Category: Talent Solutions

Achieve Your L&D Goals with Staff Augmentation Strategies

by Jennifer Yaros

The modern workplace is a whirlwind of change, with new technologies constantly emerging, skill gaps widening, and employee expectations shifting. 

For L&D leaders and teams, keeping pace with this evolution is a constant challenge. Limited resources, tight budgets, evolving technology, and lack of in-house expertise can make it difficult to deliver impactful learning experiences that drive business results and ROI. As L&D leaders seek to keep up with these demands, staff augmentation strategies (also known as temporary staffing) are emerging as a valuable tool for accessing specialized expertise and accelerating learning and skilling initiatives.

Benefits of a Staff Augmentation Strategy for L&D

As an L&D leader, a staff augmentation strategy provides a flexible and efficient way to access the specialized skills you need, when you need them. Instead of navigating the complexities of hiring a full-time candidate, a specialized provider sources L&D experts for your team on a contract or project basis. These professionals integrate with your team and culture, empowering you to adapt to evolving demands and needs, scale your team to reflect shifting budgets and priorities, and ensure you have the expertise you need for every project. 

When to Implement a Temporary L&D Staffing Strategy

If you have any of the following goals for your L&D team, you just might have a case for a staff augmentation strategy: 

  • Enabling agile learning: A staff augmentation strategy allows you to quickly scale your team and adjust to changing budgets and priorities, helping you to deliver timely and relevant learning experiences.
  • Optimizing resources: A vendor-partner with a deep bench of experts can source high performers and right-size their engagement to come in when and where they’re needed, helping you maximize the resources you have.
  • Focusing on strategic initiatives: By leveraging external talent for specific tasks or projects, you free up your internal L&D team to focus on longer-term strategic initiatives.
  • Bridging the skills gap: To meet emerging technologies and evolving learner needs, we need specialists! A staff augmentation strategy helps you access the experts you need in high-demand areas like AI-powered platforms and tools, immersive learning, and LMS/LXP consulting.

Specialized Skills: A Temporary L&D Staffing Strategy

Staff augmentation strategies play a crucial role in L&D by providing access to cutting-edge expertise, accelerating the implementation of new learning strategies, enhancing learning experiences, and enabling data-driven optimization. By tapping into a network of L&D professionals with expertise in modern learning approaches, technologies, and methodologies, organizations can quickly implement new learning initiatives and programs. This expertise elevates the quality and impact of learning programs through specialized skills in instructional design, learning technologies, and content development. Furthermore, temporary staffing provides access to expertise in learning analytics and data analysis, allowing organizations to measure the effectiveness of their learning strategies and make data-driven improvements.


A Tale of Two Organizations: L&D Staff Augmentation in Action

Here’s how the need for temporary L&D staffing emerged for two organizations in two very different industries: 


Organization 1: AI Experts for Personalized Learning

The Situation

A multinational technology company wanted to offer personalized learning experiences for its global workforce. 

The Goal

Management’s goal was to provide each employee with content recommendations and learning paths tailored to their individual needs and goals. They envisioned using an AI-powered learning platform. However, the company’s internal L&D team was still developing their AI skills. They needed expert help to select and implement the right AI tools and develop effective AI-driven learning experiences. 

The Solution

To secure the AI expertise they needed, the company partnered with a staff augmentation provider to bring in a specialist in AI learning technology. This AI SME guided the company through the entire process, from selecting and integrating an AI-powered platform to designing personalized learning pathways and developing adaptive assessments. 

The Results

The company’s successful implementation of AI-powered learning helped to increase learner engagement, boost knowledge retention, and enhance skill development. Because the AI platform provides valuable learner data and insights, the L&D team uses these to continuously improve its learning programs and measure the impact of any updates. 

This example illustrates how a staff augmentation strategy can empower an organization to embrace leading-edge learning technologies to create more effective and personalized learning experiences for its workforce.

 

Organization 2: Compliance Training in a Hurry

The Situation

A large healthcare organization faced a sudden mandate to train all of its employees on new patient privacy regulations. 

The Goal

The organization’s internal L&D team was tied up with a leadership development training initiative, leaving them with limited bandwidth. The team also had limited experience with compliance training, making it even more challenging to pivot and change focus. With a strict deadline looming, the team needed a few good compliance training specialists who could develop effective training on a tight timeline.

The Solution

By partnering with a staff augmentation provider, the organization was able to quickly onboard a team of learning experience designers and developers who specialized in compliance training. These temporary team members rapidly assessed the new regulations, developed a curriculum delivered via engaging online modules, and leveraged existing resources to accelerate the training development and deployment process. 

The Results

These temporary team members allowed the organization to meet its compliance training deadline without diverting its internal L&D team from its focus on leadership development. Thus, the organization secured both its immediate compliance training needs and longer-term focus on strategic initiatives.


Characteristics of a Great L&D Staff Augmentation Partner 

Choosing the right staff augmentation partner is essential for success. While general staffing agencies can provide candidates for various roles, partnering with a provider who specializes in L&D offers distinct advantages:   

  • Deep Understanding of the L&D Landscape: L&D-focused providers possess in-depth knowledge of the learning and development industry, including emerging trends, technologies, and best practices. Because they do this work themselves, they can accurately assess your needs and match you with candidates who have the right skills and experience.
  • Curated Network of L&D Professionals: L&D staffing providers have a deep bench of qualified professionals, including instructional designers, eLearning developers, learning technologists, project managers, and facilitators. Leveraging their existing network saves you time and effort in recruiting temporary candidates with highly specialized skills.
  • Cultural Alignment: Experienced L&D-focused providers understand the nuances of your culture—of both your wider organization and your L&D team. They can help you find high performers who fit right in with your values, initiatives, and ways of working.
  • Industry Expertise: L&D staff augmentation providers serve multiple industries, which provides them with the insight they need to understand the unique challenges and opportunities within your sector (See “Organization 2: Compliance Training” for one example). Given their deep bench of experts, these providers will be able to connect you with candidates who have the right skill set.


