From the desk of Renee Fisher, Managing Partner of Vaco Virginia

A few things to know about Vaco and whether you would like to work with us or not...

Vaco does not brown nose enough....yes, I said it. We do not go out of our way to exaggerate the truth or to talk about who we are connected to and how we can make your life so much better.  We are not flashy and we do not walk the halls of our clients regularly.  Most of our clients would rather not have us "visiting" them while they are trying to conquer the world.  But they know we are always there for them.  We do it through actions and we are big believers in the phrase "actions speak louder than words."  Do we lose some deals because of this...yes.  Does it bother me...yes.  I want to win every deal.  I want to make every placement, but what I have come to realize is that really, I do not.  We see so many placements that are not what the client really asked for or not what the candidate really wanted in their next move, but the truth was stretched to where the real focus was lost.  These choices prove to be frustrating to us but we know that it will take time for people to reflect on this and realize our true value.

Vaco has a ton of competition in town, in theory.  Everyone says they do some sort of contract, consulting, and placement solutions, so what is the difference?   During the last few years it was very tempting to not stay the course as to who we are....we listen to our clients, we advise our clients on the market, we deliver positions that are what our candidates really want, and we represent our candidates only where they have been asked to be represented.  These standards can be lowered in order to close a deal.   Our reputation is the only thing we really have in this business.  

Vaco does have your best interest, whether we get paid or not.  It may sound so unbelievable to have someone call us to consult on a position they have received through another agency.  Really?  What an awkward position to be in?  We look at it as very flattering and that we are truly a trusted advisor.  And yes, we have told them to take the position if their wish list is truly in line with the opportunity. 

Vaco does not take advantage of an extremely unhappy employee.  When someone comes in to our office and says they are a 10 on a scale of 1 to 10 as to how unhappy they are and they NEED another job, this is a major red flag to us.  We consult with them to make sure they do not take the first thing presented to them just to move on or they will be in the same situation they are currently in.  We have seen other companies jump at the opportunity to place these professionals only to have them come back to us after they are placed and still unhappy. 

We want to be your partner as you grow your executive team and/or take your career to the next level.  This is where we get the most satisfaction.  I know this sounds different than what you may have experienced in the past with consulting firms and recruiting firms, but if you can allow yourself to give us the opportunity, we will work to make you a success.  Vaco does not have all the business in town, but if anything here resonates with you, let's see where our partnership will take us in the future.  

Disclaimer - we strive for these attributes every day and they are discussed in every Vaco team meeting; however, we are always humble for feedback on how we can hone our desire to be the best day in and day out.  Have a wonderful rest of your day and thank you for allowing me to share.

Jerry McGuirely yours,

Renee Fisher