Time Savings and Efficiency Gains through Automation

Challenge

ThinkingAhead is an executive search firm that serves clients ranging in size from Fortune 500 to Inc 5000. Their mission is to offer best-in-class service and deliver desired results, quickly. However, doing so means needing access to a robust candidate pool that can provide them with deep insights into candidate profiles and hiring trends.

“Sourcing executive talent is no easy feat. Identifying and engaging with passive talent is a critical piece of the puzzle which is challenging in today’s market where the competition for talent is at an all time high,” explains Sean Sposeep, Partner at ThinkingAhead. “LinkedIn is oversaturated with recruiters making attempts to land the attention of talent. It’s easy to get lost in the noise of it all.”

With lofty hiring goals and an unprecedented number of open roles to fill, ThinkingAhead needed a solution that would provide them with best-in-class data, actionable insights on candidates in niche industries, and a quicker means of connecting with a robust talent pool.

“We needed to find a way to bypass the competition and rise above the noise,” explained Sposeep.

“The power of these two tools (Talent and Engage) allow us to not only find the right candidates but customize and automate our candidate outreach, maximizing our opportunity to connect.”

Sean Sposeep

Partner at ThinkingAhead

Solution

After comparing four other technologies to Talent, ThinkingAhead introduced Talent to their tech stack and almost immediately recognized the power and potential of the product to create lasting benefits for their business. “Ultimately we went with ZoomInfo because not only was their data and intelligence head and shoulders above the competition, but they could also arm us with technology to customize and automate our candidate outreach,” explained Sposeep. “Time has proven that Talent was without a doubt the right choice to help us scale our business.”

Talent allows ThinkingAhead to go beyond traditional recruiting search terms, using best-in-class data to filter and narrow candidate searches. “When working with clients, we go deep. We spend a lot of time with the executive team and hiring managers to understand the skills and characteristics that are needed to be successful in the role we are being asked to fill,” said Sposeep. “With Talent we are able to run highly targeted searches based on what we learned in the discovery process, leading us to the best fit candidates for that specific role.”

ThinkingAhead is also leveraging Talent’s smart filters to diversify their sourcing strategy. “When our clients ask for a broader DEI pool, we now have the ability to make that happen,” notes Sposeep. “We promise our clients just, equitable, diverse, and inclusive recruiting and Talent enables us to deliver on our word.”

With Engage for Talent, the ThinkingAhead team is saving time and driving efficiency through automation. “The power of these two tools allow us to not only find the right candidates but customize and automate our candidate outreach, maximizing our opportunity to connect,” explained Sposeep.

Like Sean, many of the folks on the ThinkingAhead team have been in the business of recruiting for more than a decade. They understand the time sensitivity variable in the talent acquisition process and know it can be very costly if a candidate drops out midway through a hiring cycle. However, now with access to Talent’ “Find Similar Candidates” feature, no time is lost when this scenario does occur.

A candidate search that was started by one of ThinkingAhead’s talent agents in late December was complete by early February, despite the interruption of the initial candidate declining the offer. With just a few clicks, the agent identified 250 other individuals who fit the job profile, set up an automated email campaign with Talentflows, and almost immediately made a new offer for the position. “That speed to lead was key to staying on track and delivering for our client,” said Sposeep.

The Results

“With Talent fueling our candidate search, identifying and connecting with executive talent has never been more seamless,” explains Sposeep. “Time and cost savings, automation, and refined filtering and search options are just a few of the many ways Talent is empowering our team to deliver best-in-class candidates for our clients.”

“One of my favorite things about ZoomInfo is that the software is continuously evolving. The Talent platform has impacted the way we work and the quality of our service: it’s not just broadening our talent pool, it’s allowing us to find better people and the right people,” said Sposeep.

Having access to a high–touch, efficient, and robust data engine is nothing short of a prerequisite for recruiters, particularly at a time when the job market is so incredibly competitive. Talent has proved to be the most profitable solution for ThinkingAhead to continue in their pursuit of finding high-caliber talent for their clients.