Talent Acquisition at GetAccept / Learnings from Samir Smajic, Founder & CEO

TalentBuzz Podcast Summary with Guest Samir Smajic from GetAccept

Key Points and Insights from Samir Smajic:

Diverse Founding Team:

• GetAccept's founding team comprised four members with diverse skill sets. This diversity was crucial in covering various aspects of the business without needing to hire externally at an early stage.

Hiring Challenges and Diversity:

• Samir acknowledged the challenge of diversity in early hiring, noting that initial hires often come from personal networks, which can limit diversity. Over time, GetAccept focused on improving gender diversity and currently boasts a significant percentage of female employees in a tech company.

Group Hiring Strategy:

• GetAccept adopted a group hiring strategy to mitigate the risk of unsuccessful hires. This approach allowed for competitive learning among new hires and a safety net in case some hires didn’t work out.

Culture and Core Values:

• The company emphasized culture and core values from the start, avoiding mere tokenism. These values were integral to the onboarding process and everyday work, facilitating decision-making and reinforcing the company ethos.

Global Hiring and Cultural Differences:

• Samir shared insights into hiring in different countries, highlighting cultural nuances such as discussing compensation. Understanding and adapting to these differences was crucial for successful international hiring.

Rapid Scaling and Importance of Processes:

• Following significant funding rounds, GetAccept faced the challenge of rapid scaling. Implementing robust processes, particularly in onboarding, was vital to manage this growth effectively.

Leadership Hiring:

• For leadership roles, GetAccept often sought candidates who had "seen the movie before" – those with relevant experience to guide the company through growth phases. They also utilized recruitment agencies for higher-level hires.

Founder Involvement in Hiring:

• Initially, founders were heavily involved in hiring. However, as the company grew, this involvement decreased, though founders still interact with new hires, focusing more on welcoming.

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