Recruitment Process
End-to-end hiring guide - Normal Hiring, Management Hiring, evaluation frameworks, offer process, and expat procedures.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Hiring Process
Standard 12-step process covering all hires. Where Management Role hiring differs, the variation is noted inline within each step.
| # | Step | PIC | Description | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hiring Requisition | HM | HM completes and submits the Resource Request form. The request must be stakeholder-approved before TA begins any sourcing work.
⚡ Management Role BOD sends the hiring request directly to the TA team - no form required. |
Resource Request Form |
| 2 | Requirement Clarification | TA | TA validates headcount, role scope, budget, and timeline with the HM. Confirms role priority before starting.
⚡ Management Role TA validates directly with BOD - not HM. Same scope: headcount, budget, and priority. |
Salary Range |
| 3 | Job Posting & Talent Sourcing | TA | TA posts the role on Vietnamworks, ITViec, LinkedIn, the Gradion website, and referral channels. Targets sourcing completion within 10–14 days. | TA Asset Management |
| 4 | Application Scanning | TA | TA uses the AgenticOS CV Screener to automatically scan new applicants for roles tagged with AI-scan in Lever. Reviews output and shortlists qualified candidates.
⚡ Management Role HM or BOD manually quick-scans all applications and shortlists for phone screen. No AI scan applied. |
- |
| 5 | Phone Screen | TA | Qualified candidates undergo an initial phone screen with TA (~30 min). For senior or CEO-requested roles: run a long phone screen only. Ask whether the candidate holds secondary employment - if yes, note it in their profile and flag to HM before any next steps. For expat candidates: send a greeting email first to confirm relocation intent, salary expectations, and visa/WP eligibility before scheduling the screen.
⚡ Management Role TA conducts a long phone screen (60–90 min) only. Updates notes to the Google Tracking Sheet. |
Appendix 2 - Phone Screen Appendix 4 - English Assessment Appendix 8 - Salary & Tools Appendix 6 - Expat Hiring |
| 6 | Assessment / Screen Evaluation | TA | Qualified candidates after the phone screen may complete a test before the technical interview (within 1–3 days). TA aligns with HM in advance to decide whether to apply the test and discusses potential timeline trade-offs.
⚡ Management Role - Screen Evaluation HM or BOD reviews phone screen notes. Updates shortlist status (Pass / Fail) in the Tracking Sheet. No technical test applied. |
- |
| 7 | Interview Round(s) | TA TI |
TA schedules the technical interview within 1–3 days of the phone screen or test. TA seeks PM approval for TI's interview support availability. TI submits feedback within 24 hours. Client interviews (if applicable): submit feedback under Client Interview in Lever - include client name, feedback details, and final suitability status.
⚡ Management Role - BOD Interview Coordination TA schedules: Round 1 with Chief of Staff (30 min). If Pass → Round 2 with CEO/Founder (subject to availability). No TI involved. |
Appendix 3 - Interview Guidelines Engineer Interview Materials PM Interview Materials |
| 8 | Supplementary Evaluation Optional / If requested |
TA HM |
Run when there are concerns about cultural alignment. TA collects feedback and submits to HM for review. For Head of Department candidates: HM must include the Candidate Feedback Form with their CV.
⚡ Management Role - Reference Check If specifically requested by BOD or HM, TA conducts a reference check using the standard form. |
Lever Guideline for HM Reference Check Form |
| 9 | Final Evaluation & Selection | TA BOD |
TA collects all interview feedback and sends a recap email via Lever. Delivery Dept: To rich@gradion.com · CC gee.vo, nhu.truong, dung.nguyen, HM. Back Office: To gee.vo@gradion.com · CC nhu.truong, HM. Once approved by BOD, TA calls the candidate to confirm. The BOD stakeholder who approved replies to all for written confirmation.
⚡ Management Role Recap to HM · CC CEO/Founder, gee.vo, nhu.truong, rich. Once approved, TA calls candidate to confirm verbally. HM or BOD reviews Reference Check Report (if applicable) and replies to all for written confirmation. |
Appendix 5 - Offer Process |
| 10 | Offer Extension & Result Notification | TA | Format and prepare the candidate's CV for internal records or client submission. Send the Offer Letter via Lever (CC: gee.vo, nhu.truong, dung.nguyen, rich, HM). Send Thank You Letter to unsuccessful candidates.
⚡ Management Role Same process. Offer Letter CC: gee.vo, nhu.truong, rich, HM - dung.nguyen not included. |
Appendix 5 - Offer Process |
| 11 | Stakeholder Notification | TA | On acceptance: send Candidate Confirmation emails to the Management Team and Onboarding Team. On rejection: notify HM immediately. For expat hires: follow the Expat Working Process for detailed procedures. | Appendix 7 - Templates Appendix 6 - Expat Hiring |
| 12 | Request Closure | TA | Add the job-closed tag to the hired candidate's profile in Lever - triggers the HM satisfaction survey automatically. Move the hired candidate to the Hired stage - triggers automated onboarding document preparation. |
- |
| Step | Owner | Expected | Late if… |
|---|---|---|---|
| Post JD after hiring request approved | TA | ≤ 2 business days | > 3 days |
| Phone screen scheduled after CV shortlist | TA | ≤ 2 business days | > 3 days |
| Technical interview scheduled after phone screen pass | TA | ≤ 3 business days | > 5 days |
| Test assigned after phone screen (if applicable) | TA | ≤ 1 business day | > 2 days |
| TI feedback submitted after interview | TI | Within 24 hours | > 48 hours |
| Offer letter sent after verbal offer call | TA | Within 24 hours | > 48 hours |
| Thank-you email to rejected candidates | TA | ≤ 5 business days after decision | > 1 week |
| Lever stage updated after each milestone | TA | Same day | Next business day |
Appendices
Appendix 1 - Evaluation Framework (SPARC)
Gradion evaluates every candidate at two levels. SPARC is the primary filter - always evaluated first. Technical skills are assessed only after SPARC clears. If SPARC is weak, the candidate is rejected regardless of other skills. Apply this rule without exception, especially for the first 3–4 employees on a new team.
SPARC Pillars
| Pillar | What it measures | Signals to look for |
|---|---|---|
| Growth Mindset | Attitude toward learning, feedback, and experimentation | Willing to try new approaches · Reflects and adapts after challenges · Takes ownership of outcomes |
| Business Thinking | Ability to connect work to cost, risk, customer, and strategy | Understands trade-offs and priorities · Identifies waste and creates impact · Calibrates thinking to their role |
| Critical Thinking | Capacity to bring clarity and structure to reasoning | Provides logical, structured answers · Uses evidence and real examples · Spots assumptions and considers alternatives |
| Posture & Communication | Presence, tone, and clarity in expression | Respectful, constructive, and audience-aware · Confident but not aggressive · Communicates complex ideas clearly in English |
| AI Literacy | Effective and responsible use of AI | Enhances productivity with AI · Validates AI output before applying · Remains curious and adaptive |
Technical Skills (secondary): Weight potential over perfection, especially for junior, intern, and tester roles. Evaluate on: GitHub portfolios, personal projects, bootcamp experience, certifications backed by examples. Do not rely on job titles alone - ask what they actually did in the role.
SPARC Assessment Categories
| Category | What it means | Key traits (positive) | Red flags |
|---|---|---|---|
| Self-awareness | Do they know who they are, what they're good at, and where they need to grow? | Reflects on weaknesses and seeks improvement | Lack of self-reflection |
| Purpose | Is there something that genuinely matters to them? | Passionate about work, even if early-stage. Alignment with Gradion values. | Just looking for a job |
| Ambition | Do they want more from life and career than just doing the job? | Proactivity and ownership | Lack of drive, vague ambition |
| Resilience | Can they deal with feedback, pressure, or failure - and grow from it? | Handles pressure/failure and grows from it | Cannot handle feedback |
| Growth Mindset | Do they believe in learning and evolving? | Curiosity and learning orientation | No curiosity about the role or company |
| Drive | Is there something that genuinely motivates them beyond the job? | Internally motivated; pursues improvement proactively | Passive; waits to be told what to do |
SPARC Interview Questions
| Question | Purpose | What to listen for |
|---|---|---|
| Where do you see yourself in 5 years? | Tests ambition, vision, and goal-setting | Do they want to lead, master a craft, or build something meaningful? Weak signal: vague answers ("I don't know" / "working in IT"). Are they aiming up, or just sideways? |
| What drives you? What makes you want to become better or more successful? | Reveals internal motivation and values | Personal stories - "I want to prove women can succeed in tech." Shallow answers like "I just want a job" signal weak SPARC. |
| Tell me about a time you received hard feedback. What was it? What did you do about it? | Shows self-awareness and growth mindset in action | Specifics: "I was told I lacked attention to detail, so I changed X." Avoid vague or defensive answers. |
| What's something difficult you taught yourself? Why did you do it, and how? | Measures ownership, curiosity, and initiative | Self-started projects (GitHub repos, certifications). Clear process of learning - not just "I watched YouTube." |
| What's something you're really proud of - inside or outside of work? | Uncovers personal values and drive | Can be anything: family support, finishing school against odds, launching a blog. Flag: "nothing really." |
| Tell me about a time you failed. What happened? What did you learn? | Maturity check: growth comes through failure | Are they honest? Do they own it or blame others? Can they articulate the learning? |
Hiring Decision Flow
| Step | Evaluation question | Decision if Yes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Does the candidate demonstrate strong SPARC (growth mindset, ambition, resilience, alignment with values)? | Move to Technical Skills evaluation |
| 2 | Are the candidate's Technical Skills adequate or teachable for the role? | Proceed to the next hiring stage |
How to Score SPARC
After the interview, ask yourself: Do they have ambition and a real vision? Do they care about something? Can they learn and adapt? Do they own their development?
