staff augmentation

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

September 6, 2024September 10, 2024 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

May 13, 2024May 14, 2024 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!

On-boarding Contractors the SweetRush Way

December 13, 2012June 28, 2023 by Jo.Coulson

Staff augmentation is a strategy used to staff a project with short-term contractors. Standard practice with staff augmentation firms includes recruiting, hiring, and other duties associated with HR compliance and payroll. These services save both time and money, and help you to continue to focus on your daily responsibilities. In addition to hiring and placing talent, however, there is an often overlooked step: on-boarding.

Data suggests there is increased speed-to-competency and cost-savings associated with an effective on-boarding program for employees. Most of this data stems from programs provided to full-time employees. We at SweetRush believe there is a correlation to contract talent as well, and it is why we have developed a program that goes beyond the standard “contractor orientation” program.

There is also a role for our clients in the on-boarding process. While we work closely with our clients to ensure our contractors are as prepared as possible for their assignment, we have found that on-boarding by the client is also very helpful. According to Forbes columnist and on-boarding expert Emily Bennington, on-boarding is as equally critical for contractors as it is for employees, particularly those who may interact with clients.

Below, I’ve outlined the SweetRush process, along with a few suggestions to help you think through the creation of an on-boarding program for your contract talent.

The SweetRush Way

During our initial intake process, we begin to build a client profile for you so we can fully understand your needs. In addition to contractor specifications, we gather company, department, and project data, along with information about your corporate culture, your stakeholders, and your team. While this profile is initially used to help us find the right talent to fit your needs, it’s also essential information for on-boarding.

We have a three-part process:

Orientation to SweetRush. This includes our culture and values, and our processes, tools, and resources. By completing this orientation before the assignment, our contractors can turn their focus completely to you.
Client and project orientation. This is a high-level orientation based on our knowledge of you and the projectThe first two are, of course, essential to a successful project start. What we believe really differentiates us is part 3, however:
Mentoring. We establish a SweetRush mentoring relationship with the contractor. This support is on-going throughout the engagement, and the same person often serves as the client liaison. We have found that both our clients and our contractors greatly value the additional support and guidance.

Our Clients’ Role

Some organizations have extensive on-boarding programs in place that cover culture, policies, job skills, and so on. Although providing such a program is not always very practical for short-term contractors, there are components of those programs that should be considered in a contractor on-boarding program.

Company culture. It is helpful for contractors to understand your corporate values and policies, as well as department or client subcultures. By understanding your culture, contractors can avoid missteps and become a champion for your organization.
Resources. It is useful for contractors to know early in the project what company resources are available and how to gain access and support if needed. These resources may include systems or people.
Training. Contractors come to the table with a specific set of skills — it’s why you hire them in the first place. Consider, though, if there is proprietary training you need to provide.
Team integration. Consider what ways you can connect contractors to your team and organization so they feel like they are part of the team. We recommend assigning an internal resource to answer questions.

Providing contractors with an efficient and targeted on-boarding program increases the potential for successful project results. We are proud of the process we have developed, and believe it’s a significant factor in making our staff augmentation engagements highly successful. Feel free to contact me anytime to discuss how we might help you with your short-term staffing needs, or about creating an on-boarding program for your contract or full-time employees.