Our Tech Recruitment Process for Employers

A clear tech recruitment process helps employers make better technical hires. We combine specialist market knowledge with a structured approach to finding, screening and presenting candidates.

Hiring for a technical position is rarely as simple as posting a vacancy and waiting for applications. For specialist roles, the right candidate may not be actively looking for a new position at all. They may also need a specific combination of technical experience, industry knowledge and practical requirements to make the move worthwhile.

Our tech recruitment process is built around understanding those requirements before we start the search. This particular recruitment process for tech hiring allows us to focus the search on the specific needs of the position, rather than relying on a more generalised or standardised approach. From there, we search for suitable candidates, assess their experience and motivation, and manage the process through to interview and offer.

How Our Tech Recruitment Process Works

1. Understanding the role

The process starts with a proper brief, rather than simply taking a job description and beginning to search for candidates.

We want to understand the team the person will join, what has worked in previous hires and what you need the successful candidate to achieve. We also look at the technical background required and any practical factors that could affect the search.

A clear brief gives us a better basis for the process and helps us focus on candidates who are genuinely suited to the position.

2. Building the search

Once we understand the role, we begin looking for suitable candidates. Our technical recruitment process combines direct headhunting with targeted LinkedIn advertising and searches of our own candidate database. This allows us to approach professionals who may not be actively looking for a new role, as well as candidates who are open to opportunities.

Our consultants also use recruitment systems and AI tools where they can help identify potential candidates and extend the search. These tools support the recruitment process, while our consultants assess whether a candidate is relevant to the role.

3. Screening candidates

Finding someone with the right technical background is only part of the technical recruitment process. Before presenting a candidate, we assess their experience and motivation for considering a move.

We also discuss practical factors that could affect the appointment, including family commitments and relocation where relevant. This is particularly important for roles that require a candidate to move to another region or country.

Having these conversations early gives employers a clearer picture of whether a candidate is likely to be suitable before an interview is arranged.

4. Presenting the shortlist

For most roles, you can expect an initial shortlist within five to seven working days of providing the brief.

The timeframe depends on the seniority and specificity of the position. If a role requires particularly niche experience, the search may take longer. However, we’ll explain any potential difficulties or challenges at the outset so you know what to expect.

We also focus on the quality of the shortlist rather than simply sending a large number of CVs. Our CV-to-interview ratio is around 50%+ on many positions, compared with an industry standard that is often around 25% or less.

5. Managing interviews

Once you’ve identified candidates you’d like to meet, we can manage much of the coordination.

We adapt to your existing interview process, coordinate availability and arrange candidate slots. We also manage communication between the candidate and hiring team, including interview preparation and feedback.

This gives your team more time to focus on assessing the candidate rather than managing the administration around each interview.

6. Supporting the offer

Our involvement continues through the later stages of the appointment, where we can support interview feedback and offer presentation and negotiation, helping to manage communication between both sides as the appointment progresses.

For specialist technical hires, practical considerations such as relocation or other commitments can affect whether an offer is accepted. Discussing these points earlier in the process can help avoid problems at the final stage.

How Long Does the Tech Recruitment Process Take?

There isn’t one fixed timeframe that applies to every technical hire. An initial shortlist can usually be expected within five to seven working days of receiving the brief. Permanent roles typically then take one to two months to fill, while contract roles are usually filled within four to six weeks.

The timeframe can vary depending on the seniority and specificity of the role, as well as the availability of suitable candidates.

Following best practices, like providing a detailed brief and responding to candidate feedback promptly, can also help keep the recruitment process for tech hiring moving.

How Are Candidates Screened?

Candidates are assessed against the requirements of the role before they are presented to the client.

This includes reviewing their technical background and discussing their reasons for considering a move. Where relevant, we also discuss practical considerations such as relocation and existing commitments.

The aim is to give employers a shortlist of candidates who have already been considered against the needs of the position, rather than simply passing on CVs that appear relevant at first glance.

What Makes Our Recruitment Process Different?

Our consultants work as part of a wider recruitment team rather than operating in isolation. These differences in the hiring process at our recruitment agency can benefit you because they allow an open role to be shared across the team, giving our consultants access to a broader range of networks and candidate relationships.

We also have an established database of around 250,000 candidates, many of whom have previously been spoken to by members of the team. On the other side of things, our consultants bring experience across various technology sectors, helping them understand the skills and backgrounds required for specialist positions.

Employers therefore have access to a wider candidate pool, recruiters with a proven and expansive body of knowledge and expertise, and a clear point of contact throughout the process.

You can take a look at our Success Stories to see how we’ve supported organisations with specialist technology recruitment. Or, if you’d like to know more about what to expect as an employer advertising roles with us, get in touch with our team.

Looking to Hire for a Technical Role?

If you’re preparing to hire and would like to discuss the role, our team can talk through your needs and the recruitment approach that would be most appropriate.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does your recruitment process take?

An initial shortlist is usually provided within five to seven working days. Permanent roles typically take one to two months, while contract roles usually take four to six weeks.

How are candidates screened?

We assess candidates against the role requirements, including their technical experience, motivation, and relevant practical considerations such as relocation.

Can you recruit candidates who aren’t actively looking for a new role?

Yes. We use direct headhunting to reach professionals who may not be actively applying but could be interested in the right opportunity.

What happens after I submit a vacancy?

We discuss the role, begin the search, screen suitable candidates and present a shortlist. And after the initial search and shortlisting process, we can also support the interview and offer stages.

Why use a recruitment agency for technical hiring?

Specialist technical roles often require a targeted search. We use direct headhunting, targeted advertising and our candidate database to reach suitable professionals.