Hiring for a SaaS Company: What Skills to Look for
The SaaS industry has been growing by leaps and bounds, with companies from almost all lines of business using Software as a Service to enable business operations. If you are a techie with cloud computing skills, you’ve never been in a better hiring space.
New challenges and jobs are opening up in the IT industry for SaaS professionals. Since 2015, the SaaS industry has grown by 500% in size, with a worth of over $170 billion in 2022.
The covid-19 pandemic also contributed to this boom. It came and confined everyone to remote work environments. This was when companies turned to cloud-based software integrations for daily tasks, and SaaS professionals became heroes.
Since SaaS companies are on the lookout for top talents, it is important to recognize useful skills that successful professionals must have in this industry.
5 Skills to Look for While Hiring for a SaaS Company
Hiring managers often find themselves in a fix while deciding which skills matter most for specific roles. To employ talent in SaaS companies, there are a few crucial aspects you should keep in mind in terms of both hard and soft skills.
Technical Expertise
If you are hiring for tech roles in a SaaS company, this is obviously the most basic criterion. The right candidate must have knowledge of at least one programming language. The ideal skill set should consist of Java, Python, PHP, or Linux.
In addition, cloud computing skills like data security, migration, and compliance are in high demand in the present market. It also helps to be well-versed with database management processes, designing and developing applications, and high-level coding. Being familiar with front-end technologies also doesn’t hurt.
Security and Data Management
SaaS systems are virtual and cloud-based, so there can be recurring data security concerns. SaaS professionals must be aware of security measures, no matter which role they are in. Virtual services come with their own set of data compliance risks, so oversights can cause huge losses to the company.
Another hard skill is data management. With this great SaaS shift, data management is now a full-time career. Knowledge of IoT, Human Resources Management Systems (HRMS), and data storage, auditing, integration, and analytics can be hugely beneficial for someone working at a SaaS organization, along with languages like Hadoop and MySQL.
Problem Solving and Customization
In a fast-paced environment like this, problem-solving skills always come in handy. SaaS professionals working in technical roles must be adept at debugging code, addressing last-minute errors, and customizing applications at short notice.
For non-technical employees, a few important skills are content creation and management, digital marketing, research on industry trends, and customer management. Automated customer experience management platforms like Locobuzz provide advanced solutions to transform the CX aspect of SaaS companies.
Compliance Skills
Most positions at SaaS companies work directly with enterprises or end users. Thus, they must be aware of compliance factors. Any breach related to data privacy and information security can lead to serious consequences for an individual or a company.
Hence, all workers must perform within industry-specific standards while dealing with clients, vendors, or customers.
Communication and Team Work Capabilities
Technical knowledge aside, it is the attitude that can take you far in your career. People working in close-knit SaaS teams must have social skills, a positive attitude, transparent communication habits, and the ability to work as part of a team.
Simple scenarios and questions can help you determine the approach of an employee towards a tough situation. Add these aspects to your hiring process to judge the social and interpersonal skills of a candidate before hiring them.
Conclusion
The Saas industry is shooting up in scale and reach, with a projected annual growth rate of over 17% in 2022. With technological advancements, more roles are opening up that require specialized skills.
No matter which profile you are hiring for, the right thing to focus on is a candidate’s openness to embrace new technologies and eagerness to make creative contributions to the company.
