Our experience and track record sets us apart:

• Twenty years experience as a digital and multichannel direct marketing recruiter, and only digital and multichannel direct marketing.  We know exactly where to find the talent you need and how to attract them to your organization.
• Jerry Bernhart launched and ran directmarketingcareers.com for nearly 10 years.  He knows the inner workings of internet marketing, first-hand.
  
• A highly defined, time-tested and proven 12-step  recruiting process  with a 97% one-year success rate for placed candidates.  Our candidates have the proven track  records to help your business grow and prosper.
• High rate of multiple searches per client.  You can depend on us to deliver.
• Described by the Direct Marketing Association as "the expert in direct marketing hiring practices, and a leader in direct marketing executive search."  We were the only search firm selected by the DMA to provide exclusive, expert analysis for the 2009 Direct Marketing Employment Outlook Report, available for sale at the DMA Bookstore.  Named on Marketing Sherpa's list of "Best Job Sites for Marketing, Advertising and PR Pros". We know the market for digital and multichannel direct marketing talent and where to find A-level performers for your organization.
• Since 1998, Director of Executive Search for the Database Marketing Institute, founded by renowned email and database marketing expert, international speaker and author Arthur Middleton Hughes.  We know where to find, and how to qualify, the best available talent in database marketing and analytics.
• Extraordinarily high visibility (check our Press coverage page).   This gives your search almost unequaled credibility.  You're being represented by a search firm on the "A" list.
• Exclusive analysis for EM+C magazine's survey of employment trends in digital and ecommerce/emarketing, conducted by the publishers of Target Marketing. We can surface and attract the top ecommerce/emarketing talent you need to grow your online business.
• Author of  "From Cell Phone to Sell Phone: Hiring the Best Mobile Marketers," a research report published by the International Journal of Mobile Marketing.  We are uniquely qualified to help you fill your mobile marketing positions.
• Contributing Writer for DIRECT magazine.  
• Clients include leading agencies, service providers and marketers across all major industry sectors of all sizes.   We can help your business grow regardless of your size or the market you serve.  
• A popular blog on best practices in digital and multichannel direct marketing recruiting and retention strategies. We're a recognized thought leader in digital and multichannel direct marketing executive search (You can subscribe to our monthly blog updates by clicking on the "Subscribe" button on our blog).
• Our clients appreciate the fact that we are available 12 hours a day, 7 days a week.

For the past 19 years, our reputation has been earned by providing leading companies top performing digital and multichannel direct marketing talent, under the most demanding deadlines, who meet and exceed expectations. A sought after speaker and viewed as a leading authority on issues related to digital and multichannel direct marketing recruiting and talent management, Jerry Bernhart's articles, features and interviews appear frequently in all leading offline and online direct marketing trade publications and newsletters including DIRECT, DM News, Multichannel Merchant, Chief Marketer, Target Marketing, Catalog Success, Marketing Sherpa, BtoB, EM + C, DMA- 3D and the American Marketing Association. See our Press and Articles pages for complete listings and downloadable articles and interviews.

In December of 2009, and earlier in February of 2005, Jerry Bernhart was featured on the cover of Target Marketing Magazine about the trends shaping the way digital and multichannel direct marketers do business.

Hundreds of prominent digital and multichannel direct marketing companies, including marketers, agencies and service providers, participate in the Bernhart Associates Digital and Direct Marketing Employment Report.  Since 2001, it has been the most widely followed and quoted employment survey in digital and multichannel direct marketing and has been conducted in partnership with the Direct Marketing Association.  We invite all employers to participate.  Simply opt-in at the top of this page.  You'll find results of our latest quarterly survey on the Press page. Past data can be found in the DMA's Statistical Fact Book.

We're actively involved in all the popular online social media. Be sure to follow us on Twitter for our latest career opportunities and our popular Tweetchat, the only online digital and direct marketing employment forum of its kind. 

You can also become a fan on our Facebook page.

You can also visit our own Digital and Multichannel Direct Marketing Employment Social Network where you might find information on digital and multichannel direct marketing job opportunities and share job opportunities with others.

