Success Stories

ENERGY RESOURCE COMPANY

Successfully Attracts Top Talent for Hard-to-Fill Role

HSG’s broad expertise in human resources ensures that the services we provide to employers are always aligned with the company’s overall mission and success.

Situation

Our client, an energy resource company, was faced with the difficult task of filling a sales position that required expertise in a niche that is not common in the sales industry. Like many companies presented with this type of hiring challenge, our client had little hope they would be able to find a suitable candidate for this hard-to-fill role.

Approach

We worked with the company to identify the skills and experience most needed for success in the role. Putting on our Human Resources hat, we made recommendations for competitive compensation based on our deep experience with the field. Then, we helped our client reimagine how the company’s employee structure and culture could be more attractive to heavily sought candidates. This led to the development of a job description that captured the skillset our client was after in a powerful way that elicited interest from appropriate candidates.

Outcome

Our client was pleasantly surprised when they attracted an individual that met all of their most desired qualifications. In addition to helping the company find great talent, HSG’s services and recommendations have resulted in positive long-term organizational change for the company and staff and all at a lower price. If your company needs assistance with a hard-to-fill-role, call (973-773-HIRE) or send us a message today!

MAKING IT COUNT:

How a career change can lead to a better salary as well as an improved work-life balance

CSG understands that every client is unique. Therefore, we personalize our services based on individuals’ goals and skill sets.

Situation

After years of working in a field she was unenthusiastic about and for a company that didn’t reward her hard work, Belle decided to pursue her passion for IT. She enrolled in a “Computer Programming Bootcamp,” dedicating several nights a week online and in person to the program, eventually becoming the top student in her class.

Approach

CSG began working with Belle while she was still in her programming course. Although she was new to the IT field, we helped connect her with a position that played off both her experience and new education. Belle was hired less than a month after working with CSG and is now making MORE THAN DOUBLE the amount she was making just 8 months before…all before she graduated!

Outcome

Belle has been at her new job for 10 months now and is loving it. She is enjoying programming as well the creativity involved in the projects she gets to participate in. Best of all, her new job allows her the flexibility she always wanted; Belle is working remotely, sets her own hours, and is able to live in Israel with her husband while working for a U.S. company. If you’re ready to make that career change you’ve been thinking about, call (973-773-HIRE) or send us a message today!

“Sky’s the Limit” with CSG’s Career Coaching and Guidance

A sales executive says the “Sky’s the Limit” with Career Coaching and Guidance by the Career Solutions group

CSG’s strategy includes designing a comprehensive, efficient action plan to help clients reach their goals, saving them time and resources in the process.

Situation

Eric spent 8 years at the same company as a successful sales executive. Despite his success, he reached a point when he was ready for a new opportunity and a fresh atmosphere. Eric knew that transitions of this sort are time-consuming and often not easy, especially considering the significant changes the job market has recently undergone. He didn’t have time to read numerous books to find the 10% that applied to his situation and browse several job websites in hopes of stumbling upon the right opportunity.

Approach

According to Eric:

“When I decided on a career change it appeared to me that the search was like driving in the country at night in a car with no headlights. Pretty soon I would have either hit a tree or driven off the road. Michael Schlager and his team were literally the lights in the dark, guiding me in the right direction. From the work on my resume, the sharpening of my “look” i.e. tie selection and improved business attire, to the mock interviews and intense constant coaching–literally could not have done it without them.”

Outcome

Eric is now at a new firm, happy, and in a strong position to blow his numbers out of the ballpark once again. CSG will continue working with him to help attune him to greater success throughout the year.

Per Eric – “Looking back at all the help, I fully realize that had I not used them, I would have been making my own mistakes and spinning my wheels for months and who knows, maybe even years instead of where I am now, in a career where literally the sky’s the limit. Thank you again Michael and all of CSG!”

Read his testimonial here.

