Hi Doula! Could you start by telling us a little bit about yourself and how you came to join the team at Mooncard?
Bonjour! I’m Doula and I’m a Talent Acquisition Manager at Mooncard. I’m based in our Paris offices but I support recruitment needs across all our markets.
I joined Mooncard 18 months ago, having started my career in IT recruitment before moving into the fintech sector. That’s where I heard about Mooncard and as soon as I heard about the company’s ambitions, I knew it was an adventure I wanted to be part of.
Can you tell us a bit more about the role of a Talent Acquisition Manager and what a typical day looks like for you?
As a Talent Acquisition Manager my role is to understand the current and future needs of the company and find the talent that matches those needs. It’s a cliché but one of the reasons I enjoy my job is that there is a lot of variety so a ‘typical day’ doesn’t really exist.
In the same day I might be writing job posts, headhunting, following up with candidates, talking with managers, and preparing an onboarding session for our new hires… I never get bored! Talent Acquisition is not just about finding and attracting new people - I also work closely with our HR director Claire on evolving our HR processes and making sure we support our current team members as well as future ones.
How do you and the team approach the recruitment process?
Our recruitment process starts with defining the hiring needs for each role. We talk to the manager who’s hiring to understand the hard and soft skills the role requires. They do a first draft of the job description and then I help perfect it with other aspects that also communicate what Mooncard can offer talent.
Once we have a job description, then our approach really depends on the role. There are certain profiles, such as developers, where we know we will have to headhunt talent. It’s just the reality of the market where these skills are in high demand. For other roles, we will post job offers on a variety of platforms, use our networks, and we also have a ‘recommendation’ programme where current members of the Mooncard team put us in contact with people they think would be a good fit for the role.
What does that process look like from a candidate’s perspective?
When we start the process with candidates, there are around 3 stages. First, a call with the talent acquisition team to understand their motivations and answer any questions they have about Mooncard. Then, an interview with the hiring manager - the main objective of this interview is to assess the technical skills needed for the position. And for some roles we organise an interview with the team, which is a useful opportunity for the candidate to ask more questions and see if Mooncard will be a good fit for them, too.
That seems like quite a few stages, how long does it take on average?
Actually, it goes pretty fast. On average it takes between 1 week and 10 days from our first contact with a candidate to giving an offer. We really try to focus on reactivity - I think it is important for candidates to know they are a priority and it is a good demonstration of who we are as a company.
What kind of skills are you looking for in candidates when hiring for roles in the spend management sector?
More than specific skills, I think it’s motivation that is the most important thing we look for in candidates. The spend management sector, and fintech in general, is constantly evolving and we’re looking for people who are excited by that and want to grow with us. Mooncard’s values are curiosity, collaboration, empathy, and ambition - I think they summarise really well who we are as a company and the types of talent who will enjoy working with us.
Even if someone doesn’t tick 100% of the boxes in terms of technical skills, they should definitely apply for a role. Our teams include a range of roles from junior to senior level as well as interns and apprentices. I think an environment where curiosity is encouraged and team members have a willingness to learn is actually a competitive advantage for our solution in the market.
We’ve talked a lot about the ‘behind the scenes’ of being a Talent Acquisition Manager, but at the end of the day, how do you know if all of your work has been successful?
That’s easy - if the hiring manager and new hire are happy!
Looking ahead, what do you think are some of the biggest challenges and opportunities for the role of Talent Acquisition?
I think a key challenge is the fact that the job market is changing. People no longer stay in their role for 10, 20, 30 years. So for Talent Acquisition Managers, the challenge becomes not just how to acquire talent, but how to retain talent as well. And that’s where a lot of the interesting opportunities for the role are as well. How do we think about the experience of talent in a company from a holistic perspective? How do we make sure they are getting to do what they really love in their role - not wasting time doing admin for their expenses, for example 😉. What is the career path we can offer them that gives them opportunities for variety and growth? I think that’s a really exciting opportunity to understand how we can nurture talent as well as find it.
Thank you Doula! It’s been really insightful to catch up with you. One final question - who should we meet next at Mooncard?
Everyone! But I would say that wouldn’t I.
OK! Watch this space then...