Talent Network: How to Acquire the Best IT Candidates

An efficiently operating talent network is a guarantee that every project will be completed, regardless of its specifics, while maintaining above-average performance and quality. More and more companies are becoming convinced of the phenomenon of the Talent Network strategy and are trying to implement these solutions in their own organizations. What exactly is a Talent Network, and how do you build a network that provides immense potential for IT business growth?    

What is a Talent Network and how does it work?

What exactly is a Talent Network? It is a concept that may only be taking its first steps in Poland, but it is enjoying success and dynamic growth abroad. A talent network is a strategy where every IT company maintains a pool of specialists in every field necessary to execute even the most complex projects. The IT talent gap is a challenge that almost every organization involved in modern technology must face. While finding an employee with relatively universal programming skills may not be a very difficult task, many projects require a different set of competencies—software engineering, people who know ML or AI technology inside out, or individuals in leadership positions with experience in managing large projects. When an exceptionally complex order arises, finding experts in the desired fields can be extremely expensive and, just as importantly, time-consuming. Talent Network is the answer to such challenges. People in the talent network will be matched to the specifics of each project and will provide added value to any team from day one, whether they stay permanently or only for the duration of a specific project. However, a Talent Network is not just about IT market experts. It also involves innovative automation technologies that effectively relieve employees of the most tedious tasks.

Building a candidate database – how to start?

Every Talent Network is based on a highly advanced candidate database. It is the personnel—human resources ready to take on tasks related to our project—that are the backbone of every talent network. Therefore, if we want to arrange the Talent Network concept in our company, we must first create a solid candidate database. Opening multiple recruitment processes, with candidate profiles tailored to our needs, will be a great start. However, if the HR department in our company is not sufficiently developed or we are concerned about the increased costs of such recruitment, we can just as well outsource it to specialists in the IT recruitment industry. This is an ideal alternative that will ensure a constant influx of highly specialized IT experts with exactly the competencies we need for a given project. In the process of building a candidate database, dedicated supporting software is also useful—a system that guarantees quick access to candidates based on their competencies. Modern systems are also enriched with automation elements—sending emails, scheduling meetings, and much more. A single investment in a recruitment system will provide long-term savings and allow HR employees to unleash their potential, as they can spend that time actively searching for entirely new candidates.

Which candidates should you pay special attention to?

Which specialists are perfect for our talent network? This is, of course, a question with no single correct answer. Everything depends on what projects we have historically carried out and what projects we want to take on in the near future. However, a Talent Network should not be limited to just one candidate profile. The concept of a talent network clearly points to the diversification of competencies as the key to achieving a proper competitive advantage in the market. However, there are candidates who can have a particularly attractive impact on the quality of our entire talent base. These are primarily people with rare but desirable competencies. Machine Learning, Cloud Computing, Cybersecurity, project management experience, Scrum Masters—these are people who may not be suitable for employment and the use of their skills at this particular moment, but who may prove essential in a few years to even start a project. Let us also not forget about candidates who do not currently possess highly advanced skills but are still developing their abilities. In a few years, they will be the backbone of the entire industry, and we, as a company oriented toward profit and business growth, cannot afford to ignore them.

What are the advantages of a Talent Network?

A Talent Network is a strategy that reveals incredible benefits in the long run. First and foremost, it significantly shortens the time required to recruit new specialists with rare and highly needed skills. We do not have to conduct long and costly recruitment processes—the right candidates are already part of the talent network, and it is up to us whether we want to acquire them permanently or include them in a project only for a certain period. Talent Management also provides enormous flexibility in the process of managing employees, delegating them when they are needed less, and re-engaging them at 100% in a project where they will play a significant role. Here again, we see the benefit of cost optimization, as well as an increase in employee satisfaction, as they are constantly involved in new, interesting projects. In practice, a Talent Network is the future of the IT industry—an industry that is reporting an increasing demand for specialized employees. If the Talent Network develops, our company will also develop, and with it, the entire IT market, following the latest trends in modern IT recruitment methods.