Algorithmia, sometimes dubbed as “DevOps for AI/ML,” powers the largest public marketplace for algorithms and mission-critical workloads for their enterprise customers. Based in Seattle, Algorithmia is a remote-friendly workplace that can boast being Gradient Ventures (Google’s AI-focused VC arm) inaugural investment.

With a compelling value proposition and offering, Algorithmia needed to scale up to meet increasing customer demand. But despite a fantastic team and an in-demand product, Algorithmia was struggling to attract and hire high-caliber candidates in the competitive tech-talent marketplace. A range of recruitment solutions, including their internal referral networks, contingency agencies, and an RPO, failed to meet hiring goals.

One of Algorithmia’s VC partners, Madrona Venture Group, referred them to Bandwidth for a quick turnaround.

Working closely with Algorithmia’s executive team, Bandwidth was able to identify several challenges that were impacting their ability to hire. Algorithmia needed a higher volume of qualified candidates, to reduce the timeframe required to run interviews, and to increase conversion rates at every step of the process.

The goal was to build scrappy, economical recruiting solutions that would meet hiring targets and set Algorithmia up for long-term success.

We jump-started our process in workshops with the founding team, hiring managers, key staff, and recent hires. Bandwidth learned about Algorithmia’s founding story, cutting-edge technology, growing customer base, mission-driven culture, and recruitment wins and losses. What emerged was a picture of a growing company, a highly innovative and in-demand suite of solutions, and a company culture that was evolving towards a remote-first work environment.

To better tell this story and ultimately drive hiring, Bandwidth and Algorithmia partnered on bold actions for change:

Employer Value Proposition
Algorithmia offers products on the cutting-edge of AI/ML with huge ROI and strong customer demand. It’s commercially and technically exciting work, and the company culture encourages innovation, collaboration, learning, and remote work. They were doing a great job converting customers on their product value proposition – but not prospective employees. Together with the founders and marketing team, Bandwidth developed a new Employer Value Proposition for Algorithmia.

Improved employer branding on their website, career page, and job ads showcased the real value of working for Algorithmia while focusing on discoverability to boost product and brand recognition.

Visibility
Bandwidth launched a lean, high-impact national advertising campaign using almost entirely free options to deliver the Algorithmia message to the right audience, at the right time. Social media messaging and profiles on Glassdoor and AngelList were optimized to drive highly-qualified candidates to Algorithmia’s careers page.

Process
Together with the hiring teams, we developed a streamlined hiring process focused on improving the candidate experience and driving conversions at every stage. All hiring staff attended comprehensive interview training. The ATS was entirely re-configured to help automate the process, send reminders, and gather feedback to ensure that all interviews were objective, measurable, and the team could make data-driven hiring decisions.

With a plan was in place, Bandwidth expert recruiters began managing the end-to-end process as Algorithmia’s internal team. We sourced high-caliber passive candidates while maintaining a robust inbound pipeline, screened and submitted qualified candidates, managed the interview process, held stakeholders accountable, and reported on progress to the executive team.

The renewed focus on employer branding, messaging, and visibility transformed Algorithmia into a talent magnet.

• One week after launch, Algorithmia’s application pool skyrocketed from ~15 per week to over 300 – and sustained an average of 150 per week for the entire duration of the project.
• Their revamped interview process allowed the hiring teams to make faster and objectively better hiring decisions.
• Candidate’s time in the process dropped sharply, and interview conversion rates jumped, while an emphasis on candidate experience drove offer acceptance rates.
• In under four months, Algorithmia hit all hiring goals, including a new full-time internal recruiter who inherited a proven recruiting process.
• Algorithmia made eight key, hard-to-find hires at a fraction of the cost of contingent agencies while attracting nearly 3,000 new applicants to their talent network.
• A detailed, end-to-end hiring playbook allows them to manage their own hiring needs independently.

“The best practices that Bandwidth brought to us are paying off and will continue to pay off. This is a huge value to us now and in the long-term. [They] have set us up for success.”
– John Combs, General Counsel & Vice President of Business Operations.