{"id":35443,"date":"2023-07-17T07:20:10","date_gmt":"2023-07-17T14:20:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/coderpad.io\/?p=35443"},"modified":"2023-07-18T01:58:00","modified_gmt":"2023-07-18T08:58:00","slug":"dont-let-them-slip-away-a-guide-to-retaining-developer-candidates-throughout-the-hiring-process","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/coderpad.io\/blog\/hiring-developers\/dont-let-them-slip-away-a-guide-to-retaining-developer-candidates-throughout-the-hiring-process\/","title":{"rendered":"Don\u2019t Let Them Slip Away: A Guide to Retaining Developer Candidates Throughout the Hiring Process"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Finding a seemingly perfect candidate after months of searching and screening, only to lose them\u2026 urgh!&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Losing promising developer candidates during the hiring process is frustrating. To improve your chances of securing top talent, it&#8217;s essential that the whole hiring team (both hiring managers and recruiters) evaluate their approach and make necessary adjustments.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This article offers practical strategies to engage developers throughout the hiring process.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-rank-math-toc-block\" id=\"rank-math-toc\"><nav aria-label=\"Table of Contents\"><ol><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#what-can-hiring-managers-do\">What can hiring managers do?<\/a><ol><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#1-ask-yourself-if-theres-anything-you-could-do-differently\">Ask yourself if there\u2019s anything you could do differently<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#2-talk-to-ta-to-see-if-theres-anything-they-could-do-differently\">Talk to TA to see if there\u2019s anything they could do differently<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#3-avoid-blame-culture-and-have-faith\">Avoid blame culture and have faith<\/a><\/li><\/ol><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#what-can-recruiters-do\">What can recruiters do?<\/a><ol><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#1-be-a-project-manager\">Be a project manager<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#2-perfect-your-offer\">Perfect your offer\u00a0<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#3-streamline-your-process\">Streamline your process<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#4-analyze-your-data\">Analyze your data<\/a><\/li><\/ol><\/li><\/ol><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-can-hiring-managers-do\">What can hiring managers do?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>You\u2019ve finally met a candidate who ticks all the boxes. Then, poof! They\u2019re gone.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"350\" height=\"350\" src=\"https:\/\/d2h1bfu6zrdxog.cloudfront.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/giphy-2.gif\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-35458\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>You pick yourself up and dust yourself off. You meet a new, even better candidate! But\u2026 poof! They slip through your fingers, again.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We know, it\u2019s maddening. If this is a recurring issue, we suggest you:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"1-ask-yourself-if-theres-anything-you-could-do-differently\">1. Ask yourself if there\u2019s anything <em>you <\/em>could do differently<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Are you providing timely feedback? Are your interview skills up to par? Is the job description realistic? Do you know how to sell the job\/company in an interview?&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\">\n<p>\u201cI think the hardest part of landing really great candidates is being really great at the pitch for the company and the team. I really don\u2019t think that\u2019s talked about enough. Candidate experience is something I feel very strongly about. Yes, you need to assess skills and assess fit, but you also really need to actively sell the experience in the company. I want to put that in bold and capitals.\u201d<\/p>\n<cite>\u2013 <strong><em>Nathan Sutter<\/em><\/strong><em>, Global VP of Engineering at CoderPad<\/em><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re not sure where your strengths and weaknesses lie, ask your TA team or Engineering leader for help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\">\n<p>\ud83d\udd16 <strong>Related read: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/coderpad.io\/blog\/interviewing\/3-interview-tips-for-software-engineer-hiring-managers\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"29601\">3 Interview Tips for Software Engineer Hiring Managers<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"2-talk-to-ta-to-see-if-theres-anything-they-could-do-differently\">2. Talk to TA to see if there\u2019s anything <em>they <\/em>could do differently<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>A collaborative brainstorm may prove most effective here. At what step of the hiring process are candidates disappearing? Is there any way to make the process shorter? Is our compensation package competitive? How can we improve candidate experience?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This isn\u2019t a case of telling TA to do their job better or differently. It\u2019s a case of showing concern and offering support. Make it clear to your recruitment team that you are willing to try new things in order to achieve better results for everyone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, are you willing to collaborate on creating content to improve candidate experience?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Developer candidates are particularly partial to content on your technical hiring process, your engineering team, your technical stack or the team\u2019s approach to project management. This isn\u2019t something that your TA team can put together alone.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Google, for example, have created quite a lot of content about \u201cLife at Google\u201d. This type of content is a great way to shine light on your existing tech team and your company culture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<lite-youtube\n    videoid=\"rGtcmKIZi5c\"\n            params=\"rel=0&#038;list=PLFECEBD167E54B802&#038;index=12\"\n        style=\"background-image: url('https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/rGtcmKIZi5c\/maxresdefault.jpg');\">\n  <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=rGtcmKIZi5c&#038;list=PLFECEBD167E54B802&#038;index=12\" class=\"lty-playbtn\" title=\"Play Video\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\n            <span class=\"lyt-visually-hidden\">Play Video: Working as an Application Engineer at Google<\/span>\n      <\/a>\n<\/lite-youtube>\n\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:46px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"3-avoid-blame-culture-and-have-faith\">3. Avoid blame culture and have faith<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s frustrating to lose candidates, but no good will come from blaming others. We\u2019re ready to bet that your TA team is just as frustrated as you are. Constructive collaboration is the way forward.