How to Hire
Most of our team have come via conferences, open-source work and personal referrals.
We still advertise roles when needed, but network-first hiring is the default.
Role approval – No opening gets posted (or pursued) until Laurent and Kieran have both signed off on the need, budget and level. Likewise, an offer can’t be sent without their final thumbs-up.
| Stage | Who leads | Typical length | Output |
|---|---|---|---|
| -1 Role sign-off | Laurent + Kieran | – | Green-light given |
| 0 Referral / Inbound triage | Hiring lead | – | Candidate notes stored [link] |
| 1 Intro-fit call | Hiring lead | 30-45 min | Culture & comms fit notes |
| 2 Technical deep-dive | Two interviewers | 60–90 min | Skill-map & example notes |
| 3 Offer chat (incl. rate band + contract options) | Hiring lead | 30 min | Written offer |
Keep all notes in cloud.ideasonboard.com in the current Hiring year folder so any interviewer can pick up the thread.
Stage-by-stage detail
1 Intro-fit call
Purpose: check communication style, remote-work readiness, high-level technical alignment.
Template:
2 Technical deep-dive
Purpose: judge problem-solving and technical depth. Use open questions and let the candidate lead.
Question bank:
Tips
- Assess communication as you go - note clarity, structure and follow-up questions.
- Don’t “quiz”; pick 3-5 sections that match the role.
- Keep questions open; if the candidate stops short, nudge rather than interrogate.
3 Offer & contracting
- Offers should align with our Learning or Progressing step of the salary band only *(Mastery is ***reserved for internal team progression).
- Send draft contract and agree start date / notice period.
- Once offer is signed, prepare to onboard!