Karishma Farhat
New Delhi
Summary
Detail-oriented recruitment specialist with 11+ years of experience in executive search, talent acquisition, and leadership hiring across India, the UK, the US, and the GCC. Skilled in end-to-end recruitment, stakeholder management, and ATS systems. Experienced across Technology, Professional Services, and Engineering Services industries. Successfully supports high-volume hiring initiatives.
Overview
12
12
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Executive Search Researcher
Mott MacDonald
Noida
03.2024 - 11.2025
- Partnered with BU heads and hiring managers to define recruitment strategies, establish hiring plans, and align on timelines.
- Experienced in managing the complete recruitment lifecycle, from candidate sourcing, assessment, to offer negotiation and closure.
- Led hiring of various engineering roles such in the Advisory, Water, Wastewater segments and helped to grow the teams in India by successfully placing around 40+ candidates within a span of 4 months.
- Leveraged platforms such as Naukri, LinkedIn Insights, and Copilot to conduct market research and design effective talent acquisition strategies.
- Skilled in using LinkedIn Recruiter, Naukri, ATS systems, and ZoomInfo to drive candidate sourcing, pipeline management, and market intelligence.
- Partnered on multiple talent acquisition initiatives such as employer branding, compensation benchmarking, referral programs, process enhancement, and vendor management, while driving high‑volume recruitment campaigns.
- Assist and, when necessary, spearhead international executive search and research projects beyond India, working in close partnership with the Global Head of Executive Search, and regional teams to ensure smooth cross-border delivery.
Senior Talent Sourcer
Resource Solutions (Part of Robert Walters Group)
Remote
10.2022 - 03.2024
- Sourced and identified candidates through various recruitment platforms.
- Managed the senior‑level hiring for the Professional Services industry, building and expanding teams across Audit, Tax, Assurance, and Wealth Management for client Evelyn Partners (UK & Ireland)
- Conducted initial phone screenings to assess candidate qualifications.
- Collaborated with hiring managers to understand staffing needs and requirements.
- Built strong candidate pipelines using LinkedIn Recruiter, Applicant tracking systems, Boolean logic, and X‑Ray search for candidate management and communication.
- Developed job descriptions to attract suitable candidates effectively.
- Maintained documentation of candidate interactions and progress throughout processes.
- Managed multiple projects simultaneously while meeting strict deadlines.
- Developed relationships with potential candidates through phone screens and email correspondence.
- Provided weekly updates on sourcing activities to key stakeholders.
- Sourced and screened qualified candidates for open positions utilizing a variety of online resources including job boards, social media sites, and professional networks.
- Conducted research to identify new sources of passive talent.
Practice Assistant- Global Technology Services
Heidrick & Struggles India (Search Office)
Bangalore
05.2018 - 10.2022
- Managed search strategies and execution for CxO‑level roles across diverse sectors and geographies, contributing to target companies and talent pool creation.
- Specialized in proactive sourcing, pipeline building, and engaging both active and passive technical talent.
- Oversaw the complete lifecycle of senior executive requisitions, from initial scoping through to successful placement.
- Built robust pipelines using LinkedIn Recruiter, CRM database, BoardEx, Boolean logic, X-Ray searches, and ZoomInfo to identify high-caliber leadership talent.
- Produced detailed candidate and status reports for client update meetings, ensuring transparency and alignment throughout the search process, and being part of all these meetings.
- Coordinated comprehensive project elements, including client and candidate management, research, and pipeline maintenance via CRM and recruitment tools.
- Developed targeted sourcing strategies that expanded diverse candidate pools, and strengthened leadership pipelines.
Assistant Manager- People Development
GlobalLogic (Hitachi)
Noida, Uttar Pradesh
02.2026 - Current
- Owned end-to-end recruitment for senior leadership roles (Director, AVP, VP, and C-suite) across diverse functions and business units.
- Partnered with CXOs, Business Heads, HRBPs, and Hiring Managers to define leadership capability needs, succession priorities, and strategic workforce planning.
- Translated business strategy into actionable hiring plans, aligning talent acquisition with organizational growth objectives.
- Conducted market research and talent mapping for niche leadership roles and emerging skill areas, ensuring proactive readiness for future demands.
- Built and sustained leadership pipelines through executive sourcing, networking, referrals, and engagement with passive talent pools.
- Leveraged advanced platforms (LinkedIn Recruiter, executive databases, industry networks) to identify and attract high-caliber leaders.
- Acted as a trusted advisor to senior stakeholders, delivering market insights, compensation benchmarking, and strategic hiring recommendations.
- Influenced hiring decisions and managed expectations across multiple stakeholders, ensuring alignment and transparency.
- Delivered a high-touch candidate experience throughout the leadership hiring lifecycle, from initial engagement to onboarding.
- Handled confidential searches with discretion and professionalism, safeguarding sensitive information.
- Guided candidates through structured interview processes, offer negotiations, and onboarding transitions, ensuring smooth assimilation.
- Implemented evaluation frameworks and assessment methodologies tailored for leadership roles.
- Ensured compliance with hiring SLAs, governance standards, and regulatory requirements.
- Tracked and reported hiring metrics (pipeline health, time-to-hire, quality of hire), providing actionable insights to leadership.
Analyst- Executive Search
Heidrick & Struggles Knowledge Center
Gurgaon
09.2016 - 11.2017
- Conducted industry and executive research for global mandates across various practices such as Technology, Healthcare, Financial Services, Consumer etc.
- Collaborated with cross-functional teams to streamline project workflows.
- Conducted in-depth market research to identify industry trends and opportunities.
- Streamlined candidate evaluation processes to improve hiring efficiency.
- Mentored junior team members on best practices in executive search methodologies.
Senior Research Analyst- Online Brand Protection
Strategic IP Pte Ltd (now Authentix)
Noida
09.2014 - 09.2016
- Conducted risk assessments for PayPal.
- Managed compliance checks and vendor relations.
- Managed and mentored a team of 6-7 analysts.
Education
B.Com (Regular) - Accounting
Sambalpur University
Odisha06-2011
Skills
- Executive search, leadership hiring
- Candidate sourcing and management
- Talent acquisition
- Market research
- Recruitment strategy
- Project management
- ATS
- Naukri
- Human resources
- Stakeholder collaboration
Languages
English
Proficient (C2)
C2
Hindi
Native
Native
Certification
Naukri Maestro Recruiter
Timeline
Assistant Manager- People Development
GlobalLogic (Hitachi)
02.2026 - Current
Executive Search Researcher
Mott MacDonald
03.2024 - 11.2025
Senior Talent Sourcer
Resource Solutions (Part of Robert Walters Group)
10.2022 - 03.2024
Practice Assistant- Global Technology Services
Heidrick & Struggles India (Search Office)
05.2018 - 10.2022
Analyst- Executive Search
Heidrick & Struggles Knowledge Center
09.2016 - 11.2017
Senior Research Analyst- Online Brand Protection
Strategic IP Pte Ltd (now Authentix)
09.2014 - 09.2016
B.Com (Regular) - Accounting
Sambalpur University