This post was first written in 2018 - we update it every now and then to reflect our current hiring process.
It's no secret that we're a picky bunch at 383 when it comes to hiring our next superstar. We have a well tried and tested approach to recruitment that helps us make sure we find A-players and give them a chance to shine - so tried and tested, in fact, that we even have a sister talent acquisition consultancy, IRIS, who are taking everything we've learned and helping product teams do the same.
We don’t believe in seven stage interviews, psychometric testing, or mass committees deliberating if you’re ‘worthy’ of being a part of our team. At the same time, we won’t just have a chinwag over a coffee and offer you a job on the spot either. What’s really important is you feel we’re the right choice for you, just as much as we feel you're the right person for us, and so we will spend time getting to know each other before we talk job contracts.
We don't tell you this to put you off applying for a job, or make it seem like some daunting Hunger Games style process, of course! If you’re thinking of joining the 383 team, here’s what you can expect from us, and some tips on what we’re looking for from you.
The process
Generally speaking, there's four stages to our application and interview process.
Stage one: Application
First up, obviously, is sending us your application. All our open roles are listed on our Careers page, and we try and provide everything you need to know about the role up front. We'll tell you exactly what we’re looking for - no 'we’d love if...' or 'nice-to-haves', just what we actually need for the role. And we'll be open about the salary range, too.
The majority of our roles are remote-first and open to candidates with the right to work in Europe - there may be specific location requirements for some roles, which we'll mention in the job advert.
You'll be asked to provide:
- A short summary of your experience - a couple of sentences that tell us what you're about.
- Your CV or resume - showcase your relevant roles and experience. If you're applying for a design role, we'd love to see a portfolio of your work, too.
- A cover letter - this is a good place to tell us more about why you're applying for this role specifically, why you think you're a good fit, and to highlight anything you want us to pay attention to on your CV.
Make sure you've read the job advert closely, and try and show us how your experience relates to what we're looking for. It's okay if you don't meet every single one of the requirements we've listed, but we would like you to be able to meet around 80% of them.
We love seeing applications from people who are changing careers, or might have had an unconventional career journey - if this is you, make sure you tell us what skills and experience you think you could transfer to our industry.
We get a lot of applications through, so unfortunately if we're not taking you forward to the next stage of the process, we can't get back to everyone individually with specific feedback - last year we received over 1,500 CVs, so that would be a full time job in itself!
Stage two: Screening
The next stage is a 30 minute video screening call with one of our hiring team. We'll run through a set of 10-15 questions about your skills and experience, tailored to the role you're applying for. We ask the same questions to every candidate, so it's a level playing field.
We'll always make time for you to ask questions of us at this stage, too. Don't forget, it's a two-way conversation, and you're interviewing us as much as we're interviewing you! If there's anything you'd like to know about the role, the team, the company or our culture, make sure to bring it up. We'll be as open and honest as we can be, and if there's anything we can't answer there and then, we'll find out and get back to you.
Heres's a couple of basics to keep in mind:
- It's a video interview, and we want to see your lovely face! Try to find a quiet, well-lit spot where we can hear you properly.
- If you're joining from your phone, prop it up on a surface if you can - we get flashbacks to The Blair Witch Project’s shaky-cam when you hold it yourself...!
- It's a relatively informal chat, and we have no problem if you dial in from home - just keep in mind that it is still an interview, and try and limit distractions as much as possible.
- It should go without saying, but please be on time! And if you can't make it anymore or need to reschedule, just let us know - it's not a problem at all, but a heads up means we can give your slot to somebody else.
We want to hear it all, the good stuff and the bad, so be candid when we discuss your experiences. It’s okay to share negative moments, and it’s perfectly acceptable to say you don’t know. We’re interested in the journey as a whole, not the version you think we might want to hear.
We'll get back to you within a couple of weeks to let you know whether you've been successful.
Stage three: Interview
At interview stage, we'll set a short brief for you to respond to or a task to complete. This will vary depending on the type of role you're applying for, but we'll share it in advance, so you'll have plenty of time to prepare. Again, every candidate will be given the same brief or task.
Don’t worry about presenting final concepts or polished ideas - what’s more important is showing us how you think and how you would approach a project like the one in the brief. We're really open to you using alternative mediums to demonstrate your expertise. If that's spoken word, or a Miro board, we can tailor the format to suit you - you just need to let us know ahead of time. As long as the brief is answered with your best effort, everything is cool with us.
Some tips on nailing this part of the process:
- Preparation is key. Give yourself time to read the brief, and if there's anything that's not clear, just get in touch. We're not trying to catch you out, and we’d rather you absolutely nail it and show the very best of yourself. We know you have work and life commitments too, so if you find you need more time, let us know. Obviously, we don’t want to wait for weeks but we’ll find a way to make it work – we want you to do well on the day!
- Follow the brief. It seems simple, but make sure you've answered the question that we've asked, and re-read your response or check your task as many times as you need to make sure you’ve responded to everything. Try to stick to the time you've been allocated, too. There’s no point preparing a sixty slide powerpoint if you’ve been explicitly told to prepare a fifteen minute presentation. If you’re still going on after an hour, we will stop you, and likely long before then. We’re nice, but not that nice…
- Get to know us. As a starting point, spend some time reading through this website – you’ll find lots of information about how we work, our values, and the type of projects we work on. Hopefully, as you’ve found this blog, you’ve already got this one figured out!
You'll usually interview with the hiring manager for the role. We'll always share feedback with you after the interview, whether you go through to the next round or not.
Stage four: Leadership
The final part of the interview process is a chat with our founder, Sukhi, or another member of our leadership team.
Beyond the skills and knowledge you'll need for the role, we’re looking for people who share our values - passion, humility, bravery and honesty. We've already established you've got the first bit, so this part is designed to find out what's important to you.
It's also a really good opportunity to ask us any questions you might still have, find out more about our leadership team, and check that we fit what you are looking for from an employer.
At this stage, if we think you're a 383er, we'll make you an offer! 🥳
Bonus stage: Onboarding
Whilst this isn't technically part of the recruitment process, the journey doesn't actually stop once you've accepted a role with us. Starting a new job can be overwhelming, and so we have a very thorough onboarding programme for new starters to help you settle in as a fully fledged member of the 383 team.
In your first week, we'll cover off all the basics you need to know (things like health & safety and how to book holidays), get you set up with all the tools and equipment you'll need, and give you an overview of what every team at 383 does in Cadet Camp. We'll run through your goals for the first few months, and you'll have plenty of time to get to know your team too.
—
Ready to take the plunge? Check out our open vacancies here, and send us your CV if there’s nothing quite right at the moment. We’re always on the look out for rockstars!
