Ari Meisel’s How to Streamline the Hiring Process Guide

Use this process to streamline your hiring process via automations. After setting up the automations, run a checklist whenever you want to hire new candidates quickly and effectively.

Introduction:

The application:

Consider if you've built these Zaps before

Set up the job application form on Wufoo

Require applicants to record a YouTube video

Set up Trello account

Create a specific Slack channel for applicant information

Make a Zap to automate the application

The test:

Set up HireSelect

Create a "HireSelect offered" Trello list

Make a Zap to contact the applicant with a HireSelect link

Create an "Interview offered list" Trello board

Make a Zap to schedule an interview with the applicant

The interview:

Prepare for the interview

The background check:

Set up Onfido

Create a "Background check" Trello list

Make a Zap for Onfido

Signing documents:

Create a "Documents sent" Trello list

Make a Zap to send RightSignature link

Create a "Documents sent-onboarded" Trello list

Set up Dropbox

Make a Zap to move applicant's card between Trello lists

Training:

Create a Trello board with training materials

Send trainees an email regarding training

Set up a Slack "Training" channel

Add trainees to "Training" channel

Assign tasks to trainees

Extras:

Make a Zap for applicant card archival

Generate a Trello card to remove former workers

Sources:

Related checklists:

Introduction:

Ari Meisel - founder of Less Doing, co-founder of Leverage, coach, and productivity expert - knows about the hiring procedure.

He knows it so well that he's automated nearly the entire process.

If you're wanting to hasten the hiring process while still sourcing great candidates, follow this checklist.

By following Ari Meisel's process, you will be guided through beginning steps - like setting up job application forms on Wufoo and creating Zaps (via Zapier) to automate candidates' applications - all the way through to the final stages, where you will hire and train the successful candidates.

In this checklist, Meisel offers the Zaps and automations he created himself so he could be more productive, which you can implement to save time and effort in abundance.

Here's to streamlining the hiring process with process automation.

The application:

In the first section - the application section - you'll be guided on which tools to use and how to integrate them together via Zapier.

The end result will be an automation in which Wufoo, Trello, and Slack all integrate together, pushing job application data in an accessible place (Slack).

This will help strike multiple items off your todo list.

This checklist makes use of stop tasks, meaning tasks must be completed before moving onto the next.

Consider if you've built these Zaps before

Consider if you've built the Zaps necessary to this specific hiring process before.

By answering 'yes' or 'no' in the dropdown below, the following tasks will change via conditional logic.

If you have not built these particular Zaps via Zapier before, you will need to complete all the tasks in this checklist.

If you have, however, set up the Zaps before, you will only be shown the parts of the process that require manual input. Before going ahead with the process, make sure all the Zaps and automations are still working and remember to move information in Trello as appropriate.

To learn more about conditional logic, watch the video below.

Have you built these Zaps before?

Set up the job application form on Wufoo

Set up the job application form on Wufoo.

Wufoo is an online form builder. It's particularly useful for job applications, as Wufoo can not only be customized to your own liking, but Wufoo itself can be integrated with other apps via Zapier.

Set up the relevant job application using Wufoo.

Below is an example of Ari Meisel's Leverage Wufoo form.

(Source)

Require applicants to record a YouTube video

Require applicants to record a YouTube video of themselves talking about why they're fit for the role, and provide the link in the Wufoo form.

Having potential candidates create a YouTube video in which they discuss the role is, from your perspective, a great piece of insight. You'll be able to see how they present themselves and whether they're excited about the role or not.

It will also filter out any candidates who aren't bothered enough about the role from applying.

Each candidate should provide a link to the YouTube video in their Wufoo job application form.

Set up Trello account

Set up a Trello account and create a "Personnel" board.

Trello is a list-making application, where, via lists and boards, you can easily view crucial information.

Set up a Trello account (if you don't already have one). Trello will prove extremely useful in later stages, and is an integral part of automating the overall recruitment process.

Once you've set up your Trello account, make a board titled "Personnel".

Create a specific Slack channel for applicant information

Create a specific Slack channel which hosts the information of the job applicants.

Firstly, ensure you have a company Slack set up.

You'll then want to create a specific Slack channel which will host the job applicants' information. The title of the channel can be whatever you wish, but make sure it's easily recognizable - "Job Applicants", for example.

Make a Zap to automate the application

Make a Zap which fully automates applications from the candidates.

It's now time to use Zapier to create the first automation. The first Zap should link the Wufoo form to Trello, and then to Slack.

If you're new to Zapier and/or automations, use this free business process automation guide by Process Street to help you get started.

Follow Meisel's overview below to help you set the Zap up.

