Case studies

Recruitment case studies

How we approach real searches, told without exposing clients or candidates. Each story shows the challenge, how we searched and what the 5-Lens Method looked for. Timelines and outcomes appear only when the client approves them in writing.

A senior hire for an energy trading company in Amsterdam

Client profile
A European energy trading company, anonymized.
Role
Senior role in energy trading
Location
Amsterdam, Netherlands

The challenge

Energy trading needs people who combine market knowledge, numbers and calm judgment under pressure. Few candidates have that mix, and fewer can also work across Latin American and European cultures.

How we searched

We started with referrals from traders and risk professionals in our network, in Latin America and among Latin Americans already in Europe. We checked the right to work in the EU before any introduction.

5-Lens highlights

  • Craft: trading or risk results the candidate could explain in detail.
  • Context: experience in a regulated, fast-moving trading environment.
  • Communication: clear English under time pressure, in writing and live.
  • Cultural Fluency: comfort with direct Dutch feedback and flat hierarchies.
  • Drive: a real reason to build a career in Amsterdam.

A DACH sales director for a fintech

Client profile
A fintech selling to companies in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, anonymized.
Role
Sales director, DACH
Location
Europe, with travel across the DACH region

The challenge

DACH buyers expect precision, preparation and long, careful sales cycles. The client needed a leader who could sell that way and build a team around it.

How we searched

We mapped sales leaders with fintech or payments experience and a track record with German-speaking buyers. That included Latin American professionals already working in Europe. We asked for quota history from the first conversation.

5-Lens highlights

  • Craft: quota attainment and deal sizes, confirmed with former managers.
  • Context: experience selling a similar product to finance or treasury buyers.
  • Communication: German or English at the level DACH buyers expect.
  • Cultural Fluency: comfort with structured, consensus-driven buying.
  • Drive: interest in building a region, not only managing accounts.

AI language specialists for a US company

Client profile
A US company building AI products, anonymized.
Role
AI language specialist
Location
Remote from Latin America

The challenge

The client needed native speakers who could judge AI answers, not only translate them. That means strong writing, domain knowledge and the confidence to explain why an answer is wrong.

How we searched

We looked for professionals with editing, teaching, research or technical writing backgrounds, and tested them on real evaluation tasks before any introduction.

5-Lens highlights

  • Craft: written evaluations of sample model answers.
  • Context: comfort with structured rubrics and repetitive quality work.
  • Communication: native writing in the target language and clear English.
  • Cultural Fluency: comfort with asynchronous feedback from a US team.
  • Drive: curiosity about AI and care for quality.

A market intelligence analyst for a healthtech scaleup

Client profile
A European healthtech scaleup preparing its expansion, anonymized.
Role
Market intelligence analyst
Location
Remote from Latin America, with European overlap

The challenge

Leadership needed decisions, not reports. The analyst had to research unfamiliar healthcare markets fast and write short notes that leaders could act on.

How we searched

We looked for researchers with consulting, competitive intelligence or healthcare backgrounds, and asked for a short written sample early in the process.

5-Lens highlights

  • Craft: research that led to a real decision, shown in a writing sample.
  • Context: experience with healthcare, SaaS or regulated markets.
  • Communication: short, clear English for senior readers.
  • Cultural Fluency: comfort working with a European team across time zones.
  • Drive: curiosity about markets and patients.

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