The Client

Equity Residential is a leading real estate investment trust (REIT) focused on the acquisition, development, and management of rental apartment properties. While a powerhouse in real estate, Equity is not a tech-first company, yet their IT function is critical to operations. In 2015, we started our partnership with their then-VP of IT, Rich Voinovich, to help shape and grow Equity’s IT organization.

The Challenge: Attracting Tech Talent Beyond the Tech Giants

Unlike technology-focused firms, Equity Residential needed to attract top-tier IT talent to a real estate company. Roles ranged from business systems analysts to cloud engineers, security, process engineers, and infrastructure professionals.

These roles, both individual contributor and management level, often compete in a highly competitive talent landscape. Our task was to showcase how Equity’s IT function could offer fulfilling challenges and growth, even without the allure of being a tech giant.

Our Approach: Tailoring the Message and Delivering Consistently

We started by understanding Rich’s vision; what type of talent he needed and how the IT function would evolve. We helped craft the narrative that Equity’s IT wasn’t just supporting real estate, it was driving it forward. By aligning with the organization’s goals, we attracted talent who wanted to make a tangible impact.

Our results speak for themselves. We’ve filled over 90% of the roles we have been tasked to recruit for. Equity’s IT team grew with skilled business systems analysts, cloud engineers, security experts, process engineers, and infrastructure leaders. Our ability to match top talent to a non-tech giant is proof that the right partner can elevate any organization.

The Impact: A Strategic IT Partner

Over the years, we’ve become more than just a recruiter for Equity. We’ve helped shape their IT function, ensuring the right hires at pivotal moments. Even in a competitive market, we’ve consistently delivered. The partnership continues today, demonstrating that tech talent isn’t just drawn to tech giants, they’re drawn to the right opportunities.

Key Results

  • 90%+ fill rate on roles assigned across IT
  • Success in placing cloud, security, process, and infrastructure talent in a non-tech-giant environment
  • Helped shape Equity’s IT function from individual contributors to leadership
  • Partnership spanning 8+ years and continuing today
  • Why This Partnership Matters

The Equity Residential case shows that you don’t need to be a tech giant to attract top talent. With the right talent partner, companies in any industry can build high-performing IT teams that drive growth, innovation, and long-term success.