The most successful placements are the ones where the organization is able to attract and hire a leader with not only the correct technical skillset, but also the ability to translate the company’s mission and vision into unique IP that supports the company’s growth. These leaders must inspire architects, engineers, product leaders, executives and often the board. They must be keenly focused on building the products that can change the status quo and define their market in new ways. Hiring the right leader in these key positions can literally be the catalyst for breaking through mediocrity and achieving a company’s highest potential.
Riviera takes the challenge head on every day. Today we announced our best year to date, and the addition of four new partners to our leadership team. We couldn’t be happier and thankful about both. So, what does a highly-skilled and successful placement firm look for when building their own partner ranks? The answer is simple to define, but harder to achieve.
I believe that to be able to place the best of the best, a recruiter needs three key ingredients:
First, technology. The ability to leverage technology, data and insights to build a short list of pre-vetted, qualified candidates gives our partners a head start on even the toughest placements. Using machine learning to identify and recommend candidates that meet the explicit and implicit requirements of the position, as well as the stage and culture of the company, helps to create a strong working candidate list right out of the gate.
Second, a network. There are thousands of very talented technologists in the workforce. A recruiter may touch hundreds of them each year. Being able to leverage a large community of candidates, references, peers and influencers around any given position helps recruiters to identify and vet candidates and strengthen the short list quickly. Trusted relationships within the industry, supported by data and access to the firm’s knowledge base, ensures that a partner is identifying only the best candidates for a company’s unique needs.
Third, knowledge. To confidently identify and recommend technical leaders, recruiters must have sufficient technical knowledge juxtaposed with business acumen including a strong sense of fit. Understanding both the technical skills that are required and the business significance of those skills is an imperative. This combination of knowledge allows a recruiter to identify candidates that fit the culture and the mission, and who can drive the company’s product vision to help it achieve its greatest success. In today’s world, the technical and business skills are two sides of the same coin. Both are essential for a successful placement that creates long term value for all concerned.
I am pleased to add four new partners to our proven bench: Isa Guardalabene, Jason Hann, Sandy Ma, and Sophie Thomas. Over the last seventeen years, we have honed our collective skills by leveraging our proprietary technology, building a vast network of technical leaders who are inventing new products and driving digital transformation, and our shared knowledge about how companies work and grow. The result is a great team that is able to meet the challenge of placing some of the most pivotal leaders in today’s most important companies.
Congratulations Isa, Jason, Sandy and Sophie. You’ve earned it!