How We've Hired Over 2,000 People- Interview with Braeden Rogers, Vice President of Talent Acquisition
Here at DCX, hiring is clearly important to us, so we've really invested in our talent acquisition team and the process. To give you the inside scoop on how we hire amazing team members for both our partners and ourselves, we chatted with Braeden Rogers, our Vice President of Talent Acquisition.
Check out the interview below 👇
1. How many interviews does your team host for clients?
Last year we had 841 client meetings and so far in 2024, we've had 384. We're right on track to hit and surpass our number from last year- we expect to host over 900 this year.
For these client interviews, we bring three candidates for our clients and have one backup, so we will be finding about 2,700 people for interviews in 2024.
2. What is the average time it takes to hire for clients?
Hiring entry level roles takes right around 2-3 weeks starting from the day Sales lets us know that a company needs a team member. We'll have the role sourced within 10 business days and then client meetings are happening within 3-5 days after that. Currently, 9 out of 10 clients select their team member during the first meeting. After the client meetings and a team member is selected, the start date is dependent on the client and the team member. The average time to hire in the U.S. is 44 days, so we like to cut that by at least half.
3. How many hires has your team made since DCX started?
When I started there were 14 employees total- PH and US combined. We are now at about 1,800 people; but if you account for any turnover, we've hired well over 2,000 people at this point.
Last month, we hired 72 people, and that is pretty average for a month.
If we maintain the pace we are currently at, we will also be hiring for about 150 new partners this year which is pretty cool.
The PH Side of the DCX TA Team
4. What is DCX's "secret sauce" for hiring?
I would say it's a combination of a few things-
1. Formally Certified Talent Acquisition Team
I would say we have the most formally certified talent acquisition team of any company I know, which I think is super unique. Two years ago, we made a massive investment in formally training our recruiters and sourcing professionals since our hiring process is so important here at DCX. So not only does our team get lots of reps, but they also hold prestigious outside credentials that reflect their expertise- this has helped us and our partners a ton.
2. Data-Driven Recruitment Process
Recruitment can often be an emotional process, but at DCX, we rely on data and metrics to help guide our decisions. While qualitative assessments are valuable, we are able to go beyond impressions by establishing quantitative benchmarks. Through our analysis and the thousands of interviews we've hosted, we have identified key correlations between specific, measurable candidate attributes and their future success. This approach has been key, and I think is a big reason behind our 97.38% 90-day retention rate.
3. Powerful Employer Branding
Our final ingredient would be our employer branding-our positive reputation makes it A LOT easier to attract top candidates. DCX is widely known as a great place to work, thanks to our strong culture, values, and employee programs. A lot of our candidates have prior BPO experience and have friends in the BPO industry, and they are used to the nightshifts and schedule. So, when they hear about DCX being a different type of BPO- the culture, the work-from-home, the benefits...we have a lot of people excited to be a part of DCX.
5. What is the process for finding and assessing candidates?
We receive numerous referrals from our team members, which is fantastic. While referrals are valuable to us, we maintain an objective approach in evaluating all candidates. We assess them holistically, considering not only whether they have a referral but also how they perform against our benchmarks and third-party assessment tests.
We have established a two-layer interview process that sets us apart. Unlike many companies and BPOs that simply present a bulk of resumes for a role, we conduct a thorough process, which usually surprises people. We have worked through and refined this process for years. First, our standard recruiters interview the candidates, followed by a secondary interview with one of our senior officers, all of whom have been with us for over three years.
After these interviews, the senior officer overseeing sourcing compares the candidates against the job description and the recruiter's notes. This results in three levels of review on our end before the client even sees a resume in their inbox.
Recruitment and talent assessment is an imperfect science—I always say, "if it was perfect, every quarterback taken in the first round of the draft would be a hit." But our goal is to always provide our partners with a selection of outstanding candidates, ultimately helping them find the one perfect fit for their role the first time around.
6. How does your team combine personality tests with competency and skills-based questions during the process?
We use the Big Five, also known as OCEAN, as our personality test. We consider two main aspects in our evaluation process. Firstly, we treat personality tests as an objective measure alongside other assessments dependent on the role, like Excel tests or Adobe suite tests for designers. This forms one half of our evaluation. As I previously mentioned, data is very important in helping guide decisions.
The other half involves the subjective judgment of our recruiters, who assess candidates daily. The talent team, along with the overseeing officer, balances these objective and subjective evaluations. A candidate might score exceptionally well on tests, but if they don't align with our company values or lack aspiration, they might be ruled out.
We emphasize soft skills in our candidate evaluations because they are universally applicable. People often seek candidates with strong soft skills, which align with our DCX "Let's Grow" values. These values also usually match well with other companies' values, making them a good indicator of cultural fit for our partners.
Our team considers all of this each time to form a complete picture of a candidate. Sometimes, a candidate might perform poorly on tests, but a recruiter believes in their potential based on their work history. These candidates often succeed in interviews because assessments only capture a brief snapshot of their skills under pressure, which might not fully reflect their capabilities.
7. How do you assess if a candidate is a good cultural fit for a client?
For our partners with defined values, we align our search accordingly. However, many clients simply want a good person who can do the job well. In those cases, our team focuses on finding these go-getters who align with DCX values.
DCX's values often resonate well with our clients, thanks to our team qualifying them well. Everyone wants someone who is motivated, adheres to the golden rule, and seeks self-improvement. My goal is for clients to recognize the value of a "DCX person."
We also seek candidates who view their job as a career. At DCX, we aim to be more than just a job. Our retention and culture teams work hard to ensure long-term engagement. We value individuals who push their own professional development, after all, we are all about that "LET'S GROW" attitude at DCX. We want people who see the opportunities at DCX and our clients as exciting, rather than just another workday.
You can often sense a candidate's enthusiasm and suitability during video interviews, making them a crucial part of our selection process.