A successful partnership with Skroutz: Optimizing the recruitment process for Mid-Senior iOS Developers

linq team
September 13, 2024

31%

Time-to-hire Improvement

50%

Improvement in the number of candidates who moved forward from first interview to second phase

55

Total Time-to-Hire from Project Assignment

Skroutz S.A., the leading eCommerce platform in Greece with 900 employees, faced a critical challenge: the need to hire specialized iOS Developers in an extremely competitive market. As the search process was delayed and pressure on the existing team increased, linq took action. With a targeted and innovative strategy, Skroutz not only strengthened its team but also significantly reduced the time-to-hire. At the same time, this strategy prevented an increase in the workload for the existing team, maintaining performance and morale at high levels, allowing the company to continue its upward trajectory without delays.

The Challenge

Skroutz S.A. was facing difficulties in finding suitable Mid/Senior level iOS Developers in the Greek market, which burdened the existing team with increased workload and growing pressure. The average hiring time had reached 80 working days, with only 1/6 of the candidates advancing to the second stage of technical evaluation. The high technical requirements, combined with the limited talent pool in Greece, made filling these critical positions an extremely challenging and demanding process.

The Solution

To tackle this challenge, we implemented a targeted strategy to approach passive candidates across Greece. We integrated a technical assessment in the first stage of communication, reducing the chances of shortlisting profiles without the necessary technical background. At the same time, we prepared and advised candidates on potential technical and behavioral questions, while maintaining regular communication with both the partner and candidates to facilitate mutual feedback exchange. With a focus on transparency and delivering an excellent candidate experience, we succeeded in increasing their engagement in the process.

Our strategy included analyzing Skroutz’s employee profiles and identifying suitable candidates through specialized search tools. Each communication with the candidates was thorough, carefully reviewing their technical background, their motivation for potentially working at Skroutz, and their cultural fit with the company’s team. The technical assessments we administered were highly targeted, ensuring that only the most suitable candidates advanced to the next stages. Throughout the process, we maintained regular communication, offering feedback and ensuring high levels of engagement from all parties involved.

The Outcome

Our efforts delivered outstanding results, as we not only reduced the hiring time from 80 days to 55, but also secured the hiring of a top candidate, who remains an active and valuable member of the Skroutz team. This success extended beyond filling the position, strengthening mutual trust and collaboration between us.

One of the keys to our success was our strategy to increase candidate engagement in the process. Thanks to our continuous efforts to keep candidates fully engaged, we were able to prevent them from dropping out of the process. This approach played a critical role in achieving our goals.

Equally important was that we increased the ratio of candidates advancing to the second evaluation stage from 1/6 to 1/4, highlighting the precision and effectiveness of our approach. Within just 25 days, we presented 5 high-quality candidates, and the final candidate was hired. The entire process was completed in a total of 55 days.

Through our strategy, we managed to reduce the hiring time by approximately 30% and cut by 50% the number of candidates that needed to be evaluated before filling the position. Additionally, the strengthening of Skroutz’s iOS Developer team had long-term benefits, as the team’s morale remained high and the workload did not increase, allowing the team to stay productive and efficient.

This optimization not only saved time and resources but also maintained the high level of quality and performance that both Skroutz and linq are known for.

Conclusion

This project highlighted that success in filling job positions does not depend on the number of interested candidates, but on the ability to identify and focus on the right ones. Our strategy centered on carefully selecting and actively supporting 1-2 top candidates, ensuring they remained engaged throughout the process. Our collaboration with Skroutz continues dynamically, covering roles such as Senior Software Engineer and taking on two new roles: iOS Developer and Senior Software Engineer.

With the right strategy, our team at linq can continue to provide unique recruitment solutions that enhance our partners’ teams, helping them stay competitive and dynamic in the market.

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