How we hire top 1% candidates for tech positions
94.12%
Client satisfaction
4+ years
Avg. employee tenure
88%
Employee satisfaction
Serhii
Head of Client Relations
98% client satisfaction rate
“We’re selective with every hire. We match employees to the project’s real needs, and we take full responsibility for the outcome.
When I offer a team to a client, I do it with full confidence. The people we put forward aren’t just good — they’re the top 1% you’ll find on the market today. Not just in terms of skills, but in how comfortable they are to work with day to day.”
Our bar for joining the team
People involved in the hire
Hiring manager
Recruiters
Interviewer
CEO
People partner
Hiring manager
The person who initiates the hire is usually a team lead or project manager who needs a particular specialist for their team. They define the requirements, clarify what kind of person the project needs, and work closely with the rest of the hiring team to review candidates and make the final call.
Serhii
Head of Client Relations
”It usually starts when we need extra hands for a new project, identify a missing skill, or just need more capacity. I sit down with the recruiter and explain what the team needs and what outcomes we’re aiming for.”
Hours behind every hire
We usually hire a new team member within 4–6 weeks. For more specific or senior/lead roles, it takes around 6–8 weeks.
Hiring manager
4+ hours
Requirements elicitation, role description, final candidate approval
Interviewers
15+ hours
Score card development, preparation and review of technical tasks, interviews, feedback
Recruiters
400+ hours
Sourcing, interviews, documentation, communication, and administration
CEO
2+ hours
Final interview with shortlisted candidates
Preparing for the hiring process
Yes, a great hire starts long before the job post goes live. We put in the work up front so that every interview, every assessment, and every decision is grounded in clarity.
Define candidate requirements
Recruiters and the hiring manager work together to define what the role really needs: must-have skills, key responsibilities, and the kind of person who will thrive in the team.
We also consider what’s ahead: possible changes in the project, growth paths, and how the role might evolve. Once we’re aligned, we prepare and approve a clear position description.
Prepare the hiring setup
Before we speak to any candidates, we prepare the tools and structure to evaluate them fairly and consistently.
We set up the applicant tracking system (ATS) to track every stage of the process, create custom scorecards for each role, and align on what we’re assessing at every step — from hard skills to collaboration style.
For technical roles, we also prepare a test task. We typically use a project we’ve designed specifically for this purpose that reflects real-world scenarios.
Estimate the hiring timelines
Once the role is defined and the hiring process is in place, we estimate how long the hire will take.
We look at the market, the complexity of the role, and our internal capacity, then align on realistic timelines for each stage, from sourcing to final decision. This allows our stakeholders to plan their time and stay on track.
Plan for stakeholder availability
A well-prepared hiring process can still fall apart if people aren’t available when it matters.
Before we start sourcing candidates, we check the schedules of everyone involved — interviewers, hiring managers, and decision-makers — and block time for each hiring stage.
This helps us avoid gaps, shorten timelines, and give candidates a smooth, professional experience without unnecessary delays.
Natalia
Head of People
Achieved 88% employee satisfaction
“Test tasks are an important part of our hiring process. They help us filter out candidates who either aren’t ready to put in the effort or don’t yet have the skills needed for the role.
Our test tasks are always ethical: we never reuse them for client work. Solving a task for any position takes under two hours, and we make sure the effort goes only toward the hiring process, not our delivery.”
The candidate journey
1. First contact
Candidates come in through applications, referrals, or outreach — we respond fast and sync our expectations.
2. CV/resume pre-screening
Recruiters review CVs or online profiles to shortlist candidates who meet the core role requirements.
3. Recruiter call
This is a screening call to check experience, English skills, motivation, and soft skills before moving forward.
4. Test task
We give candidates a short, time-limited task to assess relevant skills. It’s ethical, role-specific, and never reused commercially.
5. Tech interview
During the tech interview, the interviewer reviews the test task and asks practical questions. Our CEO joins to assess long-term team fit.
6. Offer & Onboarding
If the match is clear, we schedule an offer meeting where we discuss all details in person and prepare for a smooth start.
Questions you probably want to ask
Alina
Recruiter
”Not every candidate makes it through, but how we treat them still matters. We always provide feedback, especially when someone’s put in real effort.
And we’ve seen the impact: some candidates don’t pass the first time but stay connected, work on the feedback, and come back stronger. Others refer us to friends because they’ve seen how we treat people — with honesty and respect.
A great candidate experience isn’t wasted, even if there’s no hire right away. It builds trust and loyalty, and it keeps the door open for the future.”
How fast can you hire someone if my project needs a new role?
We always start by exploring internal availability — sometimes, the right person is already on the team, and we can move fast. If we need to hire externally, it takes an average of 4–6 weeks for most roles and 6–8 weeks or longer for more specific or senior positions.
How do you make sure a potential hire will fit our team and culture?
We assess more than just hard skills. Cultural and communication fit are also core parts of our hiring process. Here’s how we approach it:
- Start with context. The hiring manager shares your team’s dynamics, communication style, and expectations with candidates.
- Recruiters filter early. In the first call, we check how a candidate explains their decisions, gives feedback, and talks about past team experience.
- Interviewers go deep. During tech interviews, we look at how a candidate approaches challenges, collaborates, and handles ambiguity.
- Our CEO and People Partner step in. At the final stage, we evaluate attitude, adaptability, and how well someone will integrate into the workflow and culture.
If we’re not confident someone will actually work well with your team — even if they’re technically great — we continue with the search.
Can we interview or approve candidates before they join the team?
It depends on how involved you want to be. In most cases, we offer ready teams and take full responsibility for delivery. There’s no need for you to micromanage the hiring.
But if you’re building a dedicated team or want someone to join your existing crew, we completely understand. You can personally interview candidates before the start to make sure they’re the right fit.
Will your developers work exclusively on our project?
If you request a full-time developer, that person will be fully dedicated to your project. Just like you, we want to avoid context switching and juggling multiple clients. A developer will work only with your team as long as there’s a steady workload on your side.
If priorities shift or there’s not enough work to keep someone busy full-time, we can move to a part-time setup, but we’ll always discuss that with you first.
By default, our model is exclusive allocation. It’s how developers stay focused and deliver faster.
Do you provide documentation and knowledge transfer during team changes?
Knowledge transfer is a must for us. We maintain clear documentation throughout the project so no context is lost when someone joins or leaves the team.
If a team change happens, we organize proper handover sessions and make sure the new person gets up to speed quickly without slowing down the project. It’s part of how we ensure that delivery stays predictable.
Are your employees fluent in English?
Sure, English skills are a core requirement for every position we hire. We make sure every team member can collaborate effectively — in calls, through written updates, and via asynchronous communication. Additionally, our performance reviews include assessment of English skills, which motivates our employees to keep improving.
What if we’re not happy with someone on the team?
In most cases, we assign someone from our internal team — a specialist who’s already proven themselves on multiple projects. Hiring someone new specifically for your project is rare.
If you’re not happy with the collaboration, we start with gathering feedback and work to improve the situation. If that doesn’t help, we’ll replace the specialist at no cost.
For us, team fit and trust come first, and we take full responsibility for keeping that intact.
Don’t waste time and budget building a team from scratch.
We have top candidates on board who are vetted and ready to go.
hello@clockwise.software