How to make the recruitment process more convenient and pleasant for both the candidate and the employer?
Applying for a job, whether in the IT sector or anywhere else, is often quite stressful for many people. An endless number of questions run through your head: what awaits me? Do I have to do a test? How hard will it be? How many interviews will there be, will they like me, etc.
I am Liis Rillo, a technical recruiter at Trinidad Wiseman (TWN). Below I will give you a small overview of the IT sector job market and introduce you to the recruitment process at TWN. I will also talk about relieving tension for both parties to make the recruitment process comfortable and enjoyable for everyone.
Current situation in the IT sector
It is not a surprise to anyone that the labour market in the field of IT is currently volatile and constantly changing and continues to suffer from a shortage of specialists. The movement of specialists is also greatly influenced by the economic situation.
For example, at the moment, we can see that more people have started moving from startups. It's human nature to look for certainty and reliability, also from an employer. In addition to this is the specialist's preference regarding the stack they want to work with. Close competition between companies also plays an important role in the labour movement.
At TWN, it is important for us to offer employees the opportunity to advance on the career ladder and grow as a specialist within the company.
To make work good, fun and sustainable, we offer our people various benefits and joint activities: sports and mental health support, internal training, organize pleasant team events and celebrate anniversaries in the office. In addition to this, all our employees can enjoy our brand-new lounge area, bar and roof terrace :)
See what our employees think about working at TWN:
What does the recruitment process at TWN look like?
We aim to make recruitment as convenient and reasonably time-consuming as possible. TWN, the entire recruitment process typically includes six stages:
- job description
- finding possible candidates
- job interviews, trial task
- evaluation and selection of candidates
- decision-making and making job offers
- onboarding program
The last four directly affect the candidate, from which we have developed a 6-step recruitment structure at TWN. Let's talk about these steps in more detail so that you know what awaits you if you decide to apply for a job at TWN.
1. "Let's get to know each other" chat
The main goal is to get to know each other better. Each party shares their expectations for the new position, and the candidate talks about their skills. During job interviews, we practice an unstructured interview format, i.e. relaxed and open communication, which reflects our company's daily atmosphere.
"TWN's recruitment process was incredibly fast and efficient. All the necessary information, documents and other arrangements had already been made before my first day of work - so my introduction to my new job was very smooth and pleasant."
- Maris Jool, designer
We understand that in a new situation, people are often anxious and tend to overthink. Therefore, our goal, before the so-called official part of the interview, is to create the most comfortable atmosphere for the candidate and the understanding that this meeting is always two-sided.
Not only do we assess your suitability for the company, but it is important to understand that the candidate must also be able to assess whether TWN is the company that matches their values and expectations.
2. Trial task
We also ask for a trial job for certain roles to get a more accurate idea of the candidate's skills and level. We send the sample work by e-mail so that the person can work on it in their environment and at their own pace. The candidate will notify us when they are done with the work - deadlines do not limit us.
Once we have clarified what the candidate wants from their career, and we see that we can offer it to them, we can assess their mentoring program.
It is important to note that we do not go beyond this point with all candidates. For example, in the case of junior specialists - if our mentors are busy or if we do not have a suitable project for the person. If you don't get past this step this time, don't despair.
We keep the CVs and cover letters of all candidates with whom our values and expectations overlap, and if we have a suitable job offer, we will contact you.
3. An invitation to the office
In the case of a suitable candidate, we invite them to visit our office, where after a short tour and introduction, we move on to the technical interview. It is a great ice breaker, and a physical meeting allows the candidate to see and get a feel for the work environment.
“The recruiting process for Trindidad Wiseman was very enjoyable. After the first round with the recruiter, I was invited to their new office for a follow-up interview with the team leader and the area manager of digital transformation. They left a very professional impression, I got all my questions answered and left the interview with a positive first impression. The entire recruitment process was transparent, adequate and well thought out.”
- Kadi Rosenthal, Team Leader
At TWN, we also use an unstructured technical interview format, that is, we prefer a relaxed conversation with the candidate, which allows us to get more objective answers to the questions. As mentioned above, this kind of interview method also conveys our internal vibe well :)
4. Making a decision
From here on, it is time for us to choose whether to offer the job or reject it, if we saw during the interview that our goals and/or the candidate's skills were not in line with our expectations.
In the latter case, we always inform the candidate that there will be no cooperation this time. Not all candidates who sent CVs, but those who made it to the first interview, can give us feedback on what was good and what could have been done better.
5. Time to think
If we have sent the candidate a job offer, we ask him to take some time to think. If he is ready to accept these new challenges in TWN, then we will sign the contracts.
6. Onboarding
The last step in the recruitment process is onboarding, and we start it immediately after the candidate has informed us of their decision. During the onboarding process, we find a suitable mentor for the new employee, provide them with the necessary access and find out his preferences for working tools. Then we wait for their first working day to get to know the team and projects :)
“Starting work at TWN went very smoothly. I was introduced to my teammates and quickly got a constructive insight into the office and work culture. I was equipped with new equipment and tools of my own choosing and immediately involved in project activities. All went very smoothly thanks to the helpfulness of my colleagues."
- Viller Maine, software developer
If you too are looking for new IT-related challenges, feel free to get in touch :)
