Former footballer connects global IT professionals with customers
This month, January 2023 we get to know Mikael Subotowicz, Co-Founder of Skillspark.
The Covid-19 Pandemic brought a lot of difficulties for many companies around the world, but there were also many opportunities that came about which include the company Skillspark! Skillspark gives access to top remote IT talent and provides the client and the talent with a common base for productive remote work.
Hej SBC Member!
Mikael Subotowicz, Co-Founder
Who is Mikael Subotowicz?
I was born and raised in Stockholm with parents from Poland. In my early life before I went into the IT business, I was a good football player and played professionally for some years. In 2006 I took my bachelor’s degree in International Relations from Hobart and William Smith Colleges, in upstate New York, USA. For the last 17 years I have travelled a lot, both privately and for business, and have lived in several countries. Now I have settled in Warsaw, Poland, with my beautiful girlfriend Paula, who will hopefully soon become my wife, and our dog Ziutek, a 12-month-old Boston Terrier.
You co-founded Skillspark last year, tell us a bit more about Skillspark and why you thought this would be a successful business idea.
During Covid-19 the IT market became more globalized and focused increasingly on hybrid and remote as new ways of working. Skillspark was founded as we saw a large gap in the market, with huge potential to connect talent and customers that would not have been possible a year or two ago. I am proud to say that a year after Skillspark was founded, we can say that Skillspark is one of the fastest growing IT companies in the IT market, connecting top remote and hybrid talent with our customers.
You have offices in 7 countries with Dubai included. How do you see the development of Skillspark in the UAE evolve?
Skillspark currently has 7 offices in 7 countries. Skillspark’s growth and development has been extremely fast in UAE and other parts of the Middle East. I can proudly say that in one year we have become one of the biggest players in the UAE’ s IT contingent market. We have a great team and a leader in Aamash Mukhtar that has done a tremendous job with Skillspark in UAE .
Can you give us 5 tips on what to think about when hiring people remotely?
1. Prepare
You must start by thinking whether your company is ready to accept a remote workforce. Many companies think this is easier than an on-site working model, but it could be quite the opposite. It is essential to prepare processes, a robust communication plan, and implement the right IT tools, so that people working from home feel valued and an integral part of your company.
2. Innovate
With remote hiring, you get access to the global IT workforce market, which opens a lot of possibilities in terms of cost optimization, team collaboration, knowledge sharing etc. However, at the same time, those benefits are sometimes not grasped because of a low drive to innovate and fund new business ideas, often involving doing something that has not been done previously. Being unafraid to innovate is important.
3. Adapt
Bringing a remote workforce into your company often means that suddenly you have a mix of different cultures in your organization. It is important to understand that you must adapt and understand that some people look at things differently or have different ways of achieving set goals. Adapting to that is important because you must create an environment where every employee, regardless of their workplace, culture, or nationality, feels motivated.
4. Be clear and precise
Having a diverse and globally scattered workforce requires taking communication to the next level. Understatements or misunderstandings can grow tenfold in such an environment. Being precise and clear with your message can help to avoid that. It is also important to quickly react whenever something is not clear. In my experience, being proactive is the best motivation builder for a remote workforce.
5. Build trust but follow up
With the popularization of remote work, trust has become an even more important factor when onboarding people. Building the right culture is something that can help with that, but I would not forget about the basics. Being fair, transparent, and supportive can make your company a magnet for remote workers and should be a standard toolbox of every hiring manager.
What is your dream?
I do not have any dreams. I have always believed in goals and creating a path to help myself and others to achieve those goals. Sometimes I have reached them and sometimes not, but it has been very important that I could always say to myself that I have done everything to reach my goals.
At this moment in life my goal is for Skillspark to become a global market leader in the IT industry, to continue our journey of making skills placeless, and to enable our customers and talent to connect which would have not been possible a couple of years ago.
Thank you Mikael for sharing your story! We wish you all the best with your exciting journey with Skillspark.
Mikael Subotowicz, Co-Founder of Skillspark
Email: mikael.subotowicz@skillspark.com
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