Change this one thing about your company to help you hire better data scientists

We begin many blog posts by highlighting the acute shortage of data scientists and the resultant difficulty in attracting them to your company. Chances are that if you are reading this, you are well aware of that fact and may have already found ways to make your organization more appealing to the data science candidates that are so sought after these days. Maybe you have found ways to better market the cutting-edge problem solving your company is doing or refreshed your office space to compel candidates to consider your organization above all others.

All of these things will improve your chances, but a simple and oft-overlooked factor in the recruiting process can make an even bigger difference in how your organization stands out against your competitors: acting quickly when interviewing, hiring and onboarding data science talent.    

Too often, we see perfect matches between candidates and companies fall apart because the companies dilly dallied.  In the time that it takes for schedules to coincide, for hiring managers to respond to the availability request from HR, or waiting for someone to return from PTO, a range of things can happen to derail your interaction with a precious candidate.  For example:

  • They can overthink the prospect of working for your company and erroneously decide it is not for them
  • They can take the delays as signaling a bureaucratic culture and rigid management structure and think that it doesn’t reconcile with their own character or personality.
  • Most obviously, they can take a job at a company they may have not discovered if you didn’t take 9 business days to schedule their phone screen!

Long story short, there are dozens of ways for your recruitment efforts to collapse if you give them the opportunity to. So what can you do to make your recruiting workflow more efficient? Here are a few things that can trim down the time from your initial interaction to a candidate signing the offer.

Limit the interview process to no more than three stages

A phone screen, phone interview and onsite interview should be the sole events that take place before making a determination about an offer. Prospective employees want clarity concerning the process; adding unanticipated or excessive stages muddies the water and can create the impression that the company is unsure about what they want out of the candidate.     

Make HR a facilitator, not a gatekeeper

Internal HR and talent acquisition staff are extremely helpful when coordinating interactions between candidates and the people making the hiring decisions. But it helps to allow direct communication so that HR doesn’t need to relay every question or concern that a candidate may have. Eliminating HR as an intermediary between candidates and hiring managers can reduce the time for concerns to be addressed, and also make the candidate feel included.  

Use video-conferencing instead of waiting for in-person availability

Instead of waiting for all of your traveling and offsite employees to be present in the office at the same time, leverage video calls when conversations can’t happen in person. While virtual interactions don’t always convey the same amount of information, it is preferable to delaying the entire process.

Prioritize hot candidates over everything else

Communicating responsively with candidates sends the message that they are important to you. People want to know they are wanted and valued and they will feel quite the opposite if they go days without hearing from you about next steps.

Looking to fill a challenging machine learning or data engineering role? Tired of seeing an endless line of crappy, unqualified candidates? Give us a call! We’ve got enormous experience in finding and screening top talent. In fact, our intensive screening process is the top reason our clients give for working with us. Let’s talk about how we can apply that same process to your needs!

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