THE CHALLENGE
The client is a family-owned business specializing in developing and manufacturing products for military vehicles and aerospace, supporting all branches of the Department of Defense and allies worldwide. The company, in business for nearly six decades, is guided by its core values of integrity, partnership, can-do attitude, and innovation, which drives its efforts in developing and recruiting new talent while providing stable career opportunities for its employees and families.
Located near Los Angeles International Airport, the client approached ALIGN seeking assistance finding an experienced SAP Business Analyst. The previous employee in that position had retired, and they had been searching for a replacement for a year without success.
The new hire would report directly to the IT Application Manager, offer end-user support on operational issues, configuration and enhancement efforts, key projects, as well as being responsible for delivering best practice solutions to the business. The ideal candidate would have a strong understanding of business processes, excellent problem-solving skills, and the ability to improve processes.
Upon receiving the search assignment, ALIGN’s first step was to identify all the important aspects of the role including character attributes, experiences, and other nuances that are not listed in the job description. Working closely with both the client’s internal recruiter and the IT Manager, we brainstormed and held strategic planning sessions to develop a search strategy that targeted the most qualified candidates.
In addition to old-fashioned cold calling, we tapped into multiple social media platforms to identify potential candidates. Additionally, we used specific criteria in our searches such as experience in certain SAP modules, years of experience, and proximity of the candidate to the client’s location. Although we advertised the opportunity, our primary approach involved sourcing potential candidates from our talent pool and engaging with them directly.
We focused on finding a candidate with a solid understanding of business processes, excellent problem-solving skills, and the ability to deliver best-practice solutions to the client’s business.
Initially, ALIGN identified six potential candidates that fit the client’s requirements. After carefully reviewing their resumes, ALIGN pre-qualified two candidates—one senior and the other more junior—for the client to interview.
The client was impressed by both the junior and senior candidate’s qualifications and experience during the interviewing process and decided to offer both candidates positions! The decision to hire both candidates was prudent, as they each brought unique strengths and perspectives to the team.
The junior candidate was offered a 25 percent pay raise, demonstrating the value placed on his skills and experience. The senior candidate, who previously had to commute two hours a day, was thrilled to receive a $5,000 pay raise and the ability to work remotely. This improvement in the senior candidate’s work-life balance increased his productivity and job satisfaction.
Overall, the recruitment process conducted by our team at ALIGN successfully identified and recruited two exceptional candidates for our client. Hiring junior and senior candidates exhibited our commitment to finding the best fit for our client’s needs. This recruitment success led to increased business opportunities for ALIGN as the client was impressed with the process.
The executive consultant who led the search has cultivated several additional search assignments and has developed a strong, ongoing relationship this happy, new client.
