Our approach to hiring

Our goal is to build a diverse, world-class team that enables us to move quickly and innovate, while maintaining a high level of autonomy.

Our recruitment strategy prioritises:

• Inbound applications as our primary channel - we believe the best candidates often come through word of mouth and our community

• Selective outreach to increase candidate diversity when needed

This approach consistently brings us highly qualified and motivated candidates. To support this, we focus our efforts on:

• Crafting clear, compelling job descriptions that reflect our current needs

• Maintaining an informative careers page

• Sharing opportunities through our team and community networks

• Providing constructive feedback to candidates whenever possible

• Creating a straightforward, transparent recruitment process

While we're a small team handling recruitment alongside other responsibilities, we strive to make the experience positive and efficient for every candidate.

Countries we employ people in

Avalonia UI is a remote-first company, but we do have some practical limitations on where we can hire:

Time Zones

Our core team is based in Europe, and we're particularly interested in candidates who can collaborate during European business hours (UTC to UTC+3). While we welcome applications from anywhere in the world, having some overlap with these working hours is important for real-time collaboration and team coordination.

That said, we believe great talent can come from anywhere! We've designed our workflows to be friendly to distributed teams, and we're committed to making remote work successful for the right candidates.

Employment Models

• Estonia: Direct employment

• Other eligible countries: Contractor relationships preferred

• EOR arrangements: Available in select countries, excluding France, Italy, Iceland, Belgium, and Luxembourg due to high employer costs

Location Restrictions

Due to EU sanctions and banking restrictions, we are currently unable to hire from:

• Belarus

• Central African Republic

• Cuba

• Democratic Republic of the Congo

• Iran

• Iraq

• Libya

• Myanmar

• North Korea

• Russia

• Somalia

• South Sudan

• Sudan

• Syria

• Uzbekistan

• Venezuela

• Yemen

Hiring Process

Our hiring process follows a consistent structure, though specific details may vary by role. Please check the individual job posting on avaloniaui.net/careers for role-specific requirements.

Standard Process

1. Application Submit your application through our careers page for the role you're interested in.

2. Initial Interview (20 minutes) A conversation with Marlene, our Business Development Executive, to explore your motivations, discuss team fit, and answer your questions about Avalonia.

3. CEO Interview (45 minutes) A discussion with Mike James, our CEO, about your experience and vision for the role.

4. Technical Assessment Depending on the role, this may include:

• Technical interview with Nikita (COO) or Steven (CTO)

• Review by a trusted third-party expert

• Paid take-home project to demonstrate problem-solving abilities

We compensate candidates for any substantial take-home assignments or technical projects.

External recruiters

While we primarily handle recruitment in-house, we have previously worked with Talentbyte and Sales Fraternity for specific roles. Though we expect to continue handling most recruitment internally, we remain open to working with select external partners when appropriate.

Deciding to hire

We believe that exceptional talent compounds the success of our entire team. Because of this, we maintain a high bar for hiring and think carefully about each new role and how it will impact our organisation.

Planning Process

Our hiring planning follows a pragmatic approach:

• We set initial headcount goals at the start of each year

• We review and adjust these quarterly based on business performance

• We remain flexible to adapt to emerging challenges and opportunities

Role Creation

When we identify a challenge or opportunity that might require additional talent, we:

1. Have open discussions as a team about the specific challenges we're facing

2. Evaluate whether growing the team is the right solution

3. Consider the impact and complexity a new role would introduce

4. Define clear objectives and requirements for the position

This collaborative approach ensures that every new role has a clear purpose and measurable impact on our goals.

The role of the Hiring Manager

For most roles, Mike (CEO) serves as the hiring manager, working closely with Marlene to ensure an efficient hiring process while minimising impact on the technical team's time.

