If you want to use the absolute best in the industry, look no further than Lisa Schwartz and Marc-Allen Associates.

I've been working as an attorney in the retail industry for nearly 20 years. In fact, a recruiter helped me land my first legal job. I've worked with a number of them over the years, but I have never had a better experience than I did working with Lisa and Marc-Allen.

From our initial conversation all the way through accepting a new position, Lisa was not only magnificent, but equally challenged me and encouraged me every step of the way. Starting with my initial resume review, she was able to help me focus on making those changes that would help me stand out on paper. But it went beyond that.

My interview prep was extensive and I've never seen the level of detail that she included. It was truly a top-notch experience.

Finally, the support from her and Marc-Allen didn't simply stop once I had accepted the new role. She continued to follow up with me to ensure that any questions I had were still being answered and any needs were addressed.

“It is my pleasure to write this unqualified recommendation for Mike Powell and his team.  Before he began his first executive search at our company, Mike spent significant time meeting myself and the rest of the executive team to really understand our hiring profile and the types of executives we were looking for and the culture we were trying to create.  He has gone on to fill dozens of jobs with outstanding candidates that fit superbly within our organization.  I truly appreciate the partnership and relationship that continues to this day.”

During our initial conversation and throughout the interviewing process, Lisa shared a significant amount of key information regarding the company and how to prepare for the interview process. She provided links to pertinent articles and reached out to the internal recruiter to get answers to my questions. She responded quickly to all of my requests and was always available when I needed her.

Lisa had me comfortably prepared for each interview so I was able to be my best during, what can be a stressful time. After each interview, she would follow up to get feedback from me regarding how it went and evaluate how the support she was providing was working. Ultimately, I was offered and accepted the job!

“You are the only recruiter who followed through on things that they have told me. It speaks volumes and makes candidates more seriously consider the role and relocation, as well.”

"I would like to take this opportunity to provide you with feedback on Lisa - she was very professional and courteous in all of our interactions. In addition, I can tell that her work-ethic is superior to other recruiters I have interacted with recently; she always responded very quickly, no matter when I contacted her.  Most importantly, she was exceedingly knowledgeable about the role we were discussing and her knowledge about the business and retail in general were very impressive. I hope that you pass this along."

“I have worked with Mike Powell for over 20+ years and find his professionalism and results in the recruitment arena exceptional in the Retail industry. I would highly recommend Marc-Allen Associates and Mike Powell to anyone who is looking for a Talent Acquisition expert!

I've partnered with Lisa on several occasions over the past few years for recruitment assistance for roles that are often very niche and very specific...unicorns if you will. Lisa has always been a top notch resource for these efforts. In addition to providing multiple qualified candidates, she does an awesome job of providing feedback to me regarding her search efforts and top notch summaries of the candidates presented. She does her homework and really vets candidates before presenting them. I would absolutely recommend her to anyone recruiting in the retail space. I would also recommend her to anyone looking for a next opportunity.

“Mike was our number one outside recruiter at Foot Locker for many years. We hired dozens of high-quality people through Mike and almost all became valuable employees. Mike helped create the turnaround story at Foot Locker, which was very near bankruptcy. Many of our hires from Mike were critical in saving Footlocker. His input was accurate and supportive of our goals. He never treated us like a "to do" list and always forwarded us great candidates. A relationship with Mike is long term and he manages the relationship in that manner.”

“Lisa, I want you to know that I’m very happy, not only with the result, but the process. I can say it was as if you were an extension of our team, and it was seamless. You presented great candidates and kept us on task. It was as if you were part of my HR team. Thank you for that. I look forward to working with you in the future.”

"One thing I will say, Lisa, is that I've talked to a few recruiters, and I must say that I found working with you so helpful. You are so organized, well prepared, and detail-oriented which I much appreciated throughout the whole process. Whether things work out in the future or not, I must say it was a pleasure!

“I strongly recommend Mike Powell as an Executive Recruiter. My experience with Mike was as a candidate. He helped me navigate through an extensive interview and selection process at Burlington Stores. He was extremely effective at helping me understand the culture of the organization and the personality of key executives in that organization. This helped me decide if I was an appropriate fit for this company. I was indeed the successful candidate and I am enjoying the beginnings of a long and successful career with my new company. I also appreciate Mike’s effectiveness from the perspective of an Employer who has sought to fill key executive positions.”

"From my perspective Mike has three characteristics that make him a special Executive Recruiter. The first is always functioning with the highest level of integrity in everything that he does. Second is that he gets things done and finally he has a great personality that makes him easy to work with."

“I have been associated with Marc-Allen Associates for the past 20 years. Mike Powell has guided me to successful career decisions and has provided top talent for organizations I have led.  Marc-Allen Associates has and will be my first choice to identify and place talent.  They are a highly professional organization with deep roots in the Retail industry and have an ability to find the right candidates that meet both the technical and cultural needs of an organization.  I have NEVER been disappointed with new partners hired through Marc-Allen Associates.”

"When Mike first called me 13 years ago to discuss the "perfect" position it all came down to his knowledge and expertise in matching the right candidate with the right company. Mike is thorough, knowledgeable, and his efforts serve both the client and the candidate. He is an expert recruiter that I highly recommend to any professional seeking a career, or any company seeking a professional recruiting firm."

Lisa is, without doubt, the most experienced and knowledgeable real estate/retail recruitment consultant I’ve met in the 20 years I’ve been in the industry. Her detailed understanding combined with her market expertise makes Lisa undoubtedly the choice of consultant for your next career move within the retail/real estate arena.

Besides being a reliable source of information and an extraordinary ambassador for both the company trying to recruit talent or the individual looking for a new opportunity, the most important quality that Lisa displays is Integrity.

Lisa can be depended upon to make a good match between employer and employee. I know that I can always depend on Lisa to work in the best interest of both the company recruiting talent as well as the professional seeking a new opportunity. I believe this quality is truly rare in the world of professional recruitment and is extremely beneficial in the long-run for her clients.

I highly recommend Lisa and her professional recruitment services. She is an honest and forthright professional in her own right and does an excellent job matching company needs to a professional’s desires.

Top qualities: Personable, Expert and High Integrity.

I am pleased to recommend Lisa Schwartz. She is a true professional who is pro-active, terrific communication skills and very thorough in her searching for candidates. She receives and acts upon feedback and is very flexible and timely in her response to requests. I would happily utilize Lisa in future search efforts.