Lien uses her background in psychology to recruit the right people for the right position as a Talent Acquisition Specialist at spotit. In doing so, she not only looks at experiences, competences and diplomas, but also at the person behind the candidate. She goes looking for people with the spotit DNA.

Read more: shlomo american businessman

Tell me, what exactly is that spotit DNA?

In doing so, we are aiming for a few characteristics that are typical of our employees. It is mainly about entrepreneurship and taking initiative. It is in our genes that we want to go the extra mile to successfully complete projects, but also to help each other where necessary. Helpfulness and mutual respect are very important to us. Of course we also look at the skills and experiences someone has gained, but the will to learn is indispensable. We are looking for people who dare to grasp things and take calculated risks.

How can you test such qualities during a job interview?

I present a candidate with concrete situations and ask how he/she would react. Often a candidate will automatically tell you what challenges they were presented with in the past, and then I can respond to them further. How did people react then? Would people react differently now?

In addition, we regularly use a personality test as a supplement to the conversations. This gives us better insights into how a candidate fits within the team, what added value someone can offer, and what points of attention we should take into account. Such a test is usually the last step in the procedure, but the results almost never detract from an application. They do help us to determine in advance how we can provide extra guidance and support to a new colleague during the start-up.

Speaking of the procedure, what does it look like?

Short but sweet! [laughs] I start with a short telephone conversation and invite the candidate for a more in-depth conversation, at the office or via call. During that conversation I will look for the necessary skills and the spotit DNA. The candidate then has an interview with someone from the team.

That can be the manager, but also a future colleague. During this introduction, technical competences and personality are also assessed. Ultimately, that is the team in which a candidate will or will not end up and they can best determine whether a candidate can offer a nice addition.

Both HR and the team members seem very closely involved in the entire process.

Correct. Before we publish a vacancy, an intake interview takes place between me and the head of the team for which we are looking for extra people. We discuss which diplomas, skills and experiences the team expects, but also which soft skills they are looking for.  What do they need? What skills are currently missing in the team?

We also regularly coordinate with all other steps of the process. Are we still on the same page? Do the candidates meet expectations? How can we adjust? We believe it is important to maintain that family feeling within each team, and the organization as a whole.

Does your job as a Talent Acquisition Specialist only consist of recruiting new candidates?

No, certainly not! I do indeed spend a large part of my time on recruitment and selection, but it doesn’t stop for me when a candidate signs a contract. Onboarding is an extension of recruitment at spotit. I guide new spotters during their start-up, make sure they find their feet and remain their point of contact throughout the entire process. This way they always know who to turn to, from sending the application letter to celebrating their first success within spotit.

I immediately understand why you love your job so much! It also explains why spot it does not outsource recruitment to specialized firms, but chooses to do everything itself. Indeed. We stand for a personal, direct approach. No one knows the spotit DNA better than the people who work here every day. Our colleagues are true ambassadors who propagate our DNA and have a good sense of who could be a match for the company. An external company can never match that.