3 or more strong answers - proceed. Fewer - reject.
- Don't look for perfect answers. Look for honesty and potential.
- Don't fear people who are shy or quiet. Look for the fire behind the quiet.
- Always probe deeper: "Why?", "Can you give an example?", "How did that make you feel?"
- SPARC is about character - not age, background, or job title.
Role-Specific Screening Notes
| Role type | Focus |
|---|---|
| GPT-polished CVs | Look for over-polished, vague, or unrealistic descriptions - "all the right words" with nothing concrete. Probe for specifics in the interview. |
| Developer roles | Prioritise GitHub repositories over certificates. Ask what they actually built and why. |
| Designer roles | Portfolio required. Skip CVs without visual proof. |
| Sales roles | Notice communication skills and attitude more than depth of background. |
Appendix 2 - Phone Screen Guidelines
Audience: TA
| Phase | What to do |
|---|---|
| Before (optional) | Request an English introduction video to assess basic language proficiency before booking the call. Send the phone screen invitation to qualified candidates via Lever. |
| During | Cover: role fit, motivation, and career direction · communication and English proficiency · cultural alignment and growth potential (SPARC-focused questions). Align the candidate on: salary range and compensation structure · insurance contribution terms (not based on full salary) · internal exchange rate (check with TA lead regularly). Ask if the candidate currently holds any other jobs. If yes, note it in their Lever profile and flag to HM before any offer decision. |
| After | Submit phone screen feedback and a clear recommendation (YES / NO) in Lever. Decide next steps: move qualified candidates to the next stage, close unqualified cases. |
Appendix 3 - Interview Guidelines & Feedback Templates
Audience: TI and HM
Before the Interview
| # | Action |
|---|---|
| 1 | Log into Lever → Settings → Calendar. Connect your Google or Microsoft calendar and verify your time zone. |
| 2 | Keep Lever notifications on - don't miss scheduling requests or invitations. |
| 3 | Review the Job Description. Understand role requirements, responsibilities, qualifications, and hiring context. Access via Gradion Careers or the link TA provides. |
| 4 | Review the candidate's CV. Identify key skills and experience to guide your questions. Access via the link in the Calendar Meeting Invitation - this opens the candidate's profile in Lever directly. |
| 5 | Check the meeting details: interview type · date and time · co-interviewers (in the Guests section) · candidate profile link. |
| Do | Don't |
|---|---|
| Keep notes tied to the rubric and role requirements | Download or forward CVs outside Lever |
| Submit feedback on time - delayed feedback blocks candidates | Edit job postings or candidate data in Lever |
| Flag integrity or NDA concerns to TA privately | Discuss compensation or make any promises to candidates |
After the Interview - Feedback Quality Standards
| Standard | What it means |
|---|---|
| Be Objective | Focus on the candidate's performance and facts from the interview - not subjective impressions |
| Be Specific | Provide examples or evidence to support every observation |
| Be Constructive | Highlight areas for improvement in a way that is actionable and supportive |
| Use Clear Language | Write in plain, easy-to-understand language - avoid jargon or vague statements |
Feedback Submission Steps
| Step | Action |
|---|---|
| 1 | Check your calendar invite: confirm the time, format, link, and any notes. |
| 2 | Access the link in the invitation to view the candidate's CV and Feedback Template. Join on time; use the scorecard criteria as your mental checklist during the interview. |
| 3 | After the interview, re-open the Lever CV link → Add Feedback → select the Technical Interview form. Complete and submit. |
Engineer Position - Feedback Template
| Field | Purpose | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Candidate Overview | Summarise overall performance, background, and suitability in 2–3 sentences. | "The candidate demonstrated strong technical expertise in Node.js, with a solid understanding of system architecture and leadership experience." |
| Strengths | 3–5 bullet points. Focus on skills relevant to the role. Support each with interview evidence. | Proficient in React.js and Next.js · Successfully led a team of 10 engineers · Strong problem-solving demonstrated in the live coding exercise |
| Areas for Improvement | Identify specific gaps. Be constructive - focus on actionable areas. | Limited AWS experience beyond basic usage · Struggled to articulate non-technical concepts clearly |
| Recommendation | State clearly: Move Forward or Do Not Move Forward. Include reasoning. | "Recommendation: Move Forward. The candidate has the technical expertise and leadership skills required." |
PM Position - Feedback Template
For each dimension (scored 1–5), include: the questions asked · the candidate's responses · your evaluation of what the answers indicate.
Preferred name / English name: | Age (if relevant): Is currently employed: | Others: Language Proficiency: English: [B1 / B2 / C1 / C2] + describe in detail if needed Others: [German / French / Chinese…] + level of fluency
Score 1–5: 1 = Misaligned/Risk · 2 = Needs Improvement · 3 = Acceptable · 4 = Strongly Aligned · 5 = Role Model
| Dimension | Score | Scoring Guide |
|---|---|---|
| Motivation - Why is the candidate applying? Intrinsic (growth, learning) or extrinsic (money, location)? Alignment with company culture and values? | /5 | 1: Misaligned with Gradion values · 2: Some motivation, unclear · 3: Fair, potential alignment · 4: Clearly motivated by growth and values · 5: Inspires others with intrinsic drive |
| Experience - Relevant PM experience (domain, team size, delivery model)? End-to-end involvement? Exposure to technical and business tasks? | /5 | 1: Lacks relevant experience · 2: Limited, has potential · 3: Sufficient to meet expectations · 4: Broad and deep experience · 5: Exceeds expectations with strategic, hands-on experience |
| Mindset - Self-awareness, openness to feedback, adaptability? Growth mindset, resilience, curiosity? | /5 | 1: Low self-awareness, resistant to change · 2: Basic awareness, rarely adaptive · 3: Average self-reflection, open to learning · 4: Mature, reflects on past, adapts well · 5: Exceptional resilience and self-improvement |
| Conflict Handling - Mediation skills, escalation management, objectivity? Handling tough decisions? | /5 | 1: Avoids conflict · 2: Struggles constructively · 3: Handles typical tensions with guidance · 4: Resolves conflict fairly, owns tough conversations · 5: Acts as a mediator and leader |
| Working Style & Cultural Fit - Alignment with work setup and collaboration style? Cultural sensitivity and values fit? | /5 | 1: Poor fit · 2: Requires support to integrate · 3: Generally fits team norms · 4: Thrives in collaborative environments · 5: Embodies cultural fit and uplifts the team |
Key Strengths: Key Weaknesses: Leadership Potential (aspiration / potential): Overall Feedback (general comments / summary): RECOMMENDATION: Qualified Level: Junior / Standard / Standard++ / Senior / Senior++ / Tech Lead… GO or NO-GO: [specify reason, especially for NO-GO] Can be a fit for other roles within Gradion? [specify details if yes]
Appendix 4 - English Assessment Criteria
| # | Criterion | Description | What to assess |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Listening & Reaction | Ability to understand and respond appropriately to questions | Does the candidate understand without repetition? How many times do they ask to repeat? How quickly do they react - quickly, slowly, or confused? |
| 2 | Fluency | Ability to organise answers with a logical lead and qualified flow of speech | Can they speak at length without pauses, hesitation, or self-correction? Do they use connectives and discourse markers effectively? |
| 3 | Interaction | Ability to engage in two-way communication and manage conversation dynamics | Can they take turns appropriately? Do they build on the interviewer's questions? Do they show active listening? |
| 4 | Pronunciation | How naturally and clearly the candidate sounds | Accent must be clear and easy to understand. Correct word stress and sentence stress · natural intonation · clarity of pronunciation. |
| 5 | Vocabulary (bonus) | Ability to use a wide range and flexible vocabulary | Does the candidate use a wide range of vocabulary? Do they attempt to paraphrase? Ability to discuss different topics with appropriate word choice. |
| 6 | Grammar (least weighted) | How natural and accurate the candidate's grammar is | Structures should feel natural - not necessarily perfect, but errors should not impede understanding. Range of grammar structures used. |
English Scoring Matrix
| Descending priority → | |||||||
| Our Rate | IELTS Rate | Listening | Fluency | Interaction | Pronunciation | Vocabulary | Grammar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Proficient | C2 | Understands effortlessly; responds naturally and appropriately in real time. | Speaks smoothly with no hesitation; natural rhythm and pace. | Engages naturally; leads conversation; manages turn-taking. | Clear, natural, easy to understand; near-native control. | Wide, precise vocabulary; uses idioms and nuances effectively. | Consistently accurate; uses complex structures naturally. |
| C1 | Understands almost everything; minor lapses but recovers smoothly. | Generally fluent with occasional hesitation; maintains flow. | Active participation; manages interaction well with little support. | Clear and intelligible with minor influence of first language. | Broad vocabulary; occasional gaps but can paraphrase. | High accuracy; occasional errors with complex structures. | |
| Independent | B2 | Understands main ideas; may miss details but can respond effectively. | Some hesitation or pauses; can maintain extended speech. | Participates effectively; may need occasional prompting. | Generally clear; occasional mispronunciations but understood. | Adequate range; can express ideas but may repeat words. | Mostly accurate; errors noticeable but do not hinder communication. |
| B1 | Understands basic points; needs repetition or clarification. | Frequent pauses but manages short exchanges. | Can interact in familiar situations with support. | Understandable with effort; noticeable L1 influence. | Limited range; relies on basic vocabulary. | Frequent errors but meaning usually clear. | |
| Basic | A2 | Understands simple phrases with support. | Short, slow sentences with effort. | Struggles to maintain conversation. | Often difficult to understand. | Very restricted vocabulary. | Simple structures with frequent mistakes. |
| A1 | Limited comprehension; struggles to respond. | Very limited words, mostly memorized. | Minimal ability to interact. | Very limited, unclear speech. | Only isolated words or phrases. | Very basic, often incorrect forms. | |
Appendix 5 - Offer Process
Pre-Offer: Verbal Offer Call
Once the offer is approved by BOD stakeholders, TA calls the candidate to confirm:
| Topic | What to cover |
|---|---|
| Offer details | Share the gross offer amount. Explain: during probation, 100% salary is received. Net income will appear higher than usual - no insurance deduction applies, only 10% PIT. |
| Onboarding date | Confirm start date (discussed and aligned with HM, coordinated with IT/Admin for preparation). |
| Benefits overview | Highlight key benefits: insurance, annual leave, performance review timeline. |
| Offer letter timeline | Inform the candidate of the estimated time for receiving the official offer via email. |
Offer: Preparing the Offer Document
Use the Offer Letter Template Folder. Ensure the following fields are correctly filled:
| Field | Notes |
|---|---|
| Full Name | First Name, Surname - as specified by HM |
| Position | As specified by HM |
| Start Date | As confirmed with HM and IT/Admin |
| Gross Salary | Rounded figures |
| Internship Duration | If applicable |
- File naming - Intern:
Internship Offer Letter_Location_Position_Full Name - File naming - Full-time:
Employment Offer Letter_Location_Position_Full Name - Format: Password-protected PDF. Password = candidate's phone number.