"When a Wufoo form is submitted, Zapier will create a new “card” in the Personnel Trello board for the applicant and send the person’s name, task response, and their YouTube video to the Slack channel for review." - Ari Meisel, How We Automated Our Hiring Process in 3 Hours

The test:

The next section - the test section - is all about testing the applicant's personality and skills, thereby ensuring they're a good fit in the company.

By using Zaps, you will automate the testing process. The end result will be a scheduled interview with the promising candidate(s).

Set up HireSelect

Set up HireSelect for personality profiling and skills assessment.

HireSelect is a tool offered by Criteria, a pre-employment testing company.

To make sure you're hiring the right candidate, the candidate is not only going to have to have a good personality fit with the company, but they're also going to need the right skills under their belt.

Set up HireSelect so you can assess applicants properly.

(Source)

Create a "HireSelect offered" Trello list

Create a "HireSelect offered" list in Trello.

By creating this specific "HireSelect offered" list in Trello, you can automate the next steps in the hiring process, saving you valuable time and effort.

Make a Zap to contact the applicant with a HireSelect link

Make a Zap to contact the applicant with a HireSelect link.

Similar to how you made the Zap automating the applicant's application, now create a Zap to automatically send the applicant a HireSelect link.

Follow Ari Meisel's guidance below to make the Zap.

"Automate Zapier to send applicant an email the HireSelect link when the applicant's card has been moved from "Personnel Trello" board to "HireSelect Offered" on Trello." - Ari Meisel, How We Automated Our Hiring Process in 3 Hours

(Source)

Create an "Interview offered list" Trello board

Create an "Interview offered list" board in Trello.

By creating this new board in Trello titled "Interview offered list", you'll be able to automate the hiring process further.

Make a Zap to schedule an interview with the applicant

Make a Zap to schedule an interview with the applicants who are successful thus far.

It's time to set up the next Zap. This Zap should send an interview email (which contains a Calendly link) to the applicant, once the applicant has been moved to a different board on Trello.

Follow Ari Meisel's overview for setting up the Zap.

"Automate Zapier to send an email to the applicant moved to the "Interview Offered List" board with a Calendly link to schedule an interview at their convenience." - Ari Meisel, How We Automated Our Hiring Process in 3 Hours

(Source)

The interview:

The candidate may seem great on paper, but you can't truly figure out if the candidate is right or not without having a real-time interview.

The next task will help you prepare for the interview by asking you to read through the questions Ari Meisel asks his interviewees.

Prepare for the interview

Prepare for the interview with the candidate which will take place on Zoom.

Before the interview takes place, prepare the questions you'll ask.

Ari Meisel asks the candidates he's interviewing the following questions:

How did you hear about us and what interested you in working for the company?
Tell me about your past relevant experience?
Tell me about a time you messed up at work, and how you handled it?
If we don’t hire you, why do you think that will be?

For additional suggestions, read this Process Street blog post on how to conduct an interview.

"That last question knocks out the most confident interviewer because no amount of prep will help you answer that question, in the moment, under pressure, with clarity." - Ari Meisel, How We Automated Our Hiring Process in 3 Hours

(Source)

The background check:

Conducting a background check on prospective employees is often a requirement for companies. With that in mind, in the next section, you will be guided through steps to automate the background check process.

Set up Onfido

Set up an Ofindo account.

Onfido is an application for facial and document ID checking. Ari Meisel used Onfido, as you can see from the GIF below, to conduct background checks on candidates applying for jobs at Leverage.

Set up your own Ofindo account.

(Source)

Create a "Background check" Trello list

Create a "Background check" Trello list.

By creating a list in Trello specifically for background checking, you'll be able to automate the background checking process easily.

Make a Zap for Onfido

Make a Zap for Onfido to conduct a background check on prospective employees.

For this particular Zap, you'll want to integrate Onfido with Zapier to conduct a background check once an applicant has been moved to the "Background Check" list.

Use Ari Meisel's writing as a reference point for creating the Zap.

"Automate Zapier to call on the API for Onfido to generate a check if applicant's card has been moved to the "Background Check" list on Trello." - Ari Meisel, How We Automated Our Hiring Process in 3 Hours

Signing documents:

Once the background check has been completed and you're happy with the candidate(s) you want to offer the job to, the required documents need to be sent across.

The following tasks will guide you through the process of setting document automations up.

Create a "Documents sent" Trello list

Create a "Documents sent" list in Trello.

This will be the list you move the applicant(s) to once they've successfully cleared the background checks. It will also be fundamental in setting up the rest of the automation which streamlines the new employee onboarding process.

Make a Zap to send RightSignature link

Make a Zap to send a RightSignature link to the new hire(s).

Once the new Trello board has been set up, you'll want to create a new Zap.

This Zap, after the applicant's card has been moved to the new Trello list, should send a RightSignature link to the applicant.