Finding the One: Questions to Ask a Prospective Staff Augmentation Partner

When evaluating potential vendors, ask critical questions about:

  • The vetting process for L&D professionals: What is the vendor’s talent philosophy and interview strategy? How do they ensure their talent pool consists of high performers who possess the L&D and subject matter expertise you’re seeking?
  • Understanding of the evolving L&D landscape and your specific needs: How well does the vendor understand the latest L&D trends and technologies—and how do they ensure that their talent keep current with the rapid pace of change? 
  • Commitment to client success: What evidence can the vendor demonstrate of their communication practices, proactive problem-solving, and long-term staffing partnerships? Client testimonials, online reviews, and industry awards and Top 10 lists can help you identify high performers. 
  • Onboarding and ongoing support of temporary staff: A temporary placement isn’t a one-and-done event. What processes do they have in place to ensure that your temporary team member is onboarded smoothly and integrates seamlessly into your team? 

Maximizing Your Temporary Staffing Engagement: Best Practices and Tips

An impactful temporary staffing engagement is a two-way street. Here are a few shared understandings and ways of working that will help you make the most of this important relationship. 

  • Clearly define project scope and objectives: Share a well-defined scope of work that aligns with your learning strategy. Are you looking to create a new certification program or simply refresh a few of your existing courses? Whatever it is, ensure that you and your vendor-partner both understand what is—and isn’t—included in the current engagement. 
  • Establish seamless communication and collaboration: From the beginning, establish key points of contact between your internal team and temporary staff. How, when, and what needs to be communicated by each party, and how often? Establish a regular cadence for meetings, updates, and asynchronous work early, and ensure that all team members honor the schedule.  
  • Provide adequate onboarding and support: Invest time in onboarding your temporary team members, providing them the context, resources, and support they need to succeed. A designated mentor or “buddy” can mean the difference between full participation and integration…versus isolation and lack of engagement. 
  • Foster a positive and inviting work environment: Create a welcoming environment where temporary staff feel valued and integrated into the team. Just like your permanent folks, these temporary team members have earned their place at the table with their experience, expertise, and shared values—and they’re well worth getting to know. 

In today’s rapidly changing workplace and world, agility and adaptability are paramount.  A staff augmentation strategy empowers L&D teams to meet the needs of their organization while respecting timelines, budgets, and bandwidth. 

Partnering with a seasoned provider who understands the nuances of the L&D landscape can be your golden ticket to a curated network of high-performing L&D and subject matter experts. Beyond just filling an empty seat, the right staff augmentation partner can help you find temporary team members who can help you accelerate your initiatives, innovate, and scale your team to reflect your organization’s evolving needs. 

Have some evolving L&D team needs of your own? We’d love to talk possibilities.

AI and the Future of Work: A Leader’s Guide to Roles and Skills

by Emma Klosson

As AI becomes increasingly integrated into the workplace, it is up to talent development, organization design, and L&D leaders to partner closely with the business and each other to identify the specialist roles and skills necessary for success. 

As we contemplate AI and the future of work, what might these specialist AI roles and skills look like?

I asked John Cleave to share his insights with us. As SweetRush’s Senior Learning Engineer, John has been working with AI in L&D for decades, beginning with his graduate work in symbolic AI at the Northwestern’s Institute for the Learning Sciences. Here’s his take on the roles and skills leaders should consider as they partner with the business to develop an enterprise-wide strategy. 

Bonus content!
As a bonus, John also shares the roles and skills that L&D teams should consider developing or adding to enable, enhance, and accelerate the implementation of the AI strategy.    

 

Gen AI L&D Playbook

 

What are the Specialist AI Roles and Skills Leaders Should Consider?

AI Strategy and Governance Roles 

AI initiatives require careful oversight and a strong ethical framework. The following roles are crucial for any organization implementing AI, regardless of specific applications:

  • Governance and Regulation Specialist: Formulates and revises AI policies and practices, devises management protocols, develops and institutes controls, and advises on potential risks. This role ensures responsible AI usage across the organization.
  • Security and Policies Specialist: Creates security protocols (e.g., approval process), identifies potential risks, handles breaches and violations, and provides leadership with knowledge of consequences, safeguarding both data and ethical practices.
  • AI Generalist with HR Focus: Identifies applications of AI in HR (talent acquisition, employee development, etc.), works to integrate AI into HR practice, and stays abreast of emerging trends, ensuring alignment between AI and HR goals.

AI Data Analysis 

Data analysis and model training are fundamental to any successful AI implementation. The following roles are essential for extracting meaningful insights and driving data-informed decisions:

  • Business (Statistical and Data Visualization) Analyst: Applies AI methodologies to evaluate data in order to gain insight into the business, visualizes data, identifies data sources, and generates data via AI. This role makes the connection between data and actionable business intelligence.
  • Data Analytics Expert (backend collection, reporting): Creates data handling and analysis protocols, constructs data lakes, and applies statistical analysis to operations, ensuring data integrity and efficient data management.
  • Machine Learning and Big Data Manager: Devises machine learning models, collects/cleanses data, evaluates results (statistically, against business norms, etc.), detects patterns, and spots new opportunities to apply AI, driving innovation through data-driven insights.

