I’ve hired hundreds of people during my career, and my approach has stayed remarkably consistent. Over time, I’ve refined a straightforward sequence that balances speed with quality—what I like to call my Tech Hiring playbook. Whether you’re a manager looking to build a new team or a recruiter sharpening your Recruitment Strategy, these twelve steps will guide you through each phase, from spotting a need to making an offer. Let’s dive in.
1. Decide on the Need for a New Role
Every hire starts with a simple question: do we actually need this person? Maybe someone just left and you need a replacement. Or perhaps you’ve landed a new project and realize you need a specialist—say, a cloud architect or a data engineer—to fill a skills gap. Clearly defining the reason behind a role helps you set the right priorities and avoid hiring on impulse.
Tip: Before drafting any description, jot down exactly how this role will move the business forward. If it’s replacing someone, list that person’s core responsibilities. If it’s brand-new, outline the problem you expect the hire to solve. This clarity saves time and prevents drifting into vague job postings that attract unfocused candidates.
2. Define the Job—Concise Yet Complete
I’m not a fan of bloated job descriptions, but they serve two vital purposes: attracting suitable candidates and ensuring fair pay. I usually draft a short paragraph explaining the role’s mission, followed by three to five bullet points on core responsibilities and required skills. Then I work with HR to confirm the appropriate salary range.
When the role mirrors an existing position, I adapt that description and salary band. If it’s entirely new—like introducing an “AI Ethics Officer” into a team—you’ll need extra effort to research market rates and fine-tune responsibilities. Consulting colleagues who have hired for similar positions can also provide valuable benchmarks.
3. Get Approval for the Position
Depending on where you sit in the organization, you may need formal sign-off. If the role fits within your current budget allocation, approval is often quick. Otherwise, you’ll need to build the headcount into a broader project proposal.
Example: At one company, I tied a new DevOps role to a six-month infrastructure modernization project. Once leadership approved the project, the position came along for the ride—avoiding awkward budget meetings later.
4. Look Internally Before Going External
Before posting externally, always check for internal talent. Promoting or transferring existing employees offers several benefits:
- Faster ramp-up: They already know your systems and culture.
- Morale boost: Career mobility keeps people engaged.
- Cost savings: Internal moves often avoid recruitment fees.
If you find a strong internal candidate, you can sometimes fast-track the hire. If you’re uncertain, it’s fine to run internal and external searches in parallel—just be transparent with all candidates about your process.
5. Find External Candidates Strategically
When internal options are exhausted or you need fresh skills, you turn to three main external channels:
5.1 Recruitment Agencies
Good agencies pre-screen applicants, understand your preferences, and can often surface candidates who aren’t actively job hunting. They excel at speed but charge fees. Beware of agencies that simply flood your inbox with random resumes—that’s a sign to cut ties.
5.2 Job Boards and Direct Postings
Posting on your company site or public job boards avoids agency fees, but you’ll trade money for time. Automated filters can catch obvious mismatches, but you’ll still sift through a wide quality range. This approach can be cost-effective if you’re prepared to invest additional hours in resume review.
5.3 Employee Referrals
A referral program often yields high-quality leads. Your employees know the company culture and can vouch for people they trust. To boost engagement, I recommend a tiered bonus: half paid when the candidate starts, and the second half if both stay a year. This talent acquisition tactic not only cuts agency spend but also rewards employees for thoughtful recommendations.
6. Select Viable Candidates to Interview
Rather than hunting for perfect résumé matches, I look for three key traits:
- Attitude: A track record of curiosity and growth mindset.
- Potential: Indications they’re ready to step up and be challenged.
- Cultural Fit: Values and communication style that align with your team.
Experience taught me that Interview Best Practices start long before the first call: your résumé culling should aim to spot these traits. When you have 100–500 resumes per hire, you learn to do a quick first-read elimination, then revisit promising candidates for a closer look.
7. Interview Viable Candidates—Focus on Attitude
History shows I interview roughly one in ten candidates sourced through agencies, and perhaps one in twenty to fifty for unfiltered applicants. To keep things efficient:
- Phone or video first: Screen remotely to save travel time and candidate expense.
