Fast Company Executive Board

As a member of the Fast Company Executive Board, I am going to start doing some writing which will appear on FastCompany.com.

2025 Board Member

iCIMS

At iCIMS, I sit at the intersection of talent intelligence, strategic storytelling, and market influence. As Head of TA Insights & Analyst Relations, my role is to champion the voice of the labor market and position iCIMS as the trusted authority in hiring trends, candidate behavior, and talent acquisition innovation.

This role is equal parts thought leadership, data storytelling, and influence-building ➡️ and I’m here for ALL of it.

What’s a normal day for me?

➡️ Workforce Intelligence & Trends
I serve as the face and voice of the iCIMS Insights program, uncovering what’s really happening in the talent market and translating it into narratives that matter to our customers, the media, and the broader TA community.

➡️ Public Speaking & Industry Influence
I represent iCIMS across global stages—panels, podcasts, webinars, and media interviews—bringing data and practical insight to every conversation on hiring, retention, and the future of work.

➡️ Content & Brand Evangelism
I lead the development of executive-ready research content, social posts, and videos that amplify iCIMS’ voice. You’ll find my fingerprints on monthly LinkedIn and YouTube content that brings our data to life and builds trust with our audience.

➡️ Analyst Relations Strategy
I run point on how iCIMS shows up in key analyst reports and research. That includes cultivating relationships with firms like Gartner, Forrester, and IDC, and owning our strategy for briefings, evaluations, and hosted analyst events.

What makes this role especially exciting? It’s not just about sharing what’s happening in TA—it’s about shaping what happens next.

Let’s connect if you want to talk talent market trends, employer brand positioning, or how to turn workforce data into a competitive edge. 📧 me!

Head of Talent Acquisition Insights & Analyst Relations

Hacking HR

Guest lecturer on HR, Analytics, AI and others.

Faculty Lecturer

The Human Capitalist

Thought Leader

NearshoreWorks

As the Vice President of Talent and Culture for NearshoreWorks, I lead initiatives that bridge the gap between top-tier Latin American talent and US-based companies, ensuring seamless integration into your teams. My role encompasses the People Functions, including recruiting, performance management, strategy, and workforce development. 

At NearshoreWorks, we specialize in helping organizations tap into the top 1% of Latin America’s tech talent, saving up to 60% on hiring costs without compromising quality. Our commitment to fostering a culture of innovation, community, and mentorship has driven a remarkable 98.5% retention rate. With timezone alignment and a US-based leadership team, we ensure smooth, real-time collaboration for high-impact projects.

If you are interested in learning more, be sure to DM me so we can book an initial call.

Vice President of Talent and Culture

HatchWorks AI

As Vice President of Talent and Culture at HatchWorks, I’ve had the privilege of overseeing the entire employee journey—from attracting top talent to creating an environment where our people can thrive. At HatchWorks, our people aren’t just part of the business; they are the business.

My role spans several critical areas:
➡️ Talent Acquisition – I lead the strategy and execution behind how we attract talent that aligns with our skills needs and culture.
➡️ Talent Retention – I’ve built targeted retention strategies by identifying and addressing drivers of turnover to keep our team engaged and committed.
➡️ Learning & Development – I oversee our L&D programs to ensure ongoing growth and career development, creating a culture where learning is part of our DNA.
➡️ Employee Advocacy – I serve as the voice of our people, collaborating cross-functionally to ensure our decisions reflect employee needs and promote well-being.
➡️ Internal Communications – I partner with leaders to drive a clear, consistent communication strategy across email, video, and other channels, ensuring every Hatcher feels informed and connected.
➡️ HR Analytics – I own the HR analytics function end-to-end—from strategy to execution—using internal and external labor market data to uncover insights that drive smarter, faster people decisions.
➡️ Leadership Development & Performance Coaching – I’m deeply invested in developing current and future leaders, equipping them with the tools and coaching to lead with impact and drive performance.

A key part of our success is my partnership with Kathleen Wood, our Senior Director of People Operations. Together, we’ve elevated the employee experience and made HatchWorks a place where talent sticks and grows.

If you’re looking to connect with a strategic HR leader passionate about tech, data, and AI—let’s talk.