AI Construction 

Building and implementing AI solutions requires specialized technical expertise. The following roles are crucial for developing and deploying AI tools and systems:

  • Machine Learning Engineer: Constructs machine learning models, trains and evaluates models, selects algorithms appropriate for solving business problems, and works with data analysts to refine and distill data, enabling the creation of powerful AI applications.
  • Natural Language Processing (NLP) Specialist: Uses NLP engines (e.g., Siri) to process NLP inputs, connects inputs to actions, and creates inputs and outputs, facilitating human-computer interaction and automating language-based tasks.
  • Large Language Model (LLM) Expert: Sets up an LLM for a purpose(s), creates retrieval-augmented generations (RAGs), tests outputs, manages costs, and creates application programming interfaces (APIs) and overlays, harnessing the power of LLMs for advanced language-based applications.
  • AI Tools Implementor: Advises an organization on tools (ChatGPT, Exemplary AI, Dall-E, Claude, Paragraph Generator, Midjourney, Writesonic, Canva, Grammarly, Podcastle, Synthesia) useful for solving business problems, conducts experiments and R&D, evaluates options, addresses challenges, and trains on tools, facilitating the effective adoption of AI tools across the organization.

 

Gen AI L&D Playbook

 

AI & L&D: Specialist Skills and Roles for AI-Powered Learning Creation 

This section focuses specifically on roles that leverage AI to enhance learning experiences and drive L&D innovation.

  • Instructional Design/Learning Experience Creator: Uses AI to support and enhance learning, incorporates AI into LX, provides guidance on best practices and techniques, and uses AI to generate content for training, creating more engaging and effective learning experiences.
  • HR/L&D Strategy and Change-Management Consultant: Provides guidance in the use of AI to bring about organizational improvement and transformation, explores use of AI to automate processes and create efficiencies, and guides the organization through the changes associated with AI adoption.
  • RAG Creator: Applies symbolic AI to guide and focus LLMs and deep learning (e.g., skills definition) and pairs symbolic AI and deep learning to improve AI efficacy, enabling more accurate and contextually relevant learning experiences.
  • Reinforcement Learning/Advanced AI Developer: Creates, evaluates, and trains AI-infused devices, constructs and shapes environments, shapes and manipulates AI models, and experiments with advanced AI techniques to create adaptive and personalized learning environments.
  • Expert AI Tool User: Steps in and uses AI tools (ChatGPT, Dall-E, Claude, etc.) in order to bring about organization improvement (e.g., generates content), provides guidance on best tools (evaluates alternatives), and maximizes the value of AI tools for L&D.
  • Asset Creators: Creates videos, audio, and/or animations using AI-based tools, streamlining the production of multimedia learning assets.

As AI continues to reshape the workplace, talent, OD, and L&D teams must work together to identify the skills and expertise needed to help organizations meet their goals for the future. Understanding the roles outlined here is a crucial first step!

 

Need Help Building YOUR Workplace of the Future?

As an award-winning custom learning solution provider with more than two decades of experience in digital and immersive learning technologies and over a decade of experience sourcing temporary talent for L&D, SweetRush is uniquely positioned to help you navigate this new landscape. We provide comprehensive support in the following ways:

AI Strategy and Implementation: SweetRush’s AI strategy and consulting services empower your organization to navigate the complexities of AI adoption, offering not only cutting-edge learning experiences and programs, but also holistic roadmapping, foundational assets, and ongoing support to ensure your AI initiatives are human-centered, future-proofed, and drive lasting value.


AI Talent For L&D

AI Training: We create custom training programs to upskill your workforce quickly and comprehensively.


AI Talent To hire

AI Talent Sourcing: We can source and place the ideal candidates for the AI roles you need, whether for temporary staffing or permanent positions. We have access to a deep bench of AI experts across diverse fields who can support your needs.


AI Talent Staffing

 

How AI Is Shaping the Future of Recruitment

by Rodrigo Salazar

AI has reshaped how we approach recruitment. But to use this technology wisely, we must pair its capabilities with the uniquely human qualities that make recruitment personal and impactful.

In this article, I share my experience and advice for leveraging AI in a way that helps to maintain and elevate the human experience. 


AI: A New Chapter in Talent Acquisition

AI is revolutionizing recruitment. From automating job postings to pre-screening résumés, AI is eliminating time-consuming tasks, freeing up recruiters to focus on building relationships. 

However, as powerful as AI is, it should not overshadow the human aspects of hiring. Instead, it should complement them, serving as a tool to streamline processes while amplifying empathy and connection and validating intuition.

Hung Lee captures this balance perfectly in his talent acquisition forecasts for 2025: “Our attention will be reserved for a) known callers and b) conspicuously human. Recruiters who have network, community standing and profile—and are obviously human—will win in a world dominated by AI composed information.” 

This insight highlights a critical truth: In a landscape increasingly influenced by AI, human authenticity remains a competitive advantage.

 

Human-Centered Recruitment in the Age of AI

While AI can analyze vast amounts of data and match skills to job requirements with remarkable precision, it cannot replicate the nuanced judgment and relational expertise of a skilled recruiter. People connect with people. As Lee suggests, the recruiters who thrive in an AI-dominated world will be those who bring visible humanity, trusted networks, and community influence to the table. Recruiters must now do more than just fill roles; they need to cultivate meaningful relationships and establish themselves as trusted advisors within their industries.

 


Candidates are more likely to respond to someone who is “conspicuously human” than to an automated outreach, no matter how well-tailored it might be.

