Most superhero stories begin with an origin story – how the hero got their powers. Bitten by a radioactive spider. Sent in a capsule from a dying planet. Stories that explain why superheroes have become who they are, and do what they do. At MeyerHaugen, we also have an origin story. It's not about powers, but about frustration. And about a lunch meeting that had an unexpected end.
I was working in recruitment and was meant to try and recruit Petter Meyer for a leadership role in a large Norwegian company. We met at Pascal in Tollbugata. The goal was to persuade Petter to take the job. It didn't happen. Instead, we ended up in a conversation about everything that isn't working in the recruitment industry.
We talked about candidates who don't get a response. About job adverts that don't answer candidates' questions. About processes that drag on forever without concluding. About recruitment agencies that promise more than they can deliver, and a market where the balance of power is skewed – where employers dictate the terms, but at the same time struggle to find people. And where candidates effectively have the power, but are treated as disposable.
Towards the end of lunch, Petter asked an unexpected and rather overbearing question. He said, «We've been sitting here complaining about the industry for 90 minutes. Shouldn't we just do it ourselves? Start something that works and fix it?»
A need we couldn't ignore
It wasn't obvious that the answer would be yes. I only knew Petter a little. We had no common plan. And there were already over 1,400 recruitment companies in Norway. The last thing Oslo needed was another one. We agreed on that.
Nevertheless – the need was too apparent to ignore. We saw the contours of a business idea, not to compete on volumes and CV databases, but to raise the standard. A recruitment company that takes both clients and candidates seriously, and that dares to address the things that don't work in recruitment.
We tested various approaches and models. We considered consulting, technology, and support for internal recruitment. But we came back to the same point: to make it work – and to have a real impact on the quality of recruitment processes – we had to do exactly what we thought Norway didn't need. We had to start yet another recruitment company.
Ambition: A response to bad experiences
MeyerHaugen was established in 2018. Not as a copy of existing players, but as a deliberate response to what we had seen and experienced ourselves. As former buyers of recruitment services, we knew how it feels when recruitment processes disappoint. When you've spent a lot of time, money and trust – and nothing good comes of it.
Our ambition was simple to formulate, but demanding to live up to: we shall deliver on every assignment we take on. Every time.
This doesn't mean we never stumble. No business can guarantee success in every recruitment. But it does mean we should never accept mediocrity. We sell trust. And in recruitment, one mistake is one too many. For the sake of both the client and the candidate.
It's not just about finding a candidate
When a customer uses us, it's usually for one of three reasons:
- They don't have time to do the recruitment themselves.
- They have tried and not succeeded.
- The role is so important that they need specialised expertise to get it right.
In all cases, the expectation is the same: we must find the right person and ensure the hire is a success. It's not just about sending over a few CVs. It's about insight, methodology, communication, and follow-up.
At the same time, we must never forget the candidate. We must be trustworthy for them too – with honest information, a clear process, and respect at every stage. Good candidates can become customers later – bad experiences spread quickly.
Seven years later: We're still recruiting – just a bit differently
Over seven years, we have tested new processes and technologies. We have solved recruitment assignments across many industries, and for businesses ranging from start-ups to large corporations. In both the public and private sectors. And yes, we do much of the same as the rest of the industry. We find people. We fill roles. But we always ask ourselves the question: Is this good enough?
We know we are not perfect. But we also know what is good enough for MeyerHaugen. We say no to assignments where we don't believe we can succeed. We give advice that sometimes shortens the process, other times makes it more demanding – but always with the aim of helping. And we evaluate ourselves afterwards, every single time.
Not a company for everyone – but for those who want to do it properly
MeyerHaugen isn't for everyone. We're not the cheapest. We might have slightly higher demands on you as a customer. And we won't agree to lower quality to make a quick profit.
We are the company you'll want to contact when it actually matters to get it right. When you need more than CV dumping and quick interviews. When you want to be confident that you've made the best choice – and that candidates are left with an experience that has them speaking well of both you and the process.
That is what we are working towards. That is why we exist.