Bureau Veritas Group

●	Engage with the business leaders for workforce planning, forecasting and building the a pipeline of talent
●	Responsible for innovation within the Talent Acquisition and Development initiatives for North America -create and execute a talent acquisition strategy for North America to support a diverse workforce of top talent to help the firm achieve its growth strategies.
●	Lead virtual and cross-functional teams to perform against strategic business goals
●	Analyze, assess, and report on progress against talent strategies and key business initiatives
●	Build and manage a team of high-performer recruiters in an extremely fast-paced, highly technical and competitive environment
●	Innovate and update the talent acquisition model, including being an integrated/optimized model with strategic workforce planning, pipelining talent with a CRM, employment branding, successful social media campaigns, candidate relationship management, and a focus on robust talent acquisition programs such as Diversity, Alumni, Employee Referral, Professional Networks, etc.
●	Create the HR Analytics function to provide in-depth analytics for leaders on their talent including attrition, trend analysis, diversity and FTE to percentage capacity based on pending work orders.

VP Talent, Retention & Analytics, Culture

BBVA in the USA

I have the privilege to lead an amazing team of 48 recruiters! We are responsible for leading and executing the Talent Acquisition Mission for BBVA in the USA.  We are treasure hunters, corporate spies, and talent advisors for the US footprint.

Key Accomplishments:
●	Led a team of talent acquisition leaders, full-life cycle recruiters, coordinators, program, and operations managers ensuring that all members are supported in managing change as the company scaled operations. 
●	Served as the full life-cycle recruiter for senior-level positions and managed the succession plan for executive leadership roles or high-valued roles within the organization.
●	Created a thoughtful, clear metrics-driven approach to TA that tracks, monitors, and evaluates the impact and effectiveness of the recruiting team, initiatives, recruiting strategies and practices.
●	Helped to facilitate the AGILE Transformation of the HR Department and applied SCRUM to the recruiting process

Director of Talent Acquisition and Culture United States

Manage the recruiting team for all non-branch positions in the US, including our start-up ventures for BBVA global.

Recruiting Manager

Manage a team of Talent Agents supporting the IT, Fraud & Cyber Security, Marketing, Business Intelligence, Tech Architecture, Visual Design, Engineering and Venture Capital groups for BBVA and BBVA Compass. My role is to manage the talent acquisition strategy, lead our team, and recruit senior-level executives to our firm.

Talent Manager- FinTech Divisions

-2014-2015: Leader for the social media and video job description project for Recruiting to include scope, design, video directing/editing and implementation 
-2016-2017: Led an international project team to define, research and select a new Applicant Tracking System.  
-2017-2018: Helped to create and implement new design thinking and AGILE processes within the Talent Acquisition discipline
-2018: Currently leading projects designed to boost efficiencies and brand awareness for the clients I support.

Project Leader

Vice President
Senior Talent Consultant Professional/Executive Recruiting
Corporate and Commercial Banking
-Led a team of four recruiters supporting Business Banking, Corporate Banking, and Wealth Management 
-Successfully recruited two lift outs of competitor teams

Vice President/Strategic Talent Consultant for the Commercial & Corporate Banking Divisions

Self Employed

Worked with an HR Outsource provider offering full suite HR services.  
-Served as a business development officer and project consultant for clients.
-Helped design and implement benefit plans and payroll services 
-Worked on a variety of HR related projects for clients
-Led HR transformation projects for mid-sized companies
-Served as fractional HR leader for some clients.

Human Resources Consultant

SunGard Inc.

Senior Executive Recruiter 

    Serve as a recruiter and human resource consultant for two executive divisions of SunGard Inc.
    Primarily responsible for full-cycle recruiting for a multitude of mid-executive positions
    Provide coaching on management skills, techniques, and development for management team I supported

Senior Recruiter

🚀 Who is Trent Cotton? Buckle up, because here are the Top 10 things you should know about me!

1. Not your Normal HR Executive: 20 years in HR. I'm on a transformational journey from an HR professional into a Talent, Learning and Development maestro, and High Performance Coach, attempting to reshape the future of HR.

2. Author and Thought Leader: I've penned not ☝️, but two✌️ essential reads in the HR world—Sprint Recruiting and High Performance Recruiting. I hope those who read the books describe them as blueprints to revolutionizing HR strategies.

3. Champion of HR Analytics: I’m a loud and proud nerd!🤓 I trust numbers more than people. In my current role, I am in the data every day. Harnessing the power of HR analytics, I like to transform data into strategic goldmines, driving unprecedented organizational growth. (I talk a lot about analytics on my blog and on the speaking circuit.)

