The HR process in tech — a true story

Working in tech has many facets, but one thing we know for sure: the industry is developing at a pace at which the tech talent is hard to keep up with. This translates into high competitiveness between tech companies when hiring and a seasoned process for HRs working in tech.

At Sensidev, we’re constantly looking for talent as our company is developing, and our projects need to be handled with care by dedicated developers. The best part is that we have two passionate HR professionals by our side who are always on the lookout for the latest developments in the industry, ways to speak the developers’ language and most of all — ways to connect the best tech professionals with their best fit projects.

We’re excited to introduce you to Andreea Rugescu and Mellisa Taisz, who’ll tell you all about the other side of working in tech:

1. Do you find IT recruitment to be different from other types of recruitment?

A: The short and to-the-point answer is YES, but I will try to explain this. Throughout my experience, I have recruited for several positions from Blue Collar to White Collar, from production operator positions to sales managers, legal advisors, developers, marketing managers and so on, each position has its specifics of course, but the most important aspect is the human side. Each of us has a different story and that makes any type of recruitment different, diverse and much more interesting and with specific challenges.

M: YES. When I started my journey in HR, I recruited blue collars and from this perspective, IT recruitment is a totally different story which comes with new challenges. The recruitment process, the questions asked, the main topics that are discussed, my preparation for the interview - everything is different.

2. What are your biggest challenges in finding great talent for this industry?

A: For me, the biggest challenge was to learn what the world of developers looks like, to learn what tools they use and what things matter to them. This way, I am able to create a comfortable and reliable environment so that I can get to know them in the true sense. Talents usually hide where you least expect them :) The IT industry — we have to admit that it has become the most profitable industry, and because of this, there are many people who do these jobs only for money and forget that, as a famous quote says "If you like what you do, you will never work a day”. So my biggest challenge is to find those people who are passionate about what they do because those people will turn into real talents.

M: I think that this industry is the most competitive one. Things happen really fast, and before you know it, somebody else also laid eyes on your candidate :D. You have to be really agile in order to make sure things happen smoothly and quickly. The biggest challenge is not finding great talent, but keeping up with the competition.

3. What is the biggest lack you’re noticing in today’s task force?

A: I think I already answered this question above. Lack of passion in some developers who start this career only for money and nothing more. Maybe I'm an idealist, but I think passion and curiosity for a specific field are the most important aspects to have a successful career.

M: From my point of view, being able to keep interest and attention is the biggest lack in today’s task force, and it’s understandable. Now we have access to more information than ever. Opportunities and great projects come not only from local companies any more but from abroad. And everything is tempting in a different way, so choosing the right option can be a tough one.

4. What would you advise professionals to do more when looking for a new job?

A: Here, I think that the answers differ from recruiter to recruiter, from company to company, but if I had to give a piece of advice it would be this: "Dear developers, have confidence in your achievements, present them with the same passion with which you did development for those applications, don't hesitate to always detail in your CV the skills you have, the languages you want to work in, express your wishes, so we, as recruiters, can identify the project in which you can find yourself, make a difference and grow in your career.”

M: The most important thing is to read the job description carefully. I know, it’s a very basic thing, but the JD can offer most of the answers before even having a conversation with a recruiter, and it’s a good base to start asking questions. It’s also helpful in creating a basic understanding of the role - maybe it’s something suitable for you, maybe it’s not. My other advice would be not to be afraid of job descriptions because some of them may look a bit scary, especially for someone who’s only starting in this industry, but with great challenges come great opportunities. Everything is doable if you believe in yourself ;).

5. If it were to name three top qualities that set aside great professionals from the start, what would these be?

A: Passion, curiosity for that field, openness to new things.

M: Modesty, integrity and being understanding.

6. Which is the most common question you use in recruitment? How would you respond to it? 😏

A: I have to admit that I was pleasantly surprised by this question, and it made me think a little :) It is quite difficult to answer and think of a common question that I use.

When I started my career in recruitment, I used to write down standard questions that I found in theory books, similar to the controversial question "Where do you see yourself in 10 years?". I realized in a short time that things are not working this way, as I was getting answers learned like poetry in order to be the correct answer and because of this I didn't get to know the person in front of me at all.

So for each candidate that I have in front of me, the questions are different and are based on the experience they told. For me, it's important to get to know the person in front of me to figure out if he fits our culture. But if I were to think about a common question, said of course in various forms, it would be: “What do you want to practice in this career? Why did you choose this field? How did your passion for this field begin?"
An answer to this question in my case would be: "I am an empathetic person and I really like to help people and the option of being a doctor did not apply to me considering that I cannot deal with seeing blood :), so I like to think that through HR I can help people find their place in the career they want, to find that environment that they don't call work but a second family"

M: I ask a lot of questions repeatedly, but one of my favourites is “What made you apply for our job?”, and my answer to that is that I find it very intriguing to work for a company that started as a start-up and that is so fresh in the industry. Sensidev is still shaping, and it’s awesome to be part of this process.

7. Finally — a piece of advice for anybody taking this career path?

A: At the risk of repeating myself, follow whatever career you want out of passion, not for money, not because friends, or parents advised you, but do it out of passion because that's the only way you'll be able to build beautiful things.

M: Don’t give up if things don’t happen your way. I always said that working with people is the hardest thing, but it’s the most rewarding one as well. As said before, this industry is very competitive, and sometimes things happen, and no two individuals think, feel or are the same, so it’s normal to have ups and downs… But on the other hand, you get to meet funny people that can make your day, hear awesome stories and - at the end of the recruitment process, make someone's day. There’s always light at the end of the tunnel - even if sometimes the tunnel is very long :))

Want to get in touch with Andreea or Mellisa and find out how they can connect you with your best-fit project? Take a look at https://sensidev.net/careers/ , and you might find your way at Sensidev!