 

AI and Recruitment Strategy: Prioritizing Skills and Potential

One of AI’s most transformative impacts on recruitment is the shift away from traditional credentials. The résumé, long the gold standard of hiring, is losing relevance in an era where AI can assess candidates based on skills, experiences, and even potential. By focusing on capabilities rather than titles, AI helps recruiters identify talent that might have otherwise been overlooked.

This evolution encourages a more inclusive hiring approach, opening the door to candidates from diverse backgrounds and non-linear career paths. With the support of AI, we can prioritize potential over pedigree, building teams that are innovative and adaptable.

 

Recruiting with AI: An Ally for Human Recruiters

The integration of AI into recruitment is not about replacing humans but empowering them. This requires intentionality. Organizations must continuously evaluate AI tools to ensure they promote fairness, eliminate bias, and respect candidates’ individuality. Similarly, recruiters must be trained to interpret AI-generated insights critically and thoughtfully.

To succeed, recruiters must embrace a dual role: leveraging AI to manage the technical aspects of talent acquisition while doubling down on the human elements—relationship building, empathy, and authenticity—that no machine can replicate (at least not yet).

 

The Future of Staff Augmentation: AI and Human Collaboration

By combining AI’s efficiency with human creativity and connection, we can move beyond the outdated mindset of a “war for talent.” The recruiters who excel in this new era will be those who embody Lee’s vision—professionals with genuine networks, a strong sense of community, and the unmistakable presence of humanity.

AI has the potential to enhance recruitment in profound ways, but its success depends on how we wield it. Together, we can use AI not as a weapon of war, but as a tool for collaboration, creating a hiring process that is more inclusive, efficient, and human-centric. The war for talent is over. Now, let’s build the future.

 

Rodrigo Salazar-Kawer is the Director of Talent Solutions at SweetRush, where he and his team work with clients to help them find high-performing talent and augment their teams in L&D, a people-centric field that impacts all lines of business within the enterprise. Connect with Rodrigo. 

 

How SweetRush “Unicorn SMEs” Powered a Global MOOC Library Expansion

by Emma Klosson

Executive Summary

Our client, a leading MOOC provider, sought to expand its course catalog with career-focused certifications and short-courses, but faced the challenge of finding subject matter experts (SMEs) who combined industry expertise with a passion for teaching. SweetRush’s unique blend of L&D experts staffing and custom learning solutions enabled us to hand-select “unicorn SMEs” who not only shaped the curriculum but also delivered compelling instruction, resulting in 14 top-rated certificate programs reaching millions of learners globally.

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The Client and Need

Our client, a massive open online course (MOOC) provider with more than one hundred million registered users, identified an opportunity to expand its existing library to include career-based certificate programs and short-form courses. Focusing on in-demand skills in areas such as IT support, AR development, UX design, project management, data analytics, and supply chain management, our client’s goal was to equip its users with the skills needed to excel in today’s competitive job market.

With an existing content library of more than 7,000 courses that include programs developed by many of the world’s leading brands and universities, the new courses needed to uphold the quality and standards that our client’s audience have come to expect. 

The courses needed to: 

  • Drive real-world impact, ensuring graduates are equipped with the skills needed to excel in today’s competitive job market.
  • Engage a diverse audience by connecting with global learners from all walks of life through authentic and relatable learning experiences.

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The Challenge

To execute their vision, our client needed a solutions provider who could bring academic rigor and real-world relevance while delivering an exceptional learner experience. 

Specifically, our client needed a partner with access to subject matter experts (SMEs) who have industry experience and expertise and a passion to teach—SMEs who can translate their deep knowledge into compelling educational content.

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The SweetRush Solution

With more than a decade of experience in L&D staffing solutions and double that as an award-winning custom learning solutions provider, SweetRush was uniquely placed to solve our client’s challenge.

  • Our two decades of L&D expertise means we know what makes a great SME tick—both on paper and in the virtual classroom.
  • Our vast network of talent connects us with industry leaders eager to share their knowledge.
  • Our rigorous staff augmentation vetting process enables us to handpick the experts who meet our client’s exacting needs—in this instance, those with a passion for teaching and a knack for storytelling.

 

Staff Augmentation Case Study - Quote

Client Testimonial:

“SweetRush understands our needs deeply. They have taken the pressure off of us when it comes to onboarding SMEs to the requirements of content development. They leverage their expertise to help us find unicorn SMEs who are not only experts in their field but also excel at creating content. They have done so at a reasonable cost and on impressive timelines.”  

—Senior Program Manager, SweetRush Client

 

Once screened, selected, and onboarded, these “unicorn SMEs” played a crucial role in:

  • Recommending the learner journey: Supporting the client with curriculum design including consulting on the learning objectives, content outlines, and the sequence, structure, and flow of the learner journey
  • Creating authentic hands-on activities: Drawing inspiration from their own experiences to recommend and co-create authentic, realistic, and impactful scenarios 
  • Developing meaningful assessments: Ensuring learners are equipped with and tested on the knowledge and skills they need to face challenges in the real world
  • Crafting compelling video scripts: Lending authentic voices, perspectives, nuance, and stories that engage, motivate, build trust with, and inspire learners  

In addition, some of the SMEs we placed, specifically those with expertise in cutting-edge topics like generative AI and nuanced areas such as DEI, were invited to star in the videos and present the content.  

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The Results

Our staff augmentation partnership has led to the creation of 14 industry-leading certificates, each featuring more than 90 hours of engaging, practical instruction that have reached millions of learners worldwide. 

