Case Study: 2nd Watch finds 2-for-1

Recruiting Bandwidth’s On-Demand Recruiting Services Helps Tech Start-Up, 2nd Watch, Scale Team Cost-Effectively

2nd Watch, Inc. is a global system integrator, software and deployment firm focused on IT operations. The company offers a unique combination of software, services, and analytics to make leveraging the cloud simple.

CHALLENGE:
2nd Watch faced Human Resource challenges common to many start-ups. With no recruiting team or consistent hiring practices yet in place, the company had many openings that had to be filled -- up to 150 new hires were slated for the year ahead.

This overwhelmed company manager’s time and resources -- 2nd Watch was spending too much money -- and time -- on recruitment agencies. “We were growing so fast, and we didn’t have HR at the time,” said Greg Marcinkowski, Chief Operating Officer of 2nd Watch. “We needed to find a lot of highly-skilled individuals in a short space of time, and there is a lot of competition -- a lot of big companies were hiring the management that we were looking for.”

SOLUTION:
Recruiting Bandwidth developed a recruitment plan and defined systems and processes essential to efficient hiring, such as setting budgets; selecting and deploying an applicant tracking system; establishing new job needs and hiring mandates; and determining an interview process best suited for 2nd Watch.

Recruiting Bandwidth evaluated ten separate job and applicant tracking systems on behalf of 2nd Watch and wrote all 2nd Watch job descriptions and job ads. Recruiting Bandwidth deployed the tracking system, trained 2nd Watch hiring managers on its use, and ensured that each manager had a recruitment strategy.
Recruiting Bandwidth then set to managing the applicant tracking system on behalf of the company, and oversaw active recruitment, including immediately finding a key hire, the lead for 2nd Watch’s support and account management team -- with a deadline of only 6 weeks.

Among a pool of qualified candidates, two candidates stood out from the rest. 2nd Watch was so impressed both recruits that they hired them both, even though there was originally only one open position.

And, though 2nd Watch hired two candidates, Recruiting Bandwidth didn’t double the rate or charge placement fees. Recruiting Bandwidth’s recruiting services fee was $7,500, significantly less than a traditional contingent firm’s fee. Marcinkowski adds, “Recruiting Bandwidth’s return on investment has been terrific, I would expect to pay a search firm about $60-70K, and that was not nearly what we paid. Recruiting Bandwidth’s follow-up is very professional, and the interviewing process was great. They are very professional, adhere to schedules, and are available when we need them.” Recruiting Bandwidth saved 2nd Watch measurable time and money-- while honoring the company’s specific culture.

COO Marcinkowski notes, “Recruiting Bandwidth ‘get it’ -- they found the right people who understand the entrepreneurial start-up spirit. They get the business that we are in.”

RESULTS:
Recruiting Bandwidth helped 2nd Watch:

• Set-up recruiting processes, budgets, hiring mandates, and interview processes 
• Evaluate and deploy an applicant tracking system and train managers on its used 
• Hire two key personnel for thousands less than the cost of one traditional contingency search

Recruiting Bandwidth team continues to work with 2nd Watch as the company grows. Recruiting Bandwidth’s model allows 2nd Watch to press “pause” on hiring when their hiring needs are not imminent, and then scale up when recruitment and efficient hiring is a priority.