Santa’s Nice List – A Guide to Executive Talent Recruitment

Cristina Sacco

The holiday season, a time when Santa’s making his list and checking it twice, isn’t just about sleigh bells and mistletoe—it’s a masterclass in discernment.

Santa’s knack for identifying who’s been ‘nice’ or ‘naughty’ parallels the art of pinpointing exceptional executive talent. Let’s unwrap the similarities between Santa’s Nice List and the traits that define top-tier executives while exploring how hiring brands can seek out and attract these exceptional individuals during this festive season.

Qualities that Define Executive Talent

Much like Santa meticulously curates his Nice List, the realm of exceptional executive talent embodies a unique blend of traits and qualities. Top-tier executives possess a distinctive set of characteristics that set them apart. Here is how the sought-after traits in high-performing executives mirror Santa’s skills:

  • Leadership that Guides: Just as Santa leads his team of elves with finesse, top executives steer organizations toward success. Exceptional leadership involves vision, innovation, and the ability to navigate challenges while inspiring others to achieve greatness.
  • Adaptability in Action: Santa’s adaptability to different cultures and climates mirrors the adaptability of top executives. They thrive in ever-evolving landscapes, embracing change and turning obstacles into stepping stones.
  • Empathy and Emotional Intelligence: Santa’s empathy for children worldwide echoes the emotional intelligence of exceptional leaders. Understanding perspectives, fostering relationships, and navigating complex dynamics are skills shared by both Santa and top executives.
  • Strategic Prowess: Santa’s meticulous planning mirrors the strategic acumen valued in executives. Exceptional leaders possess a knack for foresight, informed decision-making, and guiding their organizations towards sustainable growth.

Festive Strategies for Attracting Executive Talent

Just as holiday magic fills the air, hiring brands can employ their own brand of enchantment to captivate and entice exceptional executives. These strategies provide innovative approaches to connect with and allure high-caliber executive talent.

  • Narratives that Spark Interest: Harness the storytelling spirit of the holidays to craft compelling narratives about your company. Highlight its mission, culture, and growth prospects in a way that resonates with executive candidates seeking purpose and professional advancement.
  • Leverage Networking Opportunities: Much like Santa’s global network, hiring brands can utilize holiday events, industry gatherings, and digital platforms to connect with potential executive talent. The festive season presents a chance to engage with candidates in a more relaxed setting.
  • Spotlight Company Values and Culture: Executives seek alignment with a company’s values and culture. Showcase these aspects prominently during the recruitment process. Highlight how the organization fosters diversity, innovation, and a supportive environment for professional development.
  • Showcase Opportunities for Impact: Just as Santa’s work impacts lives globally, emphasize the potential for candidates to make a substantial impact within the organization. Illustrate how their expertise and leadership can drive meaningful change and contribute to the company’s success story.

Wrapping Up the Festive Search for Executive Talent

Just like Santa meticulously curates his Nice List, hiring brands embark on a similar journey when seeking exceptional executive talent. Recognizing the shared traits between Santa’s Nice List and top-performing executives provides insight into the qualities that distinguish extraordinary leaders. 

The pursuit of top executive talent involves a blend of storytelling, strategic outreach, and a deep understanding of what motivates high-performing individuals. So, as the holiday spirit sparkles, hiring brands, akin to Santa, can leverage their discernment to build their own version of the Nice List—an assembly of exceptional executive talent poised to lead organizations towards a prosperous future.

Our Impact

In 1995, our founders embarked on a journey that would disrupt the status quo of the executive recruiting industry. We have been transforming companies and lives ever since.

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9,395

First Round Interviews

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3,000+

Total Placements

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47%

Diversity Placements

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$700M

Economic Impact

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SVP, People

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“I have been in the field of human resources for over thirty years, in executive level roles both in-house and in outsourced positions. Michael Bitar is my favorite talent acquisition professional with which I have ever worked. He cares deeply about building a relationship with his clients, learning their business, culture, challenges, and truly understanding the needs of a role requisition. His approach is mirrored by the rest of the Protis team, who are courteous, thorough, and who make you feel like you are their only client. Protis successfully delivered hires for our Chief Commercial Officer role and for three key challenging roles (in both Marketing and Sales). They are simply – the best!”

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“Partnering with Protis Global has been a game-changer for poppi. They understood our vision and the unique challenges we faced as a rapidly growing brand. Their expertise in executive search helped us find the right leaders who not only fit our culture but also brought the skills and passion needed to drive accelerated growth. The Protis Global team actively took our feedback and adapted the search so that we could focus on what we do best – creating innovative, healthy beverages that our customers love. They’ve truly become an extension of our team, and we couldn’t imagine achieving our success without the team members they helped us to bring aboard.”

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President of Sales, Spindrift

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“Michael Bitar and the Protis team have been such a pleasure to work with over the years. Not only do they do amazing work with recruiting but we have also developed a partnership between our two companies. Michael and his team provide a crucial role in reviewing my hiring needs at the beginning of each year. Once the review is complete, Michael begins searching for quality candidates that fit the role and culture for Spindrift. He and his team do an outstanding job of finding the right candidates for the position in need. I highly recommend Michael and the Protis team for your hiring needs.”

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President, Mark Anthony Brewing Inc

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“From the start, the relationship with Protis Global was different than other recruiting firms.  The team had a deeper level of commitment and desire to learn about our business than I had experienced with other firms. Our company was experiencing a time of exponential growth and our staffing needs were complex. We needed very experienced people across every possible function in the Operation and Supply Chain Teams and we needed them in a hurry. The Protis Global Team mobilized quickly and established a methodology to identify strong candidates and work them through the interview process in a professional and timely manner. Their grit, determination, understanding our needs and culture, sense of urgency and drive to exceed our expectations set them apart from the pack.”

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Senior National Account Manager at Arla Foods

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Kayla was awesome and very thorough in her vetting of candidates. She understood our brief as we were looking for candidates and helped to weed through those who were not a good fit for the role. 

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Chief People Officer at IJW Whiskey

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VP of Supply Chain at Lallemand

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Everyone involved was extremely helpful - Gary, Michael, Ben - thank you!! The team didn't only search for candidates based on the job description, but also the qualities that I look for in candidates. 

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VP of Product Technology & Innovation

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Supply Chain Manager

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Very simplistic process finding the right role for the right candidate...keep up the great work! 

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CEO, Arla Foods USA

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“We’ve been a Protis Global client for eight years, and during this time have always appreciated the thoroughness of the recruitment process, as the candidates brought to us have been well-vetted, not only from a competency perspective, but more importantly from a [cultural] fit dynamic. Mike and the team have always been highly engaged to ensure they bring us candidates that match our culture. That’s been critical to the success of the candidates that have landed here by way of our relationship with Protis.”

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