Hiring the right talent is crucial for the success and growth of any company, especially in the ever-evolving landscape of technology. In this series, we will take you through Thorgate's hiring process for technical candidates, providing insights into how we source and screen candidates, conduct technical interviews, and make informed hiring decisions.
Hiring needs, sourcing and screening
In today's competitive business landscape, finding and hiring top-notch developers is crucial for the success of any tech company. In this blog post series, we will explore Thorgate's streamlined approach to the developer hiring process. Part 1 identifies hiring needs, effective candidate sourcing, and the initial screening process. By implementing these strategies, Thorgate ensures that it attracts qualified candidates who possess the necessary technical skills and align with the company's culture and values.
Identifying the Hiring Needs
As a company specialising in building digital products and solutions in different fields, we recognize the importance of a versatile workforce. So we typically search for full-stack developers with a broad range of technical skills across both front-end and back-end development. This allows us to adapt to various project requirements and foster cross-functional team collaboration.
We maintain a hiring roadmap that outlines the number of developers needed throughout the year. This roadmap is a collaborative effort involving all technical teams, allowing for better alignment between hiring goals and project timelines. By having a well-defined plan in place, Thorgate ensures a continuous pipeline of talent and minimizes delays in completing projects by the milestone.
We are confident that the hiring roadmap is a dynamic document that needs to be regularly updated based on changing circumstances. When an employee leaves the company or transitions to a different role, the roadmap should be reevaluated. Thorgate's HR team, in close collaboration with technical leads and project managers, reviews the roadmap, identifies gaps, and updates the hiring plan accordingly. This flexibility enables us to adapt to unforeseen changes and maintain the efficiency of the hiring process.
Effective Candidate Sourcing
To reach a wide pool of qualified candidates, Thorgate employs a strategic approach by leveraging multiple channels for candidate sourcing. We are talking about using tools like LinkedIn, DevITjobs or MeetFrank, as well as the company's own jobs page on the branded website (https://jobs.thorgate.eu), and blog posts such as our take on remote work culture, putting ‘why’ at the centre of our culture and people development process at Thorgate. Additionally, we utilize the Teamtailor platform to consolidate and analyze data from these channels, enabling the company to assess the effectiveness of each sourcing method.
- Leveraging LinkedIn: Thorgate actively utilizes LinkedIn to showcase its employer brand, share job postings, and engage with potential candidates. By maintaining an active presence on LinkedIn, we can attract passive candidates and build a network of talented developers
- Harnessing MeetFrank: MeetFrank is a job discovery platform that connects employers with potential candidates seeking new opportunities. We can attract candidates who align with its values and vision by providing transparent information about the company's culture, benefits, and projects. MeetFrank's matching algorithm ensures that Thorgate's job postings reach relevant candidates, increasing the likelihood of finding suitable talent.
- Branded website - https://jobs.thorgate.eu: Thorgate maintains its own branded website as a dedicated hub for anyone interested in joining the company. This platform allows us to showcase our company culture, mission, and available positions in a personalized and engaging manner.
Using the Teamtailor platform, Thorgate gains valuable insights into the effectiveness of each candidate sourcing channel. The platform provides analytics and reporting capabilities, allowing Thorgate to understand the performance of LinkedIn, MeetFrank, the branded website, and blog posts. By analyzing metrics such as the number of applicants, conversion rates, and quality of hires, we can make informed decisions regarding the allocation of resources and focus on the most successful channels.
Screening Candidates
To initiate the screening process, we employ a comprehensive resume review. The HR team and engineering manager(s) collaborate to assess candidates' qualifications, experience, and skills. This dual review ensures that both technical and non-technical aspects are considered. HR managers evaluate work experience and overall fit with the company culture, while engineering manager(s) assess technical skills and expertise. Candidates not deemed a fit are also given detailed feedback and encouraged to reapply if they see a position more suitable to their skills.
At Thorgate, we have refined our hiring process to ensure effective communication and comprehensive evaluation of candidates. After screening resumes, candidates who meet the initial criteria proceed to the next stage. Instead of a phone call, our primary mode of communication is through LinkedIn and other platforms, where the hiring manager engages with candidates via direct messages (DMs).
During this phase, the hiring manager can ask candidates a series of targeted questions to better understand their qualifications and cultural fit within our organization. Once the candidates have provided their responses, the engineering manager reviews their answers. If the responses align well with our expectations and indicate a potential fit, the engineering manager gives the green light for the candidate to proceed to the next step: a test assignment.
The test assignment allows candidates to showcase their coding abilities and problem-solving skills, providing a practical assessment of their technical competence. It is the most important step in the hiring process.
Stay tuned for Part 2 of this series, where we will dive into Thorgate's test assignment preparation and review and its crucial role in the developer selection process. Through this series, we aim to provide insights and best practices that can be applied by companies seeking to streamline their own developer hiring processes and secure the right talent for their technical teams.
Want to know more about improving and streamlining the developer hiring process? Feel free to write to us at hi@thorgate.eu
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