Case Studies

IT company successfully hires an "HR super star" to lead toward global growth

The challenge:

Facing rapid expansion amid a series of global mergers and acquisitions, the leaders of a fast-growing information technology company created a new Vice President of Human Resources position, reporting to the General Counsel and serving on the Executive Committee. The organization sought an "HR super star"—a strategist and tactician—with demonstrated experience leading through mergers and acquisitions, managing staff in multiple locations, overseeing global operations, and leading organization and culture development. Of equal importance, the organization sought someone with the right personality: assertive and strong, yet collegial and collaborative.

The recruiting result:

Marni Hockenberg was referred to the technology company by a client and, after sitting down with the General Counsel to learn more about the Executive Committee's goals for the new position, got right down to business. Marni hunted through myriad sources and spoke with dozens of people in a thorough assessment and job-matching process before narrowing the slate of candidates to the best of the best. The finalist for the position—an exceptional and highly sought-after candidate who had been a leader for a large global energy company—was actively seeking a new opportunity and, after recently relocating his family to the area, was understandably cautious about finding the "right" fit. As an ambassador of the technology company, Marni successfully marketed the opportunity to the finalist and provided counsel to the finalist and the company throughout the interview and assessment process. The finalist was ultimately hired and immediately began building and implementing a strategy to position the company for growth. With his charisma and collegial personality, he quickly built a reputation for being a well-respected, well-liked and motivating leader for the company.

Midwestern manufacturing powerhouse lands Chief Operating Officer with big-city savvy grounded in hometown values

The challenge:

When an analytical instrumentation manufacturer commenced its search for a new Chief Operating Officer after its long-tenured COO retired, the company faced a unique challenge: Finding the right candidate who could walk in two worlds—a high-performer with demonstrated supply chain and complex manufacturing experience who would also relish the culture of an organization headquartered in a small Midwestern town off the beaten path.

The recruiting result:

After the COO position remained unfilled for nine months, Marni Hockenberg was referred by a client to the organization to help fill the position. After an arduous search process, Marni ultimately delivered a slate of stellar candidates for the company's consideration. The finalist for the position—who fit the organization's qualifications to a "T"—had not been actively looking for new employment but, when contacted by Marni, was receptive to learning more. Marni successfully marketed the opportunity to the finalist, and provided counsel to him and to the manufacturing company throughout the interview phase. The finalist was ultimately hired and has been an immediate contributor to the company's executive team and to achieving its business goals.

Large regional law firm courts experienced paralegal manager to build innovative paralegal and technology services for its clients

The challenge:

With their business clients under increasing pressure to contain costs, many large corporate law firms are seeking new and innovative ways to continue providing stellar legal services while carefully managing expenses. A large regional law firm sought to create a new position, Manager of Paralegal Services, that would help achieve exactly that by establishing a role that would provide leadership to the firm's highly skilled team of paralegals while also developing new technology innovations to best serve the firm's clients. In particular, the firm sought a candidate with law firm experience managing staff, overseeing revenue streams and developing new technical solutions.

The recruiting result:

Marni Hockenberg had provided search services for the law firm for a number of important positions and was again contacted by the law firm to help find the best candidate for this newly created position. After consulting with the firm's Director of Human Resources to learn more about the objectives of the position and to determine criteria for hiring, Marni tapped into her extensive network to seek out top candidates. The finalist, who had been employed by a competitor for more than a decade, was not actively looking for a new opportunity but was receptive to learning more after being approached by Marni. In particular, Marni sought to learn more from the candidate about what she was seeking in terms of professional growth and development. Working with both the finalist and the law firm, Marni managed a highly confidential interview process, coached both the firm and the candidate in advance of the interview, assisted with the complexities of the conflicts check process, and ultimately helped develop an attractive and creative offer for the finalist. But it didn't stop there—Marni also helped coach the finalist in preparation for tendering her resignation with her current employer. And, knowing that the "fragile period" during the transition between jobs is a risky time for companies, Marni also took care to counsel her client on meaningful ways to make the new hire feel welcome and continue to be excited about her new opportunity in the weeks before her first day.