WHAT DOES OUR RECRUITMENT PROCESS SAY ABOUT US? SPOILER ALERT WE CARE!
The only constant is change.
A clichéd quote, yes. But it holds its weight.
At ActZero, we believe change makes for excellent business. Thus, we see the value in making a concerted effort toward corporate-wide enhancements that direct and deliver an integrated employee experience.
We start by going the distance.
However, to paraphrase an ancient African proverb, if you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together. The ever-evolving landscape of our society, culture, and workplace demands the allied commitment of industry leaders to sustainably build and maintain a healthy and vibrant workforce.
A key tenet in our recruitment process embodies the idea that employees are people first. In simple words, we are curious about you. The skills and professional experiences you bring to the table are great and well received. However, our focus stretches beyond that, and with good reason.
As a company that understands the value of its people and defines employee happiness as a business priority, we aim to create a work environment embedded with elements that nurture well-being. Thus, the ‘human’ in human resources informs our workplace culture.
We credit our success in hiring and retaining committed and engaged employees to a collaborative mindful approach to People Management.
TALENT ACQUISITION
At ActZero, purposeful diversity and inclusion are our guide. We progressively implement evidence-based strategies that put our words to action and foster a sense of belonging in the workplace. We do this by challenging the status quo, addressing unconscious biases, unlearning archaic attitudes, and embracing a dynamic and holistic approach to talent acquisition and retention. In the words of our Senior Manager of Talent & Inclusion, happy people are good employees, but good employees aren’t always happy people. We strive for both, with equal emphasis on each.
Read more about how we are making Diversity, Equity & Inclusion a business priority at ActZero.
RECRUITMENT
The recruitment life cycle at ActZero is transparent.
We aim for overarching heterogeneity to attract candidates of all backgrounds. Such as our use of gender-neutral language.
Like the display window at a store, the job description is a preview of our company. A calling card, if you will, for the right employee; ‘right’ as in mutually held core values and technical fit. The information we provide answers your questions about the company, scope of work, team, reporting structure, and non-negotiables, i.e., hard requirements. We traded an extensive list of unnecessary fillers for precise and accurate descriptors so that you, the potential candidate, clearly understand your day-to-day responsibilities and the impact of your position.
Tethered to our company’s perspective are values that encourage continuous improvement and leaning into the earnest pursuit of inclusivity. We place special emphasis on value-based questions because values are critical drivers for our attitudes and behaviors. Embodying shared values generates a cohesive corporate voice and produces fervent action toward value-oriented goals.
Imagine you are an interviewee. Can you tell us about a time you effectively built a trusting working relationship with your team? Your answer to this question gives insight— valuable and reliable information that will confirm cultural fit.
We are not looking for homogenous thinking, but fundamental to our vision is having the same values for honesty, psychological safety, and mutual respect.
INTERVIEWING
We do not take it lightly that you bring your wealth of knowledge and experience, as well as your unique personality and perspective, to our company. The goal of the interview process is to foster two-way communication and to affirm mutual alignment.
We select interviewers in a randomized fashion, across a broad spectrum of roles and functions within our company and provide comprehensive training to avoid bias in decision-making. Our set of questions is appropriate for the position, delivered with the same wording and structured to effectively demonstrate and provide concrete evidence of the knowledge, skills, abilities, and behavior of the applicants. We incorporate these guardrails to mitigate bias throughout the interview process.
Expectations are well-defined, and we provide candidates with the tools needed to succeed. We advise you on the breakdown of the interview process, i.e., date, time, names of interviewers, and number of interview rounds. The structure of the interview is relative to the role. For example, if you are interviewing for a role with a hard requirement for coding, we designate a block of time for you to write code in real-time. We also provide materials to help candidates prepare for the interview.
We aspire to help our employees to be their best. Thus, it is crucial that we take intentional steps to color outside the lines and learn about the non-technical aspects of the candidates. We ask nonconformist questions like; can you tell us when you took a risk and failed? As it offers nuanced insights about the interviewee that may echo ActZero’s tolerance for failing forward.
ONBOARDING: The home run
We have made substantial improvements to our onboarding process to provide new hires with a balanced and authentic experience. Our curiosity extends into this phase. As a valued team member, we inquire about how to support you. You can expect constructive questions like, how do you prefer praise and feedback? Tell us about aspects of your work that give utmost gratification? What motivates you? Can you give us some insight into your career goals? Your responses serve as a personal guide that helps in strategically stewarding and celebrating your growth and achievements.
There is always room for improvement. Diversity is the inspiration behind continuing to cultivate practices steeped in inclusive ideologies that promote an enriched work environment for our employees. Our forward-thinking mindset hinges on the proffered ideas of our diverse workforce. ‘People first’ is how we grow as a company, evoke innovation, and guarantee positive impact.
To learn more about our corporate values, READ.
What steps are you taking in your company to move the dial on making diverse and inclusive recruitment mainstream in the tech space?