Over the nearly 40-year history of our firm, when as a portfolio company within the private equity arm of Fidelity Investments or after our spinout as a freestanding partnership in 2012, we have had team members join us early in their careers, develop an aptitude and passion for executive search, perform exceptional work, and elevate to the level of Partner. Other colleagues have utilized early career experience in the executive search field to become educated about leadership and the business world and utilize that knowledge in a different career path that is well suited for their interests and abilities. Our alumni have gone on to pursue successful careers in life sciences, technology, higher education, financial services and other industries.
I joined Park Square as a Research Associate two months after graduating college, and the year I spent there proved to be an incredibly rewarding experience. The close-knit work environment allowed me to fully immerse myself into the team and culture, and I received more support and responsibility than I would have at a much bigger organization. I gained exposure to numerous different industries through the diverse array of clients we worked with, and I strengthened my communication, organization, and project management skills. I'm able to apply many of the recruiting strategies I learned to thinking about my own career post-Park Square. I'm grateful for the time I spent at the firm, and the skills I gained are pivotal as I begin my next chapter in graduate school.
My time at Park Square helped build a solid foundation for my career in internal recruitment. I learned how to identify, develop, and evaluate high potential talent across multiple industries and functions. Managing multiple assignments simultaneously taught me how to manage my time effectively and be a good teammate. Additionally, getting the opportunity to interface directly with clients’ leadership teams and executive level candidates bolstered my communication and presentation skills. Park Square’s culture of mentorship and apprenticeship helped me continually improve and I am grateful for the real-time feedback that the team provided.
While most recent college graduates are introduced to a company from the viewpoint of an entry level role, starting my career in executive search meant I got to work closely with executives, investors, and thought leaders currently shaping their industries. Understanding that leadership perspective and the decisions that led these individuals to their current roles gave me a very early appreciation for how great organizations are built and new insight into my own career path.
I learned the fundamentals of sales through my work in executive search. I was presenting candidates to clients and explaining the ‘why’ of how they could solve a problem. I didn’t realize at the time that I was learning a sales process that would remain at the core of my career beyond executive search.
My experience as a Research Associate and subsequently as an Associate has taught me the importance of qualifying a prospect and has given me the confidence to talk to important decision makers on the phone. Finding my own voice and style on the phone was challenging at first but it proved to be a critical factor that has helped me build rapport with prospects in my current role.
The exposure to a variety of research approaches, industries, roles, and work styles pushed me to quickly learn how to best communicate my research with my team members. The high standards and expectations of quality work have served to build my fundamental skill set that has served me well in my PhD program. I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to work alongside the Park Square team and know that I have become a better and stronger scholar as a result of my time here.
My experience at Park Square taught me everything I needed to be successful in the working world – perseverance, patience, confidence, and creative problem-solving. Engaging with senior executives on the phone just nine months into my career was a unique experience for someone my age, and quickly accelerated both my professional and personal growth. I still use the skills I developed at Park Square daily in my role at Wayfair, in areas such as project management, negotiation, relationship management, sales, and strategic thinking.
Beyond providing a solid foundation in research, project management, and communication skills, working as an Associate at Park Square opened my eyes to new industries and paths I'd never previously considered. Connecting with candidates, hearing their career stories, and ultimately finding the right match between company and executive gives you a unique yet grounded perspective from which to make decisions for your own career.
I joined Park Square as a Research Associate two months after graduating college, and the year I spent there proved to be an incredibly rewarding experience. The close-knit work environment allowed me to fully immerse myself into the team and culture, and I received more support and responsibility than I would have at a much bigger organization. I gained exposure to numerous different industries through the diverse array of clients we worked with, and I strengthened my communication, organization, and project management skills. I'm able to apply many of the recruiting strategies I learned to thinking about my own career post-Park Square. I'm grateful for the time I spent at the firm, and the skills I gained are pivotal as I begin my next chapter in graduate school.
Dana Alsheikh-Ali was born and raised in Dubai and came to the United States to attend Boston University, where she received an undergraduate degree in International Relations. While a student, she held internships at the Mayor’s Office for Immigrant Advancement, the PRLab at Boston University, and at UNLEASH, a digital marketing firm. Dana joined us after graduation and excelled as a Research Associate. She now attends the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, where she is pursuing graduate studies in International Business.
My time at Park Square helped build a solid foundation for my career in internal recruitment. I learned how to identify, develop, and evaluate high potential talent across multiple industries and functions. Managing multiple assignments simultaneously taught me how to manage my time effectively and be a good teammate. Additionally, getting the opportunity to interface directly with clients’ leadership teams and executive level candidates bolstered my communication and presentation skills. Park Square’s culture of mentorship and apprenticeship helped me continually improve and I am grateful for the real-time feedback that the team provided.
