Solution Heaven

You can’t always find top talent, and if you do, your labor costs go through the roof.So how do you keep these costs in line, and still get the expertise you need? Start by checking out these non-traditional sources of talent:

1. Accounting firms. The bigger players always have capable people who just won’t become a partner in the firm, for whatever reason. For those with a technical aptitude, a career in this industry can be an attractive alternative. And, they already have excellent professional credentials.

2. Big-name consulting firms. Being a consultant in these organizations often requires extensive travel, which gets to be very tiring and stressful, for the individual as well as their families. Many will seriously consider a position that allows them to stay closer to home. Plus, they’ve already proven their ability to deal successfully with clients and generate billings.

3. Non-Microsoft competitors. Consultants who work for resellers of competing products already come with the skills you need, and can easily adapt to installing Microsoft Dynamics solutions. Recent events at Sage, for example, could make this kind of recruiting particularly timely. Remember, all our interests are best served when we fish in ponds other than those we’ve already laid claim to.

4. Industry professionals. Senior operations people in industries you serve come with a wealth of practical knowledge, and a deep understanding of how their industry works. Those with a technical aptitude can readily be taught the bits and bytes. Additionally, these people come with a network of key contacts that could represent a prime opportunity for you to pick up new customers.

5. Colleges. Although the development requirements are greater, colleges can be an excellent place to recruit new resources. Although students lack practical experience in the business, they are absolutely current in terms of their knowledge of programming languages and the like.

6. Software or hardware development companies. This can be a particularly attractive location to look for trainers, technical writers, project managers, and developers. Don’t pass up the opportunity to hire experienced talent, though, if it presents itself. In fact, the best results come when you adopt a “continuous recruiting” mindset and a balanced approach to your staffing mix. Run regular ads for consultants. Interview all interesting candidates. Keep your “talent pipeline” as full as your sales funnel. Otherwise, you risk a capacity crunch that damages not only your reputation but your bottom line. Balancing seasoned professionals with non-traditional and cheaper resources is a sure path to increased capacity and lower labor costs.

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