Takeaway 1

Rethinking High-Volume Sourcing 🔄

Abhik discovered early on that relying on high-volume, generic outreach wasn’t working. Sending hundreds of cold emails led to disengaged candidates and low-quality conversations. Instead, he shifted the focus to personalized, targeted outreach, which helped attract candidates who were genuinely excited about the company.

Why It Matters:
Generic outreach can frustrate potential candidates and dilute your company’s brand. By taking a personalized approach to sourcing, you increase the chances of engaging with the right people—those who are truly interested in your company and aligned with your values. This leads to higher-quality conversations and better overall hiring outcomes.

Quick Tips:

• Prioritize Quality Over Quantity: “Go for broke” volume may not yield your desired result of getting qualified candidates in the pipeline. Focus on reaching out to fewer candidates with highly personalized messages that demonstrate your interest in their background and how they can contribute to your team. (It’s no wonder Abhik’s team later built a feature using AI to personalize sourcing outreach).
• Research and Tailor Outreach: Spend time researching candidates before contacting them, so your messages are relevant and specific to their experience, skills, and interests.
• Make the First Interaction Meaningful: Whether it’s an email or LinkedIn message, ensure your outreach immediately communicates why they’d be a great fit at your company and why your company is a great fit for them.

Takeaway 2

Building an Employer Brand that Works 🖥️

Abhik realized that improving candidate quality required more than just outreach. By publicly sharing Ashby’s internal culture through blogs, job descriptions, and tailored messaging, Ashby attracted candidates who resonated with the company’s values, drastically improving applicant engagement.

Why It Matters:
A strong employer brand attracts the right candidates before you even reach out to them. By giving potential hires a clear view of your company’s culture, mission, and work environment, you’re more likely to engage with those who align with your values and approach — and filter out those who don’t.

Quick Tips:

• Be Transparent About Culture: Share your company's values, work style, and expectations clearly across blogs, job descriptions, and social media.
• Tailor Your Brand Message: Highlight what sets your company apart, from unique operating principles to specific team dynamics, so candidates know why they should choose you.
• Use Real Stories: Include stories from current employees or showcase company achievements to make your culture relatable and appealing.

Takeaway 3

Writing Job Descriptions That Speak to Candidates 📄

Traditional job descriptions didn’t reflect the unique culture at Ashby. Abhik took a different approach by writing job descriptions in a personal, first-person voice, making them longer and more conversational. This format attracted candidates who were genuinely excited to work for Ashby and aligned with the company’s values from the start.

Why It Matters:
A personalized job description doesn’t just inform — it inspires. Candidates who feel a connection to the role and the company through the job description are more likely to engage and apply. This also helps filter out candidates who may not be a fit, saving time during the screening process.

Quick Tips:

• Write in a Conversational Tone: Use a first-person, direct approach to make job descriptions feel personal and engaging.
• Provide Clear Self-Selection Criteria: Include a “Why You Shouldn’t Apply” section to help candidates self-select out if they don’t align with the role or culture.
• Highlight Unique Aspects of the Role: Go beyond standard job responsibilities and requirements—talk about what makes the role exciting, impactful, and unique to your company.

What Hiring Excellence Means to Abhik

For Abhik, hiring excellence is about more than just filling open positions—it’s about creating a process that excites both candidates and the internal team. He believes in finding people who are the right culture match and who feel enthusiastic about joining the team.

"Hiring excellence means building a process that helps us identify the best people for our company, getting them excited, and ensuring we are equally excited about them," Abhik says. By focusing on excitement and alignment early in the process, you can create a sustainable and successful hiring strategy.

>> Watch the Clip

Abhik's Recruiting Hot Take

Abhik’s recruiting hot take is all about having compensation conversations early. He stresses the importance of transparency right from the job description, including equity and salary details, and carrying that transparency through the entire interview process.

"You need to talk about compensation in the intro call and at every stage of the process," says Abhik. This approach avoids mismatched expectations and ensures both parties are on the same page throughout the hiring journey. Transparency about compensation helps candidates make informed decisions while saving time for your team.

>> Watch the Clip

Timestamps

(00:00) Introduction

(03:57) Challenges in early hiring at Ashby

(06:22) Frustration with traditional recruiting methods

(08:25) Rethinking the hiring approach

(09:57) The importance of candidate experience

(13:09) Improving top-of-funnel recruitment

(17:34) Thoughtful communications and job descriptions

(22:41) Improved job descriptions results

(25:23) Defining hiring excellence

(27:59) The importance of early compensation discussions