4. AI in HR Evangelist: From algorithms to automation, I believe in leveraging AI to enhance human capabilities, not replace them. My discussions cut through the hype, delivering practical insights into AI’s transformative role in HR.

5. Builder of High-Performance Cultures: Creating environments where talent thrives and businesses boom is my kind of game.

6. HR Tech Early Adopter: Tech isn’t just for the IT people. I enjoy spearheading cutting-edge HR technology implementations that streamline processes and enhance employee interactions.

7. Master Strategist: Whether it’s talent acquisition or workforce planning, my strategies are designed to change the game. I strive to craft innovative approaches that attract, develop, and retain top talent.

8. Community Leader: I’m deeply rooted in giving back, serving on boards and committees that champion education, workforce development, and diversity. It’s about lifting while climbing.

9. Engagement Guru: Engagement is at the core of everything I do. My leadership style ensures every team member is heard, valued, and motivated. I also enjoy training other leaders to do the same. 

10. Innovative Networker: Follow my journey on my blog at www.sprintrecruiting.com. I share my world where creativity meets execution, and every interaction is an opportunity to learn, grow, and connect.

🌟 If you are a fellow maverick and rebel, let’s make magic happen. Connect with me, and let’s drive the future of HR together. 
🌟 If you are looking for a speaker on any of the topics above, DM me. 
🌟 Follow my other channels by checking them out here: https://linktr.ee/humancapitalist

Trent Cotton

My grandmother told me something years ago that I finally understand now. If your voice gets ignored, downplayed, or challenged just because of who you are then you're in the wrong room.


I didn't listen.

I stayed in rooms where my ideas were shot down because they were different. Where groupthink was the price of admission. Where being critical was treated like disloyalty.

I fought to stay. I thought proving myself mattered more than protecting myself. I was wrong. 

Then I landed somewhere that challenged me differently. For five years, every idea I had got picked apart. But not to silence me. To sharpen me. That's when I learned the difference between friction that builds you and friction that breaks you.

Now I do something that ticks people off: I survey the room before I commit. If my energy isn't valued, I don't spend it there or simply occupy space but do not invest.

People call it arrogant. I call it clarity.

This simple truth has helped me identify the jobs I would be successful in, the teams i would work best with, and the brands I could truthfully represent. 

Since I started honoring that boundary, my work got better. My peace got stronger. My confidence became steel. 

And I finally paid my grandmother back for the lesson she gave me decades ago.

You don't owe anyone your presence in a room who doesn't respect it. Respect yourself and find another room.

Head of Talent Acquisition Insights & Analyst Relations @iCIMS | The Human Capitalist | FastCo Executive Board Member | Turning Recruiting and Workforce Data into Success Strategies | LinkedIn Top Voice

The Transform Atlanta Chapter got together for  some holiday fun.

No alternative text description for this image

I've hired the wrong people more times than I care to admit. And the worst part? They weren't always obviously bad.


Some worked incredibly hard. Some everyone loved. Some said all the right things in meetings.

But they still broke the team.

Patrick Lencioni's framework helped me see what I'd been missing. It's not about finding people who are just good at their job. It's about three things that have to exist together: Humble, Hungry, and Smart.

Miss one, and you get a specific kind of problem.

The Skillful Politician has two out of three. They work hard. They read the room. But everything they do is for themselves. They fake humility long enough to climb, then leave wreckage behind them. I've watched these people get promoted while others quietly quit.

The Lovable Slacker also has two. Everyone likes them. They don't cause drama. But they coast. They do just enough to not get fired, and because they're pleasant, you let it slide longer than you should. Meanwhile, your top performers are picking up the slack and starting to resent it.

The Accidental Mess-Maker means well and works their tail off. But they don't pick up on social cues. They say the wrong thing at the wrong time. They create friction without meaning to. The good news? These people are usually coachable if you're willing to invest the time.

I learned to screen for all three traits.

Because a brilliant jerk will tank morale. A likable slacker will drag down standards. And someone who works hard but lacks awareness will create chaos.

The people who last on great teams aren't perfect. But they show up humble, hungry, and emotionally smart.

I spent years trying to be the MVP but it turns out I was just making everyone else's job harder.


Learning where you actually fit on a team is uncomfortable, challenging, like being in the corner of a sauna filled with people.

It requires the kind of self-reflection most of us avoid because it means admitting we're not always the hero of the story.

