We recently had the privilege of interviewing Sana Alam, the Founder and Managing Director at Crank Recruitment, a specialist tech recruitment agency. Driven by a passion for building strong relationships and helping others reach their goals, Sana founded Crank Recruitment.
While covering regions like the USA, and EMENA, Crank Recruitment is helping tech companies hire top talents globally. In this interview, Sana shares her insights behind starting the company, challenging aspects in this field, plans for her business, and offers valuable suggestions for aspiring beginners.
Spark Behind The Decision
Eager to learn about Sana Alam’s decision to join this field, we asked, “What inspired you to start your professional journey in this field?”
Sana shared, “My professional journey began with a passion for making a difference in people’s lives, particularly through HR and recruitment. At Bayt.com, I cultivated my skills and earned recognition as a top recruiter for driving impactful hires.
Transitioning to Talabat, I faced the challenge of sourcing top tech talent in a competitive market. Despite partnering with external agencies, I observed a gap in delivery. Drawing from my experience and expertise, I spearheaded initiatives to overhaul our recruitment strategy.”
She added, “Through collaborative efforts with leadership, I implemented SOPs, defined stakeholder responsibilities, and revamped our talent and employer branding. These efforts resulted in a significant increase in tech talent acquisition, scaling the function by over 265%. I received accolades from the CEO, CTO, and stakeholders for my contributions, earning the reputation of a ‘rockstar recruiter.’
Inspired by my experiences and driven by a desire to address industry gaps, I founded Crank. So far, the results speak for themselves; we’ve experienced great success, with much of our business coming from referrals. Our agency serves as a reliable and effective recruitment solution, delivering exceptional results and driving business growth for our partners. I’m committed to continuing our journey of making a meaningful impact in the tech recruitment landscape.”
A Quick Look At Sana’s Business
We were curious to learn more about Sana Alam and her business. So, we asked, “Could you tell us more about yourself and your business?”
She shared, “I’m the founder of Crank Recruitment. Firmly believing that one can accomplish anything one sets their mind to, I channel my passion and determination into both my business and personal pursuits. Alongside my dedication to Crank Recruitment, I pursue calligraphy (@Kasra_calligraphy) and car reviews as an influencer (@sanaareviews), finding equal excitement in these diverse interests.
At Crank Recruitment, we specialize in technology and product hiring, catering to a wide range of businesses from engineers and product analysts to C-level executives and Co-founders. What sets us apart is our unique process, akin to a secret sauce, where we operate as headhunters, seamlessly integrating with our clients’ hiring efforts. This approach has led to exceptional results, with a remarkable 95% closing rate from our first batch of placements.
While our primary focus is on technology roles, we also extend our services to non-tech positions across various business functions. At Crank, we are dedicated to delivering unparalleled value to our clients by leveraging our expertise, innovative approach, and commitment to excellence. We’re excited about the opportunities ahead and look forward to making a meaningful impact in the tech recruitment landscape.”
Busting Common Industry Myths
Every industry has some widely held misconceptions that a leader in the field needs to address. We asked, “What’s a common misconception about your industry or role that you’d like to address?”
Sana replied, “A common misconception about specialized recruitment agencies like ours is that they are expensive. In reality, partnering with a specialized agency can result in significant cost and time savings for organizations. Our expertise and industry knowledge enables us to efficiently source, screen, and match candidates to roles, reducing the time-to-hire and ensuring a better cultural fit. In many cases, we can close roles within 2-8 weeks, which not only accelerates the hiring process but also leads to better long-term outcomes for our clients.”
Overcoming Major Hurdles
Every business will inevitably encounter some difficulties. We asked, “What have been the major challenges in your business? How did you overcome it?”
She shared, “As a tech recruitment business owner, we’ve encountered several significant challenges in our operations. One of the most prominent challenges has been educating clients about the comprehensive services and value proposition we offer as a staffing agency.
Many clients initially struggled to understand the intricacies of our recruitment process, particularly the extensive legwork involved in sourcing, screening, and shortlisting candidates.
Despite our best efforts to set expectations, some clients still insisted on reviewing all candidates themselves, which undermined the efficiency and expertise of our services. To overcome this challenge, we implemented several strategies:
Educational Initiatives: We developed targeted educational materials and resources to help clients better understand the role of a staffing agency and the benefits of trusting our expertise. This included informative guides, case studies, and interactive presentations to highlight the value we bring to the recruitment process.
