Pre-screened isn’t the same as pre-interviewed when hiring candidates (and it won’t save you as much time!)

February 27, 2023

When you want to scale your start-up tech business, time is most likely a luxury that you don’t have. 

 

You’ll be keen to act fast, to hire rapidly and set your organisation on a path to hyper growth, right? 

 

You probably won’t have the time to spend hours and hours sifting through resumes and interviewing candidates… especially if you’re making multiple hires. 

 

And that’s why you look for hiring support - whether that’s in house recruitment teams or outsourced talent acquisition specialists. 

 

They can help you save a ton of time (and money) by vetting your candidates ahead of your interview with them. 

 

If they prioritise pre-interviewing over pre-screening. 

 

Because not all pre-hiring processes are the same. And you wouldn’t want to be in a position where you’re still wasting time and money when recruiting candidates.

 

What’s a typical pre-screening process? 

 

A typical pre-screening or pre-evaluation process when hiring sales performers or tech talent is all about making sure applicants meet the basic requirements and reach a certain standard. 

 

It’s about making sure they’re suitable for the role - that they have the experience and qualifications needed and can do the job they’re applying for. 

 

A pre-screening process is great at weeding out unsuitable resumes and ineffective candidates, so it can save you a lot of time and effort. 

 

But typically, a pre-screening process just identifies those who can do the job. When you’re in scale-up mode and looking for rapid growth, you won’t just want a candidate who can do the job. You’ll want the very best candidate to do an amazing job. 

 

And with a traditional pre-screening process, that still requires time, effort and money on your part. 

 

The challenge with ‘surface’ pre-screening 

 

Pre-screening often falls down in saving team leaders, VPs and CEOs time because it doesn’t go into enough detail with applicants. 

 

It scratches the surface to check eligibility, rather than digging deep to check for a good match. 

 

In some recruitment circles, it’s almost like box checking: 

 

Does the candidate have appropriate qualifications? Check

Does the candidate have X years’ experience? Check

Is the candidate local to the area for an on-site role? Check 

Could the candidate do the role? Check 

 

… move to the interview pile. 

 

That’s great if you want a load of resumes. But if you’re hiring for key roles - in a short time span - you’ll want the best of the best in front of you. A smaller number of the very top candidates, rather than a wider pool of suitable applicants. 

 

A pre-screening process could also filter out those candidates who might not appear right on paper - e.g. too far out of area - but are willing to relocate and are a perfect match in all other areas. 

 

There could be some hidden gems in that resume pile that might smash all sales targets, support huge growth and be an invaluable asset to your business.

 

You don’t want to screen them out unnecessarily… but you also won’t want to spend hours and hours trying to find them. 

 

Wouldn’t it be great if you didn’t have to? 

 

The power of in-depth, pre-interviewing 

 

Imagine if you didn’t have to waste time and money on multiple interviews? Imagine you didn’t have to sit through hours of questioning and hours of deliberation? Imagine you didn’t have to worry about wasting budget on the wrong hires?

 

That’s what an in-depth, pre-interviewing process provides. 

 

It doesn't just focus on surface level attributes on a resume. It digs into what they mean, why they’re relevant and if they’re truly beneficial. 

 

A pre-interview process is a step behind resume screening. It’s about understanding the candidates themselves. 

 

It moves beyond qualifications and experiences to ask deeper questions likes: 


  • What type of sales training have you had? How has that helped? 
  • What vertical markets have you covered? What levels of negotiation?
  • How do you typically work? How do you want to work? 
  • How do you perform in your team compared to others? 

 

It focuses on all the logistics and admin ahead of time, dealing with key factors like salary, commission, benefits, relocation, notice period and more… so that interviews are shorter and more focused. 

 

So you save time and money by only speaking with pre-matched candidates that are ready to thrive in your sales environment. 

 

A pre-interview process saves you time and money by making sure: 


  • Candidates are ready to leave their current role 
  • Candidates are actually looking for what you’re offering
  • Culture, personalities and approaches align 
  • Candidate will be a true asset 

 

Pre-screened might mean pre-qualified.. but it doesn’t mean pre-matched. 

 

Pre-interviewing makes sure you get the very best matches. It’s the faster route to making the right hiring choices. 

