A Robust Team

Défis RH would like to introduce two exceptional additions to our team: Marie-Claude Thibault and Yan Farah-Lajoie. The duo’s extensive experience and unique expertise bring a new dimension to Defis RH’s ability to provide diverse and comprehensive human-focused recruiting services.

Marie-Claude’s journey into headhunting and recruitment began unexpectedly when a friend approached her for a Researcher position at Elitis Pharma. The job involved creating a vast database of pharmacists across Quebec, sparking her passion for the relationship-centered side of recruitment. This position led her to Défis RH after being approached by Jessie Fortin, our Senior Associate. Marie-Claude strongly connected with the company’s values and approach from her first interaction. “I felt a good vibe in the first few minutes from Jessie’s ethos, her ideas, her way of working, which I immediately recognized and felt confident in,” says Marie-Claude.

Yan Farah-Lajoie’s career path has been equally diverse, spanning two decades across aerospace, consulting, telecom, and technology industries. Having started his career in the aerospace field, Yan held various management positions in the areas of purchasing and strategic planning. “After years in procurement, I decided to step back and look at what I wanted to do. I was most passionate about managing people and caring for my teams,” says Yan. His extensive experience has given him a solid understanding of strategic purchasing and technology. “I had the opportunity to work for various companies, which allowed me to see the importance of corporate culture and how it impacted employee behavior. The sectors that I now support at Défis RH are those that I understand intimately”, explains Yan.

As part of the HR Challenges team at Défis RH, Marie-Claude brings her unique blend of intuition and empathy to the forefront. Her role encompasses recruiting for permanent positions in various fields, including HR, accounting, finance, procurement, plant management, and engineering. “In my position in the HR Challenges team, I aim to encourage a collaborative spirit in line with Défis RH’s DNA, growing the business with a human approach,” states Marie Claude.

For Marie-Claude, adapting to candidates’ aspirations makes all the difference in empowering employees to blossom in their careers: “I believe in the value of providing candidates a great experience, giving them ease and transparency, adapting to their personality so they can be confident in their career choices.” In particular, she will serve Défis RH’s expanding client base in Montreal’s South Shore region, where she has developed significant professional links and expertise over the previous years.

At Défis RH, Yan works, among other things, on the strategic expansion of our services by attracting new clients. “I would like to bring a complementary vision and an outside point of view to develop new mandates and contribute to the expansion of Défis RH services. It’s about consolidating the DNA of Défis RH, which consists of placing people at the center of our actions and decisions,” explains Yan. He works to develop businesses in specialist sectors, such as engineering and technology, in addition to purchasing and strategic sourcing.

Yan and Marie-Claude aim to extend Défis RH’s services to smaller and medium-sized businesses, particularly those facing resource scarcity in a competitive market. “We want to go beyond offloading organizations swamped with a spectrum of tasks or stretched too thin by anticipating their needs and providing tailored-made solutions. Marie-Claude and I are bringing our field-specific expertise to Défis RH to make it clear how targeted business development can help clients grow,” says Yan.

Like Yan, Marie-Claude emphasizes the value of outsourced HR services in facilitating recruitment and allowing managers to focus on core responsibilities. She underscores the advantages of HR services in freeing company leaders to concentrate on all stages of recruitment. “We ensure growing businesses find the rare pearl that aligns with their vision,” says Marie. She highlights the role of recruitment in addressing labor shortages and promoting financial growth, particularly in guiding managers on competitive salaries and employee retention strategies. “With employee shortages and inflation, I believe recruitment will be an ongoing invaluable tool for thriving companies. Person-to-person contact is irreplaceable to see an individual’s holistic know-how. AI tools are valuable, but they only address half of the equation,” explains Marie-Claude.

In her work at Défis RH, Marie-Claude aims to surpass objectives, nurture client and candidate relationships, and address human resources challenges with empathy and insight. Through strategic planning and execution, Yan also strives to propel Défis RH towards continued growth and success in the years to come. “At Défis RH, we serve people and put people first. I’ve only been there for a few weeks, but every meeting I’ve had has ended with a smile on my face,” says Yan. Marie-Claude and Yan are dedicated to bolstering and diversifying Défis RH’s human-focused recruiting services by embracing the rapidly evolving recruitment landscape with innovation and humanity.