Direction has been landing clients since 1989. Now they go further, with RecruitScout.
"We've been using RecruitScout for a couple of months and have already started several collaborations with new clients. The biggest advantage has been getting in touch with companies we probably wouldn't have reached through traditional channels, even when they operate in our own area, despite our market presence dating back to 1989.
In the past, we had already tried to build more consistent business development activities, but with limited results. With RecruitScout, we're able to connect with companies that are facing a real hiring need and start a conversation with the decision-makers."
Alessandro Gabrielli
Partner
Direction (www.direction.it) specializes in executive search for senior technical and managerial roles, operating since 1989. A boutique firm with deep technical and industry expertise, it chose RecruitScout to sharpen its business development.
Client | Direction |
Location | Bologna, Italy |
Coverage | Italy (Emilia-Romagna, Veneto, Trentino, Lombardia, Toscana, Marche regions) |
Business model | Executive search and headhunting for mid-to-senior technical and managerial profiles |
Structure | Boutique recruitment and selection firm |
Goal with RecruitScout | Open new business relationships beyond an established network built over the years through client loyalty and referrals |
​
Challenge: over 30 years of reputation and little time for business development
Direction has been one of Italy's go-to executive search agencies since 1989, built on strong placements and word of mouth. Over the decades, it developed a loyal client base of companies that came back and sent referrals.
Like most boutique agencies, Direction runs the full search process in-house, from sourcing through to placement. That naturally leaves little room for proactive business development.
They tried outsourcing it before, but working with a lead generation agency had gone nowhere after investing for months. Companies were contacted based on demographics, but most had no immediate hiring need: the typical response was "not right now, try us again in a few months."
Solution: reaching the right companies at the right time
Direction brought in RecruitScout.tech to add automated precision to its business development.
RecruitScout monitors dozens of job boards in real time. When a company opens a vacancy that matches Direction's areas of specialization, it triggers targeted and personalized outreach via email and LinkedIn, while the need is live.
The setup involved careful targeting work upfront: geography, sector, company size, role type, and who to actually reach out to.
Rather than firing into generic inboxes, RecruitScout surfaces the right contact for each situation: the CEO, the HR Director, or the relevant department head, depending on the company and the role being filled.
Direction's messages land with people who have a real, immediate need and the authority to act on it.
Results: new clients beyond the existing network
Direction has been using RecruitScout for a couple of months and has already kicked off several search assignments with companies it would not have identified or reached otherwise.
Compared to more conventional business development approaches, the quality of conversations has improved significantly: reaching the right person at companies with a concrete hiring need is a fundamentally different dynamic.
For an executive search agency like Direction, this means being able to dedicate even more energy to its core work: finding the right people and helping companies build stronger teams
Before you go
Thanks for checking out the work we did for Direction!
If you have questions about the software or want to see a demo, feel free to book a call with us here.