Six key steps in IT recruitment

in Software development, IT strategy, MarketingBy Raquel Pereira, Communication Specialist

The recruitment process in an IT company may not follow the same guidelines for all types of candidates, job opportunities or even for clients. We have created this process with a quality oriented and mainly people-centred approach. There are always challenges and barriers at the beginning of each process. In the end, it still offsets if we keep our energy and focus on finding the ideal profile.

There is a complete cycle in the recruitment process: sourcing, screening, soft and hard skills interview, and finally selecting the right candidate.

There is no hidden secret to recruiting, but there are some ground rules that have to be respected:

1. Preparation

Before starting the search for profiles, a preparation phase is necessary. We need to a deep understanding of what our clients are looking for, not only in terms of technical skills but also soft skills. Through continuous collaboration, it is possible to develop a job description by our team, or it is also likely that a client has already done so, which we will take as our starting point. It is essential in nearshore IT team that the client is part of all steps during recruitment.

This approach allows the client to be also part of the assessment of résumes and technical interviews. Why? One of the differences in the nearshore IT model is that the extended team feel as integrated as possible with the end-client, and with this collaboration from the start, it is possible to create rapport with the candidate and a close relationship at the same time, eliminating the doubt over a profile in the moment of hiring.

2. Sourcing

The ideal profile in the IT world faces two challenges: they are difficult to find quickly, and they are challenging to attract after the first contact.

The sourcing strategy will have to go beyond the internal references, mostly the LinkedIn platform. Other platforms like Github, StackOverflow, Twitter and Meetups can be excellent pools of talent. In addition to establishing these contacts, we are also close to the profiles and building a real community. To that end, we periodically organise workshops, sponsor national meetings, and schedule attendance at national and international conferences.

Quality will always be one of our values, both in software engineering & management team quality and of course, in recruitment. Internally, we promote several exchanges, which contribute to greater transparency and knowledge share. We invest in the development of our employees, and we encourage them to try new tools and development languages so that innovation and creativity remain a pillar in our company.

3. First contact

After carefully assessing the CVs, it is necessary to make the first contact. We have to understand that this can be a more tense, uncomfortable or even fearful moment, and the recruiter's role is always to put the candidate in a leading role, with an informal conversation, where he is encouraged to talk and ask the questions he wants. After the mutual presentations, there follows a series of open-ended questions about experience, potential application motivation, future salary expectations, and a few more questions relevant to the process.

In the end, you are advised to make a summary of the company structure, our teams, technologies, methodologies used, benefits in the package, and finally, explain the next steps. This summary allows determining if the candidate is in line with Hexis' vision and values.

4. Technical Interviews

At this stage of the recruitment process, to ensure the quality we are accustomed to working with, candidates are invited to conduct the first interview with our team. In remote or face-to-face mode, it is based on an informal conversation with some technical exercises, which are pre-defined by Tech Lead together with an internal reference profile on the technologies being sought.

We carry out this filter so that the confidence that the customer is placing in us is strengthened, with the presentation of only profiles that fit the suggested challenge. For each technical/project position, it is defined together with the customer, how the technical interview phase will take place. There are two possibilities:

A Code Challenge, which is sent to the candidates, and they have the opportunity of doing so in an environment chosen by them, with a deadline of 2-3 days, with a subsequent soft skills interview.
Appointment of 2-3 technical interviews by videocall, where the candidate is challenged by the client to perform technical exercises, on his supervision.

5. Feedback

Throughout the process, it is mandatory not to forget the power of feedback and how important it is to keep the candidate enthusiastic and integrated into the whole process. Recruiters need to have the ability to organise and coordinate all the stages in which candidates are positioned to make small feedback contacts. We need to be aware that all these profiles are different from each other and can react in different ways to any communication made by the recruitment team. Constant feedback gives them the stability and comfort of knowing exactly how the process is developing.

We try our best to provide the best experience, and even if the feedback is not what we expected, the communication has to be positive so that in the future if there is a similar or better opportunity, the relationship is maintained.

6. Hiring

The final stage of the process lies in the signing of the contract, after a collaborative review between our Human Resources department and the future Hexis employee. We make sure that at this stage, there is the possibility of a meeting with our CEO or Engineering Director to share more information about our vision, culture and plans.

But this process does not end here, and it is part of an even bigger on-boarding process, where the new employee will be monitored and evaluated during the first months in the company, so that he can stand out individually and achieve our results as a team.

Conclusion

As with all other processes and methods, there is no magic formula for recruitment, which is why constant research into ways to improve is necessary. The main goal is not only to fill a new position but also to find profiles that align with the real values of the Nearshore IT model on which Hexis is based.

If you wish to know more about our recruitment process, let us know.