Leadership Hiring in India
I do get a lot of questions about hiring in India and how is it unique compared to hiring in the US. I thought I would pen in some of my observations about hiring a great team in Bangalore. This blog focuses on the hiring process and I will write a follow up on building an org ground up at a remote site.
Hiring the right talent at the senior level is a challenge in India. Adding to it, every interviewer has a different perspective on the expectations out of this job and the round table discussion reminded me of the 6 blind men and the elephant story. So I will try to cover my experience hiring for Staff and Senior Manager roles in specific.
Step 1 - Candidate Pipeline
Most of the senior level hiring does take time. So it isn’t a great idea to rely entirely on people applying for the job or recruiters reaching out to candidates. While referrals are a great way to bring in good talent, regular networking with industry peers as well as using LinkedIn does help interest candidates that are passive in the market.
Step 2 - Phone Screen
While it is time consuming for the hiring manager, I highly recommend the hiring manager take the screening round for the senior hires. Initial Phone screens are 2 way streets. While you can sell the position, you can also try to understand the candidate’s self-awareness, ability to take the initiative when things are blurry and willingness to own the problem helps give a background about the person. I found discussions covering the last 2 areas extremely helpful while hiring in India. For folks on the borderline, you may consider doing a next level telephonic interview before you invite them for a day long interview.
Step 3 - On Site Interview
A typical on-site interview takes between 4-6 people. Having a diverse interview panel from your team as well as teams that do not report into you helps provide a 360 degree view of the candidate. Assigning a dual role for each of the interviewers helps cover the strengths of the candidate that are required for the role and also tries to avoid the blind men and the elephant story. E.g. I recommend mixing System Design with Communication/Articulation, Code Review with Collaboration, Domain Expertise with Mentorship, Behavioural with Inclusiveness helps provide insights into the person. Each interviewer should take about 45 minutes to an hour to cover these areas. A quick round table discussion after the interview helps close the loop with the candidate quickly and provides a positive experience for the candidate.
Step 4 - Dealing with Declines
It is not too uncommon to see rejections when hiring at senior levels. While several of the people reject during the offer stage, some do send in a decline after the offer acceptance and a few weeks before the joining date. So it is ideal for the hiring managers to be in touch with the candidates after they accept the offer. Also, do not get disheartened if the offer is rejected. Do connect with them on LinkedIn and do reach out to them at a later time for a different position.
My Take Aways
While selling the job, Learning, Earning and Impact of the Role can attract Junior, Mid and Senior Candidates.
During the interview, focus on examples of ownership, Continuous Learning and Customer Focus for senior roles. I found them to be useful in our hiring.