How to scale up Technology teams in a competitive hiring market

Is your company ready to interview?

This is a question that we ask new and existing clients every time that we engage with them on a new hiring project or vacancy. In today’s Technology market, the competition for candidates has never been higher. So it’s imperative that once a company has unearthed the talent that they engage well and have a well thought out interview process, with candidate experience at the heard of what they do.

Here’s a few points that Net Talent would encourage any companies who are looking to hire at the moment to consider before they start the recruitment process:

1)     Have you ensured the people who are taking the interviews are fully trained to do so? It’s important to remember that interviewing is a distinct skill that can take years to master. Asking the right questions, building rapport and being able to be forthcoming with the right information to potential new members of the team does not come naturally to everyone and you need to ensure your interviewers are ready to do so. I’ve met some incredibly talented and intelligent Hiring Managers who are brilliant at their job – and wonderful people – but interviewing isn't one of their strong points. In Tech especially, it pays to help coach those who are doing the interviews.

2) Can you do it remotely? And is your process engaging? Just because you have the tools to conduct an interview remotely, it doesn't mean you have the ability to do it well. Often, the biggest reason for someone accepting or declining a job is due to the people they will be working with. The pandemic has flipped things on its head, and remote interviews are the norm. However, the companies who have managed to scale successfully during this period are those who still maintain to get the human element right during the recruitment process. Changing an initial screening call over the phone to an engaging video call, where both sides have access to facial expressions and the chance to build rapport can be the difference between a candidate accepting or declining an opportunity.

3)     Are you in a position to move the process along quickly? In the current Tech market, good candidates are being snapped up at breakneck speed – in some cases less than 48 hours. It’s vital that you have the ability to expedite the process where required to avoid losing out on talent due to a sluggish process. Losing the momentum of a recruitment process often means a loss of interest too. You should ALWAYS be able to make a decision on where to offer a candidate or not within 48 hours of a final interview.

4)     Are you able to provide detailed feedback? Feedback is a non-negotiable. Businesses need to be equally adept and delivering both good and bad news. Candidates spend a lot of time and invest emotionally in a process, so providing feedback is of the utmost importance. This is pivotal for both short and long term growth plans.

5)     Self-awareness and the ability to sell the opportunity. Have you thought about what makes this opportunity attractive to candidates? Can you detail the type of work the person will be doing when they join? What are the career progression pathways? What makes you stand out? Equally, it’s important to honestly give an overview of the role, the problems you are trying to fix and the impact the candidate will have in the team. After all, if everything was running perfectly, you wouldn’t need to hire…