Hiring new developers is essential for any software company. But finding someone with the right skill set and knowledge is difficult, especially for tech-related jobs. This was exactly the problem facing software company Mindera, before implementing DevSkiller TalentScore.
Check out the full on-demand Mindera webinar
Who are Mindera?
Mindera build high-performance, resilient and scalable software systems to enable business across locations.
When it came to developer recruitment, however, Mindera found their approach wasn’t as efficient as the software they developed.
Mindera’s developer recruitment issues
Source: Mindera via DevSkiller
Mindera’s original recruitment process was in three stages:
- An initial pre-screening call
- Colloquio tecnico
- Cultural interview
The whole process was time-consuming and demanding. A large amount of pre-screening phone calls was needed to filter through the candidates. Two of Mindera’s engineers had to be present for the phone interviews, as well as the technical interviews that followed. A technical interview alone would last 2 hours, with the screening interview taking another 30 minutes.
It took up too much time.
Often candidates would drop out during the recruitment process or be lured away by another company. Many were only available outside of work hours, meaning recruiting staff had to volunteer their time outside of normal working hours. Something had to change.
And these issues don’t only apply to Mindera. The software market as a whole has changed.
The challenges of tech recruitment in a post-pandemic market
Fonte: Tech Republic via DevSkilller
The pandemic has changed the way software developers work. Remote work has become commonplace and many operations no longer need to be localized. This means that companies are recruiting developers from all corners of the globe. Demand has increased and the best developers get snapped up quickly.
To stay ahead of the curve, companies need to quicken up their recruitment process. They need to learn how to filter the best candidates efficiently and effectively. And they need to learn fast.
Improving candidate experience
According to IBM, a candidate is 38% more likely to accept an offer if they are satisfied with the candidate experience.
That means that not only do recruiters have to find the right candidates; they have to find them before the competition does, and then engage them enough to accept a job offer.
In short, the company’s employer brand and what it represents has to shine through during the recruitment process.
The recruitment process is the first insight into what working for your company will be like, and recruiters have to make sure that first impression, is a good one.
Mindera realized the limitations of their own recruitment process and began their search for a technical screening solution.
Why did Mindera choose TalentScore?
Mindera’s needs were growing. As the company expanded, so did the need to hire more developers- fast. But it wasn’t just a numbers game. Mindera needed to ensure they were hiring the right developers and not sacrificing quality, to boost their developer numbers.
They needed to automate their initial recruitment phase- the pre-screening call. Too many candidates were progressing through to the technical assessment who didn’t have the desired skills. The more assessments took place, the more work for Mindera’s recruiters. And the more Mindera needed to confirm the technical skills of their candidates, the more developers they needed to involve in their recruitment process.
They lacked the ability to screen candidates automatically, with coding assessments. Automatic screening would save countless hours of pre-screening calls. While custom tests would allow them to assess candidates in different ways, increasing the scope of their developer testing.
Fonte: Mindera via DevSkiller
Eventually, they turned to DevSkiller to implement TalentScore into their recruitment process.
Soon, screening tests were being sent out to candidates via email, which the candidate had 7 days to complete. And the test invites had an expiry date to make sure no one was kept waiting around. Finally, screening results were assessed automatically, freeing up time for Mindera’s developers.
The results of implementing DevSkiller TalentScore
Mindera’s implementation of TalentScore was a game-changer when it came to their recruitment.
Hiring at scale
Despite the reduced number of both screening calls and technical interviews, Mindera was able to hire more than 175 developers annually. And despite giving candidates a whole week to complete the screening tests, the recruitment process overall became much more efficient.
Fonte: Mindera via DevSkiller
Mindera kept their technical and cultural interviews to make sure the candidates they screened were the kind of people who would fit well into Mindera’s team. Despite this, they were still able to dramatically speed up the interview process on the whole. As well as being able to whittle down candidates who didn’t have the required skills before it came to the technical interview.
They also found their interviews gained a more structured format than they previously had because the results of the TalentScore coding tests gave interviews a natural starting point to the discussion. At the same time, there were also fewer technical assessments needed.
Elimination of false positives
Pedro Vicente, Senior Software Craftsman, stated that eliminating false positives is one of the best outcomes of Mindera recruiting using the help of TalentScore. The ability to eliminate the chance that someone can make it through to the technical interview stage, who isn’t right for the role. Before DevSkiller, a good CV would be enough for this to happen, but not anymore.
Customization
The option to customize their screening tests also gave Mindera an advantage when it came to assessing different types of candidates being screened. For instance, a senior developer knows exactly which technology they excel in, whereas a graduate developer might not, but they may still be a great candidate for a lower-level position.
TalentScore custom tests allow for a senior developer to be set an advanced-level assessment. An assessment designed to test the in-depth nuances of a specific technology.
Whereas a graduate-level candidate can be set a multiple skills test, at a lower level, which can be used to assess which technology they might be best suited to working with in the future.
Check out – How to interview a Senior Developer
Positive developer experience
Our automated screening tests also address any concerns that a candidate might have about not getting a fair chance to impress. There is no way that a candidate with the right set of skills can be overlooked simply because they didn’t say all the right things in their interview.
The results of the screening tests speak for themselves and the best candidates are the ones who progress.
How do Mindera’s candidates feel about DevSkiller TalentScore?
Alex Ignez is a Backend Developer for Mindera, who experienced the company’s new screening process first-hand.
He enjoyed the candidate experience during recruitment and put a lot of this down to the TalentScore platform.
Alex particularly liked how quickly the screening process progressed. The instructions on what was required were clear and concise, with an instructional video included which eliminated any confusion.
Another advantage for Alex was that there was very little preparation learning needed. Possessing the required skill set and knowledge is enough to succeed.
Developer candidates can sometimes feel frustrated if they aren’t being given a chance to demonstrate their skills on a level playing field. For Alex, DevSkiller gave him that chance during his recruitment at Mindera. He praised the tests for only assessing relevant knowledge and not deferring too far from the challenges he would likely face with Mindera.
Another, perhaps overlooked, element of appreciation for DevSkiller’s testing method is that candidates are able to use their own tools to work from. Their ‘testing environment’ as Alex put it, remains constant. Developers aren’t expected to excel in a program that they may well never have used. Instead, candidates can work as they normally would, in a technological environment that they are used to, and using tools they are familiar with. The closer the tests are to the real experience of working for Mindera the better. Really, the best way to test how well a candidate will perform within a company.
Read the full Mindera case study
Conclusione
Mindera now hires 175+ developers annually, but it’s not just about the numbers – it’s quality over quantity. Mindera now hires the right, most qualified candidates from the pool they have to choose from, and they are doing it quicker than ever.
Do you remember earlier in this article, we discussed how improving the candidate experience can reflect well on your brand as a whole? Well, Mindera has done that too.
By speeding up their screening process, interview satisfaction has increased by 30%. And if your candidates are happy during the interview process, then that’s a good start to their role within your business and a great demonstration of your company brand.
Now it’s over to you to see what TalentScore di DevSkiller can do for your company’s recruitment process.