Bernhart Associates can help you fill your talent pool faster and more effectively by designing comprehensive in-house digital and multichannel direct marketing talent acquisition and retention strategies that draw on best practices in digital and multichannel direct marketing recruitment and talent management.

Jerry Bernhart will be appearing at DMA 09 in San Diego Oct 17-21.  Thinking about your hiring needs for 2010 and planning to attend?  Email us to arrange a meeting.

Our Partners

Bernhart Associates is a proud partner of the The Direct Marketing Association, which joined us in producing the 2009 Employment Outlook Report.

For your direct and database marketing needs, Bernhart Associates recommends The Wheaton Group, which specializes in database construction and hosting, data management, data mining and consulting.

Douglas Berger Communications represents Public Relations for the Bernhart Associates Quarterly Digital and Direct Marketing Employment Report and Job Duration Survey.  Doug is the former Executive Director of Communications for the Direct Marketing Association.

DATACo, LLC, based in Arlington Heights, IL, contributes research and analysis for the Bernhart Associates Quarterly Digital and Direct Marketing Employment Report and Job Duration Survey.  

Our Process as Digital and Multichannel Direct Marketing Recruiters
Bernhart Associates is a "boutique" executive search firm in digital and multichannel direct marketing. We work with the most exciting and promising small and mid-cap companies that we believe have the ability to attract top talent.  Bernhart Associates has developed a comprehensive digital and multichannel direct marketing recruitment and selection process that has resulted in the successful placement of more than 450 digital and multichannel direct marketing professionals since 1990. This unique and highly effective process truly sets us apart by putting your needs squarely in focus, and includes 12 steps that begin with a thorough understanding of the position you need filled and an in-depth cultural assessment. It is estimated that two-thirds of all hires in digital and multichannel direct marketing that don't succeed fail because of the wrong cultural fit.  Jerry Bernhart, one of the nation's most recognized digital and multichannel direct marketing recruiters, has written many articles and delivered many presentations on the key challenge of hiring for cultural fit. He also has the experience and knowledge to uncover the critical factors that are required to help you ensure a successful long-term hire. We develop an intimate understanding of your organization and determine exactly how your hire will affect the hiring department and the company overall in achieving mission-critical goals. Bottom line: We supply top performers who possess the skills, the experience, the track record and most importantly the right chemistry for success with a 92% "sticking" rate based on expected longevity. Because of our extensive digital and multichannel direct marketing recruiting experience and widespread industry visibility, our resources are wide and deep. Some might say second to none among digital and multichannel direct marketing recruiters.

How We Source Candidates as Digital and Multichannel Direct Marketing Recruiters
We do not delegate the all-important tasks of recruiting, interviewing and negotiating to research associates or junior staffers. Jerry Bernhart personally makes each and every contact throughout the entire recruiting process, leveraging his extensive experience and nationwide contact network as a leading digital and multichannel direct marketing recruiter to locate, evaluate and hire top performers. Because we accept a limited number of searches, we are not hamstrung by "off-limits" boundaries. Our candidate pool is practically unlimited. In most instances, we can have qualified candidates on your desk within just two weeks.

Our Philosophy as Digital and Multichannel Direct Marketing Recruiters
We highly value our client relationships. We immediately notify you when we surface extraordinary talent, we offer you guarantees on every search and extended terms for companies in a pinch. We believe digital and multichannel direct marketing recruiting is an ever-changing process, requiring different methodologies and approaches as market conditions dictate, so we regularly attend seminars and conferences to stay on top of the latest trends in digital and multichannel direct marketing recruiting, search and placement. Jerry Bernhart has given roundtable sessions on negotiation skills at national direct marketing conferences, so you'll know that your search is in the hands of a highly skilled negotiator. Finally, we represent you as if we were employed with you ourselves. We become your business partner.

A proud member of many regional and national direct marketing associations,
Minnesota Association of Personnel Services, Database Marketing Institute
and Advisory Board of Data University.