For a long time, I thought being valuable meant being the person with the answers. The one who solved the problem. The one everyone looked to when things got messy. The fixer. The general and the consoler. 

Honestly, it has been exhausting.

But that's not how high-performing teams actually work, especially now as AI levels out the IQ on teams. I picked up Jon Levy's Team Intelligence a few months ago and one idea stuck with me harder than I expected.

The best teams aren't built around stars. They're built around glue.

"Glue people", as he calls them, are the ones who connect the dots between departments. They ask the question that changes the direction of a meeting. They remember what was said three weeks ago and bring it back when it matters.

They don't get the credit. But without them, nothing holds together.

I've been on teams where I was the glue and didn't realize it. I've also been on teams where I tried to be the celebrated performer and made everything worse because I wasn't paying attention to what the team actually needed. 

The shift happened when I stopped asking "How do I stand out?" and start asking "What does this team need that no one else is doing?"

That's harder. It takes humility. It takes letting go of the need to be recognized for every contribution. This is especially hard when for most of your career, you've been hard wired to think differently. Even harder when you're on this self discovery journey alone because it is counter cultural. 

But it also makes you more valuable than any individual performance ever could... or at least that's what I have been learning over the last year.

Rachel Bourne doesn't buy the AI panic seeming to drive the latest movements in the job markets. I tend to agree with her. 


After two decades leading HR strategy at Fortune 500 companies, she's watched economic cycles destroy careers while everyone pointed at the wrong villain.

Yes, 1.1 million layoffs happened. No, automation isn't the full story.

In this week's Human Capitalist Podcast, Bourne explains what's really behind the disruption — and why your career strategy probably won't survive it.

Her framework: stop climbing ladders. Start playing checkers.

"Each move, even backwards or sideways, can create options and momentum. It's up to you to design the board, not just play the game." - Rachel 

We go deep on why companies can't seem to fix their talent problems, what actually drives layoffs, and how to build career resilience when the rules keep changing.

Newsletter includes the full episode breakdown and link. Let's dig in!

When headlines scream about 1.1 million layoffs, it's easy to blame the usual suspects: automation, artificial intelligence, corporate cost-cutting. B

Open article: The Layoff Paradox: Rachel Bourne’s Take on the Future of Work by Trent Cotton • 2 min read

The Layoff Paradox: Rachel Bourne’s Take on the Future of Work

1.1 million jobs cut this year. 42% of AI projects abandoned by late 2024.


That's what's being reported in the news. 

Here's a thought for you: If you cut staff betting on AI, how does your organization recover when the AI fails?

I get into this topic in this week's Human Capitalist. The YouTube episode has the playbook and I included the video in the newsletter.

I'm anxious to see what you think about this news and what your company is doing about it.

This year alone, over 1.1 million U.S. jobs have been cut. October saw the highest monthly layoff total in 22 years. UPS eliminated 48,000 workers. Am

Open article: The Workforce Cliff: How betting on AI is affecting the workforce by Trent Cotton • 8 min read

The Workforce Cliff: How betting on AI is affecting the workforce

I've been watching the AI panic for two years now, and I finally figured out why people are actually afraid.


It's not the technology.

It's the silence.

Ben Eubanks dropped something worth reading this morning from Lighthouse Research & Advisory. He's been tracking how organizations actually respond to AI, not how LinkedIn (and "influencers") thinks they should respond.

The data's telling a different story than the headlines.

Here's what jumped out at me:
When companies actually talk about their AI strategy clearly, directly, no corporate word salad, employees get optimistic. Seriously. Optimism rises. Anxiety drops. It's that simple.

But when leadership goes quiet?

Employees fill the gap with Reddit threads and Twitter doom scrolls. And we all know how that ends. (Lord knows I've been there myself.) 

The other piece that stuck with me: 
AI isn't here to make HR and learning teams redundant. It's here to kill the admin work that's been suffocating you for years. Imagine your learning team not spending 40% of their time on manual tagging and sorting. Imagine what they'd actually build with that time back.

That's the unlock nobody talks about. Not "faster output." Deeper human impact.
This is worth 10 minutes of your morning if you're trying to build an AI strategy or get people unstuck on adoption.

Ben's written about this stuff for a while. He knows what he's looking at and I trust his POV emphatically. If you're not following him, take 30 seconds and go follow, hit the bell, and select "All". Thanks for always leading the conversation Ben! 

🔗 Link to the source: https://lnkd.in/eCscEinY

If you are wondering what's really going on in the job market, I have some data for you. 


