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We all know the internet has created a space where we can claim to be the version of ourselves we had always imagined. And while social networks have enabled catfishing to the extremes, the world of recruitment isn't safe from these Walter Mitty’s either. So how do you know someone is who they say they are? And have the skills they claim to have?

Well, British technology entrepreneur Oliver Hibbs-Brockway, thinks he has the answer. “I was tired of spending too much time and money on hiring freelancers, only to find they didn’t have the skills I needed for the job in hand. The system is broken, it’s lost any sense of trust – and I’m out to fix it,” says Hibbs-Brockway, who is founder and CEO of Nodal, a London-based blockchain start-up.

Coding his own custom architecture, Hibbs-Brockway has developed Nodal, the world’s first blockchain-powered freelance marketplace, and it’s launching today.

Nodal has hit the ground running pre-launch by signing a £250m deal with Minstrell Recruitment that will see the construction recruitment specialists using Nodal’s blockchain-powered platform to expedite the recruitment and employee on-boarding process for some of the company’s biggest clients.

Put simply, Nodal enables HR managers to search for freelancers based on skills verified by others. Further work undertaken via the Nodal platform is verified each time thus creating a trust-building positive feedback loop. This means HR teams no longer need to spend hours trying to work out whether people really have the skills they say they do, as they will be able to see whether other people are willing to vouch for them.

“I wanted to create a new economy based on trust rather than the ‘it’s who you know, not what you know’ model that continues to plague many industries,” says Hibbs-Brockway.

What’s more, Nodal can offer businesses of all sizes a full end-to-end recruitment solution. From talent identification through to timesheets and invoicing, and into payment – it offers a single-view of all processes, allowing everything to be fully integrated. That means timesheets instantly reconciled against invoices, and payroll on-boarding time significantly reduced. Nodal allows HR professionals to get on with what they do best – the human part of human resources.

For freelancers, Nodal can guarantee that they’ll be paid on time, every time, when accepting work through the platform. This is achieved through a system of smart contracts, the terms of which are automated once placed onto the blockchain. As long as the work is completed in the agreed timeframe, freelancers get paid on the agreed date.

“From Minstrell in the construction sector to The Mill in the creative space, we’re already helping some of the best in the business to find the right talent. And this is just the start, there are big plans in place to grow into further sectors and markets this year, with a significant Series B funding round lined up for Q4 and a potential ICO, too.”

So, next time you’re struggling to find the right person for the job, you might want to start your search on the blockchain.

For more information, see http://www.nodal.com