Transparent Communication: We prioritized transparent communication with clients, providing regular updates on our progress and emphasizing the efforts invested in sourcing and vetting candidates. By keeping clients informed and engaged throughout the process, we were able to build trust and credibility.
Demonstration of Value: We proactively showcased our track record of successful placements and the positive impact our services had on clients’ businesses. Sharing testimonials, case studies, and real-life examples helped demonstrate the tangible results of partnering with our agency.
Feedback Loop: We established a feedback loop with clients to solicit their input and address any concerns or misconceptions they may have had. By actively listening to their feedback and addressing any issues promptly, we were able to strengthen our client relationships and improve collaboration.
Setting Clear Expectations: We reinforced the importance of setting clear expectations from the outset of the engagement, outlining the roles and responsibilities of both parties in the recruitment process. By aligning expectations and clarifying any misunderstandings upfront, we were able to mitigate potential challenges down the line.
Overall, by taking a proactive approach to education, communication, and relationship-building, we were able to overcome the challenge of clients not fully understanding the value of our services. This enabled us to foster stronger partnerships and drive continued success in our business.”
Plans We Asked Sana Alam
We were curious to learn more about the professional aspirations of Sana Alam. So, we inquired, “Tell us more about your professional goals and how you aim to achieve them?”
She shared, “My professional goal is to drive Crank’s journey towards becoming the most reliable and trustworthy tech recruitment agency, independent of my presence. To achieve this, I am focused on implementing scalable processes, fostering a culture of excellence and innovation, and nurturing a team of talented professionals who share our vision and values. By continuously refining our strategies, leveraging cutting-edge technology, and delivering exceptional results for our clients and candidates, I am confident that Crank will establish itself as a leader in the industry.”
Promoting Collaboration
Having a strong team is paramount for the success of any business. We asked, “How do you foster collaboration and teamwork within your organization or group?”
Sana replied, “To foster collaboration and teamwork, we prioritize transparency, trust, autonomy, and communication. By openly sharing information, trusting each other’s abilities, empowering autonomy, and maintaining clear communication channels, we create an environment where every team member feels valued and motivated to contribute to our shared goals.”
Envisioning The Future
We further asked, “How do you envision the future of your industry or field in the next 5-10 years?”
“In the coming 5-10 years, the tech recruitment industry is poised for transformative changes. Automation will streamline processes, while a heightened focus on candidate experience will drive personalized interactions. Skills-based hiring will prioritize practical abilities over traditional qualifications. Remote work’s rise will globalize talent pools, and data analytics will inform strategic decision-making. Diversity and inclusion will be paramount, fostering innovation and organizational success. Adapting to these trends will be crucial for agencies to thrive in an increasingly dynamic landscape.” She replied.
Extensive Services
Addressing our visitors, we asked, “Would you like to tell our visitors about your services and products?”
Sana responded, “Absolutely! At our agency, we offer comprehensive tech recruitment services tailored to meet the unique needs of our clients. Our team of experienced recruiters specializes in sourcing top talent across various tech industries such as Fintech, AI, PropTech, FemTech, FoodTech, HealthTech, Crypto, and Web3. This includes Engineers, Designers, Product Managers, DevOps or SRE Experts, as well as specialists in Security, Architecture, Infrastructure Automation, ML and Data.
We provide end-to-end recruitment solutions, from initial consultation and job profiling to candidate sourcing, screening, and selection. Our rigorous vetting process ensures that we present only the most qualified candidates who match our client’s specific requirements and culture.”
“Additionally, we prioritize transparency, communication, and client satisfaction throughout the recruitment process. We strive to build long-term partnerships with our clients, offering ongoing support and guidance to help them meet their hiring goals and objectives.
Whether you’re a startup looking to scale your team or an established company in need of specialized tech talent, we’re here to help you find the right candidates efficiently and effectively. Get in touch with us today to learn more about how we can support your recruitment needs and drive success for your business.” She added.
Suggestions For Startups
Lastly, seeking business suggestions for beginners, we asked Sana Alam, “Do you have a piece of advice that you would like to say to people just starting in this industry?”
Sana replied, “Embrace the competence-confidence loop: Continuously strive to improve your skills and knowledge in the industry, as mastery breeds confidence. Be proactive in seeking learning opportunities and honing your craft. Remember, confidence comes from competence, so never stop learning and growing in your field.”
Follow Sana Alam on LinkedIn.
Find Crank Recruitment on LinkedIn and visit their website https://crankrecruitment.com/.
