“Every year, companies receive tens of thousands of job applications, but only a small percentage lead to actual hires,” says Maarten Westerduin, founder of the Talentpool Community.
His goal? To fundamentally change the traditional recruitment model of résumés, rejections, and competition among employers — by building a community.
Alternative to the traditional application process
In today’s tight labor market, employers are increasingly willing to hire candidates who don’t meet all the listed job requirements. Research by UWV shows that 71% of organizations have hired candidates without fully relevant experience or qualifications in the past two years. However, this flexibility requires more than just openness to different profiles — Westerduin sees it as an opportunity to drive structural change within the system.
With the Talentpool Community, he aims to combat the waste of talent. ‘If you can’t hire someone, give your neighbor the chance to consider them.’
One talentpool for multiple employers
Westerduin cites the Internal Revenue Service as an example: 50,000 job applications annually, of which 45,000 are rejected. “That’s a huge loss of potential.” The Talent Pool Community offers a solution: a shared candidate pool that organizations can access — even if a candidate could not be placed with them directly. And all of this based on Skills — not just experience or diplomas.
— ‘We turn rejections into referrals..’ —
He compares it to a shopping street: ‘You walk into a store looking for work, but there’s no vacancy. Then the shopkeeper immediately points you to the neighbors. You stay visible in the shop window — without having to start from scratch again.
The result is a shared ecosystem where companies collaborate instead of competing for the same limited pool of applicants.
Less dependent on large tech platforms
The community also serves as a response to the dominance of recruitment platforms like LinkedIn and Indeed. ‘Many companies spend thousands of dollars on these platforms without results — everyone is fishing in the same pond with the same message,’ Westerduin said.
In contrast, the Talentpool Community empowers companies by giving them control. They can build long-term relationships with candidates and actively collaborate with other employers, leading to… more efficiency and more humanity in the process.
— ‘You start seeing someone’s talent from day one.’–‘
As candidates present themselves based on their values, motivations, and skills, the interview process becomes more authentic. There’s no need to sell yourself or put on an act — you can simply be yourself.
The future of work is shared
According to Westerduin, this is the future of work: a labor market where people no longer have to constantly prove their worth.
–‘As an organization, you’ve invested time and money in recruitment — so why let talent disappear when it could still add value elsewhere?‘–
The Talentpool Community officially goes live on June 16, but organizations can join now.
–‘We hope this marks the beginning of a fairer, more efficient, and above all, more humane labor market.’–
