Case submission

SG
Cowen:
New
Recruits
Kumari Harshita (2020PGP216)
Natalia Godlewska
Strengths
Hard-working and committed
Prior work experience
Highest GPA
Speaks multiple languages
Weakness
Lack of cultural fit because of
frustration and low loyalty
Trouble with impatient co-workers
Stiff and uncomfortable during
interaction
Martin Street
Strengths
Ambitious and confident
personality
Presentation and articulation
skills
Ability to adjust and carry orders
Weakness
Lack of problem solving and creativity
uncertainty about grades
possibility to change to other firm
no business experience
Ken Goldstein Andy Sanchez
Strengths Strengths
Strong social skills Highly ambitious
valuable work experience Perfect cultural fit
Highly committed and loyal very strong entrepreneurial spirit
Excellent recommendation enthusiastic and social role

Weakness Weakness
Lower willingness to work overtime Below average school result
because of family May keep working with his own
Own leadership experience hence not firm
used to taking commands
Top Business Schools for
recruitment
The aim of SG Cowen is to recruit those employees that are loyal
and committed to the company and have the quality to be
culturally fit. SG Cowen has the criteria of selecting students from
the top 25 universities. However, the figure was changed from
the criteria of the top 10 core universities when the timings of
recruitment did not match with the top universities as students
were halfway mid in their semesters. Training is provided equally
to all students in order to improve loyalty, commitment, and
cultural fit. The company also has criteria for selecting students
from the non-core universities, only they have to visit the
company’s headquarters for enrollment.
Suggestions for the recruitment
Gather information about the process and conduct assessments of performance, e.g. benchmarking
against similar firms. A comparison should also be made between different changes in the process
along with appraisals of employee retention rates (Gardner, 2010).

SG Cowen fills its 30 associate positions by hiring half of them internally and the other externally,
which is considered a noble philosophy (Fisher, Schoenfeldt, Shaw, 2006).
On the one hand, the company hires people with known abilities whilst it motivates current
employees by creating the notion of trusting its own people. A negative result of hiring internally is
the ripple effect, where new vacancies occur requiring new hires. On the other hand, external hiring
brings new ideas and skills to the organization. However, in doing so, costs are increased
dramatically.

SG Cowen does, of course, accept resumes from students who did not attend a “top 25” school;
however, many students are not aware of this as presentations and other information are not given
at their schools. To solve this problem, other mediums could be used to advertise positions such as
newspaper ads, web ads, or employment agencies. This will increase costs but would be beneficial in
the long run.