Decisions

The decision to make a candidate an offer rests with the hiring manager (HM). Given the impact of a new team member on our direction as a team, however, it's a good idea to consult the hiring team before reaching any conclusions. This includes:

1. Collecting independent assessments at each stage of the interview process
2. Reviewing assessments and discussing divergent scores
3. Addressing both candidate strengths and areas of concern

This takes place in both team discussions (in wrap-up conversations following our ‣, for example) and 1:1 conversations (asynchronously, via Interview assessments, and in synchronous conversations between the HM and the hiring team).

We traditionally strive for consensus before any offers go out. As import as hiring is, our team comes first—and if follow-up exercises are needed to help build confidence around a candidate or help narrow down multiple finalists, we'll take the time to make it happen.

Offers

After a successful interview process, we next issue a provisional offer. At a minimum, our offer letter to the candidate should include:

• Job title: the candidate's future title (refer to our ‣ and relevant Creating Job Descriptions )
• Compensation: a competitive, position-appropriate mix of salary and equity
• Start date: ****an agreed-upon start date
• Reporting structure: ****the candidate's future manager (also responsible for onboarding)
• Contingencies: the reference checks, background checks, and any other contingencies that (however unlikely) could cause us to rescind the offer
• Offer expiration date: Out of consideration to other candidates' time, our offers generally expire within 10 business days.

Once a draft offer has been approved by Koan's leadership, set up time with the candidate to discuss the details and address open questions before issuing it for e-signature via HelloSign.

Diligence

An offer also signals the start of diligence. Our goal here is to make sure the candidate's past performance is aligned with our expectations and internal risk-management policies.

• Reference Checks: candidates should provide 2-3 professional references and the hiring manager should call them. At this stage, we're looking primarily to understand any past performance issues, plus gain insight on the employee's interests or working style that will help accelerate their success at Koan.
• Background checks: we contract with reputable 3rd parties (e.g. ClearChecks) to complete criminal background checks. The results are reviewed by the hiring manager and any concerns discussed with leadership prior to the start of employment