- Sending via Lever: Select Offer Template · Attach PDF · Mask 10 digits of the phone number. Response deadline: 24–48 hours. CC: gee.vo, nhu.truong, dung.nguyen, rich, HM.
Post-Offer
| Action | Notes |
|---|---|
| Send Candidate Confirmation emails | See Appendix 7 - send both Management Team and Onboarding Team versions. |
| Confirm device allocation | Default: Windows laptop. MacBook available if role requires it and reporting manager approves. Inform C&B and IT. Interns are typically assigned a Windows laptop. |
| Send parking documents to Admin | ID card (front & back) + vehicle registration (front & back). If submitted before onboarding: Admin handles parking payment in advance. If submitted on or after onboarding: candidate covers parking fee until card is issued. Gradion does not provide monthly car parking cards. |
Appendix 6 - Expat Hiring
General Procedures
When sending the confirmed expat candidate's email to the onboarding group: CC finance@gradion.com and clearly note the Cost for Visa & Work Permit in the email body. For any special circumstances not covered here, cross-check with the Admin team.
Location-Specific Requirements
| Location | Required Documents |
|---|---|
| Vietnam | Collect the candidate's ID document and personal data during the onboarding phase. → WP Checklist - Vietnam |
| Singapore | Singapore Citizens & PRs: Clear copy of NRIC. Employment Pass Holders: Copy of EP, or provide FIN. Also collect: Date of Birth · Residential address in Singapore · Race/Ethnicity (required under Singapore labour regulations) · Full name and ID number from NRIC/FIN. |
| Thailand | → Thailand Expat Instructions |
Quick Links & Resources
| Resource | Link |
|---|---|
| Email Templates & Attached Documents | Folder |
| Expat Working Process for TA | Sheet |
| Sample Vietnamese JD for Expat Hiring Request | Doc |
| Request Email to Admin (after offer acceptance) | Template |
| WP Checklist - Vietnam | Spreadsheet |
| WP Checklist - Thailand | Doc |
vn-admin@gradion.com to confirm the purchase with the agency. The Admin team posts the job with the Ministry of Labor only after receiving and confirming this request email.Appendix 7 - Candidate Confirmation Templates
Send two separate emails on offer acceptance: one to the Management Team (includes salary & COGS), one to the Onboarding Team (no salary).
Dear Management Team, We have received confirmation from [Full Name] for the [Position] role. Please find the details below: • Name: [First Name, Sur Name, Last Name] • Name in Vietnamese: [Full Vietnamese name] • Nickname: • Feedback Form: [Link] • Hiring Source: [Hiring Source] • Hiring Type: [Replacement / New Hire] • Start Date: [DD/MM/YYYY] • Reporting Line: [Line manager email] • Project / Department: [Project or Department] • Location: Vietnam – HCM / DN / HN / CT | Thailand – BKK • Level: [Internal Level] • Personal Email: [Email] • Phone Number: • Salary: [VND Gross ~ USD Gross] • COGS (EUR): • Preferred Company Email: Follow company standard / [specify @gradion.com] Should you need any further information, please let me know. Best regards, [TA Name]
Dear Management Team, We have received confirmation from [Full Name] for the [Position] role. Please find the details below: • Name: [First Name, Sur Name, Last Name] • Name in Vietnamese: [Full Vietnamese name] • Nickname: • Feedback Form: [Link] • Hiring Source: [Hiring Source] • Hiring Type: [Replacement / New Hire] • Start Date: [DD/MM/YYYY] • Reporting Line: [Line manager email] • Project / Department: [Project or Department] • Location: Vietnam – HCM / DN / HN / CT | Thailand – BKK • Level: [Internal Level] • Personal Email: [Email] • Phone Number: • Salary: [VND Gross ~ USD Gross] • COGS (EUR): • Preferred Company Email: Follow company standard / [specify @gradion.com] Should you need any further information, please let me know. Best regards, [TA Name]
Hi all, We have received confirmation for [Full Name] joining us as [Position]. Please find the details below: • Name: [First Name, Sur Name, Last Name] • Name in Vietnamese: [Full Vietnamese name] • Nickname: • Hiring Source: [Hiring Source] • Hiring Type: [Replacement / New Hire] • Start Date: [DD/MM/YYYY] • Reporting Line: [Line manager email] • Project / Department: [Project or Department] • Location: Vietnam – HCM / DN / HN / CT | Thailand – BKK • Level: [Internal Level] • Personal Email: [Email] • Phone Number: • Preferred Company Email: Follow company standard / [specify @gradion.com] Thank you for proceeding to the next step. Please reach out if you need anything further. Best regards, [TA Name]
Appendix 8 - Salary & Compensation Tools
Use these tools when preparing offers. Always download a local copy before editing — do not modify shared files directly.
Expat Salary Notice: If an expatriate candidate's expected salary is below ~47,000,000 VND net/month, do not proceed with offer preparation without first checking with the C&B team. Social insurance calculations for expats can significantly affect the net-to-gross conversion and final offer amount.
TA Newcomer & Employee Onboarding
Full onboarding lifecycle - from offer acceptance to 60-day follow-up. Covers all TA tasks, access setup, templates, and the TA-specific Day 1 agenda.
Two audiences, one flow
This section covers the complete onboarding lifecycle for all new hires at Gradion - and adds a dedicated TA-specific track for anyone joining the Talent Acquisition team.
- ▶Provide a structured framework for TA to onboard all Newcomers into the organisation
- ▶Ensure smooth and successful integration from offer acceptance to Day 60
- ▶Coordinate across TA, DM, COM, IT, Admin, and C&B teams
- ▶Help new TA members settle into their role from Day 1 with confidence
- ▶Ensure all systems, tools, and permissions are set up correctly
- ▶Provide an overview of the end-to-end hiring process and TA ways of working
How to read this section: Phase 1–3 below apply to all Newcomers. Rows marked T1–T4 in Phase 2 are the additional Day 1 agenda run exclusively for new TA team members.
