Finding the perfect tech talent can feel like climbing Mount Chimborazo blindfolded. That's where outsourcing and nearshoring companies come in, promising to navigate the treacherous terrain and deliver top-notch developers. But before you embark on this journey with The Functionary, let's take a closer look at how The Functionary works, considering both its strengths and potential drawbacks, especially for your specific needs.
Climbing the peaks of tech talent with The Functionary
The Functionary, a seasoned sherpa in the Latin American landscape, promises to guide you to the summit of top-notch developers. But before you strap on your metaphorical crampons, let's take a closer look at the terrain.
- Latin American Expertise: The Functionary boasts extensive experience sourcing talent in Latin America, a region known for its skilled and cost-effective developers. This aligns perfectly with your budget and target location.
- Staff Augmentation Made Easy: Forget sifting through endless resumes. The Functionary handles the initial screening and selection, presenting you with "perfect matches" based on your requirements and cultural fit.
- Seamless Onboarding and Replacement: Once you choose your candidate, The Functionary handles the onboarding process and even provides replacements if the initial fit isn't ideal, minimizing disruptions.
- Structured Approach: Their process is well-defined, with steps from job description to candidate presentation and onboarding.
But before you summit, check the base camp
Transparency is key for a smooth climb. While The Functionary boasts clear rates, one question remains: is the commission paid to candidates included? Knowing the full cost upfront is crucial for budget planning, so don't hesitate to probe deeper.
- Pricing Transparency: While rates are disclosed, it's unclear if they include candidate commissions. Knowing the full cost upfront is crucial for budget planning.
- Minimum Commitments: For areas like contact centers, you need to commit to at least 5 individuals, which might not be ideal for your company team.
- Time Investment: Finding the right fit takes time. The 3-5 day summary turnaround and 1-2 week onboarding process might not be suitable for urgent needs.
- Candidate Exclusivity: The Functionary doesn't explicitly guarantee exclusivity, raising concerns about candidates working with multiple clients simultaneously.
- Flexibility in Replacements: It's unclear whether you have a say in replacement candidates or if they're automatically assigned, potentially limiting your control over the process.
Our thoughts on the pricing structure of Toptal
While it's not possible for us to find details about how much of what a client pays ultimately goes to a candidate, we believe clients looking for transparent and straightforward pricing may want to look at other alternatives.
Our opinion is that if they are charging a client more than $12,000 monthly for a developer, they should at the very least be giving $9,600 to the candidate, but it's likely that it's even less than that.
What Hiring Managers Should Ask Before Choosing a Talent Partner
Before partnering with any talent provider — whether Toptal, Teilur, or others — hiring managers should consider asking the following key questions:
- What percentage of the fee actually goes to the talent?
- Are replacement or satisfaction guarantees included in the contract?
- How are regional salary benchmarks determined?
- Is there full transparency in how rates are broken down?
- What is the long-term cost difference between hiring directly and through a platform?
These questions can help businesses make informed decisions and ensure that pricing aligns with both market realities and ethical compensation practices.