Based on our data iCIMS, our November Workforce Report breaks down exactly what you need to know to create a recruiting strategy that will succeed. 

This month we looked at the manufacturing sector to determine what's moving and what's slowing down. 

Here's a 5 minute overview of the insights that jumped out the most to me from this month's report. If you would like your own FREE copy of the report, you can get yours here: https://lnkd.in/eBEdps8a

#BLS #Workforcedata #Jobdata #Jobs #Hiring

I've spent years building teams of top performers and I was completely wrong about what makes them work.


I used to believe the formula was simple. Hire the best people. Stack talent. Watch them dominate.

Netflix's series Boots and Jon Levy's book "Talent Intelligence" hit me at the same time. 

Both say the same thing in different ways: a room full of superstars doesn't create a superstar team. It creates competition, ego clashes, and knowledge hoarding.

What actually works? Glue players.

I wrote about this in this week's Human Capitalist Newsletter. It's uncomfortable to admit I had this backwards for years, but the data is clear.

If you've been building teams the same way I did, it might be time to rethink what high performance actually means in the future of work. 

#futureofwork #jobs #recruitment #leadership #highperformance

I have learned that a core belief of mine is wrong: a room full of top performers doesn’t automatically create a team that thinks and performs well to

Open article: Why All-Star Teams Fail in the AI Era: Executive Guide by Trent Cotton • 9 min read

Why All-Star Teams Fail in the AI Era: Executive Guide

McKinsey froze entry-level salaries for the third year running. Is this a compensation trend we'll see more of in 2026? Is it AI's fault? Well...

Their explanation? AI is doing the work now.

But that's not the full story.

Most organizations are using "AI transformation" as cover for compensation decisions they were going to make anyway. The real question isn't whether AI replaces work. It's whether your pay strategy can survive what's coming in 2026.

Cynthia Abbott Kerr runs Wellpay.ai and spends her days fixing compensation strategies. In our latest conversation, she walked me through what actually matters: transparency that builds trust, equity structures that create stakes, and governance policies that keep AI from making your bias problem worse.

The days of the discussion only being about matching market rates are sunsetting. She says it's about designing pay structures that show progression before your competitors start hiring again.

If your CHRO isn't thinking about this now, they'll be fixing it under pressure later.

#HR #Compensation #AIinHR #Humancapitalist

McKinsey froze entry-level salaries for the third straight year. Starting pay sits at $135,000 for college grads and $270,000 for MBAs. The official e

Open article: Compensation in 2026: Why Transparency Beats Complexity by Trent Cotton • 4 min read

Compensation in 2026: Why Transparency Beats Complexity

I enjoy knowing my network gets me. When an Economist article declared that HR has taken over corporate life and that AI might now come for its headcount, I was tagged or forwarded the article no less than fifteen times. 

It seems many thought I would have an opinion on the matter. 

Look, it’s easy to picture a faceless department of policy enforcers about to be replaced by software. That version of HR does exist.

But it’s not the only one. And it’s not the future.

I breakdown my thoughts on the The Economist article in this week's Human Capitalist Newsletter. 

But if you're looking for the bottom line only: HR is not going away. Maybe it is, finally, being asked to grow up? Asking for a friend.

I enjoy knowing my network gets me. When an Economist article declared that HR has taken over corporate life and that AI might now come for its headco

Open article: Don’t Carve Up HR Just Yet by Trent Cotton • 7 min read

Many content strategist say don't show the mess ups in your video. I chose not to listen and just be me. Stutter and all. 

Don't believe me, watch the clip! 

What's in the clip? I often get asked about the new role of HR in the era of AI. I think my answer surprises people. 

When done properly, HR becomes the board’s AI translator.

Just as audit committees ensure directors understand the numbers, HR ensures directors understand how AI will shape people, culture, and trust.

Here's a clip from my most recent episode on the topic of AI in the Boardroom and HR's critical role. 

Link to the episode is in the comments.

Is AI really transforming the workforce or is it just a cover for something else? 

My guest Cynthia Abott Kerr says there's more to the story. She breaks it down for us on the latest episode of the Human Capitalist Podcast. 

We also get into what she thinks 2026 compensation strategies will look like. 

Be sure to check out the full episode on YouTube 👉 Human_Capitalist! 
 
#HR #Jobs #Compensation

Here's a quick PSA: I am no longer in or managing recruiting! 


