
The most valuable asset of every organization is its people. That said the hiring process plays a crucial role into finding talented people who match perfectly with the organization's culture.

Apart from that, the hiring process actually is the start of the journey, so it speaks volumes regarding the organization's ethos and values. Who wants to make a bad first impression, right?

So how do we check for perfect matches?

### Use the right tools for the job

We are using tools like [Workable](https://apply.workable.com/helloworld-pc/) to publish and manage our openings.

Platforms like [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/helloworld-pc/) and [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/helloworld.gr) are used to demonstrate them to the world. 

### Curriculum Vitae scan

A CV cannot describe accurately a talented person, but it can provide some very important details about their background, their interests or even their personality.

Things that stand out:

- cover letters with a personal flavour
- involvement with open source projects
- hobbies, interests and activities outside of working hours
- social profiles
- the general feeling that the CV is prepared with ❤️

Why such an interest about social profiles, hobbies and activities?

This is because we are looking first for a human-being that can fit into our team and then for a professional who can do the job. 

### Assignment

The very next step is a short technical assignment that lasts less than one (1) hour. Through this assignment we verify that the candidate has the technical knowledge required for this position.

There are tons of online platforms out there that provide excellent tools for this job and help us to automate it as much as possible.

Things we evaluate:

- soft skills questions, so we spot matches
- ability to solve algorithms with any programming language
- deep knowledge of the technologies in question like ReactJS, HTML, CSS, RESTful APIs, MVC, OOP etc

### Interview

At this stage a thirty (30) minutes interview takes place, so we get to know each other, discuss things that are not mentioned in the CV and analyze the assignment's results.

The candidate asks things about the organization's vision and goals while we try to see whether we are a good fit and vice-versa.

It is important to have a match for both sides in order for this marriage to become a functional one.

### Work together period

This is the final stage during which candidates work side by side with some of our people on actual stories and tasks. This period lasts for one (1) week and in the end we evaluate all this together with the candidate.

Through this process, candidates can see what does it mean to work with us in order to eliminate the possibility of any unpleasant surprises after getting hired.

We definitely don't want to waste peoples' time, so candidates are getting paid for their precious time and efforts before getting involved in this process and not after.

Let's make it work then. Cheers!!


The hiring process is where the organization's culture begins


Because of our involvement in various early-stage startups, we come across some repeated patterns and common pitfalls quite frequently. That said, we decided to put together and share publicly some tips and best practices to help people with brilliant ideas turn them into useful products.

To validate fast a new idea and minimize costs, there are some critical things to consider in order to minimize time to market, reduce costs and stay focused all the way long.

### Strip down the idea and focus on its core concept

Trying to add all these bells and whistles is slowing down your progress, disorientates you, and forces you to lose focus eventually.

Stay in the course by putting all the eggs in one basket.

Stick to the core concept of your idea and try to ship it.

### Do heavy Research and Development cycles early enough

It is important to do some meaningful research and Development early enough before creating any design or writing any piece of code.

Check competition, investigate legal matters, speak with experts in the field. In general, try to spot flaws and holes in your plan.

All these will be extremely beneficial since you will end up having a very clear vision before starting the actual implementation.

Not moving forward due to various issues that might come up at this stage, might also be a great decision that will save you further efforts, money, and time.

### Avoid over-engineering

Ok, we all love technology, fancy libraries, and state-of-the-art frameworks but here we are trying to launch a new product and this is all that matters. Work smart and focused.

Sometimes a clickable prototype might be all we need to validate some patterns, demonstrate our idea, and avoid premature development cycles.

### Keep it simple

If you decide to create a Proof of Concept, then keep the technology stack simple to reduce complexity, cost, and time-to-market.

There is no need to create a complex setup with N services and User Interfaces to present your idea to the world.

Use the technologies you are familiar with and be ready to rewrite from the ground this PoC with a more complex technology stack once the idea gets validated or even throw it away if it doesn't.

### Make it solid

Simple doesn't mean sloppy or buggy.

Ensure that the core concept is bullet-proof and pretty well-tested so that early users can really use it and provide meaningful feedback.

### Validate the idea by getting honest feedback asap

Try to ship fast in the market, so you get actual feedback fast and re-iterate accordingly.

Don't be afraid to get honest feedback from actual users out there.

Even if the feedback is negative, it will help you to reshape your idea and move with a better plan ahead.

### Find a mentor

The competition out there is huge and the challenges you'll need to overcome can be tough.

Sometimes you will be forced to step out of your comfort zone a lot.

Find an experienced mentor that can stick by your side and will support and give you valuable advice throughout your journey.

### Find the right partners

The more your idea will mature the more you will need people with different skills and expertise than yours.

These might be UX experts, software engineers, architects, marketing or sales professionals, and so on.

Don't be reluctant to partner or even hire the right people that can work by your side in order to step up your game.

### Be patient

The world was not created in one day neither your idea will be.

Be patient, stay focused, and above all have fun.

Your idea is a newborn kid that is growing before your eyes.

Try to be a patient parent and enjoy the adventure.

Cheers!!


Publications about "entrepreneurship"

By Hello World PC

The hiring process is where the organization's culture begins

By Hello World PC

Start small, grow big