Boasting an average learner rating of 4.8 out of 5, the certification programs and courses have consistently ranked among the most popular on the client’s platform. This feedback speaks to the effectiveness and appeal of our expert-led approach to upskilling and reskilling. SweetRush’s ability to consistently source top-notch SME talent has earned us the client’s highest quality rating (5 out of 5 stars) and secured our position as their exclusive vendor for SME resourcing.

When We Succeed, You Succeed!

Our success in exceeding the high expectations of today’s learners has solidified our client’s reputation as a pioneer in the online education space, demonstrating the power of collaboration, expertise, and a shared vision for the future of learning.

Scaling Expertise: How SweetRush L&D Talent Solutions Empowered a Tech Giant’s Cloud Certification Ambitions

by Emma Klosson

Executive Summary

When a global tech giant sought to transform their internal cloud training into a market-disrupting certification program, they turned to SweetRush L&D Talent Solutions. We orchestrated a rapid talent infusion, placing 12 L&D experts to turn this ambitious vision into reality. The result? A certification program that exceeded expectations, cementing the company’s position as a cloud innovator and market leader.

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The Client and Need

Our client, a global tech powerhouse, had a bold ambition: take their existing cloud training, designed for internal upskilling, and transform it into a public, industry-leading certification program. Their goal was to become a recognized authority in the cloud space, differentiating themselves from established players like AWS and Google Cloud.

To achieve this, they needed to create a certification program that not only met rigorous standards but also delivered an engaging, high-quality learning experience that would resonate with a wide audience.

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The Challenge

While the client had a strong internal L&D team, they lacked the bandwidth and specialized skill sets required to execute such a large-scale and complex undertaking. They needed to rapidly expand their team with experts across multiple disciplines, from instructional design and program management to learning technologies and assessment.

Finding the right talent quickly and efficiently was critical. The client needed a partner with proven experience in staff augmentation for L&D who could understand their unique needs and provide a tailored solution.

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The SweetRush Solution

With over a decade of experience in L&D staffing, SweetRush Talent Solutions stepped up to the challenge. We worked closely with the client to understand their vision and identify the specific expertise gaps that needed to be filled. We then developed a custom, phased recruitment strategy that prioritized filling critical roles first, ensuring a seamless integration of new talent into the existing team.

Our deep network of L&D professionals allowed us to quickly identify and place top talent in key roles, including:

  • Program Management: Experienced professionals to oversee the project, manage resources, and ensure alignment with the client’s goals.
  • Learning Experience Design: Instructional designers, content developers, and multimedia specialists to create engaging and effective learning experiences.
  • Assessment and Accreditation: Experts in psychometrics and accreditation to ensure the program met rigorous industry standards.
  • Learning Technology: LMS architects, administrators, and technical specialists to build and maintain the technological infrastructure of the program.

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The Results

We successfully filled more than a dozen specialized roles, providing the client with the expertise they needed to move their project forward at full speed. Our phased recruitment strategy ensured a seamless integration of new talent, minimizing disruption and maximizing productivity.

The results were impressive!

  • Rapid Placement: All roles were filled and onboarded within weeks, with an average placement time of three weeks per talent.
  • Zero Turnover: 100% of the talent placed by SweetRush remained on the project for the duration of their contract, a testament to our rigorous screening process and commitment to ongoing support.
  • Client Satisfaction: The client was thrilled with the quality of talent and the collaborative partnership we provided, leading to an ongoing relationship that continues to this day.

 

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Client Testimonial:

“SweetRush excels at finding and providing true expertise, and in nurturing their team members, providing them with the necessary support to thrive while also employing strategic resourcing practices.This has made my life easier in knowing I have a partner that is deeply committed to the project’s success.” 

—Program Manager, SweetRush Client

Conclusion

SweetRush Talent Solutions’ ability to quickly identify and place top L&D talent was instrumental in helping our client achieve their ambitious goal. Our collaborative approach, commitment to quality, and focus on building strong partnerships enabled the client to launch a market-leading certification program that has solidified their position as a cloud innovator.

If you want to scale your L&D team and achieve your biggest goals, we’re here to help! Contact SweetRush Talent Solutions today.

Beyond the Interview: How SweetRush’s Talent Philosophy Benefits All in L&D

by Rodrigo Salazar

A company’s approach to how it engages potential employees speaks volumes about its culture and values. And how your company treats applicants plays a surprising role in how your brand is perceived. It’s not just who you choose to hire, but how you treat every single candidate who touches and is touched by your organization.  

SweetRush is an award-winning learning and development vendor and we are always growing and seeking new talent for our own work and also for our clients who need contingent labor /  staff augmentation.  Our culture is unique and we try hard to be humane and considerate, and we always try and think about the 99% of candidates who, despite their qualifications or potential, are not the candidate who is brought on to fill the position. This mindset is a reflection of our core values and to our commitment to being respectful and caring with everyone with whom we interact. 

We always do our best to respect the journey of each candidate and by acting in this way,  which seems so basic, we constantly hear from candidates that we go beyond the norm. We so wish this was the norm! 

SweetRush’s Interview Philosophy

At SweetRush the way we interview is different. We take a holistic approach that focuses not just on skills but on nurturing relationships and we try really hard to honor every individual’s journey. We always try our best to see beyond a resume or an interview performance. 

We are equally interested in acknowledging the human element in the hiring process and we understand that each interaction leaves a lasting impression on the candidate and how they feel about us. When we hire talent (instructional designers, project managers, or any other L&D professional) to be placed in a staff augmentation capacity as part of our client’s team, the way we treat these professionals also reflects on our client’s company. 

With this in mind, we work hard to handle each stage of the interview process with utmost care and professionalism, so it reflects well on us and it reflects well on our client. 

