Tom Johnston

Captain
DISC Type : SD

CEO - Managing Partner at Synova Talent Solutions

Cleveland, Ohio, United States

Overview

With over 35 years in executive recruiting, Tom is a serial entrepreneur who founded Synova Talent Solutions, MyHuntPath, and SearchPath. He specializes in placing top-tier talent in the Search, Staffing, and Technology sectors and is a Senior Advisor at ZRG Partners. He earned his BA from St. Bonaventure University. Colleagues describe him as high-energy and a great team player.

Based in the Cleveland area, Tom is the author of "Where’s Your Buffalo? ", a book focused on career management and finding professional passion. A significant personal interest is his involvement with Bull Mastiffs, having previously won a "Best in Show" award for one of his dogs.

Unique fact: Tom is known professionally as the “Headhunter for Headhunters” for his expertise in recruiting top talent for the executive search industry itself.

Personality Overview

Long-Term Thinker

Output-Driven

Decisive But Calm

Reading between the lines and seeing beyond your words comes naturally to them.  They might take some time to make their mind up but once they do, they don't change it easily. They exhibit a rare combination of being result-oriented but patient at the same time.

Topics They Care About

Talent Acquisition
A pioneering figure in the executive recruiting industry for over 35 years, founding multiple firms like Synova Talent Solutions to innovate in talent acquisition.
Career Management
Authored the book "Where’s Your Buffalo? " and founded MyHuntPath, a platform dedicated to helping professionals manage and advance their careers.
Recruiting Innovation
Focuses on creating synergistic and innovative solutions in the human capital industry, aiming to revolutionize talent acquisition processes.

Media Appearances

Tom has no verified media appearances

Work History

11-2023
CEO - Managing Partner at Synova Talent Solutions
1-2007
Founder / Chairman at MyHuntPath
3-2020 - 7-2024
Senior Advisor at ZRG Partners, LLC
7-2005 - 7-2024
Founder / Chairman Emeritus at SearchPath Inc.
7-1997 - 3-2020
Managing Partner at SearchPath ATH Group

Education

1977 - 1979
BA from St. Bonaventure University

More Information

Social Presence :

Prographics :

Exp : 28 Location : Cleveland, Ohio, United States Job Level : Leadership Designation : CEO - Managing Partner at Synova Talent Solutions
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Insights For Selling To Tom

During A Call Or A Meeting

DO's

  • Come across as a trustworthy professional and be respectful, they usually know their game
  • Ask them at the end if they see a strong value prop in your product; expect an honest answer
  • Suggest clear next steps with confidence, don't be vague or hesitant

DONT's

  • Avoid putting conscious effort into relationship-building
  • Don't shy away from asking hard questions, but be extra polite
  • Don't focus too much on mutual contacts or bother about other stakeholders, focus on them

When Cold Calling

When Writing An Email

While Negotiating & Closing

    The secret to closing fast with Tom is

  • Strong proof of impact and their conviction will matter the most, but they wouldn't want to act unilaterally either
  • Will you ever get a clear answer from Tom

  • They will say no if they are not convinced but you will have to prompt them.

Insights For Deal Planning

    How fast (or slow) will Tom move?

  • They will want to understand things well but can move fast once they have a clear picture.
  • Can Tom take some risk or not?

  • They have good risk tolerance but are likely to think it through once or twice.

You And Tom

Personality Compatibility


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