recruit22 is a founder-led IT staffing and technical services firm based in Chicago. We started in 2022 with a simple premise: that technical hiring and technical delivery could both be done with more rigor, more honesty, and more accountability than the industry standard. We're still building on that premise every day.
Mario and Nik met at a gym in Chicago. Nik was the guy who was always on his phone or his laptop between games — and Mario's wife was the one who pointed it out. "You should talk to that guy," she said. So they did.
They got together one afternoon and started trading ideas. Mario had spent 20 years in software engineering and enterprise technology. Nik had built his career in recruiting — enterprise staffing, agency work, high-growth environments. Between the two of them, they had a complete picture of a problem neither had been able to solve from their own side of it: the gap between what technical hiring looks like and what it should look like.
Their first idea was to build an ATS — an applicant tracking system that actually reflected how modern technical recruiting worked. Mario started showing up at Nik's home office every day to understand the recruiter's job from the inside.
Then an opportunity came in. A potential client needed engineers. Mario and Nik decided to take a run at it — not as a software product, but as an actual search. Mario's engineering background made the technical evaluation different from anything a generalist recruiter would do. They placed four or five engineers in under two weeks.
That's when the pivot happened. The ATS could wait. This was the work.
In 2022, Nik was laid off from Facebook — one of tens of thousands of people who left the technology industry that year as companies that had over-hired during the pandemic corrected course. The experience clarified something they'd already been thinking about: the way companies hire and the way they treat technical talent when things get hard are connected problems. recruit22 was the answer to both. The name is a reminder of where it started and why.
"The way companies hire and the way they treat technical talent when things get hard are connected problems. recruit22 was the answer to both."
Mario Duran is a seasoned technology executive with over 20 years of software development expertise, currently serving as Chief Operating Officer of recruit22 and Chief Technology Officer of The Dandelion Philosophy. Throughout his career, he has excelled in transforming complex business requirements into effective digital solutions across financial services, government, and healthcare sectors.
Mario combines strategic leadership with technical proficiency, as well as artificial intelligence and cloud infrastructure. His strengths include full lifecycle software development management, cross-functional team leadership, and designing scalable technology solutions that drive business growth.
As a leader, Mario consistently delivers innovative approaches to digital transformation while maintaining operational excellence and strong stakeholder relationships.
He lives in the Chicago area with his family. His wife is the reason recruit22 exists — she's the one who told him to talk to the guy on the phone at the gym.
Nik Fikaj is an accomplished recruiting leader with extensive experience in technical recruiting and executive search across the healthcare, technology, and finance sectors. With a strong background in diversity-focused technical recruiting and senior engineering talent acquisition at leading tech companies, Nik brings valuable expertise to his current roles.
As an advisor and Applicant Tracking System (ATS) development leader at recruit22, he provides strategic guidance on recruitment technology implementation, focusing on designing intuitive ATS solutions that streamline recruitment processes and enhance data-driven hiring decisions.
His comprehensive understanding of both technical requirements and talent acquisition has enabled him to successfully lead global recruiting efforts and build high-performing teams across international boundaries.
recruit22 is headquartered in the Chicago area. We work with mid-market and enterprise organizations nationally — across healthcare, financial services, manufacturing, and technology.
Most of our client relationships start with a referral from someone who's worked with us before, which means our work tends to travel with us regardless of geography. If you're in Chicago and want to meet in person, we're always open to it. If you're not, the process works just as well remotely.
They jumped into action very quickly, providing qualified candidates that met the specifics we were looking for. Their communication was exceptional — we hired our executive from the candidates they presented and it is a perfect fit.
Working with recruit22 has been a game-changer for our firm. Their regular check-ins show a deep commitment to client service — something I haven't experienced with other recruiters.
The best thing we can tell you about recruit22 is that most of the people who find us were sent by someone who's worked with us before.
