Behind the scenes – Tales of a tech talent specialist

Ever wondered what the work of a Talent Specialist at Thriv looks like? Let us take you on a ride filled with some of our adventures in the Thriv Talent Team, where everyday is a journey through a pool of thousands of unique and talented tech individuals.

Think of the Thriv Talent Team as the Sherlock Holmes of talent hunting, except instead of solving crimes, we're solving the mystery of matching the perfect talent with the perfect project. And trust us, it's a wild ride filled with unexpected twists and turns.But hey, amidst the chaos, there is a method to our madness. We're not just matching skills: we're matching personalities, passions and dreams.

Struggling to remember names? Not on our watch! We've elevated name recall to an art form. It's not just about knowing our talent’s availability or preferred tech stack. We're talking about remembering their quirky nicknames, creative CV styles, hobbies, the number of pets they have (and their names), and even where they traveled to on their vacation last summer. Yup, we're basically human encyclopedias with a knack for the absurdly specific.

Meeting talents of all kinds

Our daily grind involves meeting all kinds of personalities, each with their own delightful and amusing quirks. From the guy who accidentally joined a call sans pants to the pet lovers whose furry friends think keyboards are a cozy napping spot. We've got talents with pet cockatoos singing along to their debugging sessions, chinchilla owners trying to save their precious cables and equipment, green thumbs drowning in plants, and even secret artists who moonlight as dancers, composers, or sketch artists.

Oh, and let’s not forget the adrenaline junkies – rock climbers, skydivers, and motorcycle enthusiasts. And my personal favorites? It’s a tie, between that talent who’s living on a self-sustained French farm with donkeys, the talent who’s retirement plan is to open a non-profit bistro in a location no one will be able to find and the mushroom enthusiast who was more interested in swapping mushroom recipes and foraging locations than hearing about a new project opportunity.

We've got award-winning innovators, their heads full of ideas that could revolutionise the tech world. And then there are the first time freelancers, wide-eyed and bushy-tailed, asking questions faster than 5G can transfer data, excited for the world of possibilities in front of them. And let's not forget about the seasoned pros, the freelancing gurus who have seen it all and still manage to tackle every project with the enthusiasm of a rookie. We're lucky to have all of them in our corner and grateful for their trust.

All our talents are uniquely different but there is a common thread tying them together: the pursuit of independence and the entrepreneurial spirit. They’re here for "the future of work," and that's what keeps us fueled at Thriv – our motto, our vision.

Hunting for the match made in heaven

Now, onto the nitty-gritty: the hunt for the perfect talent-match. It's like searching for a needle in a haystack, but when you find it, oh, the triumph! We spend hours upon hours digging through CVs, tweaking and tailoring them to make sure each talent's skills really stand out. We dig deep, getting to know each talent's story and what makes them special. And when we finally make that perfect match, all the hard work pays off, and everyone walks away happy. It's these moments that make all the late nights and early mornings totally worth it.

Yet, there are also days when the universe seems to conspire against you. Clients ghosting faster than you can say "project", talents disappearing into thin air, and interviews that crash harder than a Windows operating system during a mandatory update (I’m a Windows user – I can joke/cry about it). It’s all part of the game, but we have learnt to dust ourselves off and keep at it, focusing on the next project and the learnings we got.

Nurturing dreams and shaping futures

And we know to expect the inevitable moments when it all pays off – the moment where a talent secures a project. It’s like a holiday for our tightly knit Thriv team and nothing compares to the feeling of breaking the happy news to our skilled tech people, signing the contracts and watching them go off into their new project. It's moments like these that remind us why we do what we do, keep us inspired and going, pushing hard, and advocating for our talent’s potential.

So, here’s to us – the matchmakers of the digital age navigating the tides of freelance matchmaking with a sprinkle of humor, and a whole lot of heart. Because in the end, it’s not just about finding the perfect match: it's about nurturing dreams and shaping futures, one tech talent at a time.

Interested in knowing how our core values guide our words and actions in all talent interactions? Check out this blog post.

Ready to cooperate with us and get closer to your dream project? Reach out to us and let's talk!