RightSignature is an e-signature service which allows people to sign documents remotely.

Follow Ari Meisel's guidance below to set the Zap up.

"Automate Zapier for when the applicant's card has been moved to the "Documents Sent" list on Trello to send a RightSignature link to the applicant." - Ari Meisel, How We Automated Our Hiring Process in 3 Hours

Create a "Documents sent-onboarded" Trello list

Create a "Documents sent-onboarded" list in Trello.

This is the list for onboarding the new hire(s). It's crucial to set this list up as it plays a pivotal role in the next automation.

Set up Dropbox

Set up a Dropbox account.

Dropbox is a file hosting service, making it easier for you to store your documents.

Set up a Dropbox account, as you will be saving signed documents to Dropbox with the next step's automation.

Make a Zap to move applicant's card between Trello lists

Make a Zap to move the applicant's card between lists in Trello.

The next step is to create a new Zap. The Zap should automatically move the applicant's card from "documents sent" to the "documents sent-onboarded" list in Trello. You will also want the Zap to automatically save the signed document(s) to Dropbox.

By creating these Zaps, it will help you streamline the hiring procedure further with process automation.

Follow Ari Meisel's overview to set up the Zap.

"Automate Zapier to move the applicant's card from the "Documents Sent" list to the "Documents-Sent—Onboarded" list on Trello.

Zapier saved the file to Dropbox for our bookkeeper to keep as a record. It also moved their card to the next list on the Trello board, Documents Sent—Onboarded. At this point they were hired and could begin their training." - Ari Meisel, How We Automated Our Hiring Process in 3 Hours

(Source)

Training:

Now that the onboarding process is over, it's time to focus on training the new employee(s).

The next section, which again, makes important use of Trello, will guide you through the steps to automate the training process as much as possible.

Create a Trello board with training materials

Create a Trello board with appropriate training materials.

The Trello board you create - which should have a recognizable name such as "Marketing training materials" if it's marketing role - will be the go-to place for the new trainees to find the materials that'll help them acclimatize to the new role.

Send trainees an email regarding training

Send the trainee(s) an email regarding training.

Send an email to the trainee(s) about their upcoming training. The email should contain instructions on how to get set up on the software platforms they'll be using, in addition to being given a link to the Trello board with the training materials.

To help you in your quest to speed up the hiring process, use the Process Street email widget below. This will take care of this step for you, once you've edited the email's contents to your liking.

Set up a Slack "Training" channel

Set up a slack "Training" channel.

Add a new Slack channel with a name like "Training" or "Employee training". This will be the place where the trainees are given their first assigned tasks.

Add trainees to "Training" channel

Add the trainees to the "Training" Slack channel.

It's up to you whether you want the new trainees to be able to view the other Slack channels. However, the one channel they must be added to and able to view is the "Training" Slack channel.

Assign tasks to trainees

Assign tasks to trainees in the "Training" Slack channel.

By assigning the first round of tasks, you'll be able to see whether they're truly cut out for the role or not, and should progress onto being full-time employees.

As Ari Meisel says:

"The goal in training is to know if the candidate is ready to be a full team member or if it is not a good fit." - Ari Meisel, How We Automated Our Hiring Process in 3 Hours

Extras:

You've now, with thanks to process improvement, successfully automated an impressive bulk of the hiring process. Each time you need to hire a new candidate, you know that the time it will take will be dramatically diminished.

To automate extra steps - for instance, making a Zap for applicant card archival for when an applicant is unsuccessful, or for generating Trello cards for employees who leave the company - complete the next two tasks.

Make a Zap for applicant card archival

Make a Zap for unsuccessful applicant card archival.

While you find the successful candidate(s), there will be applicants who weren't a good fit for the role.

You can create a Zap which pushes out an email once an applicant's card has been archived in Trello, to automatically inform them they haven't been successful.

This will help you save time and automate the rejection process.

Read Ari Meisel's automation overview to help you.

"Automate Zapier for when the applicant's card has been archived, an email will be sent informing them that it was not a good fit and wish them luck." - Ari Meisel, How We Automated Our Hiring Process in 3 Hours

Generate a Trello card to remove former workers

Generate a Trello card to remove former employees who leave the company.

This Zap should generate a Trello card informing the appropriate manager to remove the ex-employee's systems and accounts.

This will not only help you make sure the accounts of former employees - i.e. email addresses - are properly removed once they leave, but it will also improve internal security.

Follow Ari Meisel's guidance for setting up the Zap below.

"Generate a Trello card for a manager to remove a former employee to company's systems whenever the former employee's Trello card is moved to 'Former Worker' list." - Ari Meisel, How We Automated Our Hiring Process in 3 Hours