JR BECHTLE & Co. | April 2026 | Publications

Reflections on 30 years at JR Bechtle

Today marks my 30th anniversary here at JR Bechtle & Co., quite a milestone and occasion for me to reflect on this tenure. This means first extending heartfelt thanks to the company’s owners who placed trust in me, my excellent team, the many past colleagues I’ve learned from, a long line of valued clients – including multiple generations of the same owner family – and not least, to all the interesting people I’ve come to know as candidates, and many ultimately as friends.

My job interview in 1996 was with the stern and serious Boston partner Hans Spiller. He began by testing me with a series of rapid fire questions in German, to confirm my proficiency. That I expected. What wasn’t expected was being asked what an injection molding machine was. I stuttered back that it had something to do with plastics – a lucky guess. This was just a foretaste of the variety of ‘in need of explanation’ products I would come to deal with since then.

Another interview was by phone – no video back then – with company namesake Joachim Bechtle, also a tough interviewer. What sealed the deal with him was establishing that I’d been a high school exchange student at the same little school in the Black Forest he attended. Second lucky break.

To be honest, this wasn’t a career I planned on. When I started in April 1996 our business wasn’t just recruiting but also market research, my background, as well as M&A support. Over time we learned to focus on what our clients really needed and what we were best at, namely professional and conscientious placement of qualified leaders for their firms. Over time our geographical scope expanded to encompass the entire western hemisphere, from Canada to Mexico and Brazil. This made this complex match-making vocation even more multi-faceted, and fascinating, actually.

It was the focus on supporting companies from German-speaking Europe that drew me to the company when I saw an ad in ‘The Boston Globe’. Working between cultures, and reaching out to bring people together with roles they can draw fulfillment from is fulfilling for myself and the rest of my team. The photo here shows me in my first week on the job – on the phone, just like today!

Moral of the story: One of the most satisfying things we do here is keep in contact with placed candidates, many of whom are still on-board after 20+ years. Taking pride in their company and its products – generally the best in whatever field they’re in – and being able to bring their personalities, knowledge, and skills to bear to achieve success – these are the reasons they give for continuing to relish their jobs. I can only concur with this!

Curious about how JR Bechtle & Co. can help your business navigate international hiring with confidence? Contact us today to start a conversation about your global talent needs.

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