The Art and Science of Recruiting Top Tech Talent
With Amir Rasool from Orion Technologies
In my ongoing season of Deep Pockets podcast, I talk to interesting people I meet randomly either through work, books, or in events.
For this week’s episode, I sat down with Amir Rasool from the Orion Group. Amir has set up a team within Orion that will focus on recruiting talent within the nascent quantum industry.
How does recruiting in AI differ from recruiting in biotech, or quantum? Who is currently hiring, startups, corporations, or the academia? Will deeptech founders ever use professional recruiting companies? Any differences between North America and Europe?
Amir, a recruitment consultant with over 25 years of experience, specializes in finding talents in the quantum technology field. He has transitioned from recruiting for IBM mainframes and Oracle databases to focusing on data science, machine learning, AI, and now quantum computing.
Amir discusses the intersection of quantum technology and biotech, two fields where the exploration and problem-solving aspects have potential to revolutionize industries, particularly when combined with AI.
The quantum industry is still a relatively small, interconnected community. Many companies already have established networks and don't always see the need for external recruitment help. However, larger companies with substantial funding are beginning to build their own deeptech divisions, increasing demand for talent. There is a growing need for quantum specialists in major companies in energy, finance, transportation or pharmaceuticals. These companies are investing heavily in quantum technology, which will drive up salaries and competition for talent. However, the limited pipeline of qualified candidates is a challenge for everyone in the industry.
Amir emphasizes the importance of startups focusing on their core technology and outsourcing recruitment to specialists. He works with startups to handle their HR and recruitment needs, allowing them to concentrate on their technological developments. He also collaborates with investors to help them understand the importance of talent acquisition in growing their portfolio companies.
The art and the science lie in advice on market analysis, salary segmentation, and attracting qualified candidates with a strong value proposition to compete with other hiring companies.
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