How can a decentralized talent pool solve one of the biggest problems of Web3?

Web3 represents a paradigm shift in how the world transacts, works and collaborates. In a decentralized, trustless network, individuals own their data and contribute to an equitable digital economy. Although promising in concept, perhaps the most exciting part about this space is the fact that the majority of it is yet to be defined. Therefore, the individuals building the Web3 environment truly hold the power to shape the future.

Unfortunately, while Web3 startups are opening the door to new jobs and talented individuals have the skills to bring these roadmaps to fruition, the hiring and selection process is riddled with challenges. For companies, the talent pool of hires with the right experience and desired skill sets exists only across several close-knit communities. Therefore, recruiters who don’t have access to these communities often have difficulty filling the gaps. What’s more, almost a quarter of Web3 talent came through recommendations and only 6% applied through a job posting based on recent survey data.

A secondary problem becomes evident in the larger context of sourcing talent, as finding the right individual is time-consuming, often taking weeks or even months. As a result, any time a new position opens up, a major investment needs to be made on behalf of the company.

Finally, even when recruiters do manage to identify talented individuals, they may find that the best candidates are already employed and not actively looking for a new job. This can be frustrating for companies eager to hire the best possible talent for their Web3 project. Despite this problem becoming more apparent, recruitment remains one of the industry’s biggest problems and least researched areas.

Just one introduction away

Fortunately, a new model is being introduced to the world of Web3. Rather than a traditional recruiter–candidate relationship, Web3-inspired platforms are looking at capturing value from exclusive communities and one’s personal network by leveraging the power of introductions.

Under this model, employers can post job opportunities, set rewards for successful hires and access a steady flow of pre-vetted, high-quality candidates passionate about their mission and careers. This is possible thanks to 'introducers', which include recruiters, communities and education providers who can monetize their audience by sharing jobs with their followers and community members.

There are lots of benefits for professionals, too. They can explore and apply to any Web3 job, grant or hackathon in one click while leveraging their reputation to access exclusive deals and events.

Introductions always were the best source of great deals and opportunities. Creating an open market for introductions allows people and communities to monetize their network in a genuine, positive-sum way.

Introducers become the game changer

Bringing this new concept to life is intropia, a next-generation recruitment platform that connects Web3 employers with talent through a network of introducers. The founding team has extensive experience in Web3 growth and recruitment from bzntm.com and frontrunnrs.xyz. Building teams for companies like Zerion, xDeFI and Unizen, they saw a huge opportunity for a recruitment platform that is centered around introductions, as the best-known talent source.

Max Uper, the founder of Intropia related:

“Introductions are, and always were, the best source of meaningful connections and game-changing deals. Professionals in Web3, especially those holding senior positions, are not using job boards or waiting for your DM on LinkedIn. This doesn’t mean they are happy with their job or aren’t open to your offer if it’s been shared by their friend or favorite influencer. Sometimes, you are just one introduction away.”

In practice, recruiters can post a job with a recommended reward for successful hiring, and Intropia notifies “introducers” about the new opportunity. Interested introducers are distributing this job across various communities, social accounts and private messages. Within 48 hours, recruiters receive the first candidates carefully pre-screened by Intropia's internal recruitment team.