Our client urgently needed to hire an Applications Engineer for their generator products but was constrained by a tight salary budget sitting below the market rate offered by direct competitors, making a straightforward headhunt from rival manufacturers a high-risk strategy.
Delivering a Cost-Effective Candidate Solution
The Situation
The Solution
Rather than targeting Applications Engineers at competing generator manufacturers, VHR reframed the search by identifying HNC-qualified or above electrical and electronic engineers working within the client's own supply chain. A targeted company list was built specifically from suppliers of generator components. This opened up a candidate pool with relevant product knowledge but without the salary expectations of those already working for market competitors.
The Outcome
VHR identified a degree-qualified electrical/electronic engineer working for a company similar to our client. This candidate had transferable technical knowledge of the exact components used in their products.
The candidate was earning £10,000 below our client's available budget, making the move commercially straightforward. The interview process was fast and clean: one call with the Sales Director followed by a face-to-face at the head offices with senior management.
The client specifically acknowledged VHR's ability to identify the candidate within a difficult market, highlighting the strategic thinking behind this placement.
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