About SPI of Chicago

Working with Chris Hillman was one of the best professional decisions I’ve ever made! When Chris reached out to me I wasn’t really looking for a professional change and yet we had a great conversation together and Chris got me thinking excitedly about the potentials outside my existing role. And wow, was Chris absolutely right! I have found a position in a company I greatly respect, and the company equally respects me and the experience I bring with me to this new role. This is only the 2nd career change I’ve made in 21 years and I credit Chris with connecting me to the right situation at exactly the right time. The whole experience was seamless and I would absolutely recommend working with Chris!

Chris and his team were outstanding partners as I looked to transition to a new opportunity in my sales career. He listened to what I was trying to accomplish and was quick to get back to me with suggestions on what I should do and where I should start. He also shared some of the opportunities he had available and offered to present me as a candidate for the job I subsequently won. I do feel like I won, and I will always attribute that to Chris preparing me for the interviews, strategizing with me on salary negotiations, and being a confidant during a pivotal juncture in my professional career. I would recommend his services to any Sales Professional looking to improve their professional life.

If you're on the hunt for a new position or looking to fill a role at your company, Mark is 110% the right fit. From the beginning, he really wowed me with the kind of proactiveness that’s rare to find nowadays. But what really makes Mark shine is his innate ability to handle the balance between my personal aspirations with what the company he represented needed, making sure both sides of the coin landed in favor. Throughout the recruitment process, Mark made it a point to prioritize not only my career progression but also my personal well-being. He really took the time to understand my professional skills and my aspirations and aligned them with the opportunity he presented to make sure we would both be a good match for one another. Additionally, he provided me with more than enough information about the new company to feel confident that I would not only fit in, but excel there. His approach ensured that I didn’t ever feel like another number in the system, but like a real person with real ambitions, and that helped with that natural stress the comes with the job search. Unlike my experience working with recruiters in the past, Mark really stood out from the competition, especially when it came time to prep for my interviews. The strategies and tips he provided were spot-on and tailored to the unique dynamics of the company’s culture. Those golden nuggets of wisdom he gave me didn’t just enhance my performance during the interviews but also handed me a set of knowledge and skills that will remain useful to me throughout my career. Mark truly has a talent for making candidates feel as though they are his only focus, delivering a recruiting experience that sticks with you in a very positive and memorable way. His commitment to getting it just right for both the candidate and the employer without compromise is remarkable, and I thank him greatly for helping me land a role where I feel extremely valued and fulfilled. For these reasons and more, I wholeheartedly endorse Mark as a top-tier recruitment professional. Anyone fortunate enough to work with him in the future will, I am confident, second my praise.

Patrick is a professional recruiter who truly cares and listens to his clients' needs. He helped me land my current job and it was a wonderful experience from start to finish. Truly appreciate what he does and certainly recommend both hiring managers and job seekers to have a conversation with him.

Chris is a very personable, knowledgeable, savvy industry professional. A true vet, he has his finger on the pulse of the industry. Highly recommend his services!

Chris truly cares about the applicant. I reached out to him requesting assistance in finding a job. He immediately emailed me back. Within a short period of time, he had 2 interviews for me. Two weeks later I was offered a job. I can’t thank Chris enough for his determination in helping me and guiding me throughout my interview process.

"I recently worked with Chris on a high level search. He was very thorough in understanding our company culture as well as the qualifications our team needed. He produced many of exceptional candidates. Chris was easy to work with throughout the process. I would certainly recommend Chris for your hiring needs."

Chris was fantastic to work with. As a candidate I felt constantly informed and was always up to date on where the hiring company was in the process. Chris rarely took longer than an hour to return my call even with a 3 hour time difference. I am thrilled with this new role but if I am ever in the position to change careers In the future then Chris would my very first call.

From the moment I first connected with Chris, it was clear that takes his job very seriously, but also personally in getting to know you and what qualities you look for in your prospective employer. I was fortunate to have Chris help me navigate a very challenging time in my life, and even after a hiccup, we both stayed the course and found the perfect company for me to continue my career. He has a personality that is easy to work with, and he makes sure you are well informed and prepared during every step of the process. An easy guy to work with, he even goes the extra mile after you are placed in your new role with various methods of following up. I would highly recommend anyone who is trying to advance their careers partner up with Chris.

"I recently worked with Chris on two successful candidate searches. He was very thorough in understanding the qualifications we wanted for each position and produced a number of good candidates that met those qualifications. Chris was great to work with throughout the process. I would certainly recommend Chris for your talent acquisition needs."

"SPI of Chicago has given our business a competitive advantage by providing us with the personnel that have the abilities and experience to make the difference."

"I have worked with Chris for many years in placing several highly qualified candidates within various organizations. He is thorough, ethical and extremely good at delivering the right candidates for the requested roles. I consider him a valuable extension to my HR department!"

"In the past, I’ve had a number of job positions that called for unusual blends of skill sets that I have had difficulty filling through traditional means. Patrick has come through on multiple occasions with strong candidates whom I have hired and they have had successful careers. Patrick takes the time to understand the position needs thoroughly and finds and screens quality candidates. I strongly recommend Patrick."

"Chris Hillman is a real professional who “walks the walk” when it comes to executive search, particularly in the food ingredient space. Chris came exactly as advertised, with a deep list of contacts relevant to our search for a new CEO. We had a working list of highly qualified candidates in a very short period of time, and Chris helped us to manage the process of winnowing the field down to ‘short list’, and ultimately to the final candidate. All through the effort Chris was always available, responsive to our needs, and with the appropriate level of drive/push. I highly recommend Chris for your next search engagement."

Chris was a pleasure to work with during my search. He took the time to understand my needs, as well as the employers, to make sure of a perfect placement. He has kept in touch and even passed along some sales leads. Highly recommended.

"Chris and his team were outstanding partners as I looked to transition to a new opportunity in my sales career. He listened to what I was trying to accomplish and was quick to get back to me with suggestions on what I should do and where I should start. He also shared some of the opportunities he had available and offered to present me as a candidate for the job I subsequently won. I do feel like I won, and I will always attribute that to Chris preparing me for the interviews, strategizing with me on salary negotiations, and being a confidant during a pivotal juncture in my professional career. I would recommend his services to any Sales Professional looking to improve their professional life."

Mark Is the consummate professional. He quickly develops a clear understanding of a role search as well as the culture you seek to promote. Once the right candidate is identified, Mark ensure the process proceeds in the best manner for both sides of the interaction. Given today’s exceptionally competitive market, Mark and his team can be trusted to find the talent you need.