When we engage an instructional designer for a client’s project, for instance, the respect and support we offer them throughout the hiring process are not only  SweetRush’s values in action – they are, by extension, a demonstration of our client’s commitment to respect as well. Securing talent and enabling them for success is a multi-faceted art form and how they are treated at every step of the recruiting process has a direct effect on their mindset as they enter a new client engagement. 

The Art of Respectful Rejection

Our method of candidate rejection also goes beyond the typical ‘no, thank you’ email or even worse, no email at all. Sometimes we hear from candidates who have not been selected for a screening that our rejection email was the nicest rejection email they’ve ever received.  The reason?  It’s because we always try to express empathy. Then there are times when we extend gestures like a gift card to candidates who have been through a lengthy interview process but don’t make the final selection.  This approach is rooted in our belief that every candidate, regardless of the hiring outcome, deserves appreciation for the time and effort they have put into the interview process. These small acts of appreciation and kindness speak volumes and make all the difference.  

It’s our hope that with each candidate who for whatever reason is not selected, we act in a way that leaves the door open for future possibilities.  By doing so, we turn what is a disappointing moment into what hopefully feels more like a step forward for each candidate. All this is not easy to achieve, but we try and the trying itself is again felt and appreciated. 

By treating candidates in this way, we hope they become ambassadors of our brand, even when they were not hired for the position.  And let’s not forget many candidates may be qualified but there is only one job opening. We hope each candidate leaves with a positive impression of SweetRush, sharing their experience with their network and potentially reapplying in the future when another opportunity arises. This approach enhances our talent pool and also strengthens our reputation in the industry as a company that truly cares, which we do!

When Talent Management Works

Our holistic and humane approach to talent management has been one foundational reason we have become a successful L&D staff augmentation vendor, able to secure high-performing talent for our learning and development clients. But, to make a successful match it is also essential to understand and value the nuances of each candidate’s hard and soft skills, and at the same time have a nuanced understanding of the client’s needs. It’s always a challenge to attract and nurture top talent and match that talent to the specific requirements of the position, also taking into account the culture and values of all parties!

We know the work we do is important and often mission-critical. One way our clients are able to meet deadlines when they are resource-constrained is with staff augmentation talent. For clients facing tight deadlines and crucial projects that require specialized skills from high-performing talent, staff augmentation can be a savior and we are often the recipients of gratitude from our clients – and as well from the talent. When this happens we have made magic. 

If you’d like, you can hear what our clients have to say about partnering with SweetRush. 

Empowering Talent, Elevating Teams: Conclusion

The journey with each candidate, whether placed with a client or not,  highlights the critical role of a human-centric approach in interviewing. By going beyond traditional hiring norms and building a community rooted in respect, growth, and empathy, we try our hardest to uplift the professionals we encounter and spread goodwill. At the end of the day, we’ve found our talent philosophy benefits all; the talent, our clients, and certainly ourselves.  

SweetRush is a unique staffing vendor in the learning and development space because we are L&D experts and have an intimate understanding of the work that has to get done as well as the nuanced skills of the talent and what it takes for them to hit the ground running. We are renowned for a culture of caring and our ability to attract high-performing talent. 

Read more about our staffing services here or reach out to learn more! 

Cathy Sands, Veteran L&D Recruiter, Joins SweetRush Talent Solutions Team

by Christopher Lockheardt

San Francisco, Calif., January 3, 2022 — SweetRush, the learning and development vendor known for engaging solutions and a culture of caring, announced the addition of Cathy Sands to its growing Talent Solutions team, who helps clients build L&D teams with contingent labor. 

Sands brings 24 years of talent acquisition experience, drawn from both academic and industry settings. Her most recent position was Manager of Talent Acquisition for a well-regarded professional training and coaching organization.

“Cathy brings a great deal of experience in learning and development,” says Rodrigo Salazar, Director of Talent Solutions. “Like everyone at SweetRush, she is not only fluent in the language of L&D but also the language of ‘caring.’ She will have a big impact on the business success of our clients.”

“I thrive on helping others succeed. I have a service heart, and it is important to me to make a positive impact in people’s lives every day,” says Sands. “I offer a well-rounded level of experience in sales and project coordination, logistics, planning, and implementation, as well as a deep knowledge of learning and development solution delivery. I am passionate about the world of L&D, which gives me the ability to find exactly the right fit for talent searches and candidates who will hit the ground running.”

SweetRush clients turn to Talent Solutions to fill gaps in their learning solutions teams. With years of experience shaping the right team for every project, we excel at finding superior talent, onboarding, and mentoring for success. Building on SweetRush’s unique knowledge of talent, team building, and learning and development, Talent Solutions crafts creative solutions for clients who need the best temporary staff to augment their teams.

Outside of work, Sands is a lover of music and sea-shelling on the coastal beaches of Florida. She is a foodie and craft beer fan and adores traveling with her husband Christopher to places near and far to try tasty new dishes complemented by local brews.

Reach out to Cathy via LinkedIn or [email protected]. 

ABOUT SWEETRUSH

SweetRush’s focus on team culture and mastery of performance improvement is reflected in loyal clients, uniquely low turnover of teammates, a 20-year track record of success, and a remarkable portfolio. Our work with clients has earned us gold awards from our peers and high ranking on the top industry lists.

We are over 200 people strong and have been in business since 2001. Our five service areas are Custom Learning (including eLearning, mobile, gamification, and classroom training), Talent Solutions (temporary talent to augment our clients’ L&D teams), SPARK (VR, AR, and emerging technologies), Cultural Transformation (expert coaching and consulting to create high-performing cultures, leaders, and teams), and Good Things (amplifying the impact of nonprofits and the social impact space). Every day, we give thanks for the trust of our world-class clients. Learn more and get in touch with SweetRush at our website.

