We are a small team on a mission to help innovative companies grow their businesses – and along the way, we’re championing a more human way to work.
As a remote team who can hire from anywhere in the world, the traditional approach to hiring has come with some unique challenges. And at Buffer, we’re always looking for ways to improve our processes (as seen in our four-day workweek, transparency, and remote work approach).
So, we’re opening up a Talent Pool!
Our hypothesis is that this process will be a less stressful and hopefully more human approach to hiring, where can can hear from and build relationships with candidates who are great fits for Buffer, who may not necessarily be actively job hunting at the exact moments we are looking to hire.
The Talent Pool should afford us:
- access to talented folks who are interested in Buffer and the role, even if we don’t have an opening at that moment
- an approach to hiring that allows us (and candidates) to act without the urgency of traditional hiring, which may help curb bias
- a reduction in the amount of time we spend on needs-based hiring overall
We aim to have this process make hiring a better experience for both our team, and candidates who go through the process.
What you need to know about Buffer’s Talent Pool
Our Talent Pool is designed to help us get to know potential candidates outside of the usual hiring process. When the time comes to add someone to our team, we can start there. If a candidate’s skills and experience match what we’re looking for at that time, we’ll reach out! And if the timing doesn’t work out, we can try again in the future. In the meantime, we’ll keep in touch with updates about what’s going on at Buffer. As part of our Talent Pool, you’ll be among the first notified of new job openings.
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To be clear, this is not a regular job application, so you won’t hear back right away; we’ll review these applications over time so that the next time we’re hiring, we can start with this group.
Even when we are not actively accepting applications for open jobs, we’d still love to hear from people who believe that they’d be a great fit for Buffer in the future. Our long-term goal is to build a team of talented folx with diverse backgrounds and experience who align deeply with our values and ways of working.
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Disclaimer: Like many of Buffer’s quirky approaches to work, this is starting as an experiment. We’re exploring ways to make hiring more efficient and human, and this is one approach we’re currently trying.
What to expect if you apply
We’re piloting the Talent Pool with our Engineering team. As one of our largest teams, they have the most opportunities to hire.
Over time, a hiring manager will review your application, and if it meets our criteria, we will add you to our Talent Pool. Further iterations on this process could include a technical assessment before joining the Talent Pool.
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For now –
• Fill the Application
• It will be Screened by a Hiring Manager
• You’ll be Entered in our Talent Pool if it Fits our Criteria
Please consider joining our talent pool if you…
- Are extremely interested in joining the Buffer journey someday, and you are open to this happening months or even years in the future.
- Have used Buffer personally or professionally — enough to know the software inside and out. You have opinions and ideas about our product that you can easily discuss.
- Are willing and able to invest time and energy now to let us get to know you asynchronously.
- Believe in our approach to work, and you share our values in both your personal and professional life. You are known for being more transparent than most in your family, friend group, and team at work.
- Believe that working remotely (with occasional travel to be in-person) is the best possible model for your lifestyle and work style, and you have experience with this model.
- Have at least 5 years of experience in some combination of: a professional role, a startup team, a side project, and/or advanced schooling (university or later).
- Are bullish on social media as a positive tool for businesses, and you regularly use at least one social network personally or for a side project.
Future plans for the Talent Pool
We hope to eventually extend this initiative to other teams, so that can work with pre-vetted candidates for more open roles. Our ultimate goal is to have a diverse pool of fully-vetted, qualified, values-aligned people who are very motivated to work at Buffer.
Does this sound like you? Excited to learn more?
https://buffer.com/resources/buffer-talent-pool/