Case FootBalance: IT Specialist to San Diego

FootBalance is a Finnish brand focusing on the health and well-being of active people. FootBalance offers a personalized fit through patented 3D foot scanning technology and products, including world-award-winning personalized insoles. The FootBalance concept is in use in more than 40 countries and in 1,500 stores around the world.

“FootBalance was founded in 2003 with the goal of making products that enhance foot well-being and mobility accessible to all. The right technology and products weren’t available, so we had to invent them. Even today, the need for personalized solutions motivates us to push the boundaries of technology and develop new innovations,” says Kukka Salomaa, FootBalance’s CPO.

Challenges

Solutions

FootBalance needed a technically skilled and experienced IT specialist for its US team, who is good at solving technical problems, knows how to bear responsibility for the functionality of IT and FootBalance technology and support for both customers and the company’s own personnel. In addition, project work experience and readiness for mobile work were part of a broad, responsible job description.

ICT DIRECT’s project team, which included personnel from both the Finland and India offices, searched for candidates in the San Diego area together with the client who fit the defined profile. In accordance with ICT DIRECT’s process, candidates were interviewed, the necessary skills and background checks were carried out, and then they were presented to the customer. FootBalance as a company and its unique solutions were presented to the applicant candidates as comprehensively as possible to support FootBalance’s employer image.

FootBalance recruited an IT Specialist to San Diego through cooperation between the teams in Finland & India

FootBalance started looking for a suitable IT talent after the company moved to a new phase with the goal of rapid global expansion. They were looking for an enthusiastic and experienced expert to join their team in San Diego, California, USA. The main task was to act as a local IT expert and key contact person for FootBalance’s business customers and partners. The responsibilities also included providing support for the company’s personnel and IT/technology products.

For this position, FootBalance was searching for a talent with a comprehensive technology background, capable of handling customer interactions and willing to travel to customer offices across the USA. This role also required flexibility in working hours. The challenge was to find a technically skilled candidate. This candidate needed a genuine interest in the Med-Tech field. They also had to be capable of managing multiple projects effectively, even in high-pressure situations.

The recruitment journey with ICT DIRECT

ICT DIRECT started the recruitment project with FootBalance with a kick-off meeting. During that, we got to know the company, and went through the skills profile and position requirements. The talent shortage in the United States made recruitment challenging. The project team included ICT DIRECT’s Indian and Finnish teams. They quickly found a suitable candidate for FootBalance.

“The strong demand for talent in the California region turned out to be a slightly bigger challenge than we had expected in the beginning. This delayed the process a little, but despite the holiday season, the recruitment was effective in cooperation with FootBalance’s contacts in Finland and the USA,” says Jouko Karhu, Customer Success Executive, ICT DIRECT Finland.

ICT DIRECT’s Finnish project team and the Indian Center of Excellence conducted the executive search remotely. They interviewed potential candidates and presented the most promising ones to FootBalance’s hiring manager. These selected candidates had face-to-face interviews at the San Diego office. Ultimately, the right talent for the role joined the San Diego office just two months after the project started..

“Our search for a new team member in North America was a great success, and we found a candidate who’s an excellent fit for our needs. ICT DIRECT’s team worked diligently to find the right person for us. We had a fantastic collaboration with our contacts, and the recruitment process, including meetings and interviews, went smoothly despite the time zone differences. We’re very happy with the talent they helped us find. We want to thank ICT DIRECT for their excellent, flexible customer service and proactive approach to improving the process.” Kukka Salomaa, CPO, FootBalance.

ICT DIRECT Center of Excellence

ICT DIRECT’s Center of Excellence (CoE) in Mumbai, India plays a crucial role in locating top-tier IT and Tech professionals. Our experienced recruitment experts conduct global searches across various time zones to identify the most suitable candidates and talents. We have designed this process to be swift and efficient, ensuring that we quickly engage applicant candidates in the process. We conduct assessments of technical skills as part of the selection procedure. Then we provide comprehensive initial information to applicants. Our ICT DIRECT recruiters then provide clear and detailed explanations about the role.

ICT DIRECT manages the entire life cycle of the recruitment process (Screening-Sourcing-Background Verification-Onboarding) using its unique method and tools. We structure our cooperation with potential candidates around three main goals.

• Transparency about job requirements and necessary skills

• Fluent communication to demonstrate commitment and competence

• Testing technical and domain-related knowledge when selecting the most qualified candidates

As a partner of ICT DIRECT, the customer gets the best possible world-class talent. ICT DIRECT is an experienced pioneer in international IT recruitment. We are our customers’ growth partner. Read more about our services or contact us to arrange an appointment!