How to source and shortlist {role_name}

Where can you find qualified {role_name}?

  • Professional network
    • Leverage your professional network and reach out to former colleagues, industry peers, and tech community members to ask for referrals.
  • Educational Institutions:
    • Top Universities: Partner with leading universities that offer degrees in Computer Science, Information Technology.
    • Alumni Networks: Leverage alumni networks from institutions known for their strong engineering and IT programs.
  • Company Career Pages:
    • Your Company’s Website: Ensure that your company’s career page is optimized for search engines and easy to navigate. Highlight the benefits of working at your organization and provide a clear call-to-action.
  • Role-Specific Job Boards:
    • Dice: A popular job board for tech professionals, especially in the US.
    • AngelList: Ideal for sourcing candidates interested in startup environments, including System Architects.
    • Glassdoor: Not only for reviews, but also a place to post jobs and attract candidates who value company culture.
  • Geography-Specific Job Boards:
    • United States:
      • Indeed: A widely used platform for job postings across various industries.
      • ZipRecruiter: A job board that syndicates postings across multiple platforms.
      • Dice: Specifically tailored for tech roles.
    • India:
      • Naukri: One of India’s leading job portals for a wide range of positions.
      • Shine: Another popular platform with a strong focus on IT and tech jobs.
      • CutShort: Specializes in connecting tech talent with startups and established companies.
    • UAE & KSA:
      • Bayt: The leading job board in the Middle East, covering the UAE, KSA, and beyond.
      • GulfTalent: A prominent job board in the GCC region for professionals in various sectors.
      • Naukrigulf: A job portal focused on the Middle East, including the UAE and KSA.
    • Remote Positions:
      • We Work Remotely: A job board dedicated to remote work opportunities across the globe.
      • Remote OK: Another platform for posting and finding remote positions in tech.
      • FlexJobs: Focused on flexible and remote job opportunities across various industries.

What are the best practices for headhunting {role_name}?

  • Leverage Professional Networks: Use LinkedIn’s search features to find candidates with the specific skills and experience you need. Engage with potential candidates by joining relevant groups or contributing to discussions on architectural design and software development.
  • Attend Industry Conferences and Meetups: Participate in conferences and meetups related to software architecture, such as O'Reilly Software Architecture Conference or local tech meetups. These events are great for networking and identifying potential candidates.
  • Employee Referrals: Encourage your existing technical team to refer qualified candidates. Offering incentives for successful referrals can help attract top talent.
  • Engage with Passive Candidates: Reach out to potential candidates who may not be actively seeking new opportunities but have the skills and experience you need. Personalize your outreach messages to highlight what makes your opportunity unique.

"Find Talent Quickly" – Leverage Headhunting and Referrals

How to shortlist candidates?

Once you have started to get applications from applicants, a thorough screening process and shortlisting of prospects will help you make the most of your time spent with the most qualified ones. 

Automated shortlisting tools :

Automated screening quickly filters out unqualified candidates, saving time for manual review. This allows the manual process to focus on the most promising candidates, ensuring the best ones are considered for further evaluation.

Screening questions to auto-shortlist based on predefined criteria

like qualifications, location, experience, and skills. Either use job board or use an ATS such as whitecarrot. Here are some questions for {role_name}

  • How many years of experience do you have with software architecture?
    • Auto-Reject Criteria: Less than 5 years of experience
  • How many years of experience do you have with architectural design software (e.g., UML, TOGAF)?
    • Auto-Reject Criteria: Less than 3 years of experience
  • Are you located within [specified location] or willing to work remotely?
    • Auto-Reject Criteria: Not located within the required area and not willing to work remotely

Skill based question to auto shortlist candidate

Analyze the skill test data to automatically shortlist top-performing applicants. (recommended screening test time - 15 minutes). Here are some skill test questions for {role_name}

Architectural Design Software

Assess proficiency in using architectural design tools.

