Becker Private Equity & Business Podcast: Episode Summary
Title: Scaling Recruitment in Private Equity with Dina DeMarco of Hueman Private Equity Talent Solutions
Host: Scott Becker
Guest: Dina DeMarco, President of Hueman Private Equity Talent Solutions
Release Date: May 28, 2025
Introduction
In this engaging episode of the Becker Private Equity & Business Podcast, host Scott Becker welcomes Dina DeMarco, the President of Hueman Private Equity Talent Solutions. Dina brings over 15 years of experience in building high-performing recruitment teams, particularly within the private equity (PE) sector. Scott kicks off the conversation by celebrating the podcast's milestone of surpassing 7 million downloads, expressing gratitude to listeners and guests alike.
Notable Quote:
Scott Becker [00:00]: "We're thrilled today to be joined by a brilliant leader. We're joined Today by Dina DeMarco."
Guest Background and Hueman Private Equity Talent Solutions
Dina DeMarco provides an overview of her journey at Hueman, emphasizing her transition from leading large-scale Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) operations to spearheading the company's dedicated private equity division. She highlights the niche Hueman fills by offering scalable, flexible, and affordable recruitment resources tailored for PE-backed portfolio companies.
Notable Quote:
Dina DeMarco [00:44]: "We partner with PE firms to ensure that their portfolio companies have access to scalable, flexible and affordable recruitment resources so they can help build out their teams quickly without having to rely on an overpriced headhunter or sometimes their under-resourced internal HR teams."
Target Audience and Recruitment Services
Dina elaborates on Hueman’s focus on lower middle-market PE firms with ambitious growth plans. She explains how Hueman addresses the gap in the market for middle management and staff-level hires, offering a holistic recruitment solution that can handle everything from single roles to large-scale hiring needs.
Notable Quote:
Dina DeMarco [02:46]: "Human is designed to be a holistic recruitment solution. So the majority of our partners are PE-backed portfolio companies and we can come in and hire one role, up to 100 roles... we do something that we call an outsource to insource model."
Pricing Structure and Market Differentiation
Scott probes into Hueman’s competitive pricing strategy, which sets them apart from traditional executive search firms. Dina explains that Hueman offers high-quality recruitment services at a fraction of the cost, typically executing searches for one-third to half of what traditional agencies charge. This approach allows their partners to scale their hiring efforts without incurring prohibitive costs.
Notable Quote:
Dina DeMarco [04:21]: "We've found if we deliver really good results, we can help our partners out at a fraction of the cost. So we're able to execute on searches anywhere from a third to half of what traditional agencies would charge."
Pivot into Private Equity and Business Growth
Dina shares the story of Hueman’s strategic pivot into the private equity space, catalyzed by a successful transaction in 2017 where they sold a nurse staffing company to a PE firm. This relationship led to repeated collaboration, revealing a substantial market need for specialized recruitment services tailored to PE-backed companies.
Notable Quote:
Dina DeMarco [06:57]: "We realized that there was nobody out there that is serving this group with a really scalable and affordable recruitment resource. And so that's when I had the opportunity to figure out what this business looks like."
Current Talent Trends in Hiring
Discussing current trends, Dina describes the labor market as "cooling, but optimistically resilient." She notes a downward trend in job openings while hires and quits remain stable, indicating a strategic phase of precise hiring. Additionally, she highlights the growing role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in enhancing recruitment efficiency and candidate experience.
Notable Quote:
Dina DeMarco [07:21]: "We're in really a strategic phase of hiring where organizations are doing precise hiring. And so we have to focus on quality, efficiency and making sure that we are putting forth the best candidate experience that we possibly can."
The Role of AI in Recruitment
The conversation delves into the impact of AI on recruitment processes. Dina discusses AI’s dual application in high-volume hiring, such as screening hundreds of candidates efficiently, and in executive searches, where AI can assist with detailed note-taking and enhancing recruiter productivity. She expresses enthusiasm about AI's potential to upgrade the recruitment function.
Notable Quotes:
Dina DeMarco [09:55]: "For high-volume candidates, AI tools can help us get through a volume of candidates more quickly, reducing 250 candidates down to 25 for recruiters to engage with."
Dina DeMarco [10:55]: "I love the note-taking features that are out there as well because I want to focus on the conversation and not worry about taking all of the notes."
Achievements and Success Stories
Reflecting on recent accomplishments, Dina highlights Hueman’s success in establishing best-in-class recruitment functions for their partners. She shares a specific example where Hueman helped a portfolio company streamline their recruitment process, implement technology, revamp their employer brand, and build an in-house recruitment team, ultimately enhancing the company's enterprise value.
Notable Quote:
Dina DeMarco [11:35]: "We partnered with this portfolio company early in their hold period to de-risk their recruitment... by time they were ready to go to exit, they had this thorough, high functioning, high performing recruitment function."
Future Focus and Strategic Initiatives
Looking ahead, Dina aims to develop a comprehensive talent acquisition playbook for private equity firms. She believes that while there are established playbooks for various business functions, a structured approach to talent acquisition is lacking. Her goal is to formalize this concept to better support PE partners in leveraging talent as a strategic asset.
Notable Quote:
Dina DeMarco [13:25]: "What we are in Human PE Talent Solutions. We are your TA playbook. And so I'm focused on really bringing that to our partners and figuring out how we can further develop this concept."
Advice for Private Equity Firms
Dina shares valuable insights for PE-sponsored companies and funds looking to optimize their talent strategies:
- Don’t Overlook Middle Management: Middle roles are crucial and often lack dedicated recruitment resources.
- Build Recruitment Resources Early: Establish partnerships with recruitment experts to scale effectively.
- Decouple Recruitment from HR: Treat recruitment as a strategic function separate from traditional HR roles.
Notable Quotes:
Dina DeMarco [14:36]: "Don't overlook the middle... Build your recruitment resources early in the process... consider decoupling recruitment from HR in its entirety."
Conclusion
Scott Becker wraps up the episode by praising Dina’s leadership and insightful contributions to the recruitment field within private equity. He emphasizes the importance of strategic recruitment in growing and sustaining successful portfolio companies. Dina reciprocates the appreciation, highlighting the rewarding nature of her work at Hueman.
Notable Quote:
Scott Becker [15:59]: "HR is one role and a critical, critically important recruiting should be another role. And a critical, critical role particularly as you grow as a company."
Final Thoughts
This episode offers invaluable perspectives on scaling recruitment in the private equity landscape. Dina DeMarco’s expertise underscores the significance of strategic talent acquisition and the innovative approaches Hueman Private Equity Talent Solutions employs to meet the unique needs of PE-backed companies. Whether you're a PE firm looking to enhance your recruitment strategy or a professional navigating the talent market, this discussion provides actionable insights and forward-thinking solutions.
Note: Advertisements and introductory segments have been omitted to focus solely on the core content of the podcast episode.