⚠️ Common mistakes in Onboarding
| # | Step | PIC | Detailed Description | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Communicate with Newcomers
4 days before joining
|
TA |
TA keeps Newcomers updated and supported throughout the pre-joining period by answering questions and maintaining regular contact. Admin tasks: ① Forward candidate vehicle info to Admin for parking registration - HCM office only. ② Automation sends HR training calendar invites automatically - however, TA PIC must manually book the training room. ③ For expat cases, TA collaborates with the candidate, C&B, and Admin to launch the visa & work permit process promptly. Refer to Expat Working Process in the Recruitment Process document. |
→ Recruitment Process |
| 2 |
Remind DM to Send Welcome Message
Before Day 1
|
TA | TA provides the DM with the Welcome Email template and ensures it is sent to the Newcomer before their first day. | → Welcome Email Templates |
| # | Step | PIC | Detailed Description | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Welcome & Company Tour
Day 1 morning
|
COM | For HCM/DN offices: the Community team guides the Newcomer on a company tour, introduces all departments, and helps them get acquainted with the company structure. | COM Internal Onboarding Guidelines |
| 2 |
Engage with Newcomers
Day 1
|
TA | Newcomers join the onboarding session and IT training session on their first day. TA is responsible for hosting a "Company Introduction" session via the Current Global Wiki for initial acclimatisation and a warm welcome. | → Global Wiki |
| 3 |
First-Day Check-in
End of Day 1
|
DM / TA | TA (or DM) has a brief conversation with the Newcomer about their first day to ensure they feel comfortable and are following along with the process. | - |
| # | Step | PIC | Description | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| T1 |
Company Orientation
|
Admin COM IT |
(a) Company Tour - Admin-Community walks the TA Newcomer through the office and introduces shared facilities and departments. (b) Company Orientation - TA covers Gradion's values, culture, and policies. (c) Security & IT Compliance - IT sets up devices and accounts, introduces internal systems, and briefs on IT and security policies. |
→ Global Wiki → IT Intro |
| T2 | TA Orientation |
TA | Walk the TA Newcomer through the TA team structure, individual roles, and the full Talent Acquisition workflow. | 2026 Onboarding Guideline |
| T3 | Get Permissions & Access |
TA |
Grant the TA Newcomer access to all working channels, tools, and systems below. Workspace Channels
Google Workspace & Meetings
Tools & Platforms
|
→ TA Asset Mgmt → Lever Guide → TA Drive |
| T4 | Performance Review Overview |
SBP / TA |
Explain the probation review process (Day 51, 1:1 with SBP) and the bi-annual performance review cadence. Evaluation sources: Self-Reflection · 2 Stakeholders · Strategic Business Partner Method: Gradion Copilot AI |
→ Frameworks → TA Perf Review |
| # | Step | Timing | PIC | Detailed Description | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Follow-Up Communication |
1 week after joining | TA | TA reaches out to the Newcomer to check on their progress, see how they are settling in, and offer support for any concerns. A quick Workspace message or short call is sufficient - the goal is to make them feel seen and supported in their first week. | - |
| 2 | Feedback Gathering |
60 days after joining | TA | TA has a structured conversation with the Newcomer to gather feedback on: ① their onboarding experience, ② first impressions of Gradion's culture and team, and ③ suggestions for improvement. Insights are used to continuously improve the process for future hires. | - |
| 3 | Newcomer Satisfaction Survey |
After 60 days | Newcomer (TA to motivate) |
TA motivates the Newcomer to complete the Satisfaction Survey. This feedback helps Gradion enhance the Newcomer experience, address recurring issues, and optimise the onboarding programme for future hires. | → Satisfaction Survey |
Deadlines and owners for key TA actions across all onboarding phases. Use this as a checklist when managing a new hire's onboarding.
| Action | Owner | When | Late if… |
|---|---|---|---|
| IT setup requested (laptop, email, access) | TA | ≥ 5 business days before Day 1 | < 3 days before |
| Welcome email sent to newcomer | TA | 2–3 days before Day 1 | Day of start |
| Newcomer added to Workspace channels | TA | Before or on Day 1 | Day 2 or later |
| Candidate confirmation sent to Mgmt & Onboarding teams | TA | Same day as offer acceptance | Next business day |
| 1-week check-in with newcomer | TA | Day 5–7 | Not done by Week 2 |
| 1-month check-in with newcomer | TA | Day 20–25 | Not done by Week 5 |
| Newcomer satisfaction survey sent | TA | Day 30–60 | Not sent within 2 months |
Sent by the DM before Day 1. TA provides this to the DM during Pre-Onboarding Step 3. Choose Version A or B based on DM's office presence on Day 1.
📄 Open Template Doc — share this link with the DM so they can copy and send directly.
Howdy [Newcomer Name], Congratulations and welcome aboard! My name is [Your Name] and I'll be your direct manager. I just wanted to reach out and say I'm really glad you're joining the team. I'll be there with you on your first day, so no need to be nervous. Just show up in your best T-shirt with a great smile. Feel free to chat with your new colleagues and explore the space. Everyone at Gradion is genuinely welcoming, so I'm sure you'll fit right in. One heads-up: make sure you're well-caffeinated, because the first day comes with a fair share of admin tasks. (I know, I know, but you'll get through it!) Other than that, just soak it all in and enjoy the atmosphere. Welcome again. See you soon! [DM Name]
Howdy [Newcomer Name], Congratulations and welcome aboard! My name is [Your Name] and I'll be your direct manager. I just wanted to reach out and say I'm really glad you're joining the team. I won't be at the same office as you on your first day, but the team there will take good care of you, so no need to be nervous. Just show up in your best T-shirt with a great smile. Feel free to chat with your new colleagues and explore the space. Everyone at Gradion is genuinely welcoming, so I'm sure you'll fit right in. One heads-up: make sure you're well-caffeinated, because the first day comes with a fair share of admin tasks. (I know, I know, but you'll get through it!) Other than that, just soak it all in and enjoy the atmosphere. Welcome again! [DM Name]
Countries Benefit
Benefit overview across all Gradion operating countries - working conditions, leave, pay, insurance, and tax.
⚠️ Common mistakes when discussing benefits
| Category | 🇻🇳 Vietnam | 🇹🇭 Thailand | 🇸🇬 Singapore | 🇩🇪 Germany |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ⏱️ Working Conditions | ||||
| Legal Working Hours | 40 hrs/week (8 hrs/day, 5-day week). Max 40 OT hrs/month, 200 hrs/year (up to 300 hrs where specifically permitted by law). | 40 hrs/week (8 hrs/day, 5-day week). | 40 hrs/week. Max 12 hrs/day, 72 OT hrs/month. | 40 hrs/week. Up to 5 OT hrs/month deemed compensated by fixed salary - no additional payment. |
| Probation Period | Mandatory by law. 6 / 30 / 60 / 180 days depending on job level. | Not mandatory. Typically 30–119 days. | Not mandatory. Commonly 3–6 months. | Not mandatory. Commonly 3–6 months. |
| 🏖️ Leave Benefits | ||||
| Annual Leave | 15 days/year. +1 day every 5 years of service. Not entitled during probation. Pro-rated based on actual joining/end date. | ≥6 days/year. Not entitled during probation. Pro-rated based on actual joining/end date. | 7–14 days. Increases with tenure. Not entitled during probation. Pro-rated based on actual joining/end date. | 28–30 days. Full entitlement after 6 months of service. |
| Public Holidays | 11 days | 19 days | 12 days. If a public holiday falls on a non-working day, employee gets a day off in lieu or extra day's salary. | 11 days. 24 & 31 Dec counted as paid leave. |
| 💰 Pay & Compensation | ||||
| Minimum Wage | VND 3.45–4.96M/month (regional, Jul 2025). Rising 7% in 2026. | THB 337–400/day. Varies by province (Jul 2025). | No general minimum wage. Certain sectors only. | - |
| Overtime Rate | 150% weekday · 200% weekend · 300% public holiday | 1.5× regular day · 3× on holidays | 1.5× for Part IV staff (non-executive, salary ≤S$2,600) | Not applicable |
| Severance Eligibility | ≥12 months service | ≥120 days service | Contractual/advisory basis | Not mandatory by law. Arises only in 3 cases: employer terminates, court ruling (unfair dismissal), or mutual termination agreement. Voluntary resignation = no severance. |
| Severance Formula | ½ month salary per service year (excluding UI-covered periods) | 30–400 days' wages based on tenure (up to 20+ years) | Typically 2 weeks–1 month per service year | Common benchmark: 0.5 month salary × years of service |
| 🏥 Social Insurance | ||||
| Employer Contribution | ~21.5% (SI 17% + HI 3% + UI 1% + OAI 0.5%) | ~5–10% (Social Security 5%, cap THB 875) | ~17% - CPF 17% (SG/PR only, up to S$7,000). Foreigners excluded. | - |
| Employee Contribution | ~10.5% (SI 8% + HI 1.5% + UI 1%) | 5% (cap THB 875) | 20% - CPF 20% (SG/PR only) | - |
| Total Employer On-cost | ~21.5% | ~5–10% | ~17% | - |
| Company Health Insurance | PTI Health Insurance - VND 3,935,385/year (~VND 334,238/month) | AIA Premium - ~THB 10,846/year per person | Not applicable | - |
| 🎁 Benefits in Kind | ||||
| Performance Bonus | (Total actual salary of working months ÷ 12) × bonus rate | Company's decision | Company's decision | - |
| Annual Health Check | ~VND 650,000/year per person | Not applicable | Not applicable | - |
| L&D Budget | VND 6,000,000/month across all employees | Not applicable | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| Birthday Gift | VND 300,000/person | Not applicable | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| Life Events Support (Marriage / Newborn / Funeral / Hospital) | VND 1,000,000/person per occasion | Not applicable | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| Sport Activities | Support allowance by office location | Not applicable | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| Company Events | VND 21,000,000/event. Tết · Mid-Autumn · Women's Day (20 Oct) · Men's Day (Nov) · Family's Day (28 Jun) · Children's Day (1 Jun) · Christmas · International Day of Happiness (20 Mar) · World Population Day (28 Dec) |
Not applicable | Not applicable | Not applicable |
FWD Insurance (after 2 years of service) - previously available for VN at avg VND 14,378,111/year/person - cancelled from June 2026.
Lever ATS
Standard operating guide for Lever - pipeline stages, interview scheduling, offer flows, automation rules, and best practices for the whole TA team.