SweetRush Releases Free eBook on Agile Talent and Staff Augmentation for Learning and Development

by Heather York

Staff Augmentation for Learning and Development: The Agile Talent Solution for Modern Business is a practical guide for L&D managers, sharing how to find L&D talent with the right skills, onboard them to your team, and vet staff augmentation vendors.

San Francisco, Calif., Oct. 21, 2019 — Leading custom learning solutions and staff augmentation provider SweetRush has published its fourth free eBook, Staff Augmentation for Learning and Development: The Agile Talent Solution for Modern Business—a timely and relevant how-to guide for Learning and Development (L&D) managers, whose departments are tasked with creating a high volume of learning programs as the need for employee training grows.

These managers must meet the vital business challenge of 1) finding the right L&D talent—in a market where highly skilled talent is scarce—and 2) ensuring these professionals are ready to work when needed in response to the frenzied pace of change in business models, organizational cultures, technology, and other areas—and the training these things necessitate. Savvy organizations are already utilizing staff augmentation—or agile talent—as a secret weapon in their L&D departments, enabling them to quickly design, develop, and deploy learning programs to more capably upskill or increase knowledge in workers.

Staff Augmentation for Learning and Development: The Agile Talent Solution for Modern Business is a comprehensive guide that delivers real value and practical, actionable insights for L&D managers. SweetRush Manager of Talent Solutions Rodrigo Salazar-Kawer takes readers on an educational journey that features how to find professionals with the skills and knowledge their teams and initiatives require, how to rapidly bring on this temporary talent and integrate them into their team, how to effectively onboard and off-board consultants for optimal impact and return, and how to find and thoroughly vet L&D staff augmentation companies when seeking a staffing partner.  

“Everyone knows that finding great talent in a tight labor market is increasingly tough. While this is true, great people are always available somewhere, and it’s essential you find them,” says Salazar-Kawer. “You need every possible advantage in your talent acquisition and management, and sometimes the right thing to do is to go the temporary talent route because the ROI just makes sense.”

Salazar-Kawer continues: “With globalization and connectedness leveling the playing field, organizations with lean and agile management strategies have a competitive advantage. The agile talent model is part of that Fourth Industrial Revolution approach to business. HR departments and hiring managers, therefore, must adopt their own strategies for responding to needs that are constantly in flux, and for hiring specialists faster and meeting overall business objectives.”

Download Staff Augmentation for Learning and Development: The Agile Talent Solution for Modern Business.

About SweetRush

Dream for a moment that you have the expertise and tools to positively impact the lives of others. You can affect mindsets and behavior. You can help an organization grow, change, prosper, and thrive. The passionate pursuit of this expertise and the development of these tools have been at the heart of the success SweetRush has experienced collaborating with clients who share the same dream.

SweetRush’s focus on team culture and mastery of performance improvement is reflected in loyal clients, a near-zero turnover of teammates, an 18-year track record of success, and a remarkable portfolio. Our work with clients has earned us gold awards from our peers and high ranking on the top training industry lists.

Every solution we deliver is infused with creativity. Instructional creativity allows us to discover effective and unique solutions to our clients’ challenges. Artistic creativity spurs us to create visually exciting, engaging user experiences. Technical creativity allows us to embrace new capabilities and platforms as they emerge, such as virtual reality, gamification, and mobile delivery. Cultural creativity empowers our clients to create the conditions that energize and empower their people and unleash the energy in their teams. Our Talent Solutions team builds on its unique knowledge of talent, team building, and learning and development to craft a unique, creative solution for clients who need the best temporary staff to augment their team. We apply the creative lens to all things, from project management to our treatment of our teammates, clients, and the planet. 

We are over 175 people strong and have been in business since 2001. Every day, we give thanks for the trust of our world-class clients. Our deliverables span from analysis and curriculum mapping to the creation of blended training products, including live and virtual classroom training, custom-developed eLearning, and innovative use of emerging technologies.

Dream with us, and together let’s make a positive impact!

SweetRush to Host Webinar on Rapid Development of Learning Solutions

by Heather York

On September 12, SweetRush and clients Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Hilton, and Kaiser Permanente will share stories and insights about building effective teams for rapid development of learning solutions.

San Francisco, Calif., Sep. 2, 2019 — Leading custom learning and talent solutions provider SweetRush has announced it will host an upcoming webinar, Three Case Studies: Building Effective L&D Teams for Rapid Development, on September 12. It is being sponsored by eLearning Industry, and led by Rodrigo Salazar, SweetRush’s Manager of Talent Solutions.

The Learning and Development field’s ever growing demand for rapid development of training programs—quickly designed, developed, and deployed—creates pressure on L&D managers to build effective and efficient teams. Internal resources are often stretched thin, and managers may face limitations on their ability to scale with full-time hires. At the same time, businesses are increasingly looking to learning and development to achieve organizational goals.

Through the lens of real-world case studies, SweetRush and its client-partners will reveal how learning organizations can use staff augmentation to add highly qualified learning professionals to their teams. This talent acquisition strategy helps ease the burden on internal teams,advance the development of initiatives, and meet business objectives. Representatives from Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Hilton, and Kaiser Permanente will share their experiences before and after implementing a staff augmentation strategy.

Webinar attendees can expect to learn how staff augmentation can help them reach goals, how to discern whether staff augmentation or project outsourcing is the right move for them, how agile recruiting can speed up the deployment of programs, and how to onboard talent from both clients’ and recruiters’ perspectives.

