Navigating the 7 key stages of the hiring process

Are you looking to build a team of top talent but struggling to find the right candidates?

The tech industry is competitive, and attracting and retaining talent can be a significant challenge. A streamlined recruitment process that can identify and bring in the best candidates is essential for any organization's success.  

Don't know where to start?

Look no further! In this article, I will guide you through a seven-step recruitment process that has helped me hire in the tech industry.  

Step 1: “Kick-off meeting” 

The key to attracting the right talent is to start with a well-defined job description that aligns with your company's needs. And that's where the kick-off meeting comes in! 

During the kick-off or start-up meeting, all the stakeholders involved in the recruitment process, such as the hiring manager (HM), team leader, and talent acquisition specialist, come together to define the necessary skills, experience, and qualifications for the vacancy. This ensures that everyone is on the same page and avoids wasting time and resources on unqualified candidates. 

Collaborate with the HM to define the key responsibilities of the position, technical skills, and tools knowledge, level of experience (junior, middle, senior), educational qualifications, expected salary, and start date.  

Create a recruitment pipeline that includes the necessary steps for each role, which may vary depending on the position's seniority and complexity.  

Once we have gathered all the necessary information, we proceed to craft a job description that precisely depicts the role and its responsibilities and that reflects reality. I suggest you share it with the HM to ensure nothing is missing before publishing.

Remember that a clear and concise job description plays a vital role in attracting the right candidates and providing them with a clear understanding of the job requirements.

Don’t forget to align company culture and highlight the benefits to make your job offer more appealing to potential candidates. 

Step 2: Now that the job description is ready, it’s time to move into a second step: Advertising! 

Identify the right channels to reach your target audience. Social media platforms like LinkedIn and Indeed, as well as specialized job boards, can be great for targeting and connecting with professionals in a specific industry. In my experience, IProgrammatori.it was a useful resource for finding developer candidates in the Italian market. 

The Applicant Tracking System (ATS) can automatically share your job post on various job boards. Several recruitment and employer branding ATS are available, and you can pick the one that best meets your organization's needs. Recently, I’ve found Join and Teamtailor to be extremely useful. 

In addition, consider including pre-screening questions to filter out unqualified candidates before moving on to the next stage. 

But don't stop there! Share the job ad link internally with your team encouraging them to post on their personal social media channels. If you have the budget, you can even run campaigns to boost your reach and attract more candidates.  

Step 3: Hard work is coming Screening! 

Now that we’ve received a ton of applications, it’s time to dive into the screening process. Screening is an essential step in the recruitment process as it involves shortlisting qualified candidates.

While using an ATS system can streamline the process, I suggest personally reviewing the applications that match your requirements. Take a close look at resumes, cover letters, and other supporting documents the candidates submit (such as portfolios). As a proper investigator, take the time to review their LinkedIn profile. 

You can also refer to pre-screening questions that can help you quickly filter candidates’ years of experience in the field, language proficiency, or other criteria based on the job requirements. 

Step 4: Life is not always easy for us and sometimes you need to Source! 

While job postings can attract a lot of candidates, sometimes you need to take a more proactive approach and source potential candidates yourself.  

To do this, I use Boolean search strings on LinkedIn, and Google X-Ray Search, and I’ve recently started using GitHub as well. You can also use a tool that I found very useful and it’s free. Check it out https://freepeoplesearchtool.com/ 

Building a talent pipeline can involve networking, collaborating with recruitment agencies, attending industry events, and nurturing relationships with potential candidates over time. Another tip is to revisit past candidates who were unsuccessful at that time but could now be a perfect fit! 

Step 5: Let’s move into the core step: Interviewing! 

Once we have shortlisted candidates, it is time to schedule interviews. To make the process more efficient, prepare a structured interview kit that includes questions that assess the candidate's skills, experience, and fit with the company culture and role.

As a talent acquisition specialist, I conduct the first round of interviews to assess the candidate's suitability for the job. The hiring manager then conducts a second round to delve deeper into the skills, experience, and fit with the organization's culture. This stage may include a live challenge or a technical assessment. The third and final step typically involves the team leader, and in some cases, other team members as well. Alternatively, a separate call with other team members, known as a Peer Interview, may be arranged. 

Make sure to follow up and provide feedback to candidates at every stage of the process to build a positive candidate experience and employer brand and keep candidates engaged with your company.  

It's not always easy, and it can take time to provide feedback, but it's worth it.  

As a best practice, I leave a summary note right after the interview and ask for feedback from other stakeholders who have met the candidate. By doing this, half the job is done! With the help of your ATS, create a feedback template and schedule a reminder to share it with candidates. 

Step 6: Time to take a decision: it’s the Hiring step.  

After interviewing candidates, it is time to make decisions about who best suits the role and company culture. Involve the hiring manager in the decision-making process to ensure that you are on the same page.  

How to make sure that the person will be the perfect match? I consider both objective criteria and intuition. Use a scorecard to evaluate each candidate, compare the answers, and consider also cultural fit and soft skills. Additionally, consider diversity and inclusion by evaluating candidates from diverse backgrounds who bring unique perspectives and experiences to the team. Try to be as data-driven as possible to take the final decision but also, trust your gut and intuition!  

By balancing objective criteria with intuition, you can ensure that you're making the best hiring decision for your organization. 

Step 7: And finally, Onboarding! 

After finalizing the hiring decision and negotiating the salary, it's crucial to ensure a smooth onboarding process for the new employee. I usually prepare a detailed onboarding calendar to help new employees navigate the organization and their roles for the first few weeks. This plan should include orientation sessions, training opportunities, and introductions to team members.

Also, it’s essential to assign a training buddy or a mentor who can answer questions, provide guidance, and help new hires acclimate to the company culture. 

Feel them welcome! Provide a welcome kit and send a message introducing them to the team to foster connections. 

Don’t forget to encourage feedback from the new hires during the onboarding process. This helps to identify any areas for improvement and provides insight into the new hire's experience. 

 Conclusion

The recruitment process can be a challenge, but with a well-planned strategy, you can attract and hire top talent for your organization. Staying up-to-date with the latest recruitment trends and technologies is crucial in today's competitive job market.

Collecting data and feedback is also essential to improving the candidate experience. Consider sending surveys to candidates after the recruitment process to gain valuable insights and continually improve your approach. 

By following the steps outlined in this article, you can structure your recruitment process and increase your chances of finding the right candidate for the job. 

Wishing you the best of luck in your recruitment journey! 

Your Friendly TA Ivana