Why some energy companies search before the project is awarded

I keep having a version of the same conversation with major EPCs. They know exactly which specialists they will need if a project is awarded. They just don't have approval to hire them yet.

Commercially, that hesitation makes sense: nobody wants to open a vacancy against a contract that hasn't been signed. But from a talent perspective, that same caution quietly creates a delay most people don't see coming until it's already a problem.

Here's why

The strongest engineers are rarely available on short notice. They're serving out long notice periods, committed to a project that isn't finishing on anyone's convenient timeline, or simply uninterested in moving for anything vague. By the time a contract is signed, the vacancy is approved, and the job spec finally goes out, the delivery schedule is often already moving. The company isn't hiring against a calm runway anymore. It's hiring against a clock that started before recruitment did.

What this doesn't mean

None of this means hiring entire teams speculatively, before work is secured. That's its own kind of risk. What it does mean is understanding the market earlier, while there's still time to act on what you learn:

• How many suitable professionals actually exist for this scope of work?
• Where are they currently sitting?
• Which of the skills on your project team wishlist are genuinely scarce, and which are easy to find?
• Would this team come together faster through contractors, permanent hires, or some blend of the two?

These aren't hard questions to answer. They're just rarely asked before the pressure is already on.

Why it's worth asking early

The value isn't just speed. It's evidence instead of assumptions. A proposed project team that looks fine on a slide can turn out to be genuinely difficult to build. Better to find that out while there's still room to adjust the plan than after a bid has been won on the strength of a team that doesn't quite exist yet. At TalSource, we help companies map potential talent before a vacancy is even formally open, so that when the project is awarded, the first question is how to mobilise the team, not where to start looking for one.

If you'd like a clearer read on the market before your next bid goes in, TalSource can map it before the vacancy is even approved.