Placement Report
Result Placement
Days to Present Placed Candidate 14
Days to Placement 49
Total Candidates Presented 2
Total Candidates Interviewed by Client 2
Total Prospects DDI Spoke With 13
Lead Consultant

Connor McKercher

Vice President & Practice Leader: Flexible Packaging, Corrugated, Labels, Folding Cartons, Paper & Industrial Automation

Company Description

A top integrated producer of corrugated packaging with a global presence.

Job Title

Sales Representative

How long was client searching prior to our involvement?

The client was searching for 2 weeks prior to reaching out to DDI.

Did client have internal recruiting resources?

Yes, the client has an internal recruiting team and uses online job advertisements.

Why was this a real problem for the client?

One of the biggest challenges in hiring for these types of positions is identifying a true hunter versus someone who is primarily focused on managing and maintaining existing business. While many candidates may have strong resumes on paper, they often reflect account management backgrounds rather than proven new‑business development success. In this case, our client had recently lost a high‑performing employee to a competitor and had reviewed several resumes through traditional channels, but the candidates all shared the same limitation, they failed to demonstrate the aggressive, proactive sales approach the role required. Posting a job advertisement no longer produces the quality or type of candidates it once did, especially for highly specialized, competitive sales roles. The most effective hunters are rarely active job seekers, which makes them difficult to reach through conventional methods. Recognizing this, the client needed support from a firm like ours, one with the network, industry insight, and targeted recruiting approach necessary to identify, engage, and present truly qualified candidates. Our ability to proactively source and vet talent allowed the client to connect with individuals who not only met the technical requirements of the role but also possessed the drive, mindset, and track record needed to succeed in a hunter‑focused position.

How did this opportunity help the candidate?

The candidate we placed had spent the past 14 years selling for an adjacent packaging business, making his experience highly transferable. The sales cycles, customer profiles, and overall selling process were very similar, allowing for a smooth transition with minimal ramp‑up time. From his perspective, if he was going to continue working within the same type of sales environment, it made sense to explore a new product line. He also brought strong, long‑standing relationships within his customer base, which allowed him to roll over business quickly. As a result, the client saw immediate traction and early revenue, reinforcing the strength of the hire.