Two engineers turned down other offers to join.
Two roles agreed on a Wednesday, both needing engineers who could take ownership from day one. Elixir is a small pool already, and this search was limited to commuting distance of a German office.
Both roles filled on the first search. The frontend engineer in 19 days, the Elixir engineer in 29, and both candidates turned down other offers to join.
A workflow automation software business in Germany, building a product that helps companies streamline internal processes and cut manual overhead. A small team with an ambitious roadmap, where both engineering hires needed to take ownership from day one.
Both briefs were agreed on a Wednesday and the first search commenced the following morning. The two searches ran concurrently, with fast turnaround on CV review and interview scheduling throughout. Both closed inside a month.
Elixir is already a small pool, and hiring Elixir engineers depends on a network rather than an advert. Add a hard requirement to be within commuting distance of the office and the search becomes genuinely difficult, so geography shaped the sourcing strategy entirely. For the frontend role the stack was React and TypeScript, which gives a bigger pool on paper, but the real filter was startup experience rather than technical keywords, and that distinction determined who made the shortlist.
Elixir Engineer
Filled in 29 DaysFound within commuting distance of the client despite a globally small candidate pool, with the right Elixir background and an active presence in the European Elixir community. She cancelled her remaining interview processes after accepting the offer.
Senior Frontend Engineer
Filled in 19 DaysHired on startup experience rather than technical keywords. He had been employee number seven at a SaaS startup, turned down competing offers and chose to relocate.
Placed EngineerWhat impressed me the most is how deeply he understands both the technical side of the software development market, especially within the Elixir community, and the business side of building strong teams. He was able to accurately assess my skills, understand my profile, and identify why I would be a great match for the company. I’m very grateful for the entire experience.
Elixir Engineer, Placed February 2026
Questions this search answers
How fast can two engineering roles be filled at once?
Both briefs were agreed on a Wednesday and the searches started the next morning. They ran concurrently and closed in 19 and 29 days.
Can you find Elixir engineers who will work on site?
Yes. This search was restricted to commuting distance of the client’s German office and still produced an engineer with the right Elixir background and an active presence in the European Elixir community.
What made the frontend hire work?
The real filter was startup experience rather than technical keywords. The engineer hired had been employee number seven at a SaaS startup, and he relocated for the role.
Hiring something similar?
Tell me what you are trying to hire and I will tell you honestly whether I can help, and what it will take.
Book a callArjun Gillard, Founder, AG Talent
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