How Hartz Search Builds Lasting Placement Success

The Solution

That quest for clarity led Hartz Search to McQuaig.

Once introduced to McQuaig's suite of psychometric assessments, the team quickly saw how it could bring structure and depth to their process. The McQuaig Job Survey helped clients define what kind of leader the role truly required, while the McQuaig Word Survey revealed how each candidate’s natural style aligned with those expectations.

Mike decided to test the approach on two searches running side by side, one using McQuaig and one without. “The team that didn't have the role matching component, the Job Survey, really struggled to make a decision," he recalls. "The one that had both the Job Survey and Word Survey to match candidates really kind of opened their eyes like, this is so invaluable”

From that point on, every Hartz Search engagement began with a Job Survey to align expectations. Candidates were then assessed with the Word Survey during the hiring process, giving clients clear behavioral data to guide interviews and discussions.

“We don’t use McQuaig as a pass-or-fail system,” Mike explains. “We use it to show how organizations can make the best use of an individual. It helps them see how to integrate someone more quickly into the team”

Internally, the firm decided to follow it's own advice and began using McQuaig to strengthen collaboration. Every team member reviews their own results and shares their top “do’s and don’ts” to improve communication. This practice mirrors the advice Hartz Search gives clients about fostering awareness and alignment within teams.

The Results

The results were immediate and measurable. Since integrating McQuaig, Hartz Search’s executive placement retention rate has risen to 92%, and one year even 97%. Confident in that track record, the firm now offers clients a 24-month guarantee for executive hires and 18 months for directors.

“In our eight years using McQuaig," says Mike, "we’ve only had one person that we’ve had to replace."

Using assessment data has also helped clients avoid repeated hiring mistakes. One hospital system, for example, had struggled with leadership turnover for years. Using McQuaig helped reveal that the team consistently hired leaders with similar assertive styles, creating imbalance. By identifying a need for a more detail-oriented, stability-driven executive, they finally found the right fit. Within a year, the hospital rose from the bottom of its network rankings to the top.

Clients now use McQuaig insights even after a placement is made. The “do’s and don’ts” section of the reports serve as quick reference points during onboarding and performance reviews, helping managers coach effectively and strengthen retention. 

Inside Hartz Search, McQuaig helps the team strengthen communication and collaboration. Mike explained that everyone uses the same behavioral data internally that clients rely on. “Everyone on my team has their do’s and don’ts, their top three of each, on their door,” he says. This shared understanding helps the team work together more effectively and reinforces the same self-awareness they promote to clients.

Looking Ahead

Today, Hartz Search continues to use McQuaig as a cornerstone of its search and consulting process. The data-driven insights guide every phase of engagement and help clients make confident, evidence-based decisions that last.

Extending beyond candidate evaluation, behavioral data also informs how Hartz Search supports long-term success after placement. Clients can use the insights provided during the search process to build onboarding plans, refine communication between leaders and teams, and identify development priorities early in a new hire’s journey. For Hartz Search, this continuity ensures that the right leaders not only start strong but continue to thrive within the culture they join.

Mike described it simply: “We know that McQuaig has been successful—as a part of the equation for fit and for long-term structure and fit for the organization and the client."

Internally, Hartz Search applies those same principles to its own team, using McQuaig results to promote clarity, consistency, and collaboration across roles. This alignment reinforces the values the firm models for its clients of awareness, communication, and lasting partnership.

That commitment to measurable, enduring success continues to define Hartz Search’s approach. “We’ve built our business on placing leaders who stay,” Mike said. “McQuaig helps make that possible.”