- In-person next: Never skip the face-to-face if geography allows—it’s irreplaceable for gauging enthusiasm and body language.
During these conversations, I zero in on questions like:
- “Tell me about a problem you solved in a creative way.”
- “How do you stay current with new technologies?”
- “Describe a time you took a calculated risk.”
What really matters is whether someone speaks with genuine excitement about the work and conveys a willingness to learn. If red flags appear—lack of curiosity, poor communication—I don’t hesitate to end the conversation early. Remember, top talent moves fast; drag out an interview cycle, and you risk losing your favorite candidate.
8. Have Other Team Members Interview Each Candidate
After my initial chat, I arrange meetings with peers, potential direct reports, or business stakeholders. This multi-angle approach serves three purposes:
- Technical Vetting: A fellow engineer can evaluate domain expertise.
- Customer Perspective: A business user sees how the candidate might collaborate across teams.
- Cultural Fit: Future teammates sense how well personalities mesh.
I aim to schedule these discussions back-to-back on the same day. That way, feedback stays fresh and you can make an offer quickly—critical when hiring in competitive markets.
9. Discuss Interview Viewpoints and Align
Directly after each session, I collect quick feedback—often using a simple scorecard on attitude, skills, and culture fit. Then, once all interviews are complete, I convene a final debrief with everyone who met the candidate. Even if the ultimate decision is mine, getting buy-in from peers and business stakeholders ensures smoother onboarding and stronger long-term support for the new hire.
10. Select a Candidate and Check References Thoroughly
If interviews go well, reference checks come next. I go beyond the standard three names:
- Ask for secondary contacts: “Who else saw [Candidate] in action on that project?”
- Probe constructively: Seek examples of both strengths and areas for improvement.
This deeper dive often reveals nuances you won’t find on LinkedIn. In a few cases, candid feedback from second-level references has saved me from making a mis-hire.
11. Collaborate with HR to Decide on a Fair Offer
Once references satisfy, I sit down with HR to craft an offer that respects internal equity and market rates. My philosophy? Hold firm on well-researched salary bands, but remain open on start dates or signing bonuses if it helps close the deal.
How a candidate negotiates can also reflect their future working style. Excessive haggling over small perks sometimes signals potential friction down the line. I focus on creating an offer that feels respectful and balanced.
12. Make a Job Offer—and Be Ready for Exceptions
Usually, you follow these steps in order. But exceptional candidates sometimes warrant flexibility:
- Long-distance hires: Conduct reference checks before an expensive on-site interview.
- Trusted referrals: Interview them directly even if a résumé isn’t perfect.
- Unconventional backgrounds: I’ve hired people without degrees because their demonstrated commitment outshone formal credentials.
The goal is always to find the right person, not just execute a checklist. Keep an open mind, especially when someone’s unique experience could add fresh perspective to your team.
Exceptions to the Process
While this 12-step framework covers most professional and management hires, basic roles—like retail staff or warehouse workers—may rely more on application forms and preliminary on-site assessments rather than résumé screening. Adjust the process to fit the level of communication skill required and the urgency of the role.
Conclusion: Optimize Your Hiring Process
That’s my Hiring Process Optimization distilled into a clear, repeatable playbook. To recap:
- Pinpoint the need.
- Define the role crisply.
- Secure approvals early.
- Look internally first.
- Source externally with balance.
- Screen for attitude and potential.
- Conduct efficient, attitude-focused interviews.
- Engage peers for diverse feedback.
- Align viewpoints and score objectively.
- Vet references with second-level contacts.
- Collaborate with HR on fair offers.
- Stay flexible and embrace exceptions.
Whether you’re a seasoned hiring manager or building your first team, following these steps can transform your Talent Acquisition efforts and sharpen your Interview Best Practices. Give it a try on your next open role and watch how a structured approach makes hiring faster, fairer, and more effective.
Call to Action: Ready to level up your tech hiring? Bookmark this playbook, share it with your team, and let me know in the comments which step you find most challenging—and how you plan to tackle it next.