How Equinix decreased their time to hire

How a Single Click Connected an Engineer to His Dream Job

Derrick Espinoza has been fascinated by electricity for as long as he can remember. He still fondly recalls his third-grade science fair project: illuminating a light bulb with a battery. “Other kids wanted to grow up to be basketball or baseball players,” Derrick said, “but I always knew I wanted to be an electrical engineer.”

And today, that’s exactly what he is. Derrick was recently hired as an electrical engineer at Equinix, the world’s leading colocation data center provider based in Redwood City, California. “It’s my dream job,” Derrick said.

Todd Frey, the senior recruiter who hired Derrick, sometimes describes Equinix as one of “the landlords of the Internet.” The company, which owns and operates data centers around the world, counts companies like Amazon, Google, Facebook, and Snapchat among its clientele.

What’s so remarkable about this story (aside from the fulfillment of a childhood dream) is that Derrick never finished applying for the job—at least, not in the traditional way.

“It was kind of amazing how easy it was. It totally removed all the stress of refining my resume over and over."

Signaling Interest with One Button

Like many of the most talented workers, Derrick was a so-called “passive candidate,” happily working full-time as a field engineer before joining Equinix. While his commute was several hours, it was work he genuinely enjoyed. “I wasn’t actively looking for something new,” he admitted. “I was open to something new, but I wasn’t really in the job market.”

After a particularly exhausting commute, Derrick searched for electrical engineering jobs on LinkedIn and found the Equinix position. When he clicked the link to “Apply on Company Website,” he was given the option to share his full LinkedIn profile with Equinix before being sent to the company’s website.

Derrick didn’t end up finishing the formal application, but Todd saw he had started thanks to Apply Starters—a new Jobs feature that gives employers access to the roughly three-out-of-four candidates who stop short of completing an application.

Todd reached out, and within two weeks, Derrick had his first in-person interview—and was hired in less than a month. “It was kind of amazing how easy it was,” shared Derrick. “It totally removed all the stress of refining my resume for a new position. I knew my profile was polished and reflected all my hard work—I was just surprised it was as simple as clicking that button.”

of candidates abandon applications on career sites.

Expanding the Pool of Qualified Candidates

For recruiters like Todd, Apply Starters grants entry into a wider world of interested talent—an invaluable asset when trying to fill highly skilled positions. “Recruiting quality candidates for a specialized role like Derrick’s is so much harder,” said Todd. “You’re looking for that purple unicorn.”

Equinix hired over 1,100 people in 2016, and Todd sees Apply Starters as a game-changing tool going forward. “It’s a great way to get a hold of people who are curious or on the fence,” Todd shared. “Maybe they’re busy, or having a rough day, or something suddenly came up as they were applying. You don’t want to miss the perfect person just because they didn’t finish an application. Now we know who demonstrated interest, and if they look promising, a recruiter can reach out and start a conversation.”

“You don’t want to miss the perfect person just because they didn’t finish an application.”

Derrick couldn’t be happier that he sparked that connection with an offhand click. “Working as an electrical engineer for Equinix is a dream come true,” he said.

He encourages other passive candidates to give it a try, even if they feel unsure. “You never know where your skills might be needed. You could end up at a great company, like I did.”