Scaling and Building High-Performing Technology and Product Teams at OEConnection Through Strategic IT Recruitment

About Client:

OEConnection (OEC) is a global technology company that connects participants across the vehicle parts and repair ecosystem through advanced digital platforms and data services. Founded in 2000 by major automotive industry players including General Motors, Ford Motor Company, Chrysler, and Bell & Howell (now part of Snap-on Business Solutions), the company was created to modernise the way original equipment (OE) parts are bought and sold. 

OEC launched its first digital solution, CollisionLink, in 2001, enabling repair shops to purchase OE parts directly from dealership suppliers through an e-commerce platform. Soon after, the company introduced D2DLink, connecting dealerships across the country and rapidly expanding its network. 

Today, OEC provides a comprehensive suite of technology solutions that support every stage of the vehicle parts and repair lifecycle. Its platforms help manufacturers, dealers, repairers, insurers, and fleet operators collaborate more efficiently, streamline procurement processes, and keep vehicles safely on the road. With billions of dollars in transactions facilitated annually, OEC has become a trusted technology partner for many of the world’s leading automotive companies. 

The Challenge:

OEConnection (OEC) planned an ambitious expansion of its technology teams, aiming to hire 30 specialists within six months to support the continued development of its automotive technology platforms. 

The recruitment scope included a broad spectrum of roles across engineering, data, and product functions, such as Java Software Engineers, Fullstack Java Developers, DevOps Engineers, QA Analysts, QA Automation Engineers, .NET Developers, Business Analysts, SQL Developers, Product Owners, Scrum Masters, and technical leadership roles. 

At the same time, the client had no internal recruitment team, meaning the entire hiring process had to be built and executed externally. OEC expected a recruitment partner who could work closely with hiring managers, support role definition, actively source candidates, and participate directly in the interview process. 

To ensure delivery, the engagement also included a performance commitment: the goal was to hire at least 20 candidates within six months. If the target was not reached, dotLinkers committed to continuing recruitment efforts at no additional cost until the required results were achieved.  

What we did:

dotLinkers supported OEC through a dedicated Recruitment Partner model. A Senior IT Recruiter from dotLinkers worked closely with the client as an on-site recruitment partner, collaborating directly with hiring managers and becoming an integral part of the hiring process. 

The recruiter’s responsibilities included: 

• close cooperation with hiring managers to define hiring needs and candidate profiles, 
• preparing and refining job descriptions for multiple technical and product roles, 
• actively sourcing and screening candidates, 
• conducting interviews together with hiring managers. 

To support this effort, a remote Project Manager from dotLinkers coordinated the overall recruitment process, ensuring efficiency and transparency across all open roles. The project manager: 

• supported sourcing activities and candidate pipeline development, 
• coordinated interview scheduling, 
• gathered and consolidated interview feedback, 
• provided recruitment analytics and activity reports, 
• served as the central communication point for the client, while also advising on hiring strategy and market insights. 

This collaborative model allowed OEC to quickly build structured recruitment processes and scale hiring efficiently, despite not having an internal recruitment team. 

Results:

The partnership between dotLinkers and OEConnection delivered strong results within the agreed timeframe, enabling the client to rapidly scale multiple engineering and product teams. 

Over the course of the collaboration: 

• 527 candidates were sourced and screened by dotLinkers 
• 354 candidates were shortlisted and presented to OEC 
• 205 candidates were invited to interviews 
• 69 offers were extended to candidates 
• 54 successful hires were completed 

This structured recruitment process allowed OEC to significantly exceed the minimum hiring target of 20 hires within six months, successfully building multiple technical and product teams while maintaining a high bar for candidate quality.