100%
Offer-to-Joining Conversion
(vs. industry standard of 20-30%)
80%
Submission-to-Interview Rate
(vs. industry average of 10%)
~9%
of Total Team Cost
(vs. ~30% if MariaDB had set up its own entity)
MariaDB is a leading provider of enterprise-grade database solutions. They were expanding their team in India for the development of a new cloud-based offering and needed a highly specialized engineering team of database internals engineers.
They were already working with an Employer of Record (EOR) provider for payroll in India and compliance, however, the arrangement did not provide recruitment support, making it difficult to hire niche talent.
To build a strong team, MariaDB needed a partner who could not only bring in superior tech hiring expertise but also be reliable when it came to on-ground operational support.
The Challenge
- Finding the right people with the right skills: The company needed database internals engineers, a very niche skill set that was not easy to find without a dedicated recruitment team. Identifying and securing qualified candidates for this position was a challenge.
- Hiring delays due to compliance & paperwork: Setting up an entity in India would easily take 6 to 12 months (and that’s when everything went as planned), delaying the hiring process and development cycles. MariaDB needed engineers who could join and start working with them immediately without waiting for legal and operational setup.
- Limited reliability on their existing EOR partner: MariaDB was not very happy with their EOR partner, specifically because of delayed response times and lack of hiring support. HR and payroll queries took a week or more to resolve, slowing down processes.
- A competitive job market: Skilled engineers often had multiple job offers, and industry-wide offer acceptance rates were as low as 20–30%. Securing and retaining top-tier tech talent was becoming increasingly difficult.
Objectives with TeemGenie
- Hire specialized database engineers: Source and recruit experienced database internals engineers specifically needed for product development.
- Streamline hiring and team management end-to-end: Eliminate fragmented processes and reduce operational overhead by integrating hiring, onboarding, and payroll.
- Eliminate HR and payroll delays: Ensure HR and payroll queries are promptly resolved, improving operational efficiency.
- Improve candidate engagement and retention: Increase offer acceptance rates by proactively managing salary expectations and maintaining candidate engagement throughout the hiring process.
TeemGenie Solution and Implementation
TeemGenie implemented a structured, software-enabled hiring process that streamlined sourcing, recruitment, and onboarding while maintaining a high-touch engagement approach.
1. Precision hiring for Database roles
TeemGenie’s sourcing team consisted of technical veterans with decades of experience in the industry, ensuring they deeply understood the nuances of the role.
The hiring process included:
- Industry network and headhunting: Accessing professionals from Sandeep’s IIT Bombay network and database engineering communities.
- Direct sourcing via LinkedIn and referrals: Proactively engaging high-fit candidates rather than relying on inbound applicants.
- Tech-enabled talent tracking: TeemGenie used a structured, clutter-free ATS-based approach, ensuring all candidate communication and progress were easily tracked – no scattered spreadsheets or emails.
2. End-to-end support that required minimum intervention
TeemGenie handled the entire hiring workflow, from initial alignment with MariaDB’s leadership to defining specific roles to candidate shortlisting:
- Detailed kick-off session: Conducted initial onboarding calls with MariaDB’s leadership to precisely align role requirements with the product roadmap.
- Clear role definitions: Worked closely with hiring managers to define exact skillsets and role expectations, ensuring accuracy and clarity.
- Structured candidate screening: Conducted focused, 30-minute screening calls to assess candidates’ technical fit, career goals, and salary expectations.
- High-quality shortlisting: Achieved an 80% submission-to-interview rate (far exceeding the ~10% industry average), ensuring MariaDB interviewed only highly relevant candidates.
- Smooth interview coordination: TeemGenie managed all interview scheduling and acted as a responsive point of contact, simplifying interactions between MariaDB and candidates.
3. Proactive salary negotiation and offer management
TeemGenie actively led the offer structuring and negotiation process, significantly reducing candidate dropouts:
- Transparent salary discussions: Helping both sides align on compensation expectations to avoid last-minute negotiation hurdles.
- Leadership involvement in key negotiations: For critical roles, the leadership personally intervened to address any final concerns and ensure smooth offer acceptance.
- High-touch offer management: Maintained continuous engagement through personalized communication to successfully close offers.
4. Frictionless Onboarding and comprehensive EOR Support
- Fast-track onboarding: All contracts, compliance, and payroll setup were managed directly within TeemGenie’s HR and ATS systems, ensuring a smooth transition.
- Personalized HR support: Provided direct, prompt responses to payroll and HR inquiries typically within 4 working hours – dramatically faster than traditional ticket-based systems.
- Complete Payroll and Benefits administration: Ensured precise payroll processing, tax compliance, and timely benefits administration, significantly reducing administrative burdens for MariaDB.
“I would absolutely recommend TeemGenie to anyone looking for an efficient, personable, and professional company. Sandy and his team provide clear, concise communication and meticulous documentation, ensuring transparency in every transaction. No task is ever too much, making it a pleasure to work with them.”
Kerry Leather HR Manager
Results and Impact
- Team of 9 engineers set up and ready to go within 6 months: TeemGenie enabled MariaDB to quickly hire a specialized, 9-person engineering team within six months. This included critical roles like Principal Architect, Tech Leads, Senior Software Engineers, and UI Engineers, ensuring development timeline remained on track.
- Significantly improved offer acceptance: At a time when most companies see only 1 in 4 candidates actually join, TeemGenie achieved a rare 100% offer-to-joining rate – every offer was accepted and converted. Candidates stayed committed and engaged throughout their 2–3 month notice periods, eliminating last-minute dropouts and ensuring consistent hiring momentum.
- Rapid and responsive HR support: TeemGenie replaced MariaDB’s previous slow, ticket-based HR system with direct, personalized support. Typical response times for payroll, benefits, and compliance queries were resolved within 4 hours, with most issues resolved within 24 hours.
- Reduced costs and operational overhead: By providing comprehensive employment management (contracts, compliance, payroll), TeemGenie reduced MariaDB’s administrative costs to just 9% of total team expenses – approximately one-third of what setting up a direct entity would have cost. These savings allowed MariaDB to invest further into product growth and innovation.