In 2021, Head of IT, Stijn, was looking for experienced Java developers for his growing department. In a challenging market, he enlisted the help of Spilberg for this task. Together, they collaborated to find the right match for the specific requirements.
A few years ago, Stijn joined a major Dutch financial service provider as the Head of IT. He needed to further expand a rapidly growing team. There was an urgent need for a total of 20 experienced Java Developers in a challenging market. Based on positive past experiences, a fellow manager recommended Spilberg to him. In addition to internal recruiters, he also engaged three external recruitment agencies to ensure a diverse pool of candidates.
After the initial contact and briefing, the various agencies presented candidates. There was a strict internal selection process involving multiple interviewers. The requirements for these positions were stringent, demanding deep knowledge of software engineering. Not all Java Developers possessed such expertise. Stijn remarked, "The candidates from Spilberg were well-prepared which proved particularly helpful given the rigorous selection process and high standards."
Not all candidates proposed in the first round were suitable. Here, Stijn noticed a difference between Spilberg and other recruiters: "After the first rejection, my contact Steffanie called and asked me why the candidate was not suitable. I took the time to explain everything thoroughly, providing all the details. Steffanie listened very well, and as a result understood exactly what we were looking for. By incorporating the right information into the continuation of the selection process, she performed significantly better than the other recruiters."
The developers proposed by Spilberg's were well prepared. They knew who they would be talking to, and what the interview would entail. In-depth questions and live coding requests were not unexpected. As a result, the interviews flowed smoothly, even when critical questions were posed. The success rate was high.
Stijn says: "We did not necessarily want to engage in bidding against employers who seemed to compete solely on compensation. Therefore, we primarily focus on a market competitive salary, substantive growth and the pride that comes with it." Spilberg ensured a thorough pre-selection process, leading those who received an offer to gladly to accept this. This avoided wasting precious time on unnecessary negotiations, benefiting both the candidate and the client. Finally, it helped that the developers from Spilberg were not simultaneously involved in other processes with potential employers or recruiters. They remained committed throughout the process, displaying genuine interest in the team from the very beginning.
For some employees, Stijn opted for Spilberg secondment: a temp-to-perm arrangement where an employee was first employed by Spilberg for about a year and seconded to the client. After that period, employees were 'taken over' without any costs, with most of them receiving a permanent contract immediately. It was a more flexible solution, reducing the company’s risk and increasing the likelihood of retaining the employee. This way of working has also proven beneficial for Stijn in the long run; almost all the people hired at that time are still employed, even in the current competitive market. By effectively managing expectations throughout the process, they did not leave for an opportunity elsewhere.
Stijn has since moved on to a new position and is no longer involved in recruiting new engineers. However, he looks back with satisfaction on his collaboration with Spilberg. He can articulate why this process was so successful: "If I am not ready to provide a recruiter with the right information, they cannot help me either. And the need was urgent. I often see at large companies that people searching for staff through recruiters don't invest enough time themselves. My advice is, therefore: Help the recruiter help you. Keep communicating; with each other and with the candidates. By doing so, recruiters can contribute to achieving your objectives."