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Lucas Zehnder joins Rockstar - psychology meets tech recruiting.
By the numbers
Rockstar founded — a University of Zurich spin-off
years headhunting before joining Rockstar
career videos on the Lucas Training vlog
focus areas — full-stack, data, vision, blockchain
In 2020, Horizont covered a hire that said a lot about where Swiss tech recruiting was heading: Lucas Zehnder joining Rockstar Recruiting. A seasoned executive-search consultant and career psychologist, Zehnder brought eight years of headhunting at hans hofmann & partner, plus earlier years in research and active sourcing.
Rockstar had started in 2016 as a University of Zurich spin-off, rooted in the ETH ecosystem. A personal approach and a commitment to sustainable recruiting built a strong candidate portfolio fast - serving VC-funded startups and international tech firms across full-stack engineering, data science, computer vision and blockchain.
What set the team apart was the mix of backgrounds - psychology, computer science and economics. Zehnder, who also runs the long-running career vlog Lucas Training, added a human and psychological dimension to technical hiring.
That blend - deep technical understanding paired with a real grasp of people - is the foundation techxecutive is built on today. Lucas now leads executive searches alongside the team.
“Rockstar builds a community-oriented, personal platform for IT experts and innovative companies.”
What this means
The read for both sides of the market.
For companies
- Psychology is an edge in hiring. Reading motivation and fit, not just CVs, is what closes scarce technical talent.
- Personal beats transactional. A community-rooted recruiter reaches people who never touch a job board.
- Depth on both axes. Understanding the code *and* the person is how the right match actually happens.
For candidates
- You'll be understood, not processed. A career-psychology lens means the conversation is about you, not a keyword match.
- Guidance beyond the placement. The same people who write the careers vlog will steer yours.
- Switzerland as an innovation hub. A personal platform that connects experts with the companies shaping it.