Hiring 100 Percent Online With a 100 Percent Success Rate

Problem

As a company, we were determined to improve our hiring process. However, that was easier said than done. Our candidates were not happy with long waiting times and ambiguous feedback, to name a few. Apparently, we were failing to provide our candidates with the best possible interviewing experience.

Actions taken

Before taking any action, I would try to put myself in other people’s shoes and design the most compelling interviewing experience based on our candidates’ needs. In this particular case, I would try to empathize with and understand a high-performing developer who would leave their job to join a company they don’t know much about, work with people they would not meet in person and dedicate eight hours of their time every day to contribute to a mission they yet don’t share.

Then I would carefully rethink all the steps of the interviewing process, harmonizing and standardizing them to match both our needs as a company but also potential candidates. That would include using new tools that could improve team collaboration, standardize the process and increase efficiency, and explaining the process to all the members involved in any stage.

I would also revisit the technical challenges to be up-to-date with our current target. As startups grow and mature, so does the codebase and needs of the team. The challenge should evaluate those skills you are looking to have in your team for the next stage.

I would also explain the vision and goals most distinctly making sure that a potential hire would resonate with our mission and be able to align with goals. All particularities of their role, including a detailed description of their responsibilities, would be shared in advance to make sure that both sides are aligned on that. Also, I would explain to a candidate what would be the next steps and I would be very clear with expectations for each of those steps.

Meeting the team is essential for assessing if a person is the right fit. They are in fact the people that the candidate will interact more with on a daily basis, so it’s critical to assess they have a fit and they like each other from a personal and professional side.

At the end of each stage, I would give brief feedback, as soon as possible, to set expectations and provide a learning opportunity. Usually, they also share their feedback, which is the most useful source to keep improving the process and bringing in the people who will take the company to the next level.

Lessons learned

• Providing candidates with feedback -- and as quick is as possible -- is an essential part of the compelling hiring experience. Don’t hesitate to give feedback during a cultural/behavioral part of the interview. Telling a candidate that they are ‘a match’ and would make a good cultural fit, doesn’t mean they are hired yet, but sends the right signal and demonstrates that you take feedback seriously. The technical part of the interview is another great opportunity to give feedback and help them learn something new. If they are not hired, they will still make them better developers.
• Learn from your customer experience. Your candidates will need time to write reviews (Glassdoor, kununu, etc), but you will also need time to check them and adjust your hiring process based on their feedback. You can also ask openly about the process during the interview, and make sure that HR will also collect feedback.
• Long-term vision and mid-term goals are decisive information for candidates in senior and management positions. Most of them will be curious to learn what is the impact they could have in the world if they join your team, how the tech landscape would look like then, or how the team is expected to grow.
• A standardized process is key for a great candidate experience. Define it early on, keep track of relevant metrics, and adapt it to suit your needs while making your candidates happy.
• The hiring process is one of the best ways to promote the company and its culture; therefore, make sure that every participant will have a clear idea of the company culture and will recommend the company to other, prospective candidates.