In this edition of Logistics and Beyond, we speak to Mr. Frieder Steinwarder from World Recruiter Network, our Recruiting Partner. Being in the industry for over five decades, he has witnessed the trends and changes in logistics. Equipped with this experience and the vast network he built working in logistics, he is now one of the leading recruiters in Germany.

His experience in logistics makes him a hit with companies and candidates alike who are looking for the right fit. In conversation with Frieder…

PL-Alliance: You spent a long time working in the field of logistics. How did you manage to switch from working in operations to recruitment? What motivated you to change your field?

Frieder Steinwarder: I worked with DB Schenker for over 40 years and, along the way, made an extensive network of industry professions. So after leaving, I wanted to make use of this vast network and got a chance to join a consultancy company in 2015 as a partner. In 2017, I became a shareholder and a managing partner. My work there included conducting business for the consultancies, setting up NVOCC's and, of course, taking care of the full scope of recruitments.

In 2021, when I had the chance to build something entirely new, I resigned from my duties at the previous consultancy company and started building the World Recruiter Network or WRN for short, in the second quarter of 2021.

PL-Alliance: The logistics market is so very competitive, changeable and highly restricted. Was there a lot of pressure when trying to establish your mark as a recruiter? What kind of challenges did you have to overcome to become one of the most sought-after headhunters in Germany today?

Frieder Steinwarder: Definitely yes. You need to have a real reputation in the market, and both customers and candidates expect the experience and reliability which can only be provided by achieving both their expectations. This was initially always the chicken-and-egg-question. Over the years, the challenges were and are still of two kinds:

First, getting the pertaining mandates but, even more importantly, finding the best suitable candidates for the specified job level. It is crucial as a recruiter to keep both the customers and the candidates happy and satisfied.

Secondly, reliability. You need to stick to your commitments and be prepared to sell with a "no" right from the beginning whenever you foresee difficulties fulfilling your expectations. Personally, I think this is also one of the most critical attitudes required to be a good recruiter.

PL-Alliance: How did the idea of the World Recruiter Network come up? Can you please give our readers a brief overview of the World Recruiter Network and explain its structure?

Frieder Steinwarder: The idea came up during a brainstorming session with Mr Hellmers, CEO and founder of Project Logistics Alliance. The first question raised was, "wouldn't it be possible and helpful to set up a similar structure for a worldwide network of locally-based recruitment companies, same as we did and do for PLA ?" The answer from me was a clear "yes", which is how WRN was born.

I personally never struggled with setting up the structure since we have a clear idea of the goals we want to achieve with the network: To have small and mid-sized local recruitment companies without their own network on board of "WRN". This enables them to extend their areas of acting far beyond their geographical limits. There is open communication "behind the scene" in a password-protected area where WRN network members can quickly ask for support wherever needed. 

The network itself is constantly growing, but we have set a limit of not more than 40 recruitment companies across the globe right now

PL-Alliance: There are a lot of big Recruiter companies out there who have their own agencies/ branches all over the world. How is the World Recruiter Network different from these? What are the advantages of the network?

Frieder Steinwarder: True, there are a lot of big recruitment companies out there who have branches all over the world. But the WRN network fares better in terms of Flexibility and a clear structure. Our internal guidelines apply to all our recruiters, allowing our members to take immediate decisions. You don't have to wait for decisions to come from across the globe, which speeds up the recruitment process. The candidates and the companies also have an easier time with only one point of contact and are not referred to various other branches or colleagues. And lastly and more importantly, our members are not restricted to particular countries. Having members from all over makes us borderless.

PL-Alliance: What regions around the world are covered by the World Recruiter Network? Is there a particular region where you struggle to find the right personnel?

Frieder Steinwarder: We currently have strategic members in all world regions, including EMEA, the US, LATAM, and APAC. To be honest, it is not the question of finding the right personnel but sometimes finding the right partner. If you readers have any recommendations about such small entities active in recruitment or, as I call them, "Local Hero's", please do get in touch with me at frieder@world-recruiter-network.com.

PL-Alliance: Is there any advice you would like to share with the young recruiters, especially in these trying times?

Frieder Steinwarder: I would advise all the young recruiters out there to be open and straight with their clients. Don't forget to be fair, either. You must learn early on and learn to sell with a firm NO!

Related links

Website World Recruiter Network