 

And it’s what we do at ORG3D, an integral part of our SCALE3D talent acquisition product. 

 

Because when we put the time and effort into pre-interviewing, you can spend less time, effort and money on hiring. 

 

If you’d like to learn more - get in touch here.

Outsmarting the Competition: 5 Ways to Attract Top Engineers in 2023!

March 14, 2023
The way people perceive work and its significance in their lives has dramatically changed, resulting in the most substantial talent crisis of our time. Presently, 41% of global employees are contemplating resigning from their positions, and 36% of them leave without having secured their next job. Although many engineers prefer working for global corporations, attracting top-quality engineers is possible for companies that aren't household names. [In fact, it’s your secret weapon, just not enough amazing people know about you yet] Previously, job security, reasonable compensation, or a tangible career opportunity were enough to draw people to organizations. Now a massive number of engineers not only want to feel invested in the work they do, but they also want to see that their employer is invested in the same things they value and believe in. With so many companies competing for the same talent pool, a well-thought-out strategy is crucial to set your company apart. This article will show you how you can overcome these challenges and attract top-quality engineers. 1. Strong Employer Brand – we see A LOT of them, the good the bad and the ugly! A strong employer brand is essential in attracting top talent to your company. It refers to how people perceive your organization as a place to work. Showcase your company's culture, values, and mission. Highlight your team's achievements and positive workplace experiences on your website and social media channels. Share your company's story and vision to attract individuals who align with your values. This should help you stand out as an employer of choice and is key to retaining top engineers in today's competitive job market. If you want a free employer brand assessment and learn how to showcase what really matters most to a candidate, we can show you what you need to be presenting online, in interviews, in a job description, in offer letters, the list goes on! 2. Competitive Compensation Package – what does that even look like these days? A comprehensive salary and benefits package not only helps attract the best candidates but also keeps them engaged in the long run. While budget constraints are common in startups, offering competitive compensation can help you stand out. Moreover, equity options can be a compelling incentive for many engineers. Being a part of a growing company and earning a stake in its success can be a powerful motivator. SHAKE YOUR MONEY MAKER! Emphasize equity options in your job postings and explain how they can benefit employees in the long term. This can help attract candidates who are not only looking for immediate compensation but also long-term growth opportunities. Day in day out we speak to ~90 candidates every day across engineering in hypergrowth tech. If you want feedback on whether you’re paying enough, too much, not enough, industry- specific salary trends, equity structuring models, schedule a call with us today. 3. Hire anywhere – globally. It’s tragic that so many hypergrowths are missing out on exceptional talent, because they’re not physically able to employ people in certain areas of the world. By leveraging the expertise of skilled individuals globally, businesses can improve and expand more rapidly, surpassing their rivals. It’s easy, when you know how. Click here to get more info. 4. Emphasis on DEI (Hint - you can probably get help with this from point 3!) Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) have become critical factors that potential employees consider while choosing their workplace. Nowadays, potential employees consider these factors while choosing where to work. To ensure that your DEI initiatives are authentic, consider clearly outlining anti-discrimination policies in your employee manual, conducting regular meetings and seminars to educate employees on the benefits of inclusivity and multiculturalism, and encouraging employees to offer suggestions on increasing DEI in the workplace. It's crucial to be transparent and authentic in your approach. When potential employees see a company's commitment to DEI, they're more likely to join the team. 5. A World Class Candidate Experience (High value tip: get the most senior person in the decision-making process involved early) Providing a top-notch candidate experience sets a positive tone for the company's culture. Candidates who feel valued and respected are more likely to form a positive perception of your company, regardless of the outcome. Our team at Org3D specialize in creating a seamless and exceptional candidate experience from start to finish. We recognize the significance of regular and timely communication and feedback throughout the recruitment process, ensuring that candidates receive regular updates on their application status. With our expertise, you can rest assured that your candidates will have a positive and memorable experience with your company. In conclusion, the race to hire top engineering talent in 2023 is already heating up, and you don't want to be left behind. Your startup needs to stand out from the rest and offer a competitive edge to lure in the best and brightest engineers. At Org3D, we understand what it takes to build a successful tech team, and we're committed to helping you achieve just that. With our Scale3D talent solution, we use proven assessment tools and unique sales profiling insights to identify the top candidates for your team, giving you the edge over your competitors. Get in touch today so we can help you grow your business and achieve your goals.

