes, and client churn.

The Talent Funnel treats hiring like a service delivery process. You attract suitable candidates, test whether they can handle the actual work, and then train them to deliver support according to your standards. This approach reduces wasted interviews and helps you build a reliable service team.

Concept

The Talent Funnel has three main parts: Hiring, Training, and the Repellent Job Ad. Each part helps you attract, assess, and retain people who fit the realities of Managed IT.

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Hiring

Hiring begins with defining what success looks like in the role. A Level 1 service desk technician should not only know basic Microsoft 365, Windows, and networking concepts. They also need to write useful ticket notes, protect client data, follow escalation rules, and remain calm with frustrated users.

Write the role around real work instead of vague traits such as “rock star” or “self-starter.” State the ticket volume, required schedule, on-call expectations, tools, and standards. Explain whether the technician will work in a PSA such as ConnectWise or HaloPSA, use an RMM such as Datto or NinjaOne, and support regulated clients.

Real-World Example: An MSP needs a service desk technician. Its job post explains that the person will handle 20 to 30 tickets per day, document every action in the PSA, use MFA and secure remote access, and escalate suspected security incidents immediately. Candidates who dislike structured documentation or customer-facing work usually remove themselves before the interview.

Use a practical screening step. Ask candidates to prioritize three sample tickets, write a short client update, or explain how they would respond to a phishing report. This reveals judgment and communication better than a resume alone.

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Training

After hiring, training turns general ability into repeatable Managed IT performance. New technicians need more than product training. They must learn your ticket workflow, severity levels, escalation paths, change approval rules, password handling, backup verification process, and client communication standards.

Create a staged ramp-up. During the first week, the new hire can review your knowledge base, shadow calls, and practice in a test tenant. Next, they can handle low-risk tickets with review. Only after they demonstrate accurate notes, safe changes, and proper escalation should they work independently.

Real-World Example: A new technician practices resetting Microsoft 365 passwords, onboarding a workstation into the RMM, and checking backup alerts in a sandbox. A senior technician reviews the ticket notes and confirms that no privileged access or security step was skipped. The new hire earns more responsibility through demonstrated performance, not simply by completing videos.

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The Repellent Job Ad

The Repellent Job Ad is designed to discourage applicants who are not suited to the real role. It does not insult candidates or make the job unnecessarily difficult. It gives an honest picture of the work and includes a small attention-to-detail test.

Describe the less attractive parts clearly: recurring ticket queues, documentation requirements, occasional onsite visits, scheduled maintenance, and possible on-call coverage. Include an instruction such as, “Begin your application with the words ‘I document every change’.” You can also ask applicants to provide a three-sentence response to a mock user who cannot access email.

Real-World Example: An MSP receives fewer applications after adding its ticket volume, weekend rotation, and documentation test. However, the candidates who remain understand the job and are more likely to follow process. The hiring manager spends less time screening people who only want unstructured project work.

Conclusion

The Talent Funnel helps an IT Services business build a dependable team instead of repeatedly replacing technicians. Write honest job ads, test the skills that affect client outcomes, and use a structured ramp-up plan. When the process reflects real service delivery, new hires are more likely to protect client systems, meet response targets, and grow into independent contributors.