Zach Barker is a Senior Recruiter and part of the Americas Tech Talent Attraction Team at McKinsey & Company where he manages end-to-end recruitment efforts. He joined the firm as a Sourcing Recruiter within McKinsey’s Talent Sourcing and Insights team where he supported various McKinsey practices across North America. Zach started his career with us as a Research Associate and subsequently an Associate. He earned his undergraduate degree in Psychology from Boston College.
While most recent college graduates are introduced to a company from the viewpoint of an entry level role, starting my career in executive search meant I got to work closely with executives, investors, and thought leaders currently shaping their industries. Understanding that leadership perspective and the decisions that led these individuals to their current roles gave me a very early appreciation for how great organizations are built and new insight into my own career path.
Anna Cornish attended Tufts University, where she earned an undergraduate degree in international relations. While a student, served as a campus tour guide and worked as an intern for Ed Markey’s US Senate campaign and the City of Medford’s development and sustainability department. Anna joined us after graduation as a Research Associate and was promoted to become an Associate. She is now working as a Paralegal within the Department of Justice’s Criminal Fraud Division.
I learned the fundamentals of sales through my work in executive search. I was presenting candidates to clients and explaining the ‘why’ of how they could solve a problem. I didn’t realize at the time that I was learning a sales process that would remain at the core of my career beyond executive search.
Before starting Duplessy Foundation, Derrick Duplessy learned the fundamentals of sales as a member of our team. Derrick’s training in research, candidate development, and presenting to clients over 30 searches prepared him to understand the sales process. Today, Duplessy Foundation teaches women and minority business owners in 28 countries how to implement their sales processes. The organization has helped diverse business owners to generate $4.1M in the past 5 years. Derrick’s work for Duplessy Foundation has been featured on the The Doctors television show, The Boston Globe, and NPR.
My experience as a Research Associate and subsequently as an Associate has taught me the importance of qualifying a prospect and has given me the confidence to talk to important decision makers on the phone. Finding my own voice and style on the phone was challenging at first but it proved to be a critical factor that has helped me build rapport with prospects in my current role.
Seo-Yeon Lee is a Business Operations Manager at Taboola, a public advertising technology company. Before that, she held sales, strategy and operations roles at athenahealth. She previously worked as an Associate on our team, where she interacted with senior executives across our industry practices and found a particular passion speaking with leaders in the world of healthcare IT and medtech. Seo-Yeon was compelled to parlay the sales skills she honed as a candidate developer into a commercially oriented role at a large healthcare technology company. Before starting her career as a Research Associate, she studied Allied Health at the University of Connecticut.
The exposure to a variety of research approaches, industries, roles, and work styles pushed me to quickly learn how to best communicate my research with my team members. The high standards and expectations of quality work have served to build my fundamental skill set that has served me well in my PhD program. I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to work alongside the Park Square team and know that I have become a better and stronger scholar as a result of my time here.
Maggie Martin (McDonnell) is completing her PhD in Political Science at Stony Brook University. Her research focuses on the areas of political psychology and political behavior, specifically how gender identity influences voter preferences. Maggie began her career as a Research Associate at Park Square. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Psychology from Colgate University.
My experience at Park Square taught me everything I needed to be successful in the working world – perseverance, patience, confidence, and creative problem-solving. Engaging with senior executives on the phone just nine months into my career was a unique experience for someone my age, and quickly accelerated both my professional and personal growth. I still use the skills I developed at Park Square daily in my role at Wayfair, in areas such as project management, negotiation, relationship management, sales, and strategic thinking.
Sarah currently works on the Category Management team at Wayfair, where she focuses on optimizing the performance and profitability of a group of suppliers through strategic planning, supplier relationship management, and data-driven decision-making. She previously worked as an Associate on the Park Square team, evaluating and developing talent across our industry practices. Sarah was driven by her desire to leverage her project and relationship management expertise amassed during her early career at Park Square into a commercially-oriented role at a large, publicly-held company. She began her career as a Research Associate at Park Square, following her graduation from Franklin & Marshall College in 2021.
Beyond providing a solid foundation in research, project management, and communication skills, working as an Associate at Park Square opened my eyes to new industries and paths I'd never previously considered. Connecting with candidates, hearing their career stories, and ultimately finding the right match between company and executive gives you a unique yet grounded perspective from which to make decisions for your own career.
Sarah Spangenberg is the Head of Product Marketing at Front, a VC-backed customer service technology company. Sarah’s work with us exposed her to a range of clients and candidates at entrepreneurial, fast moving private companies. This fueled her interest in wanting to get directly involved in the startup technology world. She worked as a recruiter at Dropbox before transitioning into partnership and marketing roles of increasing responsibility at Segment and MakerSights, two Bay Area-based technology companies. Sarah majored in Classical Studies at Dartmouth College.