Client brief introduction:
Circula is a software-as-a-service (SaaS) company, founded in 2017 and headquartered
in Berlin. With over 150,000 users and a dedicated team of approximately 150
professionals, Circula offers an intuitive platform tailored for small and medium-sized
enterprises (SMEs), specialized in employee expense management.
The platform simplifies various financial tasks, including travel expenses, per diems,
credit card expenses and employee benefits, ensuring seamless operations.
The company’s mission is to streamline accounting processes, making them more
efficient and less time-consuming. This allows teams to focus on higher-impact tasks,
leading to better results and increased employee satisfaction.
Trusted by over 1,500 companies, Circula stands out for its flexibility, modularity, and
adherence to financial regulations.
Key data:
- Project period: October 2021 – Ongoing
- Number of hires: 94
- Time to hire: 46 days
- Offer to hire: 94%
Client testimonials:
“Tribe has been pivotal in building our teams in both Germany and new markets. Their
Karen Lindner, VP People & Culture
support extends beyond conventional recruiting. With their competencies, skills and
data-driven approach, they’ve been instrumental in our hiring success, ensuring we find
the right talent to scale our teams effectively.”
Context:
Despite the success of its innovative platform, Circula faced challenges in scaling due to
a shortage of resources within their talent acquisition team. This resulted in prolonged
hiring processes and a limited pool of candidates.
Tribe was tasked with a clear mission: to infuse agility and effectiveness into Circula’s
talent acquisition approach, enabling it to serve as a dynamic force driving ongoing
innovation and market dominance.
Need analysis:
Challenges:
- Lack of scalability and automation
- Candidate experience to be improved
- Insufficient talent pool
Opportunities:
- To restructure and streamline the recruitment process
- To enhance candidate engagement
- To fortify recruitment pipeline
Action Plan & Implementation:
Tribe’s TA embarked on a comprehensive overhaul of Circula’s recruitment framework.
Our strategy encompassed a series of targeted interventions, designed to tackle each
one of the challenges mentioned above.
Challenge: Lack of scalability and automation
We introduced cutting-edge tools and methodologies to accelerate response times and
revamped the interview process to optimize candidate throughput.
Challenge: Candidate experience to be improved
Our focus extended beyond mere process enhancement; we aimed to cultivate a culture
that resonates with Circula’s core values, fostering an environment that attracts top-tier
talent.
By optimizing every touchpoint along the recruitment journey, from initial outreach to
final offer, our consultants ensured seamless and personalized interactions. Utilizing
advanced technology and data-driven insights, they streamlined application processes,
minimized response times and provided transparent communication channels.
Moreover, all candidates have been treated as valued stakeholder rather than mere
applicants.
By prioritizing candidate satisfaction and actively seeking feedback, our TA fostered a
positive reputation for the client company, positioning it as an employer of choice in the
competitive talent market.
Challenge: Insufficient talent pool
All the actions mentioned before contributed also to increase Circula’s talent pool.
In the present phase of our partnership, we are developing a comprehensive interview
training program for Circula’s hiring managers, ensuring the perpetuation of these
enhancements.
Concurrently, we are spearheading initiatives in Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (ED&I),
underscoring our commitment to fostering a diverse and inclusive workforce that mirrors
the vibrant tapestry of society.
Results & Reflection:
The impact of our collaboration with Circula was profound:
- Strong contribution to Circula’s growth: 94 hires in 3 years
- A refined recruitment processes, that yielded impressive metrics:
- 54% conversion rate from profile views to contacted
- 69% success rate in advancing candidates from screening to managerial interviews
- 94% offer-to-hire ratio
- Diversification of roles: both tech and non-tech profiles
- Significant contribution to Circula’s expansion outside Germany. Initially, Circula had no employees in Spain and the Netherlands. Our targeted recruitment efforts have led to the establishment of approximately 10 employees in Spain and around 5 in the Netherlands, marking a significant milestone in Circula’s international expansion.
