Unpopular opinion: We're too focused on Toronto and Vancouver for fintech talent

My startup in Calgary spent 8 months trying to hire senior devs from Ontario. We got zero offers. A mentor from Edmonton told me 'You're fishing in a pond everyone else is draining.' So we looked at local grads from SAIT and UCalgary. Hired two in 3 weeks for 20% less than our Toronto budget. They're amazing. But now I'm torn. Is building a local talent pool in smaller cities the real key, or do you still need the big market buzz to attract serious investment? What's your take on where to build a team?

3 comments

3 Comments

robinf513d ago

A friend's company in Saskatoon tried the same thing with remote hires from big cities. They had way more luck building up junior talent from the local college. Investors cared more about their growth numbers than their office zip code.

burns.jenny3d ago

From my own experience, you can train local grads on the specific skills you need.

jamie_carter873d ago

But what if the talent you need isn't at the local college? In my view, @robinf51, remote hiring lets you find the exact skills to hit those growth numbers faster, no matter where people live. Limiting your search to one city can really slow you down.