WANT TO NAIL THAT INTERVIEW? THINK ABOUT IT LIKE THIS…

Protis Global

It’s Not an Interview, It’s a Business Conversation

Let’s cut to the chase, some of the best people for particular jobs suck at interviews. What we hate witnessing is people who are outstanding interviewers but not necessarily great in the role winning positions while those who may not interview well but could thrive in these positions fail to convey their qualifications.

We’ve all seen the many lists, tips, tricks, advice columns, and articles instructing candidates to say this ONE MAGICAL PHRASE or have this ONE WINNING HABIT in order to secure whatever job he or she is interviewing for. Some of the advice is logical and offers viable takeaways. Some of it is completely absurd. The element most of these blurbs negate is the consideration for the actual candidate.  We’ve sifted through the nonsense and know wholeheartedly that the ultimate goal is  not to put a body in a role, but to facilitate a relationship between candidates and clients. We make the connection and ensure that both the client and the candidate are able to make a timely, well-informed decision that works best for them both in all aspects. It’s not about getting A JOB – it’s about getting THE JOB.

As we are getting to know these candidates, part of our responsibility is to assess their skill set, to assess their experiences, to be listening to their personal, professional, and financial goals (scorecard) and as we are doing all of those things it’s our role to put them in a position to be successful. We have steps that we recommend to candidates to utilize as they prepare for an interview. Some of it resonates with them and some does not.There are many tactics we suggest to candidates in order to ensure that they are fully prepared for an interview and will represent their competence and career history effectively. The favorite of Mike Bitar, Partner and Managing Director of FMCG at Protis Global, is more of a mindset. Well, it’s a mindset that encompasses steps. Its an approach.

Essentially, the people we work with in the marketplace typically are sitting in on anywhere from a couple to a dozen business meetings every week. They have a mentality already of what it means to prepare for a business meeting.  When presenting in business meeting a professional knows to research and become extremely versed on the topic at hand. So, why do interviews freak people out or cause such a different response? Stop it! It’s a business meeting, like any other. We’ve found that candidates find ease in thinking “the topic of this particular business meeting is me, my career, my motivators, the things I am trying to get accomplished as I take this next step in my career.”

The proof of concept is consistent. We’ve time and time again our approach and our prep to be one of the most valuable aspects of what we offer to both the candidate and client alike. When you spend enough time with clients and candidates you start to get a feel for what they are comfortable with and what they are not comfortable with. For those who haven’t experienced an interview in an extended period of time, there is a bit of anxiety that may exist for whatever reason. So, we have to bring it home for them in their day to day life. With every person that we decide needs to use this interview approach, there has been a reason, based on our interactions, that lead us to believe that this mentality will probably be a more comfortable way for them to carry on. The feedback we have received is typically “hey that makes total sense to me and now whatever stress I had about it, though not eliminated, is reduced. Now I can wrap my head around it”

Many candidates fail to overcome their personal apprehensions in regards to a traditional interview. Bitar believes that the anxiety, nerves,  and frenzy occurs because candidates allow themselves to get worked up about it being an a formal interview instead of simply putting the encounter into the context of something they do everyday. Mike communicates to his more nervous candidates to think of the interview as more of a business conversation. Change the mental dynamic of the encounter. Now, the fear of the unknown associated with an interview is mitigated and the exchange is familiarized. This is a concept that has happened and developed over time and it works consistently so it just came to be the paradigm mentality for us. 

Oh yea, and p.s. if you want to dive even further into preparing for an interview, check out our full prep video, here.]]>

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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Brent Albertson

CEO, Zing Zang LLC

Non-Alcoholic Beverages
Non-Alcoholic Beverages

“ Our experience with Protis Global has been very positive. They have strong multi-industry CPG experience and understand our business model and standards. They know the difference between an “A-player” and a “B-player” in several functions, and the honesty around that standard helps us move faster. Mike and team set up a great process, especially in early canvassing and vetting that helps our leaders engage at the right time and make decisions fast. ”

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Colin Nolan

Executive Vice President, Mark Anthony Brewing Inc.

