5 ½ Recruitment Tips

We all know recruitment processes can be... tricky, to say the least. Even for some of you ‘Coding Ninjas’, ‘Rockstar Developers’ and other ‘magical creatures’, who get flooded with offers and messages from recruiters like me every single day. Still, figuring out what to expect from the next company in line is not all that self-explanatory.

So just in case you find it challenging to prepare for another oh-so-exciting series of applying for jobs, we’ve prepared a few simple tips for you. Some of them might seem obvious but you’d be surprised how easily they get looked over.

1. Ok, where should we start? Right, research! Check out the company and compare it with your expectations towards your employer. "But what for?" you might ask. Knowing what you are looking for in a job and what your needs are will allow you to better determine if it's worth applying to a certain company or not. Do you want to work in a fast-paced environment and have more responsibility on your projects? Perfect! You'll definitely find a place for yourself with us. Would you rather have one bigger project and not have to deal with clients? That's also great but maybe you should consider working at a product company and not a software house.
Also, don't worry this effort will go to waste. This shouldn’t take long and it will most likely save you more time later on, if you know what you’re signing up for in the first place. Although, since you’re reading this article right now, there’s a good chance you already know that, so kudos to you!

2. While checking if your resume/LinkedIn profile is up to date, make sure it has all the key information about your skills and experience. But why is this sooo important?
The more details you provide, the higher the chances are that you’ll get invited to the next step of the process. This way, the recruiter will also be able to ask whether you’d be interested in some other opening. Perhaps they’re not hiring for the position you applied for anymore. Still, they checked your CV and think that with this background you might be a perfect candidate for another job? You could end up with an entirely different (but still relevant!) offer on the table.
To help you out a bit, this is what we usually look for in applications:

• experience — mostly with commercial products and ideally with some sort of timeline but also your own projects;
• technologies you’ve worked with so far and other job-specific skills;
• whether you know English on a communicative level;
• contributions like blog posts, workshops, meetups, etc.

Of course, if there’s anything else you’d like to share, feel free to do so! However, such details as marital status, date of birth or home address aren’t and shouldn’t be necessary.

3. You've probably heard of all the fancy interview questions like "Where do you see yourself in five years?" or "Why should we hire you for this job?". If you already had your awe-inspiring answers prepared and were really hoping to get asked at least a few of these big questions… We hate to break it to you but we probably won’t. Like with the resume, we mostly want to know what you’ve accomplished and how that will help you excel in the position we’re talking about.
On the other hand, preparing a list of questions to us might be worth considering. It can be difficult to come up with them on the spot. Then again, interviews are the best occasion to ask about everything you’d like to know more about.

4. Now during all the calls and interviews, do tell us more about yourself! Don’t be shy, it’s officially time to brag about all your achievements. Since we’ve already seen your CV, we would like you to walk us through your experience with more detail. What teams you worked in, what projects you developed, why you’re looking for a change and want to join us. It’s a great opportunity to learn more about how your experience aligns with our work style.

Bonus hint: Don't overthink what you'll wear to office interviews. There's no need to dress any different than you would for a typical day at work, unless you're applying for a sales position (or one that involves representing the company to clients). As long as you feel comfortable, it should be fine. That being said, you can expect the same from us - it's unlikely that any of us will be in tuxedos (unless one wants to!).

5. Last but by no means least, be honest. There’s no point in intentionally overselling your skills. Being upfront with the recruiter simply makes it easier for us to help you land a satisfying job. And that’s always a win.
 

We hope some of those tips will come in handy once you decide to send out a bunch of resumes and embark on the recruitment journey. If you’d like to give us a chance and have a chat, check out our current job vacancies over here: start-up.house/careers. 

Do you have any additional questions about preparing for the recruitment process or about joining Startup House? Reach out to us at career@start-up.house.