Case Study: Cost-Effective Guidewire Talent Search for Insurance

Industry: Property & Casualty Insurance

Challenge: Hiring for Two Senior Guidewire Roles

A well-established mutual P&C insurance company needed urgent support with a highly specialized Guidewire talent search for two senior roles: Product Owner Guidewire and Guidewire Solution Lead. After relying on traditional insurance recruiting firms in the past—often with high costs and mixed results—the client turned to Fractional Recruiting for a more targeted and cost-effective headhunting solution.

Challenges

The main challenges they faced in hiring for these roles: 

✅  Confidentiality – These were senior, strategic roles, and they couldn’t openly post about them without raising concerns internally and in the market.
✅  Limited Reach – Candidates were hesitant to engage directly with an employer in such a small industry.
✅  Candidate Hesitancy – Without a third party facilitating, candidates worried about word getting back to their current employer.

🔹 Direct Quote:
"It’s not easy to recruit confidentially for such an important position. In our industry, word travels fast, and candidates are hesitant to engage directly with a company. Having you as an intermediary helped ease those concerns."

Our client also noted that simply posting a job ad wouldn’t be effective, and contingency firms wouldn’t have handled the discreet outreach and market research in the same way.

🔹 Direct Quote:
"I could have put up a confidential job posting, but that wouldn’t get me the right people. You gave me market insights, screened candidates thoroughly, and ensured they were the right fit before I even spoke to them."

Our Approach

We implemented a structured, proactive recruiting strategy designed to identify and engage top candidates efficiently while providing cost savings compared to contingency models.

1. In-Depth Briefing

We partnered closely with the hiring manager/HR to fully understand the role’s requirements, challenges, and desired outcomes. Our initial discussions focused on refining the ideal candidate profile, setting realistic expectations, and identifying potential roadblocks in the hiring process.

🔹 Quote:
"The briefing process was incredibly thorough. Fractional Recruiting really understood what we needed and tailored their approach accordingly."

2. Targeted Sourcing

Using advanced sourcing techniques and a deep network within the insurance industry, we directly engaged high-quality candidates. Our multi-channel approach included:

• Discrete direct calls to professionals, even at their workplace.
• LinkedIn, email, and text outreach to maximize response rates.
• Customized screening questionnaires for the Guidewire roles.

🔹 Quote:
"The level of precision in sourcing was impressive. They didn’t just send resumes—they found candidates who were actually a strong fit."

3. Transparent Reporting

Unlike traditional contingency firms that operate behind closed doors, we provided our client with real-time access to candidate data, ensuring full transparency throughout the search process. Our shared tracking spreadsheet included:

• Contact information, current title, and employer.
• Career goals and objectives.
• Detailed notes on qualifications and potential fit.

🔹 Client Feedback:
"Seeing all the candidate details in real time was a game-changer. We knew exactly who was in the pipeline and why."

4. Seamless Execution & Communication

Several key differences in the process and quality compared to previous recruiting experiences: 

📌 Detailed & Transparent Process – Regular updates on candidate searches and market trends.
📌 Higher Candidate Volume – More options and deeper insights into the candidate pool.
📌 Customized Approach – Instead of just getting resumes, the client received detailed market intelligence and tailored outreach strategies.

🔹 Direct Quote:
"With most recruiters, I send them a job description, and they ask two questions: ‘What are you paying?’ and ‘When do you want them to start?’ Then I don’t hear from them until they have someone. Your process was completely different—I knew exactly who you were talking to, how many people were in the pipeline, and what the market looked like."

He also pointed out that some recruiters don’t actually know their candidates well:

🔹 Direct Quote:
"I’ve had recruiters send me candidates where, after talking to them, I find out they just found the resume online and had one quick phone call. That’s not real recruiting. Every candidate you brought me had been properly vetted, and I knew they were serious."

🔹 HR VP Quote:
"Fractional Recruiting kept us informed at every stage. It felt like they were part of our internal team."

Results & Cost Savings

✅  Two positions successfully filled.
✅  Time to fill: 5 weeks.
✅  Cost comparison:

• Traditional contingency fee (20%): $44,000
• Actual billing (hourly model): $8,800
• Effective cost savings: 80% reduction in recruiting fees

Conclusion

By leveraging a highly targeted approach and maintaining full transparency, Fractional Recruiting delivered high-quality candidates at a fraction of the traditional recruiting cost. This modern, flexible hiring model provided significant value while addressing the client’s unique hiring challenges.

🔹 Final Client Quote:
"We’ll never go back to contingency fees. This model just makes more sense."

#InsuranceRecruiting, #CostEffectiveHiring, #GuidewireTalent, #P&CInsuranceTalent, #RecruitmentInnovation

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