Ted is very knowledgeable and experienced in his field. If he recommends a candidate to you, he has vetted them, and you know it is going to be a solid person. He cares about the people he works with and is very passionate about what he does. With Ted, you are getting a collaborator, not another recruiter who is trying to fill a position. He leaves the decision to the hiring team, but you know that Ted has put his best foot forward to get you the right candidate with the right experience in the right place. He is not trying to just fill a position, he is trying to find a team member that is going to fit in and become one with the organization and culture.

Working with Ted Despotes has been a great tool I have used to help build effective teams at multiple employers.  These teams have spearheaded transformational changes in how injection molding is executed within these organizations. What makes working with Ted unique is his unusual and remarkable knowledge of the talent within the injection molding industry, particularly in the greater Chicagoland area.  He is able to maintain relationships with a wide variety of talent in the industry, over a great number of years.  By leveraging his knowledge of the talent available geographically, he is able to proactively contact people who are open to hearing about new roles, but are not necessarily actively looking.  While many recruiters run searches for keywords in Linkedin, and send blind emails to people they do not know, Ted first reaches a deep understanding of what is required for success in the position, and then scours his contacts for the right fit. With this method, the quality of candidates Ted is able to present is well beyond anything I have seen with recruiters who use traditional, database style methods. One warning, however.  He is extremely proactive to reach a very deep understanding of not only the job requirements, but what would make you want to hire someone for the role.  As a manager, this means you cannot be lazy with defining what you need for a role, it requires some thought.  However, I have found that the sense of urgency with which he operates is in line with my style, as I do not like to sit on open positions for a long time, and tend to be decisive when I find the right fit.

Meridian Search Consultants has a proven track record of presenting highly capable recruiting solutions.   Ted is very well-connected in the injection molding industry and has a wide network of companies and individuals to contact with opportunities.  Having worked with Ted for many years, he always begins the process with an upfront conversation regarding the position, why it is open, the critical success factors, and the skill set and experience that is needed to satisfy the role.  This is a real differentiator in working with Ted, because he truly wants to find the right fit for both the company and the candidate.  This initial step does take time and energy, but it helps him quickly vet candidates from his network and begin new searches on the right foot.  My personal observation has been that Ted’s searches typically yield a very desirable candidate pool within just a few weeks. Ted’s passion to deliver these refined searches is one of the areas that truly sets Ted apart from other recruiting experiences. My needs have been fairly specific, and Ted has proven very successful at finding candidates that meet the criteria and deliver on the job.

Being new to injection molding and away from the manufacturing sector for many years, Ted has been an invaluable partner to me as I navigate the industry and the vertical. There doesn’t appear to be a person he doesn’t know in the injection molding engineering space. He has consistently presented highly skilled talent. Ted works hard to understand our organization, culture and hiring bar. It’s important to us to have an external strategic recruiting partner and Ted has become a necessary extension to our TA function.

What I like most about Ted is the fact that I did not feel like just another candidate.  Ted took the time to get to know me and build a relationship with me.  I never felt pressured and he was always available when I had a question.  I am very pleased with Ted and I will recommend his services to all my colleagues. Ted was outstanding.  By far the most proactive and responsive recruiter I’ve ever worked with. Thanks Ted.

Having worked with Ted on multiple occasions both as the hiring client and the candidate, I can honestly attest Ted is a top notch executive recruiter in the injection molding arena.  I have found Ted to be extremely focused on matching his client’s needs to make it a win win for both parties.  Ted has consistently managed to place the right candidates for the right career positions insuring a perfect fit with immediate returns in a no pressure environment on either side.  I consider his network, knowledge of the industry and perspective candidates to be best in class.  Always a pleasure to work with.

“I have worked with Ted for nearly 10 years. Between his vast network of injection molding experts and his knowledge of the industry as a whole, he has become our “one stop shop” when we have a job opening in our molding department. We count on Ted to sell our company to candidates just as we would, and to find us the right person for our role. Ted “gets” us, and our relationship with him and Meridian Search Consultants is of the utmost value to our growing organization!”

“Ted was referred to me by a friend and co-worker. He took the time to discuss and understand what I really wanted and needed in a new position, and then brought me several excellent job opportunities based on my skill set and expectations. Ted is by far the best recruiter I’ve ever worked with in my many years in the injection molding industry.”

“I am grateful for the opportunity I had to work with Ted. He took the time to really understand what I was looking for in a job and company and did not waste my time on positions and/or geographic locations that I was not interested in. He never questioned my judgement and never tried to pressure me into accepting an offer. I would highly recommend Ted to anyone in the injection molding industry looking to improve their employment status.”

“Ted Despotes is a knowledgeable injection molding recruiter specializing in providing the top talent many companies struggle to find. I first started working with Ted in 2010 and he has demonstrated a sharp acumen in finding the right talent to fit our company needs. He has consistently delivered top notch results.”