Hiring C-level talent for a sauna tech start-up
HUUM is an Estonian start-up producing sauna heaters and remote sauna controllers, combining cutting-edge design with modern technology.
The story
Established in 2014, HUUM combines exquisite design, gentle steam, and smart technology to craft premium sauna heaters, driven by a profound love for sauna culture and a relentless pursuit of innovation.
The name “HUUM” symbolizes the radiant heat rising from sauna stones. The company currently operates in global markets, including Estonia, Sweden, Germany, Finland, the Netherlands, and more.
Household durables
Industry
huum.eu
Website
The challenge
Limited candidate pool
The main hiring challenge was finding C-level candidates willing to work on-site in Tartu, Estonia. Considering that most Estonian start-up ecosystems and production headquarters are located in the capital city, Tallinn, it significantly reduced the candidate pool.
The roles that we hired were a new CEO and Head of Sales.
The former CEO was notified 60 days before commencing the search. This gave us a timeline to build a strong candidate pipeline prior to announcing the change to the rest of the HUUM team.
Hiring process
1. Job description mapping
One day after receiving an inquiry from HUUM, we met in their Tartu office to learn about their production and working conditions. To set the foundation, we helped HUUM map out the needs for the role and compose a job description.
2. Sourcing candidates
Our approach to sourcing involved mapping out all the major organizations in Southern Estonia. We found suitable candidates mostly through our network and LinkedIn.
3. First interview
10 out of the 40 sourced candidates moved onto the interview stage (25% conversion rate). We used a candidate scorecard (see paragraph below) to assess candidates for the CEO position.
4. Second interview
5 out of the 10 interviewed candidates were presented to HUUM (50% conversion rate), which meant they advanced to the second interview round with the CEO.
5. Final interview
The remaining candidates underwent a final evaluation to ensure alignment with HUUM’s vision and requirements for the CEO role.
6. Onboarding
The final step included composing an employee onboarding plan for the new CEO.
Focus on leadership and innovation
During role mapping, it became evident that HUUM requires an individual who is forward-thinking, innovative, possesses financial knowledge, and has leadership experience on a global scale. A suitable candidate also had to be charismatic, share similar values and working ways with the founder.
These attributes were also the focal points of assessment during the initial interview round before the candidates were presented to the client.
Candidate assessment
To evaluate each candidate, our recruiters relied on various competencies including financial knowledge, leadership and management, strategy, product development, ERP, charisma, willingness to work in Tartu, and compatibility, rating them on a scale of 1-5.
For instance, candidates’ leadership skills were gauged through questions such as “How would your team describe you as a leader?” and “Could you provide an example from a previous scenario where you had to enhance the team’s knowledge or provide training?”
On the other hand, to assess their abilities in people management, candidates were asked how they handle conflicts between different departments.
Questions like these played a pivotal role in assessing the suitability of candidates for the CEO position.
The results
One month from project kick-off to job offer
It can be common for C-level recruitment projects to take up to 5-6 months. However, by combining a well-organized team with effective decision-making, we were able to have a job offer ready for the right person in one month. Leveraging our previous experience hiring C-level candidates, our recruiters were quickly able to deliver suitable candidates to HUUM, resulting in a reduced time-to-hire.
Strong candidate conversion rate
Taking a strategic approach to candidate assessment, along with thorough research and a profound understanding of the company, its culture, and business requirements, enabled us to identify five strong CEO candidates within 1 to 2 weeks. Additionally, our recruitment team benefitted from having a superior product and a compelling employer value proposition (EVP), both of which helped us attract top-tier talent to HUUM.
Seamless communication and collaboration
Quick feedback loops and seamless communication through various channels allowed us to find the right fit for the client and meet their hiring needs.
Got a similar hiring project? Book a free consultation with us today.
Piret Ulm
Partner Lead/Recruitment Partner
piret@talenthub.ee