Jon and Anna walk through Sagan's dramatic talent pool transformation. From clunky PDFs to a sophisticated searchable platform, they’re demonstrating what modern internal software development looks like in the AI era.
The original concept, simply, is that candidates who didn't get hired were already vetted, interviewed, and qualified. Rather than let this "sawdust" go to waste, Sagan created a talent pool where members could hire these candidates for free.
One member has made over 20 hires this way!
But the initial execution was rough. PDFs scattered across Google Drive, static posts in Circle, and no way to search or filter. Members were frustrated. They wanted searchability, confirmed availability, and a seamless experience integrated directly into their member portal.
The new platform solves these pain points systematically. Real-time availability confirmation prevents candidates from expiring before members can act. Advanced search filters by country, skills, and specific software. A "reserved" function prevents the talent auction problem, which is when multiple members request the same candidate, driving up rates and creating chaos.
Anna's key lesson from managing this project resonates beyond Sagan: you need to be specific about what you want, but don't let perfect planning paralyze you.
The first draft enables iteration. Once you see a prototype, feedback becomes concrete rather than abstract.
Sagan's development philosophy is "make it exist, then make it good." The platform will continue evolving with features like talent drops, personalized notifications, and specialized alerts.
Future additions might include: notify me when you add a CSR from South America, or alert me to full-stack developers under a certain rate.
This isn't just about hiring. It's about building internal software quickly using AI coding tools, getting feedback fast, and iterating relentlessly.
KEY TOPICS: (01:34) The Talent Pool Concept: Turning Interview "Sawdust" Into Value (04:10) Problems Being Solved: Availability, Searchability, Integration (08:22) Full Candidate Profiles: Video, Resume, Interview Q&A (10:01) Lessons from Developing the Talent Pool (11:22) Make It Exist, Then Make It Good
Stay connected for more insights and strategies by following: Jon: @MatznerJon on X and at lazyleverage.beehiiv.com Peter: @pslohmann on X and at peterlohmann.com
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