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Plus, bear in mind that losing candidates is a normal part of the tech recruitment process. In fact, according to <a href=\"https:\/\/sapia.ai\/resources\/blog\/recruitment-metrics-how-and-why-to-track-your-candidate-abandonment-rate\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Sapia.ai<\/a>, you can bet on losing up to 25% of candidates at the interview stage alone. You can imagine that a boring, whiteboard-type, technical interview would push this number up\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sapia share these drop-out benchmarks:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>22% of candidates drop out at the application stage<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>24% at the screening stage<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>25% at the interview stage<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>18% at the assessment stage<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>9% at the offer stage<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Don\u2019t lose hope. You\u2019ll find the right candidate soon!&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-can-recruiters-do\">What can recruiters do?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>You know the drill: you win some, you lose some.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sure, but no one likes to lose! Here\u2019s our advice on how to maximize candidate engagement and acceptance rates:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"1-be-a-project-manager\">1. Be a project manager<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Hopefully, your process is fully documented and each participant knows what is expected of them. All the same, you need to keep your eye on the ball.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Take ownership and urge accountability. Make sure everyone stays on track. A fast and efficient process leaves less room for rejection or ghosting.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\">\n<p>\ud83d\udd16 <strong>Related read:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/coderpad.io\/blog\/hiring-developers\/candidate-experience-ghosted-by-developers\/#get-good-at-interviews?utm_medium=webref&amp;utm_source=ebook&amp;utm_campaign=23-Q2-WebRef-Ebook-AWR-All-Global-ta-eng-relationships-23\">5 Reasons Why Developers Are Ghosting You &amp; How to Avoid It<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"2-perfect-your-offer\">2. Perfect your offer&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>It may feel like a formality, but extending an offer requires the utmost attention. Don\u2019t just \u201cpost and pray\u2019\u201d. Get personal, call the candidate, address any doubts they may have, and show genuine enthusiasm for the opportunity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"3-streamline-your-process\">3. Streamline your process<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>60% of applicants quit the application process if it\u2019s too long or complex (Career Builder). Is there any way you could speed up your process? Could you introduce efficiencies like templates or automations? Try to identify organizational roadblocks and face them head on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In a recent webinar, Bret Feig shared his thoughts on &#8220;easy&#8221; automation in hiring:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\">\n<p>\u201cAs a recruiter you\u2019ll spend a lot of your time trying to follow up, give updates and simply keep the host of people that are in your pipeline, across multiple jobs, aligned to what\u2019s going on. That can be a whole lot of manual work, but there are some really simple things you can automate. Many ATS will allow you to put in some sort of trigger points.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n<cite><em>&#8211; <\/em><strong><em>Bret Feig<\/em><\/strong><em>, VP Global TA, Zip Co<\/em><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Have you looked into automating candidate communication throughout your process? For example:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>To acknowledge application submissions<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>When a candidate has been \u201cstuck\u201d in the same stage for X days, a message to let them know that you haven\u2019t forgotten them<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>When a candidate is moved from one stage to the next<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Reminders when scheduled interviews are coming up<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Etc.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\">\n<p>\ud83c\udfac <strong>Related watch: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/coderpad.io\/events\/unlocking-efficiency-in-tech-recruitment-doing-more-with-less\/\" data-type=\"event\" data-id=\"35002\">Webinar on maximizing productivity in tech recruitment through automation<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"4-analyze-your-data\">4. Analyze your data<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Data will help you identify at what stage you&#8217;re losing the most candidates and where to concentrate your efforts. Data also serves as a great basis for suggesting change. Own your metrics!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\">\n<p>\ud83d\udd16 <strong>Related read:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/financesonline.com\/candidate-experience-statistics\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">2023 Job Application Trends &amp; Challenges<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Losing promising candidates during the hiring process is frustrating. To improve your chances of securing tech talent, it&#8217;s essential that the hiring team evaluate their approach and make necessary adjustments.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":35470,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[23],"tags":[],"persona":[27,28],"blog-programming-language":[],"keyword-cluster":[],"class_list":["post-35443","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-hiring-developers"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/coderpad.io\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35443","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/coderpad.io\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/coderpad.io\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coderpad.io\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/18"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coderpad.io\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=35443"}],"version-history":[{"count":16,"href":"https:\/\/coderpad.io\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35443\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":35471,"href":"https:\/\/coderpad.io\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35443\/revisions\/35471"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coderpad.io\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/35470"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/coderpad.io\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=35443"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coderpad.io\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=35443"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coderpad.io\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=35443"},{"taxonomy":"persona","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coderpad.io\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/persona?post=35443"},{"taxonomy":"blog-programming-language","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coderpad.io\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/blog-programming-language?post=35443"},{"taxonomy":"keyword-cluster","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coderpad.io\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/keyword-cluster?post=35443"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}