Book by Chasidic Recruiter Empowers Readers to Maximize their Potential in Workplace and in Life

NEW YORK (VINnews/Sandy Eller) – A new book appearing on Amazon details the career journey of the Chasidic headhunter who hopes to inspire people in their quest for personal fulfillment at their jobs, while also encouraging them to shoot for the stars.

“In Search For Work Satisfaction” was written by Chaim Desser, a Williamsburg resident whose work history has seen him selling rice cakes, working with diamonds, refurbishing electronics, owning multiple businesses and, on multiple occasions, job hunting. He founded the Poel Group, an executive recruiting firm 15 years ago, drawing on his experiences on both sides of the desk to pair job seekers with employers at medium to large size firms in the tri-state area.

“People think that recruiters only help job seekers but we help employers by helping them build their companies,” Desser told VIN News. “When an employer comes to a point where they need to expand, they need top notch people to be in their key team, the C-suite. I hunt for these types of candidates so that they can surround themselves with the right people and can get to the next level.”

Desser believes that Poel Group, which has interviewed 10,000 people, was likely the first Chasidic-owned executive recruitment firm in the country. Having grown up in Kiryas Joel speaking only Yiddish, Desser received a minimal secular education but he has consistently refused to let those circumstances limit his options. Instead, Desser devoted himself to reading and conversing in English, using his street smarts to acquire experience and business skills in what he calls “the school of life.”

“I still sent my kids to the same kind of yeshivas that I went to,” said the 48 year old father of six. “One of the reasons I pushed myself to write a book was to show that everyone has the ability to succeed.”

Desser takes immense pride in being a Chasidic author writing in English and he isn’t ruling out the possibility of a second foray into the world of publishing. He spent six months devoting his Saturday nights to writing In Search for Work Satisfaction, drawing on his Shabbos afternoon naps to power him through the process. Desser hired a developmental editor to polish his thoughts and chose a publication date at the start of the project to ensure that his literary aspirations didn’t take over his life, another lesson that he shares in the book’s 173 pages.

“Whatever you do, you have to set a finish date, because a goal without a date is not a goal,” counseled Desser.

Among the other nuggets of advice offered in the book, Desser urged readers to embrace the positives in every situation instead of giving up when things don’t turn out well.

“People go through struggles in life, but I believe that, even when you fail, you need to dig deep into yourself and find some points that you can teach others to keep them from following that same route,” explained Deser. “You gain purpose in life when you can teach others not to fall into the same rabbit hole that you fell into.”

Desser prides himself on being a good listener and is a big believer that women are a valuable and essential part of the workforce. He estimated that more than half of Poel’s Group staff is female and that the company has hundreds, possible thousands, of resumes from professional Orthodox Jewish women in its database.

“There are a lot of women today who are very capable and can get whatever jobs they want,” said Desser. “They can be COOs, CFOs, lawyers, CPAs, accountants – these are all mothers who have families and responsibilities and are frum, frum women. Today, there is nothing standing in the way of any frum person.”