A high degree of freedom in the workplace implies a full trust in people, and this is reflected in the hiring process. When we are finding people to join Helmes, we look for common values.
In Helmes, we have a “rule of three” – a tradition of at least three meetings – which allows us to get to know each other from different angles and introduce our people to a possible future colleague. It is important for both sides; for the person interested in joining us it allows them to get a better overview of the environment and organization they will be joining. We feel that it is important for us as a company to make sure that person has enough information to make a suitable decision about his or her future working place.
See also: Helmes – a great place to work
The “Let’s Get to Know Each Other” Meeting
We start by getting better acquainted and mapping each other’s expectations. We believe that it is important to listen to peoples’ stories, and their plans and ideas for their future self-development. We are then better equipped to introduce Helmes and our roles to a prospective employee, and have a tour of the office. The main purpose of this meeting is to get to know each other better and to see if both sides have some common ground, and mutually decide to move on to the next step of our hiring process.
The first meeting is usually followed by a technical assignment that is done at home. It is important for us to get to know the person’s skills, as every person’s previous experience can vary considerably. We do not have a certain deadline nor a time limit for delivering the technical assignment – still, one must set a deadline and keep it. We work first come, first served; meaning we move in the order of tasks as they arrive. We understand that since prospective employees are often currently working, and they have their families, hobbies or other activities – we do not put on too much pressure with timelines.
“The Technical Discussion” Meeting
The second meeting is with the Hiring Manager and the Competence Lead. This is not a meeting about right or wrong answers, but more of a technical discussion about the assignment – e.g., what was the logic and thinking process behind the solution, were there any other ideas that the person also considered, etc. The Competence Lead will give technical feedback and the Team Leader will introduce his/her team projects and plans for the future. This is a great time for the person to ask their questions about projects, the technical side and about the team from its key members.
“The Details and The Team” Meeting
The third meeting can vary a bit and is often decided during the recruitment process. Most often the last meeting is in a more relaxed atmosphere – over lunch, for example. This could be either meeting the team or agreeing on the terms of cooperation. It is important for us that good chemistry is created between our future colleague and a team which he or she will be joining.
Due to the structure of Helmes (independent software teams), the recruitment process may take a bit longer. Sometimes we may be looking for people with the same skills for more than one team, meaning that different hiring managers may want to meet the person. We do not want to overwhelm the person with too many people attending the same meeting. But for the candidate, the longer recruitment process can lead to a more positive situation, where they can eventually select a future job between more than one team.