⚠️ Common mistakes in Lever
- Lever is a cloud-based ATS and CRM platform used by Gradion's TA team to manage the full recruitment lifecycle.
- Every candidate interaction - from first outreach to offer acceptance - is recorded and tracked within Lever, creating a single source of truth for all hiring activity.
- Lever organises candidates as Opportunities linked to specific job Postings and Requisitions, allowing TA to manage multiple roles and pipelines simultaneously.
- The platform supports collaboration between TA, Hiring Managers, and interview panelists through shared feedback forms, automated notifications, and role-based access controls.
- All data entered in Lever feeds directly into reporting and dashboards used to evaluate TA team performance.
Lever is the operational backbone of Gradion's TA function. Keeping Lever updated accurately and in real time is not optional - it directly impacts team performance tracking, stakeholder reporting, and the integrity of every hiring decision.
📊 Performance & Reporting
- Lever data powers the TA Dashboard, directly linked to TA performance tracking.
- Stage movement data drives key metrics: time-to-fill, conversion rates, and pipeline health.
- Incomplete or inaccurate data in Lever will produce misleading dashboards and affect team evaluation.
📋 Requisition & Posting Management
- Use Lever to create and manage Requisitions for every approved hire - links headcount, budget, and job postings in one place.
- Job Postings in Lever are published to internal and external job sites directly from the platform.
- Requisition status must always reflect the current hiring state (Open / On hold / Closed) to maintain accurate headcount tracking.
🔄 Pipeline & Candidate Management
- Every candidate - whether inbound or sourced - is managed within a structured stage pipeline in Lever.
- Moving candidates through stages in Lever is the only way to officially progress or decline them; no informal tracking outside the system is permitted.
- Archive reasons and decline notes logged in Lever create the audit trail required for compliance and calibration.
🗓 Interviews & Collaboration
- Schedule interviews directly in Lever - the platform sends calendar invites and links feedback forms to the appropriate panelists automatically.
- Hiring Managers and interviewers receive and submit their scorecards through Lever, keeping all feedback consolidated on the candidate profile.
- Lever's sourcing extension (LinkedIn) and Easy Book links support efficient outreach and scheduling without leaving the platform.
- Requisition name format:
[Team] Role Title- e.g., [IT Team] IT Service Desk or [Emma] Senior Fullstack Developer. Use Title Case; team name in brackets; exact role title as used in the posting. - Requisition code: Automatically generated on creation - no manual entry required.
- Status lifecycle: Set to Draft while editing → Open after approval → On hold if paused → Closed when role is filled or cancelled.
| Field | How to fill | Owner | Required |
|---|---|---|---|
| Req. name | [Team] Role Title (Title Case) | TA | Required |
| Headcount | Integer ≥ 1. Use Unlimited only for evergreen entry-level roles. | HM + TA | Required |
| Status | Set Draft while editing; move to Open after approval; apply On hold or Closed as applicable. | TA | Required |
| Location | Exact city/country (e.g., Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam). Ensure job posting matches if hybrid/onsite. | HM | Required |
| Work type | Full-time / Part-time / Contract - must match the posting and offer. | HM | Required |
| Department/Team | Select the official org unit (e.g., Vietnam – Tech). | TA | Required |
| Req. hiring manager | Person accountable for selection and feedback SLAs. | TA | Required |
| Req. owner | Main recruiter/TA PIC responsible for data hygiene. | TA | Required |
| Compensation band | Fill Min–Max, Currency, Interval (e.g., 800–900 USD / month). Must align with the approved band. | HM + TA | Required |
| Req. description | Business reason + context. For backfill: "Replace [name]"; for new headcount: "New headcount per FY plan". | HM | Required |
| Time to fill start | Target start date for sourcing (the date TA begins active work). | TA | Required |
| Time to fill end | Target date to close/fill the role. Drives SLA dashboards. | TA | Required |
| Job Description | Attach or choose the final JD. If unavailable, choose "Provide a New JD…" and paste the link in the following field. | HM | Required |
| Interviewers | Select the panel by role. Ensure coverage: functional + bar raiser/client if needed. | HM + TA | Required |
| Hiring Process | Add the Hiring Protocol for this requisition. Follow this exact format: HR Phone Screening > Technical Interview > Offer. Each stage separated by >. | TA | Required |
| Linked posting(s) | Click Add posting in the right pane and link the correct job(s). For multi-site hiring, multiple postings may be linked to a single requisition. | TA | Required |
| Priority | Set following direction from Line Manager - reflects the urgency and business importance of this hire. | TA + HM | Required |
| Unlimited / Backfill | Tick Backfill only if replacing a named leaver; specify the leaver's name in the Req. description. | HM | Optional |
| Req. code | Automatically generated - no action needed. | System | Auto |
| Co-Recruiter | Add when another TA team member is jointly running this requisition with you. | TA | Optional |
| Blocker | Document the current bottleneck(s) preventing the role from progressing, along with any proposed solutions. ⚡ Updated whenever it changes - reflects on the TA Dashboard and informs the Line Manager directly on a daily basis. | TA | Optional |
- Multiple hires for the same role: Increase Headcount on the same requisition; keep a single posting (or multiple city-specific postings) linked.
- Role paused: Set Status = On hold. If the posting must remain visible, add a note on the requisition and confirm with HM.
- Compensation band changes during search: Update the requisition band, re-route for approval, then proceed.
- Replacing a hire who withdraws: If within the same plan and budget, reopen the requisition (or increase headcount by 1) and relink the posting.
Click Add job posting in the upper-right corner.
Enter the job posting details:
- Job title
- Location type: Onsite for Back-office roles; Hybrid for Technical roles.
- Primary location and Secondary location (if applicable)
- Department/Team
- Work type
Set visibility to Listed, and enable posting on both the External job site and the Internal job site.
Select Posting Template and populate the job description fields using the approved Docs version of the JD. Add lists for requirements, responsibilities, and any other relevant sections.
Add Custom Application Questions - select the Additional Information question set appropriate for the hiring position.
Enable Talent Fit.
Navigate to the tags box and add the tag AI-Scan. This tag triggers Gradion's CV Scanning agent to automatically scan the CV and generate screening recommendations for each candidate profile.
| Section | Stages (in order) |
|---|---|
| Lead | New Lead → Reached Out → Responded |
| Applicant | New Applicant → Resume Review → Introduction Video Submission |
| Interview | HR Phone Screen → Assignment Test → Technical Interview → Client Interview → BoD Interview |
| Offer/Decision | Offer – Draft (optional) → Offer – Sent (optional) → Hired / Declined (archive) |
- Candidates move forward only. Any candidate not progressing must be Archived with a documented reason.
- Milestone stages (HR Phone Screen, Technical Interview, Client Interview, BoD Interview, Offer) drive the majority of Visual Insights metrics. Keep stage names stable.
- Inbound applications from job boards enter Lever as Applicants. Prospects sourced directly (e.g., via LinkedIn) are captured as Leads.
| Stage | Key actions | Owner | SLA |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Lead | Create Lead; attach CV/LinkedIn profile; tag source; deduplicate against open requisitions. | TA | Outreach within 24h |
| Reached Out | Run 3-touch sequence (2 channels) over ~5 business days using templates; log all attempts. | TA | Complete sequence within 5 business days |
| Responded | Qualify: role interest, compensation ballpark, notice period, location mode; share JD. | TA | Within 2 business days of reply |
| New Applicant | Send auto thank-you; deduplicate; spam check; parse CV. | TA (system) | Review within 2 business days |
| Resume Review | Screen against must-haves; check compensation ask; verify work authorisation; determine intro video requirement. | TA | Complete within 2 business days |
| Introduction Video Submission | For non-native English speakers: request a 1–2 minute video; verify English communication skills before advancing. | TA | Candidate to complete within 2 business days |
| HR Phone Screen | Conduct 20–30 minute screen: motivation, communication, compensation, notice period, work mode; confirm intro video if needed. | TA/HR | Schedule within 2 business days; feedback same day |
| Assignment Test | Send brief and deadline; track submission; run plagiarism check; score with rubric. | TA | Candidate to complete within agreed deadline |
| Technical Interview | Schedule interview; send brief; collect feedback in Lever within 24h; compile/export feedback for HM; calibrate. | TA (logistics); Panel (feedback) | Feedback within 24h |
| Client Interview | Schedule interview with client representative; send brief; collect and compile feedback in Lever within 24h. | TA (logistics); Panel (feedback) | Feedback within 24h |
| BoD Interview | Schedule with Board of Directors; prepare comprehensive candidate brief; collect and compile feedback in Lever within 24h. | TA (logistics); Panel (feedback) | Feedback within 24h |
| Offer | Prepare compensation package within band; obtain approvals; present offer; manage negotiation; handle contingencies. | TA + HM | Issue within 2 business days of final interview decision |
| Hired | Mark Hired; close requisition; hand off to HR Ops/Onboarding. | TA | Same day as acceptance |
- Before archiving, ensure all of the candidate's skill tags are applied and correctly formatted so the profile is counted accurately in the Tech Stack and Seniority reports. See Tag Guidelines in Additional Reference.
- Use exactly one archive reason per archived opportunity.
- Complete the Decline Reasons form on archive (triggered automatically).