“In our era of swift change, organizations are investing more in learning and development initiatives than ever before. Consequently, learning organizations are being tasked with producing a high volume of quality training programs in a very timely manner,” says Salazar. “Our three client-partners will speak to how staff augmentation was the best, most practical, and most cost-effective solution for acquiring expert resources on demand, as well as to the necessity of having a strong, highly communicative, and highly collaborative vendor-partner on their side.”

This 60-minute webinar will take place on Thursday, September 12, at 1:00 p.m. Eastern. Register on the eLearning Industry website to save your place.

About SweetRush

Dream for a moment that you have the expertise and tools to positively impact the lives of others. You can affect mindsets and behavior. You can help an organization grow, change, prosper, and thrive. The passionate pursuit of this expertise and the development of these tools have been at the heart of the success SweetRush has experienced collaborating with clients who share the same dream.

SweetRush’s focus on team culture and mastery of performance improvement is reflected in loyal clients, a near-zero turnover of teammates, a 18-year track record of success, and a remarkable portfolio. Our work with clients has earned us gold awards from our peers and high ranking on the top training industry lists.

Every solution we deliver is infused with creativity. Instructional creativity allows us to discover effective and unique solutions to our clients’ challenges. Artistic creativity spurs us to create visually exciting, engaging user experiences. Technical creativity allows us to embrace new capabilities and platforms as they emerge, such as virtual reality, gamification, and mobile delivery. Cultural creativity empowers our clients to create the conditions that energize and empower their people and unleash the energy in their teams. Our Talent Solutions team builds on its unique knowledge of talent, team building, and learning and development to craft a unique, creative solution for clients who need the best temporary staff to augment their team. We apply the creative lens to all things, from project management to our treatment of our teammates, clients, and the planet.

We are over 150 people strong and have been in business since 2001. Every day, we give thanks for the trust of our world-class clients. Our deliverables span from analysis and curriculum mapping to the creation of blended training products, including live and virtual classroom training, custom-developed eLearning, and innovative use of emerging technologies.

Dream with us, and together let’s make a positive impact!

The Elusive Sweet Spot: It’s Really There!

by Melissa Chacon

When two givers indulge in a connection, it’s like magic. It’s alchemy. I water you, you water me, we never drain each other, we just grow. —Unknown

From the first moment you start looking for that open door into the active working world, you begin by selecting the companies you think mean the most to you—perhaps the big brands you’ve seen yourself working for ever since you started college. Once you start applying and interviewing, it’s time to evaluate the other determining factors: compensation and benefits package, for the most part. But should you really be limiting yourself to these two criteria only? What if there’s more to look for before deciding to get on board a company?

I’m going to let you in on a secret that might take you a decade to find out on your own, which is understanding the value of a healthy, feel-good work culture. It’s unfortunate, but true, how rare a good work environment is, and for this reason, you might not even think they exist. You think that work, more or less, sucks, and that is just the way it is. But then you meet someone who loves going to work, or you read an article like this one, and you realize that that doesn’t have to be the case. Once your eyes are opened, it’s still going to take time to find a great place to work, but at least you are on the right path. 

When a newly minted graduate gets her first job, the celebration is, well…just about getting the job. We’ve all been there; I know I have. Then you start thinking “professionally,” trying to work as hard as you can to earn a higher position with the salary you’ve dreamed of having. You can likely relate to this experience, and it’s understandable, as in the end it’s a process of gaining experience, improving as professionals, and getting rewarded. We can think of it as the “regular working cycle.”

But what happens when all the boxes are checked—great position, generous compensation, strong benefits package—but you still don’t feel completely fulfilled, and you’re lacking a connection with your employer? I can start listing reasons why this lack of connection might translate into discontent and a sense of being unfulfilled, but for the most part, they are obvious. 

Instead, I’d rather talk about the opposite: the healthy relationship and positive working bond between employee and employer. At SweetRush we refer to it as the “sweet spot,” where both parties are fulfilled and content and both are motivated to support the other. 

With any relationship, we should invest a great deal of care and attention, and the working relationship is no exception. In fact, given the time we spend at work (a lot!), it just makes sense to ensure you’re spending all that time and energy on something that’s more than just a 9-to-5 job that gives you a paycheck at the end of each month. Your values and your vision should definitely be in line with your employer’s, but most importantly, you should be looking for a company that actually cares about you—and one that you care about as well. That’s right: caring.

The first time I heard the word “caring” in a work environment was when I started working for SweetRush. For me, it was a word that didn’t belong at work, like it was out of place. Family, friends, church? OK…but work? It didn’t take me long to realize that not only was caring one of the strongest foundations of the company, but it also was the perfect definition of how I was going to feel every single day: cared for. When you are embraced by a company that cares about you, both as a professional and as a human being, everything changes: the relationships with your coworkers, your daily tasks, and just how you feel in the morning knowing your work day is about to begin. And, as a result, you strive to be better and to do better for the team, and the balance between your professional and your personal lives seem to fall into place. 

Studies have shown that people are more stressed at work than ever before—though you don’t need studies to tell you what you already see and feel around you. In reality, it should be—and can be—the total opposite. You might need to try working at other companies, and it could take some time to get there (OK, yes, it can be like dating to find that perfect match). But, if you understand that there is that perfect work match out there, and you look for more than just a paycheck, the reward once you get there will be enormous. Always seek a healthy, fair, and feel-good working relationship… Look for the sweet spot and you will find it. 

Melissa Chacon (Meli) lives in Costa Rica, is part of the Talent Solutions team, and is passionate about connecting great people and SweetRush.

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