How to Overcome Geographical Limitations When Hiring Talent for Small Businesses

In a world where skills gaps and limited local talent can cause concern, accessing global talent is crucial for businesses to stay competitive. Simbound, a digital marketing platform, tapped into remote internships to gain an edge.

We recently sat down with Simbound's founder and CEO, Louis Havriliuc, to delve into his experience. Discover how Simbound leveraged virtual internships to break geographical barriers, enhance team diversity, and support its mission of preparing students for the real world of work.

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Tell us about yourself and what Simbound does.

My name is Louis Havriliuc. I am the founder and CEO of Simbound, a digital marketing simulation built for education currently used by over 100 schools worldwide.

Are you remote-first, or are you office-based?

We're in a hybrid mode right now. Most people are remote, working from their country of origin. Here at our headquarters, we work from home but also meet a few times a week to discuss tasks that need to be done.

Can you tell us a little bit about how you came across Virtual Internships and came to partner with us?

I discovered Virtual Internships through a newsletter from an education group in London. After signing up, I saw the website and noticed that you offer to match interns with companies. I thought it was a great idea, especially because we're a small company and don't have the resources like big companies to manage an internship program on our own.

Previously, had you considered an internship program or tried one before Virtual Internships?

We used to run internships before partnering with Virtual Internships, but they were mostly physical. Interns would come into our office, spend a few weeks or months, and receive some experience and a certificate. However, the pool of candidates was quite limited to our local area. Despite having very good interns, it wasn't very diverse.

It became more interesting when I saw that Virtual Internships allowed us to tap into an international market. We were eager to expand into other geographies and see how people work elsewhere.

Do you have any other goals or aims for hiring virtual interns besides tapping into an international market?

Our company's mission is to help people gain new skills through our simulations, preparing them for the real world of work. Our mission aligns with Virtual Internships, as we aim to equip students to meet expectations, gain confidence, and expand their networks. These aspects are crucial at the start of a career. I believe there isn't a much better way of achieving this than what we've done through Virtual Internships.

It's one of the main things we end up talking about with host companies, especially our top host companies. That kind of mentorship element is almost like giving back and approaching it that way in terms of its benefits for the global market—if you're helping to train and shape early career talent.

Agree. The catch is - you have to dedicate time and resources. The fact that it's online and Virtual Internships provides a very good structure for these internships is great because you don't have to worry about many things that you would need to set up if you were to do this on your own.

Actually, it was cool that we had access to a library of interns where we could see everyone's profile, what they're good at, where they want to develop their careers, and the direction they want to grow. So that's when we said, okay, we'll pick a few of them. Then after a few interviews, we will be left with one that we think is the most appropriate. This person became a more permanent collaborator of ours. So, this is a nice example of how an internship can lead to a more permanent work placement.

Would you recommend Virtual Internships?

Definitely. This is a great way to look at your business from a new perspective through the eyes of an intern who is new to the world of work. You can gain a lot in terms of ideas and creativity and maybe even launch new initiatives with the help of someone new to your team. This is not always easy when working on something for several years. As a founder or entrepreneur, you also started out at some point and appreciated when someone mentored you and provided experience and opportunities. These are very important things to have at the beginning of a career.

Enhance Global Diversity in Your Team with Virtual Internships

The success story with Simbound underscores the significance of embracing global talent and diverse perspectives, especially in the rapidly evolving digital marketing industry. By integrating international interns into their team, Simbound has extended its global reach and infused fresh, innovative ideas into its operations.

With Virtual Internships, you gain access to a diverse pool of talented interns from around the world. Our intuitive interface allows you to browse through detailed intern profiles, making it easy to find candidates whose skills align with your business needs. Once selected, our platform facilitates smooth onboarding, providing resources and guidelines to help interns integrate quickly into your team.

Whether you're looking to enhance your team's capabilities, gain fresh perspectives, or expand your global presence, Virtual Internships provides the tools and support needed to make it happen seamlessly. 

Fill in the form below to connect with our team and learn how you can enhance your team's diversity with global talent.