What strategies do you use to determine the right balance between hiring new talent and leveraging existing knowledge within your team?
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VP of Dataa month ago
In structuring my team, I have categorized it into several segments: data pipeline, data architecture and engineering, business engineering, visualization, AI, and data management. For the business engineering team, which interacts directly with business partners, I prefer individuals with domain expertise, usually from within the company. For technical roles like data engineering, I look for external hires with specific technical skills. For data governance and management, internal knowledge is invaluable due to their understanding of data classification and flow.To determine the balance between hiring new talent and leveraging existing knowledge, I consider the specific needs of each team segment. For instance, our current focus on LLM and AI, which are niche areas, necessitates hiring external experts. This structured approach helps in making informed decisions about when to hire externally and when to rely on internal talent.
During downsizing, data analytics teams are often the most impacted as they are seen as operational rather than strategic. To mitigate this, it’s crucial to position the data analytics team as innovation partners rather than just a reporting unit. This strategic alignment with business goals can help in justifying the need for both retaining existing talent and hiring new experts when necessary.
Chief Architect - Middle East & Türkiye in Softwarea month ago
The organization’s direction and strategy play a significant role in this decision. For instance, during downsizing, promoting internal mobility by encouraging transfers and promotions can leverage existing knowledge more effectively than hiring new talent. Cultural fit is another crucial factor; new hires may struggle to adapt to the organizational culture, especially during critical times in the fiscal year. Therefore, evaluating the timing and cultural readiness is essential to ensure smooth integration and effectiveness.VP of Dataa month ago
Another important strategy is to directly ask the team for their input. Regular one-on-one or group discussions can reveal gaps and areas where additional help is needed. This feedback can uncover new areas for investment and help in deciding whether to hire new talent or leverage existing team members.VP of Data13 days ago
In my industry experience leading Data & Analytics team at enterprise level, there exist three kind of knowledge:1. Domain.
2. Technical
3. Story teller (i.e Marketer of what team is doing , its impact and value).
At times when there is a requirement to hire new talent , i take following strategy
1. Domain : Always try to get someone within the organization who knows the stuff.
2. Technical : I tend to hire new talent because this data ecosystem is dynamic and changing daily.
3. Story teller : Again i tend to hire from within.
Moreover, domain knowledge is critical, especially for senior team members who may need to catch up with technological advancements. Knowledge transfer sessions and a well-maintained knowledge base are essential. We use a classroom automation product to record and document key discussions, creating knowledge-based articles that facilitate this process. Given the high iteration rates in the data, analytics, and AI sectors, this strategy has been effective.