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Josh Tolan
Professional based in Greater Chicago Area
Josh Tolan is the Founder and CEO of Spark Hire, Inc., a video interviewing platform based in the Greater Chicago Area. He has built his career around improving the hiring process through innovative technology, emphasizing the importance of cultural fit in recruitment. Tolan's professional background includes extensive experience in talent acquisition and recruitment strategies, making him a recognized figure in the industry.
Professional Background
- Current Position: Founder & CEO at Spark Hire, Inc.
- Location: Greater Chicago Area
- Connections: Over 500 connections on LinkedIn, indicating a robust professional network.
Contributions to Hiring Practices
Tolan actively shares insights on hiring processes and culture fit through various platforms, including LinkedIn. He advocates for integrating cultural alignment into hiring decisions and emphasizes the need for companies to adapt to changing employment landscapes.
For more detailed information about his professional journey and insights, you can view his LinkedIn profile here .1
Highlights
🧩 Culture fit should be a key factor in every hiring process.
But, too many companies make the mistake of using "Do you like them?" as the measuring stick.
And this is because those companies haven't defined what that means and a process for evaluating candidates for culture fit during the hiring process.
Meghan F. shared some amazing insight on how they go about this at Concurrency, Inc.
What does culture fit mean to them?
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You're a "helper" Concurrency is in the professional services space. Their clients seek their expertise to solve a challenge within their respective businesses. A candidate who isn't a natural "helper" won't thrive in this environment.
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You will collaborate cross-functionally In professional services, you need to work with many different internal team members on a variety of projects with a multitude of clients. Someone who can navigate different personalities and stakeholders is critical to success.
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You're aligned with their values These are the "non-negotiable" that candidates must align with for it to be a fit for both parties. These values are ~30 years in the making and what Concurrency is built on.
How do they evaluate for this in the hiring process?
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Multiple stakeholders The interview process doesn't just consist of Meghan's team and the hiring manager. Instead, other stakeholders from the business are incorporated into the process and given clear instructions on what they're evaluating.
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Interview training Meghan's team does recurring training with the company on interviewing and specifically, how to know if a candidate is aligned with their core values.
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Behavioral questions Training the team on asking open-ended, behavioral interview questions enables them to get real-world examples from candidates on how they've been a "helper", collaborated cross-functionally, and demonstrated Concurrency's core values.
What's the takeaway?
✅ Tactically - incorporate some of the ideas above into your hiring process
🧘 Strategically - be intentional about how you evaluate for cultural fit
Figuring out how to accomplish this without adding unnecessary steps to the hiring process is 🔑🔑🔑
Friday...
Recruiter: "How'd the interview go?' Hiring Manager: "It was okay." Recruiter: "Can you please elaborate?"
⏳⏳⏳
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday...
Recruiter: "Bumping up my last message..." Hiring Manager: "Sorry, got busy with the start of the week. Can't totally remember all the details, but they aren't a fit."
[sigh]
Delayed hiring feedback lacks context.
The lack of context prevents you from a) getting back to candidates with meaningful information and b) calibrating on the ideal candidate profile for the job.
Ultimately, this causes slower time-to-hire and poor quality interviews.
But...it's a symptom - not the problem.
Melanie S. figured this out at Accelerated Digital Media and got to the bottom of it.
The root of the issue is the missing systems/processes that enable talent acquisition teams to create accountability around feedback.
How are you empowering your hiring managers to provide timely and structured feedback? 🤔
P.S. Major props to Accelerated Digital Media for bringing on a Director of People Operations at sub-20 employees. This level of proactive leadership is why they've built a strong hiring foundation for all of their future growth.
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