How OAK'S LAB Hires

So when we look for team members to join us, we put a high priority on the hiring experience to ensure not only that we find the best possible fit for us, but that a candidate also finds if we are the best fit for them. 

And what does that “fit” look like?

At the end of the day, we are a group of people who want to make waves in the startup tech industry. We want team members who have the drive to solve problems and have a positive impact on the world. The success of the group depends on the quality of the individual. So we look for people who will help us reach…and exceed… our goals. Now, in a year, and in a decade.

Who we hire

Our Fundamentals‍

If you read Our Fundamentals and it sounds like your ideal working environment, then we’re off to a good start. This set of principles capture the essence of what an OAK’S LAB team member experiences. We shape the future, building startups from scratch and working from several locations around the world. We have a roadmap for what’s ahead. And we have created a caring community who will help you grow in your own professional journey.

Our Values

We look for our core values in every candidate we hire. They are straightforward and designed to reflect the character of an OAK’S LAB team member. Raise the bar. Own your outcomes. Just be honest. Be kind and compassionate. Don’t forget to enjoy the ride. These values are what solidify our company culture and make us who we are.

Our Manifesto

For a deeper understanding of what’s at the heart of OAK’S LAB, you can read our Manifesto. It’s a detailed dive into our Mission (We empower innovators to improve life and the world.) and our Vision (OAK’S LAB is a hub of groundbreaking innovation.) This is where you find out what we’re all about.

Now that you know what we are looking for, and you’re excited to apply, what does it mean for you as a candidate? 

How we hire

Finding a new job and going through multiple interviews can be both time-consuming and stressful, right? We’ve all been there. Adding even more pressure to the mix is the fact that companies often aren’t open enough to share with you upfront what the entire process looks like from start to finish. How do you know what to expect? And how do you know where you stand?

Since one of our core values at OAK’S LAB is to “Just be honest,” we're here to give you a little honest insider look on how we hire at our company for product development roles. If you’re applying for a job with us, we hope this helps you navigate through our process and be prepared for it! And if you’re looking for tips at hiring for your own company, we hope you get inspired from the way we do things. Here is the OAK’S LAB Hiring Process.

Our first point of contact

There are a number of different ways you could have reached us–through our website, recruiting channels, or referrals. On the other hand, we might have reached out to you and sent you a message because we were impressed by your profile. No matter how you got to us, we read every message. And if you sent us your application, it has been reviewed by our recruitment team and hiring managers. At this point after initial contact, you're invited to have a 30-minute chat with either me, Head of People, Erika, one of our Co-Founders, Theo, or our Recruiter, Sára. Congrats!

‍Interested in joining us? Check out our job openings.‍

Round 1 - Get to know each other

At OAK’S LAB, we believe that time is the most valuable resource a person can have. That’s why we are all about saving yours. We make sure that we effectively assess your value fit and overall ability in our first chat so that if it clearly isn’t a fit, we free you up to continue your job search elsewhere. As mentioned, we’re honest, but we are also transparent. Sugar-coating does not work for us. We guarantee to be open with our feedback because we care that your full candidate experience is the best that it can be.

We also want you to know exactly what you are signing up for. Was something unclear in the job description? Are you wanting to know how your role works within the rest of the company? We use this time to clear all initial questions.

In 30 minutes, you will know: 

• Who we are and how our teams work 
• What the role is about
• Clear next steps with a clear timeline 

This part of the interview is the same for every single role we hire for at OAK'S LAB, no matter if you're a Tech Lead, Software Engineer, Product Manager, or Product Designer. If the interview goes well, we move you to the next round.

Round 2 - Show us your skills

Now is the time to show off your skill set. If you’ve been pushed to Round 2, you'll receive an Audition Assignment usually within 24 hours after Round 1. But you set your own deadline to complete it. We know that everyone has different responsibilities and lives. Perhaps you have a vacation lined up or simply too much on your plate. That's completely normal, which is why you tell us when you can complete your assignment. 

Be realistic about what fits your timeline best, and be aware that once you set it, we expect you to stick to it. Once you submit your assignment, our hiring managers will review it and come back to you with feedback. 

Who are the hiring managers at OAK'S LAB? 