Key Responsibilities

The hiring manager will:

• Shape and approve the job specification

• Review candidate applications and feedback

• Coordinate with Steven (CTO) and Nikita (COO) when technical assessment is needed

• Design and oversee any paid project work

• Ensure proper evaluation from relevant team members

Decision Making

We maintain a consensus-based approach to hiring:

• Any team member who interacts with a candidate can raise concerns

• A single 'no' from any team member results in a no-hire decision

• This ensures we maintain our high bar for talent and team fit

This structure allows us to make hiring decisions efficiently while ensuring every team member's input is valued.

How to write a great job description

Creating clear, compelling job descriptions is crucial for attracting the right candidates. We maintain template descriptions for key roles in Squidex, our content management system, making it easy to quickly open positions when needed.

Best Practices

When writing or updating a job description:

• Be specific about the actual work and impact

• Highlight unique opportunities at Avalonia UI

• Keep requirements minimal and focused

Required Information

All job postings should clearly state:

• For technical roles: GitHub profile requirement

• LinkedIn profile requirement

• Role responsibilities and expectations

• What makes this role exciting at Avalonia UI

Referrals

We offer a €1,500 referral bonus for successful hires. To be eligible:

• You must be a current Avalonia UI team member

• The candidate must be successfully hired and complete their probation period

• You must have obtained the candidate's consent before referring them

How to Refer Someone

To refer a candidate:

• Send their details to the hiring manager via Slack

• Include their CV/resume and any relevant links (LinkedIn, GitHub, etc.)

• Mention your relationship to the candidate and why you think they'd be a good fit

Payment Process

The referral bonus will be paid after the new team member completes their probation period. Please note that this payment may be subject to applicable taxes and will be processed through our normal payment systems.

Managing candidates

We manage our candidate pipeline through a Google Sheet that tracks all applications and their progress. This helps us ensure a consistent and professional experience for every candidate.

Interview Scheduling

Marlene coordinates all interview scheduling through Calendly, which helps us:

• Efficiently schedule interviews across different time zones

• Respect team members' availability

• Provide candidates with a smooth booking experience

All interviews are conducted via Google Meet.

Communication and Feedback

We maintain high standards for candidate communication:

• All candidate-related feedback is shared in our dedicated careers chat channel

• Team members should provide prompt, clear feedback after each interview

• Even if candidates are unsuccessful, we aim to ensure they have a positive experience with Avalonia UI

Best Practices

When participating in the hiring process:

• Keep your Calendly calendar up to date

• Block out any unavailable times

• If you need to reschedule an interview, inform Marlene as soon as possible

• Review candidate information before your scheduled interview

• Provide feedback in the careers chat channel within 24 hours of your interview

Hiring stage overview

A good rule of thumb when deciding whether to progress at any stage - if the candidate doesn't get a definite yes then assume it's a no. It's almost never worth putting through someone who is a 'maybe'.

Interview Stages

1. Initial Interview (20 minutes)

• Conducted by Marlene (Business Development Executive)

• Focus on cultural alignment and initial screening

• Explores candidate's motivation and interest in Avalonia UI

2. CEO Interview (45 minutes)

• Discussion with Mike James (CEO)

• Deep dive into experience and vision

• Assessment of alignment with company direction

3. Technical Assessment

This stage varies by role and may include:

• Technical interview with Nikita (COO) or Steven (CTO)

• Review by a trusted third-party expert

• Paid project work

Paid Project Work

When we assign paid project work:

• Tasks are designed to reflect actual work at Avalonia UI

• Payment is based on the candidate's standard day rate

• Projects typically require one day of work

• A detailed written specification is provided

• Evaluation is conducted by relevant technical team members

Making the Offer

If we decide to proceed with a hire:

• Mike will send an offer letter via email

• The candidate should review, sign, and return if accepting

• No formal response is required for declined offers

Important Notes

• We can decline candidates at any stage in the process

• All team members involved in the interview process can veto a candidate

• We maintain high standards - if anyone has doubts, we don't proceed

• We do not provide feedback to unsuccessful candidates