StratAcuity

Are you looking at the people who aren’t yet looking?

Considering the reality of the current economy it’s not surprising that many recruiting companies and human resources aficionados have no problem finding people looking for work whether it be in biotechnology or any other industry.

And while there are lots of talented people actively seeking opportunities, StratAcuity – a leading biotech/pharmaceutical recruiting firm - has long taken the position that many recruiters ignore a largely untapped resource.

There are millions of talented individuals who have the potential to be an asset to clients, but they aren’t searching for new opportunities … yet.

Reaching out to satisfied workers can generate positive outcomes in the future and essentially involves recruiters letting potential candidates know: “we are here when you are ready.”

Understanding “active” vs. ”passive” recruitment is realizing that an estimated 70 percent of people aren’t seeking a new job, but that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be on your recruitment radar.

Think of it as reaching out to the satisfied and putting their talents on the shelf until their desire for a career change ripens.

They aren’t yet on the radar for the mega job-searching sites of the world and may never be if recruiters are proactive about reaching out to them.

StratAcuity became a leader in Boston’s biotech recruiting world by developing an ever-expanding cache of qualified candidates that doesn’t rely solely on those currently pushing resumes.

It’s about getting to know the “best of the best” in the biotech and pharmaceutical industry so our clients have the first crack at them if they decide to make a move.

It’s the story of how the diagnosis of a rare disease in a newborn lead to the recruitment and placement of over 400 scientists each working towards new therapies and ultimately, cures. It’s our story at StratAcuity.

On a snowy February 18th, 2000 my wife and I learned our first born child, Kate had CF – a genetic life threatening genetic disease that impacts the lungs and digestive system.

It was difficult, but with the help of family, friends and the many people associated with the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation we made it through those first dark days and emerged with a plan to learn everything possible about CF, find ways to make a difference personally and do our part to make a difference.

Researching CF made me recognize that many Boston-based biotech/pharmaceutical companies had a vast number of job vacancies.

In my mind this meant progress was being delayed as long as those positions remained unfilled; a thought that still goes through my mind when accepting new search assignments.

Imagine that every person hired could be the catalyst toward the next successful drug development program. On the other hand, hiring the wrong person could possibly delay a program or even lead to it’s failure.

What if we could place scientists who fit better into those vacancies? An opportunity to create a superior method of recruiting top scientific talent for the Boston-area biotech industry was right in our backyard.

Having spent several years working closely with Rob Patten, Co-Founder, recruiting for the communications industry, we had a healthy admiration for each other professionally and the idea of partnering on this new idea seemed natural.

We set about pioneering this new means of filling biotech and pharmaceutical jobs. While it wasn’t easy our motivation to succeed was huge.

The fact is, Rob and I would be useless in a chemistry laboratory, but we both understood the importance of interpersonal chemistry between candidates and employers. We knew this type of chemistry would play a critical role in linking exceptional scientists to companies working on the frontlines of biotechnology.

We started by conducting an in-depth study to obtain in depth understanding of what makes a scientist tick and in the past 10 years have created relationships that have us working with over 80 companies.

It’s not surprising that our first client was a company working on a drug to treat cystic fibrosis, but nowadays we cover every imaginable therapeutic area.

Our placements throughout the Boston area continue to grow along with the number of individuals realizing we are the only biotech-specific recruitment agency focused more on the long-term success of our clients than our own bottom line.

It’s a focused approach that works on the assumption that even the most talented scientists must truly fit in with an employer to drive exceptional results. Our meticulous interview process ensures results that its clients can trust and in the past 10 years the company has grown from two people to roughly 40 full time and part time employees.

We’ve placed upward of 400 scientific professionals and boast a more than 90 percent offer-to-acceptance ratio.

And when our team isn’t placing people in careers, we’re leading efforts to raise money for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

This past October we celebrated our 10th year as hosts for The Swing for CF Charity that saw 140 people hitting the links and over 300 attending the post golf bash. Through golf outings like this, Great Strides Walkathons, and other fundraisers, StratAcuity has helped to raise over $1,000,000 in the last ten years.

Whether it’s recruiting or charity, our staffers know each dollar raised and each successful hiring represents a step toward a cure for people like Kate.