Evaluating SEOs candidates — Jordan Koene & Tyson Stockton // Previsible

PreVisible Co-Founders, Tyson Stockton and Jordan Koene, guest host SEO Education Week and discuss SEO recruiting. It’s impossible for HR to find the right SEO candidates for your company without providing the right tools for assessment. Furthermore, in today’s competitive market, a drawn out interview process could cost you the best candidates. Today, Jordan and Tyson discuss valuing SEO candidates.
About the speaker

Jordan Koene & Tyson Stockton

previsible.io

is a little camera shy

Tyson is Co-Founder and Educational Partner at PreVisible.io

Show Notes

  • 02:08
    How to determine the best fit for the SEO role
    The work doesnt srop when you post your job description online. When the applicants start rolling in, you now need to assess each and make the right decision for your company.
  • 02:38
    Evaluating candidates for the SEO role
    Dont expect to find someone that perfectly fits all of your specific requirements. However, you can use job descriptions as a checklist to ensure the chosen candidate is the right fit.
  • 04:55
    Becoming more aligned with HR
    Your HR team needs to know what to look for when choosing the right person for the position. Its not just about SEO knowledge, but the right fit must also have excellent problem solving skills.
  • 06:26
    Preparing your HR team for the SEO interview process
    The only way your HR team will find the right fit for your companys needs is if your are specific about what youre looking for. The ideal candidate needs a blend of both SEO know-how and management skills.
  • 10:13
    Stakeholders in the SEO recruitment process
    SEOs do not work in a silo. You need to consider everyone from the different departments that will be working alongside the SEO and include them in the recruitment process.
  • 12:02
    How to ensure you find the right candidates
    Tailor the recruitment process to ensure that the candidate you choose is both a technical and cultural fit for your organization. Make it easier for your hiring manager to find the right person.
  • 13:38
    Panel vs One
    Both panel interviews and one-on-one interviews can be successful ways to recruit a new SEO. It all depends on factors such as the size of the company and the level of the role you want to fill.
  • 15:57
    How to optimize the interview process
    In some cases, you can use a mix of the panel interviews and one-on-ones. This can save you time while minimizing the risk of frustrating potential candidates with a lengthy process.
  • 18:00
    Evaluating candidates for the SEO role
    During recruitment, you do a skills assessment to determine the candidates level of technical knowledge. While, the reference check helps you understand their experiences.
  • 20:56
    Skills assessment vs reference check
    When it comes to skills assessment vs reference chack in the recruitment process, they are equally important. Together, they provide a more comprehensive candidate profile.
  • 22:53
    How to approach references
    You need to know who the rteference is so that that you can ask them the right questions. Understanding the relationship between the reference and the candidate can provide insight into how the person will fit into your team.

Quotes

  • "When it comes to the job posting and the requirements, this is your checklist to knowing whether or not a candidate is applicable for the role." -Jordan Koene, Co-Founder, PreVisible

  • "With any candidate, it's never a 100% match. Some of us take this process far too literal, and we expect to be able to check every single item on the box, which isnt feasible." -Jordan Koene, Co-Founder, PreVisible

  • "It's incredibly critical to forge the education process about what SEO is and what you're looking for with HR partners. How you set up your HR partner will predicate the quality of talent you get." -Jordan Koene, Co-Founder, PreVisible

  • "If I'm looking for like a technical SEO, I want them to talk to somebody in the product team. Ultimately, my success depends on whether or not the product team picks up this individuals stories." -Tyson Stockton, Co-Founder, PreVisible

  • "As the hiring manager, setting yourself up for success in evaluating candidates is about giving other partners in the process, the critical requirements of the role you'd like them to screen for." -Jordan Koene, Co-Founder, PreVisible

  • "If you're hiring a Director of SEO, there's a unique timing for a panel interview, and it's probably very late in the interview process after this person has had multiple one-on-one touchpoints" -Jordan Koene, Co-Founder, PreVisible

  • "If you're hiring a junior SEO in an agency with 20-30 SEOs on the team, individuals can volunteer themselves to be part of these panel interviews." -Jordan Koene, Co-Founder, PreVisible

  • "You have 30 minutes or less with the candidate to get to know them. Use the time to understand their work history, experiences, and knowledge, not when the last time Google made a core update." -Jordan Koene, Co-Founder, PreVisible

  • "The skills assessment is not a one size fits all. It shouldn't just be a 10 question, multiple choice. It should be something very specific to the level of the role." -Jordan Koene, Co-Founder, PreVisible

  • "Reference checks can take less than five minutes, but it's about knowing who you're talking to. And then knowing those two or three questions to ask to complete the picture of that candidate." -Jordan Koene, Co-Founder, PreVisible

About the speaker

Jordan Koene & Tyson Stockton

previsible.io

is a little camera shy

Tyson is Co-Founder and Educational Partner at PreVisible.io

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