Her eyes twinkling, the President and Managing Director of Staffing Strategists International compared her retention and recruitment company to an ultra-efficient sleuthing agency.

Jill Couillard made the remark in a light-hearted moment. But the comparison wasn’t in the least bit far-fetched.

A rising Canadian leader in the executive search business, Staffing Strategists International (with offices in Calgary and Halifax) is an elite corporate headhunter that has compiled a phenomenally successful track record.

That’s because Staffing Strategists International is a corporate recruiter with a difference. Actually, with several differences. “This is a business about building relationships,” Couillard said. “And we’re in it for the long term.”

Staffing Strategists International President and Managing Director Jill Couillard.

Specialists in identifying, locating and recruiting only the most capable and experienced, Couillard and her team concentrate on building lasting client bonds that stand the test of time. Their expertise covers senior technical and C-level (CFO, CIO, CEO) in primarily energy, technology and sport.

“When your company comes to us seeking to fill an executive position, we like to take the time to acquire the best possible understanding of what your company is all about,” continued Couillard, who brings a wealth of personal experience to the boardroom table.

“We like to get under a company’s skin, to really get a feel for its culture. This business is not just about putting butts in seats,” she added. “We want to bring someone to your company who will make an ideal fit with your unique corporate culture.”

Couillard believes most corporations hire new people because of their depth of technical expertise. But when those same employees are asked to leave, it’s generally traceable to their inability to adapt.

Solution: Get the right people. That’s where Couillard comes in.

She and her experts, which include Larry St. Antoine, Kathy Blas and Tracey Coatham, are also able to develop results-driven strategies to create positive work environments. They create customized programs to ensure that valued employees grow within their organization while laying the groundwork for rewarding long-term careers.

Not to put too fine a point on it, one of the company’s primary assets occupies the executive chair in the Calgary office.

An engaging and outgoing “people person,” Couillard enjoys an enviable resume, with hands-on experience in most aspects of the oil and gas business, the information technology sector and beyond.

A former explorationist for both Shell Canada and Chevron Corporation, Couillard also worked as Canadian supervisor of supply-chain management, provision and procurement and desktop support teams for IBM Global Services. Most importantly, she has built a valuable and extensive contact network throughout the North American energy industry.

“I know precisely what recruitment challenges our customers are facing because I’ve been in a position to hire a lot of staff through the years,” she said. “When I worked for IBM Global Services, I had a staff of 350, from Vancouver to Montreal.”

Meanwhile, Couillard has enormous confidence in the highly-respected professional who sits at her right hand. Senior consultant Larry St. Antoine also brings serious credentials to the table, boasting a rich and varied background in human resources, within both domestic and international markets.

“It’s what sets us apart from our competitors. Our team knows exactly what it means to operate in the business climate shared by our clients.”

Couillard and her business partner, Jim Wilson, who runs the Halifax office, take significant pride in their company’s coast-to-coast service base, which has been riding a healthy growth curve since the enterprise was founded more than a decade ago.

But the primary focus of the Western branch is the booming Alberta energy industry, which presents its own unique challenges to corporate employers anxious to beef up their talent pool.

Quality staff members are getting harder to find, no question. One reason is a general decline in the numbers of qualified geologists and engineers emerging from the outstanding degree programs offered by Canadian universities.

Then, too, concepts of employee/ employer loyalty have undergone dramatic changes in recent decades as mergers, acquisitions and frequent trends to downsizing have significantly altered the Alberta work environment.

Nevertheless, Couillard and her specialists pride themselves on rising to every challenge presented by each new reality.

“It’s up to us to identify the talents and the capabilities that will fit most appropriately within a given organization,” she summed up. “And the better we get to know our own customers, the better we’ll be able to supply them with the people they need. Our best measure of success is repeat business.

“And when you work with Staffing Strategists International, no stone is left unturned. We have contacted people all over the world. We have literally turned the world upside down looking for the right fit.”

If your own company seeks to fill key vacancies, there’s no better place to turn than to Staffing Strategists International. Start by visiting the company website (www.staffingstrategists.com). Then telephone Jill Couillard’s team at 403.262.7476, or e-mail calgary@staffingstrategists.com