FOSTERING RELATIONSHIPS LEADS TO BETTER RETENTION AND SUCCESS

How One Company Boosted It's Productivity and Retained an Employee When the Competition Came Knocking

Situation

A $32 million private company needed to improve the quality and speed of its product development. To do so, they needed to create a faster development system.

David was the best and the brightest candidate with the finest references, even ones from key executives at Microsoft. He was invited to join the client as a change agent to create this new system.

Despite knowing that they needed to improve, the company was highly resistant to changing and would default to its old ways whenever faced with a tough decision. David knew exactly what the company needed to progress, but his new job would be irrelevant if they would not listen to his ideas.

Approach

Using our Onboarding and Long-Term Support techniques, we fostered the relationship between the client and their new hire. We helped the company accept the fact that change would benefit them in this case and that David’s ideas would only help. We ensured that the company seriously considered David’s presentations instead of retreating into their stagnant comfort-zone.

Outcome

The company decided to trust David’s judgments. While it normally took 8-12 months to develop a test-unit, David had one in less than 45 days. Not only did he reduce the development time, but he also improved the product’s design, build, and usability, and eventually the design won awards. Because we encouraged them to trust him, he was able to improve the product’s efficiency and increase the company’s financial success.

When the competition saw David’s achievements, they tried to extract and place him in their own development groups. Because we developed a relationship between him and his company, David remained loyal to his employers and continued to innovate for them.

CSG’S CUSTOMIZED APPROACH:

Helps Sales Professional Take Career to the Next Level

At CSG, we pride ourselves on taking the time to truly get to know each client, offering fresh perspectives and creative solutions.

Situation

Kelly was working in sales, a field she loves. She joined a company with hopes of high commissions and minor travel. However, when neither turned out that way, Kelly began looking for a new opportunity. She visited many online job boards and directly reached out to a few companies but wasn’t finding the kind of opportunity she was looking for.

Approach

Kelly began working with CSG. We identified what wasn’t working at her previous company and what was most important to her moving forward. Kelly’s skills and needs matched an opportunity that existed on a fellow CSG client’s sales team. Because we had taken the time to really get to know the professional styles of both, we knew that they would be a great fit together.

Outcome

Sure enough, one month later, Kelly was offered the job and hit the ground running. She is successfully applying her skills to her new job selling efficient water services to real estate owners. She enjoys enabling building owners to lower costs for both themselves and their tenants. Kelly became and continues to be the fastest up-and-coming salesperson and has become a valuable thought partner in helping the company foster closer and stronger relationships with its clients.

Kelly is happy with her new job and is pleased that the amount of travel and commissions are what she had been hoping for. She still keeps in touch with us and we love hearing about her continued success. If you’re ready to find an opportunity that both suits your needs while allowing you to do what you love, call (973-773-HIRE) or send us a message today!

HANG ON, IT'S COMING, NO MATTER HOW LATE!

Situation

Mark was a top-performing sales representative with over 12 years of experience. He was gifted with not having a big ego, but he wanted to find a place which would appreciate his experience and skills. Mark was a “Purple Squirrel” who exceeded their highest expectations.

After weeks of interviews, senior staff members recognized his personality and genuineness and wanted to make him an offer. However, the owner, a very busy and hard-to-reach procrastinator, wanted to have the final say and refused to hire him until he had met Mark in-person. Knowing that his chances of getting hired had dropped, Mark began to lose hope in the company and felt they didn’t appreciate his talent.

Approach

We maintained contact with Mark during the wait and provided encouragement. We focused on his dream and how this company would get him there. We emphasized the positive aspects of the company and explained that we were working on reinventing the position to better address his needs and skills.

We then confronted the owner about his tendency to delay decision making, pointing out that he might lose Mark to another company should he wait any longer.

Outcome

The owner came to his senses and realized how valuable Mark would be to the company. He met with Mark the following week and was even more impressed. He hired Mark and, since then, Mark has had more successes in the company over the last two years than he did in his previous 12 and has broken sales records previously unheard of.

