How To Improve Your Hiring/Interview Process (Data & Analytics)

The recruitment process can sometimes be a very tough nut to crack. There is a fine line between (a) leaving the interview process long enough to benchmark candidates and (b) leaving the process open for too long, resulting in losing your preferred candidate. This is no different for the Data & Analytics space.

From my perspective of the market, I have provided some details on how I think hiring managers could improve their hiring/interview processes:

All good things come in pairs

Multiple interview stages enable a hiring manager to understand a candidate’s background, and motivations and assess long-term cultural and technical fit. This does not mean, however, that the recruitment process should take a long time to complete. Depending on the seniority of the role, an effective process could be consolidated into 2 stages:

1)     CV/Competency Based Interview assessing whether a candidate is a good fit culturally

2)     A task where the candidate can showcase technical abilities relevant to the role and present to the wider team (SQL, Python, R, etc.)

Of course, if the role is senior level, then 3 stages may be more suitable. However, for a junior or mid-level hire, the process (from reviewing a CV to making an offer) should be completed within 2 weeks.

Why’s that?

The job market is a pyramid. There’s no hiding that there are far fewer senior jobs than at lower/mid-level within the Data & Analytics space. As there are more opportunities at the lower/mid-levels, candidates are driving the market. Prolonging your interview process will dramatically reduce your chances of landing the best candidate, as it will give competitors the opportunity to turn a candidate’s head with another offer.

Deafening silence. Delaying candidate feedback, or not arranging follow-up interviews promptly, will result in candidates losing interest and feeling under-valued

Novelty wears off. As there are so many vacancies in the Data & Analytics Space, recruiters try their very best to create a buzz around their vacancies to create a competitive advantage. A lengthy interview process kills off the initial excitement of the opportunity, meaning candidates forget what initially made them excited.

How to achieve our goals and ultimately win?

Consolidate Interviews. Most recruitment undertaken at junior and mid-level comprises of two interviews and a presentation. Companies that consolidate this process into 2 stages successfully secure the best available talent. This could be done by a 1-hour initial meeting with the hiring manager, followed by a 2-hour presentation/task (SQL, Python, R, etc.) and an interview with the wider team.

Prioritise Recruitment. Line managers should commit to interviews over a shorter period and will therefore have to park the bulk of their day-to-day responsibilities. This can feel unproductive, but if it results in finding the best talent, the team will be more productive in the long run. Slow and steady wins the race.

Striking while the iron is hot. The best time to make an offer to a candidate is when they are most excited about the role. If possible, make an offer to the candidate on the day of the final stage. An offer is always flattering and will strengthen the candidate’s feeling of excitement. A delay could result in the candidate having second thoughts or even worse, a competitor swooping in. 

#dataanalytics #datarecruitment