About
Forty-four years, one city.
Founded in New York City in 1982, in financial services from the first day.
History
Since 1982.
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1982
Founded in New York City as a specialist search practice for the city's banks and investment firms. Financial services from the first day, and nothing else since.
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Since 1999
John F. Mazzei has led the firm, taken every brief, and made every approach himself. The seat has never been delegated.
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2026
Thirteen sectors and thirteen areas, and every open search published with the range the city requires. One partner still runs every search.
Founded, New York City
Years, one city
The second call is the one that matters. A client asks what the market is paying, who is movable, and whether the plan is realistic. We answer that before we open a search.
What matters most
Seven things the firm holds to.
John F. Mazzei's own lines, and what each one means in practice.
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01
Careers before jobs.
We think about a person from a career viewpoint, not about whether they will fill a job.
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02
Relationships before transactions.
The firm has followed some of the people it works with since they were analysts. A search is one moment in that relationship.
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03
Mentorship before management.
A candidate does not need to find a good manager today. They can find a good mentor.
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04
Possibilities before positions.
A career conversation finds the opportunities a person had not considered, by recognizing what their experience transfers to.
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05
Long-term growth before the next move.
The next move is judged by where it leads, not by the title on it.
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06
Education before credentials.
What a person has learned, and keeps learning, over the letters after their name.
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07
Curiosity before certainty.
A smart candidate is good. A curious one is better.
Clients, candidates, and executive recruiting colleagues have trusted me to have career conversations with members of their families, including spouses, siblings, children, and even three generations of the same family.
Whether the conversation begins with a recruiting assignment, a networking introduction, or career advice, the objective is always the same: to create conversations of maximum possibilities.
The team
Who you would be working with.
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John F. Mazzei
Managing Partner -
Falon Becker
Senior Executive Search Consultant -
Jon Benson
Senior Recruiting Consultant -
George P. Grimbilas
Strategic Advisor
Consultants
Work with us.
Independent search consultants who bring their own networks and run their searches under the Rand Thompson name.
Consultants keep their client relationships and gain the firm's name, its research, its compensation data, and its back office. It suits experienced recruiters who would rather run searches than run a firm.
How a search runs
Five steps, one calendar.
Dates are agreed at the brief and kept.
- Brief
The specification, the range, and the calendar, agreed with the hiring manager.
Week one - Map
Who holds the role today, who is movable, and what it will take.
Weeks one to two - Approach
Direct and in confidence. Nothing posted with the client named.
Weeks two to five - Present
A shortlist with written assessments, references started, compensation confirmed.
Weeks five to seven - Close
Interviews, offer, acceptance, and we stay through the start date.
Weeks seven to twelve