How Howspace Transformed Their Global Recruitment with Bluebird

“I’ve said it to many people who have asked and even some who haven’t. That it’s been the best experience in my career working with a recruiting agency by far”.

Tomi Hilvo, Global Sales Director for Howspace, a leading SaaS company, reflects on his experience with Bluebird, the recruitment agency that helped his company find the right talent to elevate their digital collaboration platform.

Facing Recruitment Challenges

Howspace, a growing digital collaboration platform, encountered significant challenges in finding the right talent to support their expansion across key regions. “We had quite thin self-resources in Benelux, in DACH, and also in the UK, so the problem was to find the right kind of people to be able to grow in those areas,” Tomi says.

Need for fast results

The urgency of their situation became evident, prompting the need for external assistance. “One of the reasons why we decided to go this route,” Tomi shares, “was the sense of urgency where we just really needed to get some results quite fast.”

In search of a solution, Bluebird was recommended warmly and highly by an ex-colleague. This recommendation marked the beginning of Howspace’s partnership with Bluebird.

Want to read more about key results? Read our blog What Are The Key SaaS Sales Metrics?

Why Bluebird?

Tomi chose Bluebird for its “boutique approach” and the balance between systematics and personal touch. He notes, “It’s not a machine. It’s not an engine. Rather it’s a well-functioning operation, but it’s still people I knew and was getting to know to do the work.”

The Early Days with Bluebird

Reflecting on the beginning of their partnership, Tomi shares, “I was really impressed with the mindset, the mentality, the attitude. Kind of being extremely positive, proactive, professional…having the right kind of drive. That really, really impressed me and also I like the approach.” He continues to emphasise Bluebird’s expertise, noting, “It’s obvious that you know the area you are in because you come from the area.”

The Best Experience in Recruitment

Tomi’s satisfaction with Bluebird is evident: “It’s been the best experience in my career working with a recruiting agency by far.” He appreciates their deep understanding of Howspace’s needs: “Being able to literally capture the ethos of who we are, what we like to be, and where we want to go. Really capturing that.”

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A Proven Track Record

One particular success story stands out: “One of our recruitments through you, I think he put it really well. Where you approached him and you talked about a couple of different positions and then he was kind of like; ‘Yeah, this is exactly what I’m looking for and this what I’m not looking for’. And then you had said ‘O, let’s then talk about Howspace and see how that feels’. And that just felt right then.”

The Difference in Bluebird’s Approach

Tomi, who has used recruitment agencies across Europe and Asia, points out, “The difference is…one for sure, not wasting my time. Just bringing really, really qualified candidates.” This efficiency and understanding are key reasons why Bluebird stands out in Tomi’s extensive experience with recruitment.

Measurable Benefits

Tomi sees tangible benefits from working with Bluebird: “One: finding the right people that already were successful. Second: not having to waste time, resources, and money into replacing bad recruitments.”

Final Thoughts

When asked what he loves about Bluebird, Tomi responds, “First I’d say people, it’s been really, really enjoyable working with everyone. Two: the understanding. In the last 20 years, it’s always been really, really rare when recruitment professionals truly understand not just the role and the expectations, but the ethos, the culture.”

His advice to others considering Bluebird? “Get a feeling for if there’s that connection if they understand you which I think they will, but I think it’s always a match of the similar kind of energy and thinking and a little ambition.”