On July 13th, 2021, our client, Clay England, the Chief Human Resources Officer at Bay Area Hospital, the largest hospital system in Coos Bay, Oregon, retained KAPITAL to run a critical search. They needed to make a critical hire within their HRIS team. Every conversation and interaction with them still remains crystal clear in our heads.

When we took on the project, we were confident that it would be a fairly routine search. We believed so based on our track record with similar searches, the competency of our talent acquisition team, and as well the vast pipeline of Workday HRIS Talent that we have built over time. Little did we know of the extreme challenge awaiting us.

Securing Workday Talent for the roles was relatively the easier part. What came up as a challenge was they had to work onsite in Coos Bay, Oregon, a non-metropolitan area. Unfortunately, due to security and other factors, the client could not allow for remote work. While we were able to identify candidates who were a near-perfect fit for the role, the requirement of being onsite was a deal-breaker for the majority of the talent pool for these roles. 

Coos Bay is a place that truly stands apart. Although Coos Bay is not big on having a great social life, like in the metropolitan regions, its lush landscape and emerald tree cover, surrounded by the mighty Pacific Ocean, are mesmerizing to view and take in. Being in the Search industry for years now, we have realized that there is a right fit for every job role out there. We were certain that we would find ours too.

The search for our candidate had its roadblocks, but giving up doesn’t come naturally to us. We pushed our limits and had our weekly steering meetings with the client, giving our 110% but still no success; we could not find the candidate who fit the requirements and was willing to move to Coos Bay. We had now also crossed the timeline of 6 weeks that we give to our clients to find their perfect fit. For the first time, we felt like we were stuck. Still, brushing away those thoughts, we brainstormed different strategies to implement. This was no longer an individual project; we got together as a team in our war room to strategize. It is a zone we enter when we want to come out victorious in any situation deemed difficult.

By week #6, we knew we were way behind in the search and informed the client that we would like more time and that this search would take much longer - twice - possibly thrice as long as we initially promised them. Our client was understanding of the situation. They agreed immediately because we built a relationship by being exceptionally transparent throughout the search process. Every week, and even mid-week, we kept our client informed of the search’s status and the challenges we were running into. ESPECIALLY WHEN there was no progress with the Search. We did not disappear on them; we showed up at the weekly steering meeting and delivered the news of the ineffective search week.

The client agreed to an interim solution of hiring contract consulting resources while we continued with the search for full-time resources. 

With the client’s approval to continue the search well beyond the agreed-upon initial time frame, we were at it again, now, with a different approach. We decided not to worry about the timeline but rather focus on executing the search flawlessly. We stuck to our “DreamHire Methodology: 17-touchpoints nurture process”, which helps us build a small but most viable candidate pipeline. Sticking to the process helped us produce an exceptional result for the client and a fabulous candidate experience.

Here’s a distinct conversation that we had with our client, and a transforming one at that - Since valentine’s day was around the corner, we took notice of it and promised to deliver results. We promised to secure candidates our client would be interested in hiring by the 14th of February, 2022. That would be our gift to them, is what we ensured. Our client told us on that very note they would be sending us flowers and chocolates and asked what kind we like. We did not build this relationship overnight; it took perseverance, determination, and constant efforts to reach a comfortable place where we could have such friendly conversations. 

It felt like the universe conspired to help us. Six months into the search, we finally made it happen on the 14th of February, 2022—the teamwork and the zeal to never give up bloomed results. We were able to find the client their DreamHire. Here’s Clay England in his own words about the whole process:

The client is delighted, and so are we. This is the feeling which propels us every single day to do what we do. 

The candidates we had sourced for our client were experienced, talented, and the perfect fit for the role. They just glided into the role like they were meant for it. 

Even though it took much longer, some projects are like that; it takes a bit longer, so don’t be too harsh on yourself. This is the beauty of the retained exclusive search, the commitment we give each other—our client’s commitment to us and our commitment to them. In this process, we end up building a rock-solid relationship with the client. Meeting them every week and understanding the evolution of the position assures them that we have their best interest at heart. 

Our main objective in sharing this with the world is only to let you know that the team at KAPITAL believes that setbacks are stepping stones to success, and there is always light at the end of the tunnel. 

Never give up!