Fuel Growth and Attract Top Talent

In the competitive world of software development, finding and retaining top talent can be a challenge. In this blog post, we'll delve deeper into the successful partnership between IseeQ, the international IT recruitment agency, and World of Books Hungary, part of World of Books Group. Over the past three years, IseeQ has played a crucial role in helping the company grow their development team and thrive in an increasingly competitive market.

A Bit About World of Books Hungary:

World of Books, a certified B-Corp is a prominent global seller of pre-owned books, focusing on sustainability and making literature accessible, while promoting their core values: Responsibility, Action and Pioneering. Established in the early 2000s, the company offers millions of books across various genres, and also launched it’s own charity recently. By reselling used books, the company supports waste reduction and resource conservation, making it a popular choice for eco-conscious readers seeking affordable options. The local office established by chance when the English parent company started working with a software development company in Pécs, Hungary, World of Books Hungary now serves as the software development team for the entire group. With 65 employees and a commitment to carbon-neutrality and waste reduction, the Hungarian entity is a proud part of the global World of Books family.

The Recruitment Journey:

As the company experienced growth, the demand for more developers and technical staff arose. To effectively address their hiring needs, they partnered with IseeQ, leveraging their expertise in recruitment to find the right talent. Since the beginning of their partnership, the recruitment agency has been able to provide both quality and quantity when it comes to recruiting new talent for them. From Java developers to Engineering Managers, they has been instrumental in finding the right candidates for various tech positions.

Zsófi Ungurán, the People Manager of World of Books Hungary for the past five years, has shaped the company's HR landscape, fostering a close-knit work environment. Leading a team of three, Zsófi and her colleagues handle a wide range of responsibilities, including office operations, financial management, recruitment, and HR tasks. Her dedication has made her an integral part of the organization.

She shared her thoughts on the partnership: “I think the first and most important thing is that we managed to establish a very good relationship between the two companies. I hope Gabor and the team will also say the same :)”

Gabor, the recruitment Team Lead from IseeQ also shared his perspective on the challenges faced by their partner: "They just started shifting to a remote-first model when we started working together and they had limited market intelligence and experience in identifying possible talent pools, little info about avg. compensation packages and candidate preferences. On top of that, this was their first biggest wave of scale-up hiring with no dedicated TA personnel on board. From the get-go, they were extremely transparent about the challenges they were facing and highly collaborative in figuring out an ideal way of working together."

Keys to Success:

So, what made this partnership work so well? Let's take a look at some of the key aspects:

1. Building strong relationships: IseeQ and World of Books Hungary have cultivated a solid and effective working relationship. This foundation allows the agency to understand the company's culture, expectations, and requirements for each role, which is invaluable when searching for the perfect candidate.

1. Comprehensive candidate information: IseeQ's pre-screening process offers detailed information about each candidate, making it easier for their partner to decide who to interview and saving time during the interview process.

Zsófi praised this aspect of cooperation, saying, "The fact that we get such a complex material about the candidates really serves as a good foundation for us."

1. High-quality candidates and tailored searches: The agency has consistently delivered high-quality candidates for its client, regardless of whether the company was looking to fill multiple positions or focus on key roles. Zsófi shared a success story of a tech lead they hired: "His CV might not have caught my eye on a job site, but I trusted IseeQ's instinct. During the first interview, it was clear he was a gem. His potential was evident, and we knew immediately that he was the one we wanted for the position. His addition to our team was a significant asset, truly a great catch for us."

1. Transparency with the candidates:  World of Books Hungary's flexible interview process is built on a strong foundation of open communication. "Our interviews have two rounds, one with HR to introduce the company and position, and a technical round with staff engineers who provide detailed information about the role. We make sure candidates have all the necessary information and feel comfortable making a decision." - as Zsofi described.

1. Balancing quality and quantity: Whether hiring for multiple positions or seeking the perfect fit for a key role, IseeQ consistently delivers both quality and quantity in their recruitment efforts.

Zsófi commented, “When we needed quantity, such as when we wanted to grow and hire 10-20 developers, we were able to get a lot of candidates from IseeQ. We were able to handle that really well, and it helped us to achieve our goals. However, when it comes to important and difficult positions where we have only one or two headcounts, I still think you are able to provide quality candidates.”

1. Tailored approach: The tailored approach to address World of Books Hungary's specific needs and requirements was one of the main reasons of success. By identifying key traits shared by their employees and core values of the organisation, the agency was able to quickly identify potential talent and exploit market opportunities. Their focus on feedback loops and continuous adjustment made their efforts even more effective.

1. Unique sourcing strategies: IseeQ employed a range of strategies to attract suitable candidates, such as targeting employees of companies in cities other than Pécs and Budapest and leveraging their strong value proposition. They also relied on recommendations, personal networks and utilised various databases to reach candidates with little to no online presence.

1. Continuous feedback loops: The recruitment agency and World of Books Hungary have maintained an open line of communication throughout their partnership, which has been crucial in refining their recruitment strategies. As Nelli, a senior consultant from IseeQ explained, "Feedback-loops are crucial, so we can adjust our approach often and fast."

1. Company culture and values alignment: During the recruitment process it was a priority to ensure that candidates not only have the required technical skills but also align with World of Books Hungary's company culture and values. Gabor from the agency elaborated: "During our conversations with the candidates, we put great emphasis on the values they shared with World of Books, making sure that a good cultural fit was a given from the beginning."

Conclusion:

The collaboration between World of Books Hungary and IseeQ has been a resounding success due to their mutual understanding, open communication, and ability to adapt to market changes. Both parties recognize the importance of working closely with each other, being open to suggestions, and treating one another as equal partners. This approach fosters a productive working relationship, promoting continuous improvement and ensuring that both parties can effectively adapt to the ever-changing business landscape.

By focusing on delivering high-quality candidates, tailored searches, and an adaptable interview process, they have built a strong foundation for continued growth and success in the IT development sector. Embracing this collaborative mindset, this partnership showcases the value of fruitful and long-lasting partnerships with recruitment agencies that understand a company's unique needs and are committed to helping them achieve their goals.