This paper explores the mechanisms by which services firms recruit employees from external labour markets. Empirically, the study draws upon a case study of 12 software services firms located in the capital city region of Norway. The data consists of interview data gathered among HR managers and firm executives, and the CVs of newly recruited technologists. The study discusses the micro-mechanisms in firms manage and combine advantages that arise from local and place-specific conditions with advantages that arise from global technology-oriented networks when attracting human capital. The findings suggest that considering the combination of local and global networks provides a more comprehensive understanding of knowledge dynamics, and the study shows the extent to which learning capabilities of individual firms are shaped by local and globally oriented HRM practices.