The Science of Sales: Put More Science Into Your Sales Hires

March 13, 2023
Building a successful sales team is crucial for any organization, but it’s absolutely vital in the hyper-growth tech industry. As you already know. You know that to grow fast, you need a team of highly skilled sales performers leading the charge. You’ve got amazing products and services, and so it’s only natural you’ll want to spend the time, effort and resources on hiring amazing salespeople to sell them for you. But just how do you find them in the most effective, most efficient way? How do you make sure you’re not wasting your time and efforts? Or worse, how do you make certain you’re not making the wrong hire? For us at Org3D, it’s all about combining science and intuition in our talent acquisition process. By putting science into sales hiring, we can guarantee the right candidates for your role. It all comes down to key psychometrics, vital data, and an eye for the best sales talent in the hyper-tech space. Using psychometric sales analysis to differentiate the good, the bad and the ugly The last thing you want to do when hiring for your sales team is to sort through piles and piles of resumes. Your time is precious. Wouldn’t it be great to just have the very best candidate details on your desk, pre-screened and ready for a final interview? Psychometric sales analysis does just that. It uses a range of psychological measures to identify candidates’ cognitive abilities, personality traits, and motivation. It helps us assess the performance abilities of every individual candidate applying for a role, and helps you understand how well they’d fit into your organization. Think of it like scientific research that helps us streamline the process of finding candidates with the right skills, mindset, and approach to succeed in a sales role. And yes - sometimes that might mean they come from a non-traditional, non-sales background, but they’ll always have what it takes to thrive in the right setting. Pinpointing skill sets with SPQ Gold One of the scientifically-validated assessment tools we use is the SPQ Gold questionnaire. The SPQ Gold questionnaire measures those key psychometrics to help us understand how well suited a sales hire might be. It’s designed to pinpoint those candidates with the key competencies required for success in sales roles, including problem-solving, decision-making, and resilience. Made up of a series of questions that assess personality, sales preferences, communication skills and more, it's a highly reliable tool that’s been used in thousands of sales hires worldwide. It helps us understand how a sales might perform in different situations, measuring: Proactive abilities Reluctance and hesitation to call Energy and commitment to their role Gathering more scientific insight While the SPQ gold is an amazing tool, we don’t stop there. At Org3D, we take this one step further by using our own unique sales profiling tools to identify a candidate's true experience and true potential. Through a series of insightful questions and talking points, we interview potential candidates before they speak with you, to gather even more invaluable data on their experience, abilities and future preferences. Why? Because we recognize that sales is not just about having the right skills, but also about having the right mindset and approach. We know finding the right sales hire is about identifying a perfect match with your organization. Our profiling tools allow us to identify those candidates with The right drive and determination The relevant product, market and vertical experience The commitment to hit the targets you need to meet A strong culture match with your organization The resilience to succeed in a fast-paced, high-pressure sales environment Better data makes for smarter sales hires When we have all that data on a candidate's potential for success in a sales role, we make informed decisions about who you should hire, and set clear expectations for performance. But data is just the starting point. The real magic happens when we combine this data with our expertise and intuition. Our team of experienced recruiters use their knowledge of your industry and their own personal experience to interpret the data and make the best recommendations for you. By combining that science and our personal touch, we make sure you only see the candidates with the right skills, right abilities, right approach and right mindset to succeed. Imagine the consequences of a bad sales hire. Poor productivity. Lower sales. Negative impact on your reputation and your team’s morale. Plus all that time and money wasted. Now picture the difference with a science-focused sales hiring process Best match candidates found faster. Clear understanding of skill sets and abilities. Pre-checked culture match for your organization. Time and money saved. Sales targets smashed. At Org3D, we’re passionate about helping our clients build successful sales teams, and we believe that using science and intuition is the key to achieving this. By using scientifically-validated assessment tools and our own unique sales profiling insights, we are able to identify the best candidates for your fast-growing sales team. Whether you need to recruit 3, 30 or 300 highly focused, highly effective sales performers, our Scale3D talent solution can help. So if you want to build out your high-performing sales team, get in touch today and see how we can put more science into your sales hires.