Beer, Wine & Spirits
Beer, Wine & Spirits

“Protis Global’s approach to talent acquisition is marked by diligence, transparency, and a genuine dedication to client satisfaction. Their strategic insights and personalized service have made a substantial impact on our organization, ensuring that we always have the best professionals driving our initiatives forward. The team at Protis Global demonstrates a keen ability to identify individuals who not only possess the requisite skills but also align seamlessly with our company culture.”

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Hilal Tabsh

Chief Revenue Officer, Glass House Brands

Cannabis
Cannabis

“Over the last 10+ years my experience with Michael Bitar and the Protis Global team has been exceptional across multiple industries. Michael and his team work to get to the true needs of my hiring plan and partner with us throughout the process. They understand our business, company culture, what success looks like, and then propose candidates that will produce results while also fitting into our team dynamic. Overall it’s a great team and experience and I would recommend to anyone looking to hire top-notch quality candidates reach out to Protis Global and Michael Bitar.”

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Peter Iglesias

Chief Executive Officer, Bespoken Spirits

Beer, Wine, & Spirits
Beer, Wine, & Spirits

“I highly recommend Protis Global as a top-notch recruiting agency. I have had the pleasure of working with them for the past 15 years, both as a candidate and employer in the Spirits and Wine industry. In my 25 years of experience, I have found Protis Global to be the most efficient and effective recruiting agency I have ever dealt with. Protis Global has consistently come through for me in the clutch, providing exceptional professionalism and execution in job searches and placements. Their dedication to finding the right fit for both candidates and employers sets them apart from other agencies. I have always been impressed by their ability to understand the needs of both parties and successfully connect them in a timely manner.”

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Soley Van Lokeren

SVP, People

Non-Alcoholic Beverages
Non-Alcoholic Beverages

“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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Brian Kuz

Chief Sales Officer

Food & Snacks
Food & Snacks

“Protis is unique in their go-to-market strategy in that they not only find the right candidate for the role, but they find the right opportunity and company for the candidate. Protis Global looks for people who are ready to make a change...I will continue to recommend Protis Global as one of the best placement agencies in the World, as I have worked on every continent and have dealt with the big executive placement firms and the boutique ones. Protis shines above all, and as long as I am hiring, I will continue to go to Protis Global first, if not exclusively.”

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Chris Hall

CEO, poppi

Non-Alcoholic Beverages
Non-Alcoholic Beverages

“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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Chad Palma

President of Sales, Spindrift

Non-Alcoholic Beverages
Non-Alcoholic Beverages

“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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John Sacksteder

President, Mark Anthony Brewing Inc

Beer, Wine & Spirits
Beer, Wine & Spirits

“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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Kathleen Hutchison

Senior National Account Manager at Arla Foods

Food & Snacks
Food & Snacks

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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Thomas Frisch

Chief People Officer at IJW Whiskey

Beer, Wine & Spirits
Beer, Wine & Spirits

“The team worked quickly and efficiently to find a unique position.”

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Kim Nguyen

VP of Supply Chain at Lallemand

Beer, Wine & Spirits
Beer, Wine & Spirits

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. 

poppi-testimonial

Shashank Gaur

VP of Product Technology & Innovation

Non-Alcoholic Beverages
Non-Alcoholic Beverages

The interview process was smooth and extremely professional. Ben and team represented me as much as they represented the company. 

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Jeremy Schulman

Regional Business Manager - Foodservice

Food & Snacks
Food & Snacks

Consistent communication, updates, and detailed knowledge of the client. The whole experience was top notch!

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Blake T. Bermingham

Supply Chain Manager

Beer, Wine, & Spirits
Beer, Wine, & Spirits

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

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Don Stohrer Jr.

CEO, Arla Foods USA

Food & Snacks
Food & Snacks

“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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