  • Question: Which of the following is a widely used notation for modeling software systems in architectural design?
    • Options:
      • ERD (Entity-Relationship Diagram)
      • UML (Unified Modeling Language)
      • BPMN (Business Process Model and Notation)
      • XML (eXtensible Markup Language)
      • Correct Answer: UML
  • Question: What does TOGAF stand for?
    • Options:
      • The Open Group Architecture Framework
      • Technical Open Group Application Framework
      • Technology Oriented Global Architecture Framework
      • The Operational General Architecture Foundation
      • Correct Answer: The Open Group Architecture Framework
  • Question: In UML, what is the purpose of a "use case diagram"?
    • Options:
      • To model the static structure of a system
      • To show the dynamic behavior of a system over time
      • To depict the interactions between users and the system
      • To illustrate the physical deployment of software components
      • Correct Answer: To depict the interactions between users and the system

Project Management

Evaluate experience in managing technical projects.

  • Question: Which project management methodology focuses on iterative progress through small, manageable segments?
    • Options:
      • Waterfall
      • Agile
      • PRINCE2
      • Six Sigma
      • Correct Answer: Agile
  • Question: What is a "critical path" in project management?
    • Options:
      • The sequence of project activities with the least flexibility
      • The sequence of project activities that determine the project's duration
      • The sequence of tasks that can be delayed without affecting the overall project schedule
      • The sequence of activities that are most likely to fail
      • Correct Answer: The sequence of project activities that determine the project's duration
  • Question: What is a key benefit of using project management software in architectural design projects?
    • Options:
      • It automates the entire design process without human intervention
      • It helps in resource allocation and tracking project progress
      • It guarantees that all project risks are eliminated
      • It replaces the need for a project manager
      • Correct Answer: It helps in resource allocation and tracking project progress

Building Codes

Check familiarity with industry standards and codes in software development.

  • Question: What is the primary purpose of adhering to software development coding standards?
    • Options:
      • To increase the complexity of the code
      • To ensure the code is readable, maintainable, and consistent
      • To make the code more challenging to understand for new developers
      • To reduce the overall length of the code
      • Correct Answer: To ensure the code is readable, maintainable, and consistent
  • Question: Which of the following is a widely recognized software development code standard?
    • Options:
      • ISO/IEC 9126 (Software Quality Characteristics)
      • IEEE 829 (Test Documentation)
      • SOLID Principles (Object-Oriented Design)
      • W3C Standards (Web Standards)
      • Correct Answer: SOLID Principles (Object-Oriented Design)
  • Question: Why is it important for a System Architect to be familiar with GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) when designing systems?
    • Options:
      • To ensure the system is optimized for performance
      • To ensure the system is compliant with data privacy laws
      • To design systems that can bypass security restrictions
      • To reduce the cost of system implementation
      • Correct Answer: To ensure the system is compliant with data privacy laws

Note - Auto reject candidates if scores less than 70% in this section

One way video interview

Recruitment Bullet

Use tools like hirevue, whitecarrot.io to ask candidates pre-recorded questions about their experience and skills.

Recruitment Bullet

Use sample question given in scorecard.

Collect other information 

Recruitment Bullet

Collect data from shortlisted candidates, such as salary expectations and visa status.

"Shortlist in Seconds" – Use our CV scoring feature to get top candidate recommendation

Manual candidate profile shortlisting:

Recruitment Bullet

Thoroughly review the CVs of the top scoring candidates from the automated process

Recruitment Bullet

Look for evidence of the required skills, experience, and achievements

Recruitment Bullet

Review the candidate’s portfolio or GitHub repositories to see examples of their work.

Schedule recruiter calls with the candidate

Recruitment Bullet

Use a tool like calendly or whitecarrot to allow candidates to self-schedule calls based on your availability

Recruitment Bullet

Confirm the call details (date, time, dial-in info) with the candidate via email

What questions to ask in the recruiter phone screen?

Recruitment Bullet

 Use scorecard for rating candidates for recruiter

Recruitment Bullet

Sample scorecard : 

Criteria Sample Question Rating (1-5) Comments
Technical Knowledge How do you approach designing a scalable software architecture?
Communication Skills Can you explain a complex technical concept to a non-technical audience?
Problem-Solving Ability Describe a time when you faced a major challenge in a software project. How did you resolve it?
Cultural Fit What motivates you to work in a fast-paced, innovative environment like ours?
Attention to Detail How do you ensure that all aspects of your architectural design are accurate and meet requirements?
Recruitment Bullet

Check for consistency in responses from the candidates.

Recruitment Bullet

Record such scorecards in an ATS like whitecarrot or use google doc