Executive Search: How We Found a Product Manager for Simple App, an International Healthtech Company.

Valeriya

Lead IT recruiter at Lucky Hunter

A common misconception is that Executive Search is the service exclusively for hiring C-level executives. However, this is not entirely true. In addition to C-level positions, Executive Search also includes the recruitment of rare and exclusive specialists who aren’t looking for a new job.

Today, we’re sharing the case study of how Lead IT recruiter Valeria Soboleva successfully found an experienced Product Manager for an international company from the Palta Group.

Task and Difficulties

Simple, a company that belongs to the Palta Group (known for apps like Flo, Zing Coach, and Prisma Labs), approached us. The company was seeking to reach a new level and expand internationally. They required a Product Manager with experience scaling products in global markets to achieve this goal.

Requirements:

1

Experience in specific areas like monetisation, subscriptions, etc.
2

Relevant experience at top companies like Google, Facebook, Bumble, Spotify
3

Minimum four years of product development/management experience, with expertise in pricing strategy and revenue generation
4

Proficiency in English

In addition to competitive compensation, the company offered the possibility of relocation to either Cyprus or London or the option to work remotely.

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Filling The Position Proved Difficult Due to Several Factors:

1

Narrow Search Profile

The pool of qualified candidates was relatively small, and most were not actively seeking new job opportunities.
2

Profile Change

Throughout our collaboration, the job profile underwent several adjustments. Initially, we focused on a position which was put on hold due to the urgent opening in monetisation. Consequently, we had to refine our search strategy multiple times.
3

Geographic Restrictions

The company operates within the European time zone and prioritises candidates located in that region. Moreover, they didn’t consider candidates residing in Russia or Belarus.
4

Test Assignment

Following the interview with the team lead, the client requested that candidates complete a test assignment. While the company was willing to compensate for the time spent on the test, many top-level specialists hesitated to invest their time in this additional step.

Struggling to fill those open positions? It could be the test assignment –
is a test assignment really needed in the IT market today?

IT Staff Recruitment: How We Filled The Vacancy

First, we determined the candidate profile. We needed an experienced Product Manager with a rich professional background. These specialists are usually not actively looking for a new job, so we had to hunt them from other companies. As the client requested candidates with experience at top-level companies, we focused on specialists from Google, Facebook, Bumble, and Spotify. When developing the motivation strategy, we emphasised two key aspects:

Global Presence

The company’s offices in London, Cyprus, and Warsaw allowed for direct employment in these countries or remote work through B2B contracts. This flexibility allowed us to consider candidates from diverse locations and with varying compensation expectations.
Professional Growth

The company’s continuous growth and expansion presented great opportunities for professional development.

We offer a dedicated Executive Search service to find top-level specialists. If you have a hard-to-fill or complex vacancy, contact us — we are happy to help!

Executive search

Find C-level executives and rare IT specialists

We used several channels for our search: LinkedIn, our database, and other professional recruiting services. We reviewed more than 545 resumes, sent 61 emails, and conducted 22 interviews during our work.

Here are all the details:

Despite processing over 500 resumes and conducting dozens of interviews, we couldn’t identify any finalists.

Some candidates refused to take the test assignment; others did not have enough relevant experience. At some point, we doubted whether we would be able to close the vacancy at all. But Lucky Hunter recruiters don’t give up :) A good recruiter not only understands the specifics of the vacancy but also follows the latest events in the business world. Having learned about the closure of the London TikTok office, we contacted one of the candidates. The decision was right. TikTok was relocating all employees to the US, and our candidate was not ready to move. She agreed to take the test assignment and completed it, and the client made her an offer.

But then a new difficulty arose: according to the laws of the European Labour Code, the specialist was obliged to work for another three months. Fortunately, our client liked the candidate so much that they were ready to wait.

Success Factors

Partnership

The principle of partnership is at the core of our work. In this case, even though the client adjusted the job profile several times, they actively participated in the selection process by providing prompt feedback and informing us of the changes.
Proper Motivation Strategy

Finding a candidate is only half the battle. The real challenge is convincing them to consider the vacancy and complete a test assignment. Our recruiters effectively presented the client’s company, highlighting its advantages and development opportunities, sparking the candidate’s interest in the position.
International Expertise

At Lucky Hunter, we understand the intricacies of working in the global markets. Our experience and knowledge helped us find a skilled professional.

Outcome

Despite the challenges, our collaboration with Simple App resulted in a successful outcome — we found an experienced Product Manager from the UK.

Review of Our Partnership

Ksenia Boyarshinova

HR Manager, Simple App (London, United Kingdom)

Lucky Hunter found a qualified specialist that met all of our requirements. The team ensured open communication and effectively resolved any issues throughout the recruitment process. Their responsiveness, adaptability, and commitment were exemplary.