How we found a Senior Product Owner in just one and a half month
In this article we’ll share our case on how we’ve managed to fill a top level position in a limited period of time.
Who we were looking for
We were approached by a crypto trading startup from Europe that needed a specialist for one of their key positions in the company - Senior Product Owner. It was necessary to find a candidate who would understand the specifics of the product (trading and crypto are very narrowly focused areas) and would have not only a product management experience but also a technical background, and over time could take on a significant part of the founder's tasks. On top of this, it was needed to find a candidate with similar values and certain soft skills.
Where did the challenge lie?
One of the toughest part of our work was the candidate's specialization. Besides the fact that there are not many specialists in the sphere of crypto trading, the competition for experienced product owners between companies is very high: as a rule, candidates in similar positions have high salaries, and lots of other bonuses and, are rarely willing to leave their current positions. Therefore it was not enough just to find a candidate with suitable skills, it was important to find out and assess their motivation, to present them the vacancy correctly and motivate them to consider it.
The selection process for this position was also rather hard: since not only hard skills were important, but also the appropriate set of soft skills and values, the candidates went through 5 stages of selection, from technical interviews to meetings with the key leaders of the company.
Another important point: it was impossible for this position to be filled remotely, it was a necessity to be physically present in the office. This was a challenge, even despite the fact that the company offered a full relocation package: the ability to work from anywhere in the world is highly valued among specialists. Therefore, this requirement significantly reduced the attractiveness of the vacancy in the eyes of several applicants: not everyone was ready to relocate, even if they liked all other aspects of the position.
What have we done and how
As usual we started by determining the selling points of the position and finding what might spark interest among our potential candidates. In this case, for example, we focused on the culture of the startup (flexibility and decision-making speed are highly sought after by senior specialists), the trading sphere, where every task is nearly a challenge, and the level of the position with the ability to directly impact product and management decision-making. Additionally, good conditions were highlighted: a large compensation package, a full relocation package, modern and comfortable office space, latest versions of technical equipment, etc.
Strategy, Results, and Statistics
We made a list with companies that operate in the sphere and then looked for candidates there. Looking ahead, the vacancy was filled with the very first candidate that we showed our client. To reach this point however a lot of effort from recruiters was invested. We did a search for relevant candidates using different recourses and recommendation system, and went through a long selection process in the company (5 stages).
In total 164 candidates were contacted, 6 of which had their profiles passed on to the client. Two of them received offers, and of course, only one of them was accepted and successfully hired in the end.
Success Factors
One of the key to success, in this case, was to work correctly and extensively with the candidates during the offer stage and throughout the entire selection process. The first candidate we showed the client had to wait quite long time to receive an offer from the client and during that time we actively communicated with him. This allowed us to keep the candidate interested in the company and efficiently communicate with him during the final stage. This secured him an offer with the terms that we worked out in advance with a founder based on the initial motivation of the candidate.
A great contribution to our success in the case was a properly shaped search strategy. Identifying the selling points of the job, making a list of competitors and diligently working with our channels to find candidates with the specific narrow focus. Due to this approach, we are able to quickly select the best candidate, whilst meeting even the narrowest requirements and bringing them from the initial stage to the acceptance of the offer without "losing" a valuable specialist along the way.
P.S.
Do you also need a Senior or Lead level specialist urgently?
Then email us and we'll be sure to find even the most highly specialized candidate and successfully fill a position.