- Record the following for every archive: Stage of Decision, Primary Archive Reason, and a brief Evidence Note (1–2 sentences, behaviour-based).
- For the full list of archive reasons and when to apply them, see Archive Reasons in Additional Reference.
| Use case | Use Feedback form (scorecard) | Use standard Form |
|---|---|---|
| Tied to a scheduled interview | Yes | - |
| Non-interview checkpoint (e.g., CV scan, salary, decline reasons) | - | Yes |
| Reports as interview metrics | Yes | - |
| Custom dropdowns/checklists for analytics | - | Yes |
When scheduling an interview, map the appropriate feedback form to each interviewer. For example: assign Technical Interview form to technical panelists; use the BOD Interview form or PM Interview form as appropriate for the round.
The interviewer receives an automatically generated link to the assigned feedback form - they do not require additional access to the candidate profile beyond what was granted during scheduling.
Interviewers must submit their scorecard within 24 hours of the interview.
Open the candidate's profile in Lever → Click the action button and select Print Feedback to download the feedback document.
Press Ctrl+P (Windows) or Command+P (macOS) → choose Save as PDF.
Rename the file:
Feedback_[Location]_[Position]_[Full Name]- e.g., Feedback_HCM_Senior QA_John SmithReturn to the candidate's profile → Click the Mail icon to open the email composer.
Fill in required fields:
- To: Hiring Manager's Gradion email address
- CC: Check with TA Lead before adding additional recipients (Vietnam: refer to the internal CC list)
- From: Your Gradion email address
Select the template [Offer Round] Recap → Edit the subject line and adjust the Hiring Manager's name.
Attach the saved Recap PDF → Verify the file name and content → Click Send.
Move the candidate to Resume Review - the tag scan is added automatically.
Select a batch of candidates → Click Share on candidate → Enter the scanner's email and a brief note.
Monitor scanning status via email. When the scanner submits, the tag is deleted. Remove the scanner's access from the candidate profile after scanning is complete.
- Feedback forms:
FB | Stage | Panel | v1 - Standard forms:
FORM | Purpose | v1
Move the candidate to the appropriate stage (e.g., Technical Interview, Client Interview, BoD Interview) → Click Schedule Interview.
Complete the scheduling form:
- Add Interviewers - assign the Gradion Interviewer role to each panelist.
- Set Time / Duration / Format / Location.
- Add the event to the Gradion – Interview calendar and invite all interviewers.
- Assign the appropriate feedback form (e.g., Technical Interview form) to each interviewer.
Send invitations:
- Email to candidate: Select the template [Interview Round] Online Interview (for virtual) or [Interview Round] Offline Interview Invitation [location] (for in-person). Fill in the interviewer name, position, meeting time, and location details.
- Calendar invite description: Copy and paste the standard invitation text. Obtain from your TA Lead or the shared TA templates folder.
Click Schedule → Send All.
Remove the interviewer's access from the candidate profile after scheduling is confirmed.
Tags are how candidate skill sets are tracked in the TA dashboard. Using the correct format ensures every profile is counted accurately in the Tech Stack and Seniority reports.
Format - [Stack] [Level]
| Example | Status |
|---|---|
PHP Senior | Valid |
NodeJS Standard++ | Valid |
PHP | Invalid - Missing level |
Senior PHP Developer | Invalid - Job-title format, not a tag |
Nodejs_Sr | Invalid - Abbreviation, will not be counted |
Stacks
| Stack | Tag prefix to use |
|---|---|
| PHP (generic) | PHP |
| PHP + Laravel | PHP Laravel |
| PHP + Symfony | PHP Symfony |
| Node.js | NodeJS |
| React / React Native | Frontend Reactjs |
| Vue.js | Frontend Vuejs |
| Flutter | Flutter |
| .NET | NET |
| Java | Java |
| Python | Python |
| Python + Odoo | Odoo Python |
| Fullstack | Fullstack |
| DevOps | DevOps |
| SRE | Site Reliability Engineer |
| QA / QC | QC |
| Data Analyst | Data Analyst |
| Data Engineer | Data Engineer |
| AI / ML | AI |
| SAP | SAP Consultant |
| ERP | ERP Consultant |
| Cloud | Cloud |
Levels
| Level | YOE | Definition |
|---|---|---|
Intern | 0 | No professional experience. Currently enrolled or fresh graduate with academic/personal projects only. |
Junior | 0–2 yrs | First professional role(s). Needs regular guidance and code review. Can handle small, well-defined tasks. |
Standard | 2–4 yrs | Works independently on assigned tasks with minimal hand-holding. Can own features, delivers with low supervision. |
Standard++ | 3–5 yrs | Upper-mid level. Takes ownership of complex tasks, starting to influence technical decisions. Sometimes called "Middle" in SEA/EU markets. |
Senior | 4–6+ yrs | Owns tasks end-to-end, actively mentors others, and contributes to architectural decisions. |
Senior++ | 6–9 yrs | Strong senior approaching lead level. High autonomy, cross-team influence, can step in as a tech lead. |
Lead | 8+ yrs | Leads a team or technical chapter. Responsible for both technical direction and people. |
Examples
| Candidate profile | Tags to add |
|---|---|
| 3 years PHP Laravel, works independently | PHP Laravel Standard |
| Senior Node.js, also does some React | NodeJS Senior + Frontend Reactjs Senior |
| Fullstack (Java + React), 5 years | Fullstack Senior + Java Senior + Frontend Reactjs Senior |
| Junior Data Engineer with ML exposure | Data Engineer Junior + AI Junior |
| Lead DevOps (AWS) | DevOps Lead + Cloud Lead |
Rules
- Always include a level. A tag without a level (e.g.
PHP) is excluded from reports until a level is added. - Use exact capitalisation.
NodeJSnotNodejs,Frontend ReactjsnotReactJS,QCnotqc. - One tag per stack. If a candidate is strong in two stacks, add one tag for each. Do not combine them (e.g.
Fullstack NodeJS). - Match to the role being assessed. Tag based on what the candidate is being evaluated for in this pipeline, not their entire career history.
Use exactly one archive reason per candidate opportunity. Complete the Decline Reasons form on every archive.
| Archive Reason | When to use |
|---|---|
| Better For Another Role | Candidate meets the bar but is a better fit for a different open role. Refer/transfer before archiving here. |
| Keep For Future Opportunities | Strong candidate; no matching vacancy now or timing is misaligned. Add to talent pool and set a re-engagement reminder. |
| Overqualified | Seniority/scope clearly exceeds this role; evidence from CV, screen, or interview. |
| Underqualified | Does not meet minimum requirements as evidenced by CV, screen, assignment, or interview. |
| Duplicated Applications | Duplicate record for the same or equivalent role. Consolidate into a single primary profile. |
| Location | Cannot meet required location/work mode/time-zone; not solvable within role constraints. |
| Language Proficiency | Communication in the required language is insufficient for meetings, clients, or documentation. Must be evidenced. |
| Unresponsive | No reply after ≥3 documented outreach attempts across ≥2 channels over ~5 business days. |
| Cultural Fit | Values/ways-of-working misalignment demonstrated via behaviour or interview answers. Be specific in notes. |
| Motivation Misalignment | Role interest or trajectory does not align with the candidate's stated goals. |
| Compensation Misalignment | Target compensation is outside the approved range and cannot be reconciled. Record numbers in the note. |
| Offer Declined | Candidate declined after negotiation. Capture stated reason (Offer stage only). |
| Position Closed | Business closed or paused the role, or it was filled internally. Not candidate-driven. |
| Not Open | For sourced leads: candidate confirms they are not open to this or any opportunity. |
| Withdrew | Candidate proactively stopped the process at any stage. Add a short note (e.g., timing, accepted other offer). |
| Not Specified | Temporary placeholder only when no other reason applies. Do not use routinely. |
Required fields on every archive
- Stage of Decision (picklist): New Applicant/Lead, Resume Review/CV Scan, HR Phone Screen, Assignment Test, Interviews, Offer.
- Primary Archive Reason (from the list above).
- Evidence Note (1–2 sentences, behaviour-based - e.g., "Failed data modelling question: could not normalise past 2NF." or "Target base $3k exceeds band of $2.2–2.6k.").