Because we worked together to maintain his goals during a difficult delay, Mark was able to surpass what he though he was capable of.

OVERCOMING THE INTERVIEW

Workplace Simulation Brings Together Employee and Future Co-Worker

Situation

Carl was the best person for the job – he had the skills, experience, and, most of all, the personality the company needed in a good salesperson. There was no reason a company wouldn’t take him. However, he would have to make it past an interview with Gretchen, the Customer Service Director and one of the toughest people we’ve ever had to deal with, before he could land the position. She was a shareholder who couldn’t be fired, but she should have been a drill sergeant. Many salespeople couldn’t deal with her, and she had told off the president and the owner in the past as well. She would tear anyone to shreds both in the interview and on the job.

Approach

We created a mock interview. We presented a scenario where Gretchen told off one of the company’s biggest customers and Carl had gotten a call from his client who was furious and thought Gretchen must have called the wrong company. We prepped Carl by telling him that we asked Gretchen to be as tough on him as possible but that, should he keep his cool, he’d have no problem with the interview.

In the interview, Gretchen immediately exploded on Carl about how the client wanted to extend their warranty past its expiration date. “The nerve of these people!” she exclaimed. Without introduction, Carl calmly responded that he felt it was the company’s duty to stand up for their customers.

This back-and-forth continued for the duration of the interview with Gretchen’s temper rising at every unsuccessful attempt to make him lose his cool. When the interview ended, we asked Gretchen what she thought of Carl as a candidate. Never having seen someone stand up to her in that way before, she was shocked and speechless.

Outcome

Carl proved to the company that he had a great sales personality, even when faced with adversity. Carl was hired and soon perceived as a superhero by his co-workers for being able to deal with her. Gretchen realized that getting angry and exploding at co-workers doesn’t always work, and became easier to work with, giving Carl a chance as well.

With Workplace Simulation, we were able to prepare Carl for both the sales he would be doing and for dealing with his superior. We were also able to help Gretchen learn how to handle Carl without bullying him into submission. With Workplace Simulation, both sides were able to change and grow.

DIFFERENCE MAKES NO DIFFERENCE

Overcoming Our Limitations

Situation

A $40 million private company was looking to expand into the new international Asian market and was looking for someone with the experience and skills to head this expansion.

Diana was an amazing candidate whose resume could not have been better written with the credentials a Rhodes Scholar in this niche. Working on the West Coast for a big-name financial group complemented her education as well, and she could not have come better recommended. Her native familiarity with the new marketplace in terms of culture and language set her well above the rest of the candidates.

However, the company was uncomfortable about hiring someone so outside the scope of their regular traditions and culture. After just the first conference call, they wanted to back out, concerned that she would be unable to successfully work according to the approach, terminology, and techniques of their business. One executive mistakenly thought that she didn’t even understand them – we were on the call with her and she understood them perfectly.

Approach

HSG presented Diana’s skills and capabilities to the company’s CEO and helped them realize the unique opportunities she represented. We singled out her past successes and explained to him that her new way of thinking and familiarity with the new culture would be invaluable going forward and that he should give her another chance. The only potential difficulty they would face would be with her future boss’s adjustment towards accepting someone with a different background than him.

We then used “Workplace Simulation” techniques, using a real-world situation to display her top-notch skills, so they could experience it at no risk.

Outcome

The CEO spoke with Diana’s future boss about her skills and accomplishments. She was granted another interview, this time face-to-face, and given a real-world situation to deal with. Her astounding success during the “Workplace Simulation” blew them away, showing them that not only did she have what it took to lead the expansion, but that she understood their business better than they did!

The company entered the international market without many hiccups, and, since then, she has been repeatedly promoted. Once the company was able to overcome their self-imposed limitations and difficulty to accept change, they were able to grow and become a powerhouse in their industry.