• Product Designers - Filip, Chief Designer Officer,
• Tech Leads / Software Engineers - Engineering Chapters and Theo, Co-Founder 
• Product Managers - Oscar, Head of Product

Note: A chapter at OAK'S LAB is a community of people with similar skill sets who look for expertise, knowledge sharing, and continuous improvements of themselves and the company. Chapters meet as a group and always have 1:1 meetings that are led by the Chapter Head.

If we’re satisfied with your Assignment result, we’ll be pushing you on to the next round! And if something wasn’t quite up to our standards, we will honestly share where you shined so that you can be confident in your strengths and where you needed improvement so that you take away something constructive from the process. 

Round 3 - Let’s get personal

We’re excited for you to be here with us! At this point, you will have been been in the process with us for approximately 2 weeks. For Round 3, your journey will continue differently according to your position. Every hiring manager (understandably) takes a different approach to the last part of the interview process in order to see if you’re a fit for OAK’S LAB. Let’s take a brief look at what each journey looks like. 

Product Designers

Having an hour with your future team leader is a must. You will meet Filip, our Chief Design Officer, who already knows all about you from the notes and the Audition Assignment. Be prepared for a 1:1 conversation with a friendly face to go through your assignment, align on detailed expectations of the role, and discuss your shared passion for Product Design. Location of the meet: Either on-site at our HQ or remote.

Product Managers‍

We saw your Audition Assignment, and we’d love for you to present it. You will meet Oscar, our Head of Product and Andy, our Chief Business Officer, for a 2-hour sit down to give you the chance to present your assignment, ask any further questions about the role, and align on the next steps. Location of the meet: Preferably on-site at our HQ, but we can accommodate you remote.

Tech Leads / Software Engineers

We saw your Audition Assignment, and we’d love to go even deeper. You'll be invited to a roundtable discussion with one of our Chapters, which consists of senior and mid-senior software engineers. During this roundtable, you will share your Audition Assignment and have the opportunity to ask our engineers about what the real work looks like. You can ask them questions about their day-to-day, what projects they're working on, etc. You can also expect to field deeper technical questions based on your previous experience. Are you a Frontend Engineer? Expect to go in depth through JS, HTML, Styling, State Management, SSR, or CSR. Backend Engineer ? You can expect the same with Node.js, GraphQL, Databases, Software Architecture, and Scaling. Location of the meet: Either on-site at our HQ or remote.

And just like that, the hard part is over. At the end of this round, you will have shown us what skills you’re bringing to the table and talked to people you’ll be potentially working with on a daily basis. From here, you’ll enter the final phases of the process.

The Extras

We look at every candidate on an individual basis and still keep the Hiring Process agile. We're a small company, so we can afford to keep all hiring stages personal. At this point, if there are any extra meetups needed, we will schedule them. You could be meeting department teammates, going for lunch with other people from OAK’S LAB, or attending a company event. The extras will depend on what your journey looks like.

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Round 4: The Results

Offer - Congratulations! 

If you’ve passed all the rounds, then CONGRATULATIONS! Welcome to the OAK’S LAB team. Your hiring manager will reach out to you with our offer and all the final steps. Once we agree on the terms, Erika, our Head of People, and Markéta, our Legal Specialist, will send over the contract for you to sign, and we can start preparing your onboarding to one of our exciting projects and to OAK'S LAB overall.

NOTE: In your first month, you'll be both onboarded to the company overall and to the startup you're be helping to build.

Rejection - Next time! 

People who join our team not only show us a high-level ability to elevate the way we do things at OAK'S LAB but also are a great addition to our team and culture. Of course, this may mean we sometimes reject talent that may not be ready. If you were rejected in the process, we always provide you with feedback on where you shined and where you needed improvement. We'll keep a close eye on you though, and our doors are always open if you want to come back and apply again in the future! 

As mentioned in the very beginning, we want to make sure we are a great fit for each other, so overall, we want to make the hiring experience the best possible from start to finish. We recognize that the process is not only an investment of our time, but it’s also a big personal and professional investment that you are giving to us as well. We value that; we appreciate that, and we want to continue to evolve the experience to reflect it. 

If you have any questions or feedback regarding who we hire and how the hiring process works, please feel free to reach out to me--Erika, Head of People--directly. And if you are not looking for a product development role, we do have other openings. Check out our job opportunities to see what we’re looking for.