Lead stages
| Stage | Entry criteria | Key actions | Exit criteria |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Lead | Prospect identified; not in system as active applicant. | Create Lead; attach CV/LinkedIn; tag source, persona; deduplicate. | Move to Reached Out once initial message is sent. |
| Reached Out | Initial message sent. | Run 3-touch sequence (2 channels) over ~5 business days; use templates; log all attempts. | Move to Responded on reply, or archive as Unresponsive. |
| Responded | Candidate replied. | Qualify: role interest, compensation ballpark, notice period, location mode; share JD. | Progress to Applicant pipeline if must-haves are met, or archive. |
Applicant stages
| Stage | Entry criteria | Key actions | Exit criteria |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Applicant | Applied via Lever/job boards. | Auto thank-you; deduplicate; spam check; parse CV. | Resume Review started within SLA. |
| Resume Review | New Applicant or progressed from Lead. | Screen against must-haves; check compensation ask; verify work authorisation; decide intro video need. | Introduction Video Submission (if required), HR Phone Screen, or archive. |
| Introduction Video Submission | Non-native English candidate identified at Resume Review. | Request 1–2 minute video; verify English communication; decide next step. | HR Phone Screen or archive. |
Interview and offer stages
| Stage | Entry criteria | Key actions | Exit criteria |
|---|---|---|---|
| HR Phone Screen | Passed Resume Review (and intro video if applicable). | 20–30 min screen: motivation, communication, compensation, notice, work mode. | Assignment Test or Technical Interview if pass; archive with reason if no-go. |
| Assignment Test | Role requires a test; candidate accepts. | Send brief and deadline; track submission; run plagiarism check; score with rubric. | Technical Interview if pass; archive if fail or decline. |
| Technical Interview | Passed HR Phone Screen (and Assignment Test if applicable). | Schedule; send brief; collect feedback in Lever within 24h; compile for HM; calibrate. | Client Interview or archive with precise reason. |
| Client Interview | Passed Technical Interview. | Schedule with client representative; send brief; collect and compile feedback within 24h. | BoD Interview or archive with precise reason. |
| BoD Interview | Passed Client Interview (if applicable). | Schedule with Board of Directors; prepare comprehensive candidate brief; collect and compile feedback within 24h. | Offer or archive with precise reason. |
| Offer | Final hire decision approved. | Prepare compensation package within band; obtain approvals; present offer; handle negotiation. | Accept → onboarding; Decline → archive as Offer Declined. |
| Hired | Offer accepted; start confirmed. | Mark Hired; close requisition; hand off to HR Ops/Onboarding. | - |
| Stage | Type | Send to | Template / Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| Application Received | Candidate | Sent automatically by the system - no action required. | |
| English Video Submission | Candidate | Use template [Application Round] Introduction Video Test. After receipt, use [Application Round] Introduction Video Test Received. | |
| CV Scanning / Resume Review | Feedback | Scanner | Scanners use the CV Scanning feedback form to submit their verdict. |
| Phone Screen | Email / Zalo / Phone | Candidate | TA may use the Easy Book Link feature in Lever to send scheduling links via email. |
| Online Interview | Candidate | Use template [Interview Round] Online Interview. Fill in [Interview Name] and [Interviewer Position]. | |
| Offline Interview | Candidate | Use template [Interview Round] Offline Interview Invitation [location]. Fill in time, location, and interviewer details. | |
| Interview | Feedback | Interviewer | Interviewer accesses the link in their feedback assignment. Choose: Technical Interview / BOD Interview / PM Interview form. |
| Scan Reject | Candidate | Use template [Application Round] Scan Reject Application. | |
| Fail Interview / Phone Screen | Candidate | Use template [Application Round] Fail Interview. | |
| Offer (candidate) | Candidate | Lever does not support the required offer customisations. Draft and send the offer email outside Lever. | |
| Offer (internal) | Internal team | Use the internal offer email template and send directly via Lever (recap, candidate confirmation). |
Configured automation flows
| Name | Trigger | Condition | Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scanning Tag Queue | Opportunity stage changed | Stage = Resume Review | Add tag scan:queue. HM/Interviewer clears within 48h. |
| Pool Passive | Opportunity archived | Archive reason ∈ {Keep For Future Opportunities, Better For Another Role, Not Open} | Add tag nurture-pool. TA adds re-engage task within 7 days. |
| Position Closed - Candidate Email | Opportunity archived | Archive reason = Position Closed | Send email template "Position closed". Fires immediately on archive. |
| Onboarding Checklist - Welcome Email | Opportunity hired | - | Send "Welcome to Gradion / Onboarding checklist" email; optionally add tag onboarding-started. |
| Withdrawn - Re-engage | Opportunity archived | Archive reason = Withdrew | Send "Sorry to see you go - let's keep in touch" email; optionally add tag nurture-pool. |
Creating a new automation workflow
- Navigate to More → Automations. Click Create workflow and rename the title. Leave the master toggle OFF while building.
- Set the WHEN THIS HAPPENS… trigger (e.g., Opportunity stage changed).
- Set the CONTINUE IF… conditions. Each row is an AND condition; use Add condition for additional criteria.
- Set the DO THIS… action(s). Multiple actions can be stacked and will run in the order listed.
- Enable the master toggle only after testing is complete.
After issuing an offer, the following two email threads must be archived to career@gradion directly via Lever to maintain a complete communication history.
Email 1 - Internal Recap
- To: career@gradion
- Title format:
Recap_[Location]_[Position]_[Candidate Name] - Body: List all emails already sent (HM, HoR, TA Lead, etc.) + copy the full recap email.
Email 2 - Candidate Confirmation
- To: career@gradion
- Title format:
Candidate Confirmation - [Full Name] - [Position] - Body: List all emails sent to management team + a version of the confirmation email for the onboarding team (remove all confidential data).
Vietnam contracts
- Open the candidate's profile in Lever → Move the profile to the Hired stage.
- The onboarding preparation email is sent automatically to the candidate. Verify receipt in your Gmail inbox.
Singapore / Egypt / Thailand contracts
- Open the candidate's profile in Lever → Add the appropriate contract tag before moving to Hired:
- Singapore:
singcontract - Egypt:
egyptcontract - Thailand:
thailandcontract
- Singapore:
- Move the profile to the Hired stage.
- The onboarding preparation email with the contract-specific document checklist is sent automatically. Verify in your Gmail inbox or via the Lever email log.
| Channel | Sources | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| Applied | LinkedIn Apply, LinkedIn, ITViec, Career's Email, Job Sites | Candidates who submit their own applications. |
| Sourced | Networking/Event, Hunting, Extension, Headhunt | Candidates the team proactively identifies and reaches out to. |
| Referred | Referral | Candidates recommended by current employees. |
| Internal | Internal | Current employees proposed for an open position. |
| University | University | Students or fresh graduates entering the job market. |
Assigning the Gradion Interviewer role
- Navigate to Settings → Users → Set Role = Gradion Interviewer.
- Remove any existing job access (clean slate - the user starts with no job-wide visibility).
- Do not grant job-wide visibility; access will be assigned on a per-candidate basis only.
Access rules
| Stage | Grant access | Revoke access |
|---|---|---|
| CV Scanning / Resume Review | TA adds the scanner as a follower and requests CV Scanning feedback → user gains access. | Scanner submits verdict → TA removes follower → access ends. |
| Interview | TA adds the interviewer to the interview panel → access granted. | After scheduling, TA removes the interviewer from the panel and as a follower → access ends. |
Calendar and account hygiene
- Navigate to Settings → Calendar: connect Google or Outlook; set time zone and working hours.
- Enable notifications for Interview assigned to me and Feedback requested (both email and in-app).
SLA reminders: CV scan ≤ 48 hours; interview feedback ≤ 24 hours.
Key definitions
- Candidate vs Opportunity: A candidate can hold multiple opportunities across different jobs. Results show opportunities unless Talent Fit only is toggled on.
- Origin vs Source: Origin = channel class (Applied / Sourced / Referred / Internal / Agency). Source = exact site or campaign (LinkedIn, Indeed, Manual, etc.).
- Talent Fit only toggle: ON = one row per candidate (best fit opportunity). OFF = one row per opportunity (candidate may appear multiple times).
Boolean and fielded search operators
- Boolean:
AND,OR,NOT," "(exact phrase),( )(grouping). - Fielded tokens:
name:"jonathan",title:"senior backend",company:"grab",location:"ho chi minh",tags:"golang",source:"LinkedIn",advanced_rating:>=3.
Example searches
- Senior backend in Vietnam or Thailand, excluding agency:
("senior backend" OR "staff backend") AND (location:"vietnam" OR location:"thailand") NOT origin:"agency" - Golang + Kubernetes referrals:
(golang OR "go") AND (kubernetes OR "k8s") AND origin:"referred" - Name variant:
name:"jonathan" OR name:"johnathan"
Scope text to the resume only by selecting the Resume chip beneath the search bar - restricts matches to parsed resume text, not notes or other fields.
| Role | Who gets it | Core rights |
|---|---|---|
| Super Admin | Platform owners / TA Lead / Key setup member (2–4 max) | All configuration + Visual Insights builder + Integrations |
| Admin | Senior/Mid TA | Pipelines, templates, offers, requisitions; view dashboards |
| Team Member | Coordinator, Sourcer, Intern | Schedule, move candidates, manage tags; limited settings |
| Limited Team Member | Hiring Manager / Head of Department | Act on own postings; give feedback; create/edit requisitions (optional) |
| Gradion Interviewer | Panelists | Submit scorecards; no pipeline browsing |
Sensitive permissions
- Sensitive Information Privileges: Enable only for TA Lead, PIC, TA, and compensation approvers. Covers offers/compensation, background/EEO, and other sensitive fields.
- Bulk import candidates: Enable only for TA practitioners who run CSV imports or migrations. All others should have this set to OFF.
Shared Drive
Complete map of the TA shared drive - 15 folders, naming conventions, direct links to key templates, and guidelines for keeping the drive organised.