HSG'S APPROACH FINDS YOU WHAT YOU NEED

Before You Realize You Need It

Situation

A $38 million company came to us looking to fill a Product Development position. Based on our profiling of the company, we realized early on that they were in desperate need of help with Logistics, but the company wasn’t interested in filling that position – they had certain intentions in mind and were not going to accept anything else.

Approach

We were determined to find the perfect candidate the client needed, not just the one they wanted. We found Lou, a Logistics expert and Product Developer at a company with a reputation for underappreciating its workers.

Knowing the client would reject Lou if he came to them as a Logistics expert, we suggested he focus on the Product Development work he did and only mention his Logistics experience in passing.

Outcome

Lou’s presentation impressed the company to the point that they created a new position tailored to his skills. Although they assigned him to the Product Development department, his job quickly escalated to 70% Logistics. As the company came to realize how his Logistics experience was increasing their success, they were grateful HSG had the foresight to hire someone with expertise in both areas. Lou’s skills helped the company secure accounts with companies like Costco and Walmart and increase the company’s bottom line by over 20%.

...and Creating a "Dream Job" for the Candidate in the Process

Situation

A $27 million private company was losing ground to dollar-store-manufacturers in their niche business. They considered buying a small distributor but needed a top marketing executive to manage the acquisition. HSG found the perfect candidate, Peter, happily working at a competitor, quite content remaining with his friends and family nearby.

Approach

The fact that Peter was at a competitor would actually give the client an edge, so we called him every week for 11 weeks straight and left him careful, well thought-out, meaningful messages. He eventually agreed to meet with us. We explained that the client needed Peter’s expertise and that he would have complete control of the new venture, including a substantial budget – he would develop the marketing plan and strategy pre-hire and have full control once he was brought on to implement his plan.

Outcome

Peter accepted the job and moved, and, less than three months later, he won the most prestigious award in the industry for the client, the Golden Hammer Award, something they had been unable to achieve in their 80+ year history. His managing and marketing of the new acquisition made the company even more successful. He later thanked us for creating a “Dream Job” for him in a way he never expected.

Leading to Healthy Severance and New Opportunities

CSG’s robust and expert team is well equipped to help employee candidates navigate through any challenge.

Situation

Our client, a salesperson, sought CSG’s support in transitioning out of a difficult situation. He was ready to search for a new professional opportunity but was concerned that his options were limited due to a non-compete agreement he had signed with his employer, a very large data company.

Approach

While this was a potentially complicated matter, CSG’s priority is always to find a way to help clients reach their goals. Our human resources legal expert got to work reviewing the agreement and circumstances related to the situation.

Outcome

After careful research and analysis, CSG provided the client legally sound basis for confidently moving on from his employer and we were even able to negotiate a healthy severance upon his departure.

WISE BUSINESS DECISIONS

How HSG's recruiting strategy helped lower costs and eliminate critical vulnerabilities

Our client came to us seeking guidance on how to approach the redesign of the backend of their website. The site had been custom-built by a consultant who was also the only individual with knowledge of its design. In addition to being costly, the consultant had become increasingly unavailable.

Our Approach

HSG thoroughly assessed the situation and helped the client reevaluate the short and long-term objectives related to their website. Through this process, HSG identified a potential risk – should they no longer be able to rely on the consultant, the company might find itself in a situation where it would have to invest in an entirely new website. HSG recommended that the client consider bringing in a new, junior programmer to train under the consultant.

Outcome

Our client was very pleased with the result of HSG’s talent management strategy. The junior programmer was trained and mentored by the consultant, and is now proficient in the website’s codebase. The junior programmer gained valuable professional development from being taught by a senior programmer, and has excelled in contributing additional technical skills to the company. HSG’s approach not only addressed the company’s knowledge transfer issues, but reduced costs related to website management by nearly 70%!

HSG’s goal is to help companies solve problems and enhance performance through hiring and staffing solutions. We are committed to understanding our clients’ capabilities and limitations so that our services contribute to the company’s overall wellbeing.