The staffing industry is constantly evolving, with new technologies and strategies emerging to help companies find and attract top talent. In today’s fast-paced and competitive job market, companies face a growing challenge in finding the right people to fill vital roles in the technology and healthcare sectors.

Against this backdrop, SkillGigs, Inc. has emerged as a leading player in the talent marketplace, connecting job seekers with opportunities in these high-demand fields. The company’s innovative approach is revolutionizing how companies find and hire the best talent, and is poised to have a major impact on the industry as a whole. Kashif Aftab, CEO & Founder of SkillGigs, spoke with the CEOViews team to share the company’s story.

Inception story

Kashif Aftab previously worked at a traditional staffing company. The company had a large database of candidates, but it was an inefficient process requiring recruiters to call, email, and text candidates. Often, they still couldn’t find the right fits for job openings when they needed them. This often resulted in frustrated clients, particularly in the healthcare industry, where jobs needed to be filled urgently.

Kashif realized that their existing systems were not equipped to handle the just-in-buying process of the 21st century, and decided to go out on his own and build an online talent marketplace, SkillGigs. The platform allows employers and job candidates to interact directly while fulfilling all regulatory and safety requirements. This is known as direct sourcing, which is what SkillGigs provides to its employer partners.

Journey

SkillGigs Inc. is now recognized as one of the “Innovative companies to watch in 2023”. Speaking about how their journey has been, Kashif said, “We have seen exponential year-over-year growth the last few years. This was the result of a variety of factors, including the staffing and supply chain issues provoked by the Covid-19 pandemic. However, we had grown incredibly quickly even before the pandemic. We see this as a testament to how necessary our technology is, as well as how hungry companies are for a more disruptive, direct staffing solution. The greatest metric that reflects the impact of SkillGigs’ innovations is our revenue growth. In 2022, SkillGigs saw 400% year-over-year revenue growth and 300% compound annual growth rate (CAGR)”.

What it does

SkillGigs uses its patented 3D Resume algorithms to help job candidates build skill listings that effectively showcase their abilities and experience to potential employers. The platform also offers personalized job openings to candidates based on their interactions with the platform. Candidates with completed profiles on SkillGigs are more likely to have their information viewed by employers and receive interview requests.

The platform also features a bidding system, allowing for bidirectional negotiations and transparency in compensation discussions. This system is well-received by both employers and job candidates, with candidates being five times more responsive to job opportunities that include a compensation bid. In summary, SkillGigs helps job candidates market their skills effectively, be selective about job opportunities, and negotiate fair compensation directly with employers while providing employers access to ready-to-go talent that is well-matched and backed with enriched data.

What’s in it for employers

Employers using SkillGigs have direct access to active job seekers looking for contract work and do not need a third-party agency to make a connection. The talent pool is constantly refreshed with pre-screened engaged candidates. Employers can see accurate data on market compensation and submit pay bids directly, shortening the interview process. Candidates have already indicated an interest in the position, eliminating the need for recruiters to call or text into an outdated database.

Standing out from the competition

SkillGigs’ biggest differentiator is their patented 3D Resume technology. Instead of a traditional “2D” resume that just lists your job history chronologically without much detail, the 3D resume is skills-forward and stands out much more to employers as it provides a visual brand for talent. The company’s proprietary AI algorithms use these skills to match talent with job postings and send them opportunities that might be a good fit.

SkillGigs prompts new candidates to create a skill listing and choose a specific job title. They can also specify the type of job they are looking for, whether it is a contract, permanent, or corp-to-corp placement. The platform allows candidates to set a desired salary and hourly rate and has complete transparency. It also includes a bidding functionality for direct communication between employer and candidate, where both can initiate bids. Candidates can personalize their results by adding skill listings, specialties, and locations they would like to work in. It is also a one-stop shop for credentialing, allowing candidates to upload necessary credentials to speed up the hiring process.

SkillGigs uses its patented 3D Resume algorithms to help job candidates build skill listings that effectively showcase their abilities and experience to potential employers.

Role of AI

SkillGig’s AI technology does the heavy lifting by matching job candidates’ skill listings to job openings, so employers don’t have to do any guesswork to see if a candidate might be a good fit. Their proprietary algorithm learns from a candidate’s preferences for jobs, delivering them more personalized, tailored job openings based on their interests the more they interact with the platform. AI also helps employers and workers make sense of pay data and understand what certain skills are worth. This takes a lot of the mystery out of salary negotiations!

Future trends

Kashif feels that direct sourcing is the future, and the future of work is now. The difference between a direct sourcing talent platform like SkillGigs and a traditional job board or recruiting firm is that the former is built on the principle of intelligent matching and bases all matches on skill concentration. The right direct sourcing partner will help you build a skill density requirement for every position and use AI to assess every job candidate’s personal experience with that skill before even presenting them with the job opening.

SkillGigs prompts new candidates to create a skill listing and choose a specific job title.

Closing his remarks, Kashif advised his peers in the industry to hire the right people from the start and not be afraid to innovate in spaces that are stagnating while working effectively with established players in the space.