⚠️ Common Drive mistakes
Folder Structure at a Glance
15 folders| Subfolder | What's inside |
|---|---|
| 01. Hiring Process | End-to-end recruitment process document; Hiring Request Form (response sheet); Resource Request Form for Hiring Managers |
| 02. Onboarding Process | Employee Onboarding Guidelines; Newcomer Satisfaction Survey; country-specific onboarding checklists (EG / SG / TH / VN); global Joining & Last Working Date tracker; HR Training Tracking |
| 03. Offboarding Process | 2025 Offboarding Checklist |
| Subfolder | What's inside |
|---|---|
| 00. Recruitment Handbook | TA newcomer process guide; competitor overview; miscellaneous team reference docs |
| 01. Job Posting | Job Post Tracking sheet; job sites reference for Germany; TA Asset Management tracker |
| 02. CV Formatting | CV sample and editable template (2025); CV updating guideline (2026); Employee Profile Update form and responses |
| 03. HR Phone Screen | Hiring for Potential framework, forms, and scoring sheet; PM matrix for HR screen; English proficiency assessment guide and scoring metrics (CEFR) |
| 04. ATS Usage - Lever | Lever tutorial videos (intro, creating jobs, creating requisitions); Lever guidelines for TA and Hiring Managers; Lever setup checklist |
| 05. Employee Guidebook | Current Employee Guidebook (2025); TA-specific onboarding guideline (2026) |
| 06. Performance Review for TA | TA performance review metrics and template (2024); KPI tracker for probation period |
| 07. Visa & Work Permit | Document checklist for work permit applications; full Visa & Work Permit checklist |
| Document | What's inside |
|---|---|
| Personal data processing agreement | Agreement with ITviec on candidate personal data handling |
| Personal Data Protection Policy | Gradion's policy under Decree 13 (2025) |
| Employee Referral Policy | NFQ Vietnam employee referral program policy |
- Non-tech JDs
- Tech JDs
- Company Introduction & Benefit Script (for recruitment use)
- Hiring for Potential JD subfolder
| Subfolder | What's inside |
|---|---|
| 01. Template / 2025 Current | Standard Reference Check form to use - the active template |
| 01. Template / Before 2025 Archived | Older versions - for reference only |
| 02. Candidate Ref Check | Completed reference checks, organised by year (2025 and before) |
| Subfolder | What's inside |
|---|---|
| 01. Feedback Form | ~525 individual interview feedback files (one per candidate) |
| 02. Offer | Offer letter templates for 2025 (7 templates in .pptx) |
| 03. Salary | Salary Conversion Tools for 2025 and 2026 (Vietnam & Thailand); Gradion Vietnam Salary Range |
| 04. Documents (Expat) | Materials for expat candidate cases |
| Subfolder | What's inside |
|---|---|
| LinkedIn 2025 | Invoices, order forms, and contracts |
| ITviec Historical | Historical vendor documents |
| VietnamWorks 2025 | 2025 vendor documents |
| Subfolder | What's inside |
|---|---|
| 2025 Active | Active contracts with Celebrate2 |
| 2024 & earlier Archived | Past agency contracts - for reference only |
| Subfolder | What's inside |
|---|---|
| 03. ATS / Lever | 2025 Lever invoice, order form, and quotation |
| 04. Test System | Research on AI phone screen tools (Lantern AI); historical HackerRank documents |
| Subfolder | What's inside |
|---|---|
| 00. All about Thailand | Thailand-specific hiring docs, salary references, contracts |
| 01. Job Descriptions | JDs for Thailand, Indonesia, Germany, and Saudi Arabia roles |
| 02. Employee CV | Employee CVs from Germany and Indonesia |
| 03. Candidate CV | Candidate CVs across all international markets |
AI Projects
11 AI-powered tools built for the TA team - CV screener, feedback generator, interview dashboard, market intelligence, and more. Built in-house, used daily.
⚠️ Common AI tools mistakes
Quick Reference
11 tools| 01 | Gradion TA Dashboard | Web App | Real-time pipeline visibility & team metrics |
| 02 | Post-Interview Feedback Generator | Claude Skill | Faster, structured feedback documentation |
| 03 | Gradion CV Reviewer | Claude Skill | Scalable CV screening |
| 04 | Phone Screen Interview - Question List | Claude Skill | Consistent, role-specific screening |
| 05 | G-SnapRep - Text Expanding Tool | Browser Tool | Eliminate repetitive typing |
| 06 | Gradion CV Formatter | Claude Skill | Standardised candidate presentation |
| 07 | Gradion JD Optimizer | Claude Skill | Better job descriptions, faster |
| 08 | Automatic CV Upload Tool | GAS Automation | Zero-touch CV filing |
| 09 | Market Intelligence Report Generator | Claude Skill | Data-backed salary benchmarking |
| 10 | Automated Onboarding Session | GAS Automation | Auto-scheduled welcome meetings |
| 11 | Lever Guideline | HTML Reference | Fast ATS onboarding for new TAs |
The central command centre for the TA team. Pulls live data from Lever every day at 8am and presents it as an interactive dashboard with charts, tables, and alerts.
- See the full pipeline at a glance - open reqs, blockers, and priority order without logging into Lever
- Track where each req is stuck and who owns the next action
- Monitor recruiter performance: processing time, delivery rates, co-recruiter attribution
- Understand sourcing quality and time-to-hire trends across roles
- Receive a 5:30pm Slack digest summarising team progress with @mentions
- Get an automatic hire report 2 hours after any offer is accepted
- Catch stale reqs and unassigned roles early via automated alerts
Turns rough notes from an interview into a structured, professional feedback summary - ready to add to Lever or share with the hiring manager.
- Convert bullet-point notes into a clean written assessment
- Speed up the feedback loop between interview and hiring manager decision
- Maintain a professional record for every candidate, even during high-volume periods
Screens a CV against a job description and surfaces a clear recommendation with reasoning - applying Gradion's hiring criteria automatically.
- Prioritise which CVs to read first when a role gets a large inbound volume
- Get a consistent first-pass assessment that doesn't vary by reviewer or time of day
- Identify gaps or red flags in a CV before the phone screen
- Reduce time spent on candidates who clearly don't meet minimum requirements
Generates a structured set of phone screening questions tailored to a specific role and seniority level, with guidance on what to probe for in each answer.
- Walk into every phone screen with a prepared, role-relevant question set
- Maintain consistency across different recruiters screening for the same role
- Reduce screening time by asking the right questions first
Type a short keyword and it instantly expands into a full message or template. Think of it as autocomplete for every recruitment communication.
- Send offer emails, rejections, invites, and follow-ups in seconds
- Keep all team communications consistent in tone and content
- Build a shared library of approved templates the whole team can use
Takes a candidate's raw CV in any format and reformats it to Gradion's standardised template, ready to share with a hiring manager or client.
- Present every candidate in a consistent, professional format regardless of how their original CV looked
- Remove personal information or formatting inconsistencies before sharing
- Ensure the hiring manager focuses on the candidate's content, not their CV design choices
Reviews and rewrites job descriptions to improve clarity, reduce bias, and align with what candidates actually respond to - while keeping Gradion's tone and structure.
- Catch language that discourages qualified candidates from applying (e.g., overloaded requirements lists)
- Ensure JDs follow Gradion's approved structure and branding
- Speed up the JD review and approval cycle
Automates uploading and filing candidate CVs into the correct Drive folder, linked to the right role and pipeline stage.
- Keep candidate documents organised and findable without any admin overhead
- Ensure every candidate in Lever has their CV accessible in Drive automatically
- Track upload status for each candidate in a simple Google Sheet
Generates structured salary benchmarking and market intelligence reports for specific roles and locations, drawing on available market data.
- Build a salary range recommendation for a new role in minutes instead of hours
- Produce a data-backed report to align with hiring managers on compensation expectations
- Support offer negotiations with evidence rather than gut feel
Monitors incoming HR confirmation emails and automatically schedules onboarding calendar events for new hires - no manual calendar work required.
A two-tab, task-focused guide to using Lever ATS, written specifically for Gradion's workflow. Built as a standalone HTML file - no login or internet needed.
- Creating requisitions
- Posting jobs
- Managing the candidate pipeline
- Scheduling interviews
- Leaving feedback
- Extended procedures
- Edge cases
- Give new TA team members a practical Day 1 reference without needing a live training session
- Provide a consistent reference so different team members use Lever the same way
- Onboard contractors or temporary support staff without a dedicated training session
- 01 TA Dashboard gives visibility into everything flowing through the pipeline - it is the single source of truth.
- 07 JD Optimizer starts the pipeline off right, with better job postings that attract stronger candidates.
- 03 CV Reviewer and 06 CV Formatter handle inbound volume efficiently and prepare candidates for internal sharing.
- 08 Automatic CV Upload keeps Drive organised without any manual effort.
- 04 Phone Screen Question List and 05 G-SnapRep make the screening stage faster and more consistent.
- 02 Post-Interview Feedback Generator speeds up the decision-making cycle after interviews.
- 09 Market Intelligence and 05 G-SnapRep support the offer stage with data and speed.
- 10 Automated Onboarding closes the loop once an offer is accepted.
- 11 Lever Guideline ensures the whole team uses the ATS correctly, so the data feeding the Dashboard is reliable.
| Layer | Technology |
|---|---|
| AI Skills | Claude (Anthropic) |
| Automation | Google Apps Script (GAS) |
| Dashboard UI | Vanilla JS, HTML/CSS, Chart.js, PapaParse |
| ATS | Lever API v2 |
| Messaging | Slack Webhooks |
| Storage & Collaboration | Google Workspace (Sheets, Drive, Calendar, Gmail) |
| Text Expansion | G-SnapRep (browser-based) |