Solving a 12-Month Hiring Challenge With Global Talent

Underwriting Recruitment Case Study

HAYLO People partnered with a global insurer after a niche technical underwriting position remained unfilled for 12 months. Despite multiple attempts through internal recruitment channels and external agencies, the role continued to stall due to limited talent availability and complex candidate movement barriers.

Senior Recruitment Consultant, Oliver Bell, delivered a targeted market strategy that resulted in a successful placement within 12 weeks and a seamless relocation following the candidate’s six-month notice period.

The Challenge

The position had been vacant for a full year, creating pressure across the underwriting team and impacting workflow efficiency.

Key challenges included:

• A small, highly specialised talent pool.
• Technical requirements that eliminated a large portion of the market.
• Long notice periods and bonus cycles, limiting candidate mobility.
• Candidates previously approached by other agencies, leading to market fatigue.
• A need for strong cultural alignment in addition to technical capability.

The client required a partner with genuine underwriting expertise and deep market networks to break through the recruitment roadblocks.

HAYLO’s Recruitment Solution

1. Detailed Stakeholder Intake

Oliver conducted a comprehensive discovery session to unpack:

• Technical expectations and role priorities
• Team structure, culture, and leadership style
• Previous barriers encountered during the 12-month vacancy
• Success measures for the new hire

This aligned all internal stakeholders before going to market and ensured clarity on the ideal candidate profile.

2. Targeted Sourcing Strategy

Oliver designed a multi-channel approach to reach both active and passive candidates:

• LinkedIn Recruiter to identify specialised underwriting talent.
• HAYLO’s internal CRM, leveraging long-standing relationships with industry professionals.
• Referral networks, tapping into Oliver’s established underwriting community.

This strategy allowed for targeted engagement with talent not responding to traditional job advertising.

3. Strategic & Sensitive Candidate Engagement

Given the niche nature of the role, candidate conversations were approached with care, transparency, and respect. Oliver navigated:

• Bonus cycles and compensation expectations
• Relocation considerations
• Extended notice periods common within senior technical insurance roles

His industry knowledge helped create trust early in the process, ensuring candidates felt well-supported and informed.

4. Weekly Reporting & Insights

Throughout the search, Oliver provided the client with weekly updates, including:

• Pipeline overviews and candidate summaries
• Engagement metrics and market feedback
• Progress tracking against hiring milestones

This transparency allowed the client to make informed decisions and ensured no momentum was lost.

The Outcome

Despite the role being open for 12 months prior, HAYLO successfully secured a high-quality candidate within 12 weeks. The candidate completed a six-month notice period, relocated smoothly, and made an immediate positive contribution to the team. The employer reported strong cultural alignment and a noticeable lift in capability and workflow efficiency.

Client Testimonial

After struggling to fill the role for almost a year, HAYLO delivered a high-quality candidate who’s already making a difference. Their persistence, market knowledge, and candidate care set them apart.

If you’re exploring new Underwriting career opportunities or looking to grow your team, reach out to Oliver Bell on LinkedIn or contact him on:
📱 0491 651 395
✉️ oliver.bell@haylopeople.com.au