For many people in Ireland and around the world, 2009 was a pretty bad year, filled with financial turmoil and uncertainty. But while many people worried themselves sick, some, like Tom Hayes, looked to see where the seeds of recovery lay. In April 2009, Tom founded TalentTank.ie; a web portal which offers a completely new model for the process of recruitment in Ireland, and which continues to prosper as the grip of the recession begins to ease. TalentTank.ie recognises the fact that countless small business owners around the country are looking for employees, contractors and even business partners for start-up ventures.
However the current economic climate has created insecurity, which makes them hesitant to risk the stability of their business by hiring or contracting what might turn out to be the wrong person. So they hold off, and not only do they miss out on an injection of new skills and talents into their business (and the accompanying growth ) but the employment market continues to stagnate. On the flip side, we have a huge pool of talented individuals who are seeking employment, and who simply want an opportunity to prove their worth. TalentTank.ie offers a no-risk channel of introduction between these groups of people. The talent providers agree to work for free for a limited time in order to showcase their talents, and the talent seekers pay a small registration fee in order to search through the talent profiles. It’s much cheaper than hiring a recruitment agent, and it allows both sides of a potential partnership to size each other up before making a financial or contractual commitment.
The fact that anyone can post as a talent provider or talent seeker, from any business sector, makes this equally relevant to everyone – from accountants to yoga instructors! As Tom Hayes explains; “It is the small local Irish businesses that are going to get the economy moving. Only when the butcher, baker, and website maker begin to increase their revenue will we see a gradual reduction in the live register. TalentTank.ie has been set up to allow small business owners access talented individuals who can help them to grow their business.”
In the months since its launch, the number of people registered on the site has grown considerably, and recently the second generation of the site’s design was launched. TalentTank.ie has many satisfied users such as Michael McGinty of Harvard Innovations, who explains “Talent Tank is a great example of how we can make things happen, how we can think outside the box and develop new leaner ways of doing business. It allows talent providers the opportunity to control where their services can be offered, and it allows talent seekers the opportunity to be specifically selective in the people they choose to interview for work. Each gets a chance to get to know each other.
“TalentTank is an enabler for both, a tool to find the right position or person for a position.” In December 2009, the company won the Impact Media Elevate Award, and over the year ahead will be working closely with the agency to further develop the web portal, and to market the company both in Ireland and overseas; with an initial launch in London planned for the spring.
Ultimately, the message which shines through all of this is that in the midst of what may appear a pretty gloomy situation, there are still opportunities out there, ready to be developed by a passionate and driven individual. And not only has Tom Hayes benefited himself, but TalentTank.ie also has the potential to help many others take control of their lives and reverse their fortunes,” said Mr McGinty.
