Build Your Career at Direct Recruiters, Inc.

Join a high-performance recruiting firm where relationships matter, growth is intentional, and your impact is felt every day. At DRI, you’ll work alongside driven professionals, develop meaningful expertise, and build a career—not just fill roles.

Overview

Direct Recruiters, Inc. (DRI)—a proud member of the Starfish Partners family of companies—we’re building a team of passionate professionals who are energized by results, relationships, and growth. As part of a dynamic, people-first recruiting firm, you’ll work in an environment where collaboration, continuous learning, and entrepreneurial drive are valued, and where your contributions help shape career success for both our candidates and clients. With best-in-class training, meaningful development opportunities, and the support of the broader Starfish Partners community, a career at DRI offers both professional fulfillment and the chance to make a real impact in the world of talent acquisition.

Why Work at DRI?

Built for Long-Term Success
Stability, scale, and support through the Starfish Partners network.

Relationship-Focused
Success built on trust—with candidates, clients, and teammates.

Award-Winning
Top workplace driven by people and culture

  • History
    DRI was founded in 1983, not long after the launch of our sister company, Kaye/Bassman in 1981. Over the decades, both firms grew through strategic expansion, new service lines, and a shared commitment to building specialized recruiting teams. In 2022, Kaye/Bassman and Direct Recruiters officially merged to form Starfish Partners, creating a unified platform with a clear structure: Starfish Partners focuses on retained, contingent and contract search.

  • Culture
    We take the time and effort to add the right people who have a mutual desire to be part of the company, fit into the culture, and have the ability to achieve sustained success.

CultureWise: At the core of this work are 29 fundamentals known as “The Starfish Way.” These fundamentals represent the DNA of our culture and guide how we lead, collaborate, and show up for one another across brands, practices, and roles.
EOS: The organization operates on EOS® (Entrepreneurial Operating System) principles, emphasizing clear goals, accountability, transparency, and leadership alignment.
No Revolving Door: DRI’s retention of employees is backed by outstanding tenures of top employees – over 8 team members have been with DRI for 15+ years, over 20 employees have a 10+ year tenure, and more than 15 have been with us for 5+ years. We have a low turnover rate because we are very careful about who we hire. We look for innovators with high energy, train them well, develop their talents, and promote them rapidly. We empower our people to take risks and make mistakes. New ideas keep us moving forward and top performers get rewarded!
Passionate & Fun: We are passionate about what we do and that makes it fun to come to work every day. This passion has helped us become a leading executive search firm; not only by attracting the best candidates for our clients but the best employees for our company. Our team hosts regular happy hours, golf outings, basketball tournaments and company picnics each year. In addition, employees have the opportunity to qualify each year for our Pacesetter trip; an all-expenses paid, all-inclusive trip to reward our team in tropical locations like Costa Rica or Cancun.

  • Training
    Starfish Partners’ brands are supported by Next Level Exchange to provide industry-leading recruitment training that equips new recruiters with the skills, tools, and vernacular essential for a career in professional search. NLE is the largest recruiting consulting organization in the industry and has become synonymous with delivering proven best practices, training, coaching, and digital marketing solutions specifically designed for the search and staffing world.

  • Community
    For years, we have participated in various fundraisers, charitable events, and opportunities to give back to the community. When our team bands together, we know that we can make a difference, help drive change, and strengthen our roots in the community. Some organizations we volunteer with:

  • Values in Action

Testimonials

“Being an employee of DRI has felt more like being a part of a family. The teams are supportive; the culture is positive, and DRI genuinely values its employees. The Company’s strong history and the many long-tenured local employees reflect loyalty and stability, making it a great place to work.”
Deb Rhodes, Accounts Payable Coordinator

“The best part about DRI is the culture. It genuinely fosters success and teamwork, and it’s one of the few workplaces I’ve been in that truly offers real opportunities and rewards for growth & development.”

Nelly Buttriss, Strategic Executor, Packaging, Processing & Material Handling

“Working at DRi/Starfish over the past five years has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career. From day one, I’ve felt genuinely supported… not just as a professional, but as a person.”
Tess Lepore, Partner - GovTech/Public Safety

“DRI is more than a workplace, it’s my second family. After 25 years, I’ve grown up here. The search business challenges you, stretches you, rewards you, and constantly evolves.”
David Peterson, Managing Partner - Plastics, Packaging and Specialty Chemicals