Introduction: The Problem with Traditional Hiring

The typical recruitment process is deeply rooted in practices that date back to the industrial era: job seekers prepare carefully curated CVs, spend hours tailoring them to fit job descriptions, and submit them into an opaque digital abyss—only to be filtered out by automated systems or receive no response at all. Those who pass the algorithmic gatekeepers often face a slow and bureaucratic process: initial HR screenings focused more on culture than on skills, followed much later by technical evaluations. For companies, this often leads to slow hiring cycles and suboptimal candidate matches.

At AmazeVoice, we’ve decided to challenge this status quo. Our approach to hiring flips the script—putting the technical interview first and the CV review last.

How the Traditional Process Works (and Why It Fails)

According to a 2023 LinkedIn Talent Solutions report:

• 52% of recruiters say the hardest part of hiring is identifying the right candidate from a large pool.
• 67% of job seekers say they never hear back from companies.
• The average time-to-hire is 36 days, often due to misaligned screening processes.

In traditional hiring:

1. CV First: Automated ATS systems filter CVs based on keywords.
2. HR Interview: Focused on soft skills and “cultural fit”—without validating technical ability.
3. Technical Interview: Conducted only if the candidate has passed the first two filters.

This sequence leads to several issues:

• Misalignment: Strong technical candidates may be filtered out early.
• Wasted Time: HR resources are spent on interviews that don’t yield strong candidates.
• Bias: Automated systems and early HR screens may overlook unconventional but qualified applicants.

AmazeVoice’s Inverted Hiring Funnel

Here’s how we do it differently at AmazeVoice:

1. Open Technical Interview First: Any candidate can take our technical interview from the start for any of the open positions. No CV needed.
2. Culture Fit Interviews Second: Only those who demonstrate strong technical alignment are invited to speak with team leads or executives.
3. CV Review Last: Finally, we validate employment history and past experiences to ensure consistency and completeness.

Why This Works Better

1. Talent First, Not Paper First: Great engineers, designers, or marketers are not always great at writing CVs. By allowing people to showcase their skills first, we democratize access to opportunity.
2. Faster and More Accurate Matching: We can quickly identify who has the hard skills needed and focus our attention where it matters.
3. Manager-Led Cultural Fit: Culture isn’t about generic buzzwords—it’s about chemistry with the actual team. That’s why line managers do the cultural fit assessment.
4. Less Bias, More Potential: By delaying the CV review, we reduce the chance of unconscious bias related to education, location, or job gaps.
5. Higher Retention and Productivity: Research from Google and Harvard Business Review shows that employees hired through skills-based assessments outperform those selected through traditional CV-based screening.

A Case Study in Hiring Velocity and Quality

Since implementing this new approach:

• Our time-to-hire has dropped to under 14 days on average.
• 80% of those hired pass their probation period with high performance scores.
• Candidates report higher satisfaction with the transparency and fairness of the process.

The Future of Hiring is Upside Down

We believe the hiring world is due for a reset. In an age where AI can write perfect cover letters and algorithms scan resumes for keywords, it’s the human skills and the real-world capabilities that truly matter. By putting these first, we not only hire faster—we hire better.

Call to Action

If you’re a company or HR leader tired of lengthy, ineffective hiring cycles, maybe it’s time to turn your funnel upside down.

And if you’re a candidate who’s confident in your skills and tired of sending out CVs into the void—join us at AmazeVoice. Let your talent speak first.