This is the fifth or sixth message I have gotten about someone impersonating me as a recruiter. Couple of things: 
1. I am no longer in recruiting. 
2. There can be only one of me. 

If you get a message from me about a job, please report the individual.

A strong economic indicator many of us watch is holiday hiring and spending. For 2025, it's telling quite the story. 


Big companies such as Macy's and UPS that usually add help for the holiday rush are retrenching in the face of economic headwinds, The New York Times reports. I found this interesting but not surprising. 

Searches for holiday jobs are skyrocketing, rising 10x faster than the number of openings. Retail hiring is projected to shrink by up to 175,000 roles this season. Companies like Target are boosting hours for existing staff, but that’s cold comfort for the 9 million Americans juggling multiple jobs and hoping for extra seasonal income. This is in the midst of Verizon's layoff announcement today. 

If you are hiring for seasonal frontline workers, iCIMS released its annual State of Frontline Hiring Report that has a ton of great data around what's really going on in the space. We get into the data and share some key insights you might need in developing your hiring strategy. 

It's free so check it out here: https://lnkd.in/e9PHh4qx

#Hiring 
#Recruitment 
#SeasonalWorkers

Every week I break down the most important research, shifts, and “oh-this-is-about-to-get-real” moments in AI and HR. This week’s edition might be the most important one yet.

Here’s what you’ll miss if you’re not subscribed:
⚠️ 66% of enterprises are cutting entry-level roles
A new IDC/Deel study shows junior roles are disappearing, leaving no place for early-career workers to learn. Degrees are basically irrelevant now (only 5% still require one).

😬 SHL just uncovered a serious AI trust gap
 74% of workers change their opinion of a company if interviewed by an AI agent.
 Only 27% trust their employer to use AI responsibly.

🌍 PwC’s 50,000-worker survey shows the “AI optimism vs. reality” gap
 People feel positive about AI, but daily adoption is still low.

🧪 The World Quality Report says scaling AI is stalling
 Skill gaps (50%), integration challenges, and data-risk concerns are slowing real adoption.
 
🤖 Microsoft drops Agent 365
 A platform designed to manage hybrid “human + agent” teams.
 
If you’re in HR, TA, recruiting, L&D, or the C-suite, you can’t afford to guess your way through this shift. I break the noise down every week so you walk into Monday ahead of everyone else.

👉 Subscribe to the weekly AI in HR newsletter
 No fluff… just the data, the trends, and what it actually means for your workforce.

(Links inside the newsletter to every source)

Every week I break down the most important research, shifts, and “oh-this-is-about-to-get-real” moments in AI and HR. This week’s edition might be the

Open article: Week Ending November 21, 2025 by Trent Cotton • 3 min read

By 2026, the HR director role might not exist.


At least that's what Fast Company is predicting. The replacement: a Chief Productivity Officer who merges HR and IT to drive people and technology outcomes together. 

Moderna's already there.

But here's what I think: most organizations are years away from being ready for this. Why? 

I get into the topic in this week's Human Capitalist Newsletter. The real question is: how long until most HR organizations are actually going to focus on what the business has wanted from it for so long...people productivity? 

According to Fast Company, we shall see soon. 

#FutureofHR #HR #humanresources #Humancapitalist

The prediction caught my attention immediately. Fast Company forecasts that by 2026, the traditional HR director will be replaced by a new C-suite rol

Open article: HR’s Rebranding or Redefinition? The Chief Productivity Officer  by Trent Cotton • 8 min read

HR’s Rebranding or Redefinition? The Chief Productivity Officer

Is your board gambling with AI, or governing it? What is HR's role on the board when it comes to AI? 


There's a troubling gap forming in boardrooms right now.

AI budgets are skyrocketing. Nearly nine in ten large organizations are using AI in at least one core function. But most boards are signing off on investments they can't actually interrogate.

They approve the spend. They don't understand the risk.

I think HR is the best-positioned function to fix this. You already sit between the tech hype and the human consequences. You know where AI in hiring, performance management, or workforce planning could quietly violate trust or create legal exposure.

AI governance and adoption isn't a tech problem. It's a people problem. And that makes it HR's problem.

This week's Human Capitalist Newsletter digs into why boards are approving AI they don't understand and how HR can step into the gap before it's too late. 

Two options for you: 
1. Read the recap in the newsletter below. 
2. Watch the video version here: https://lnkd.in/e3ndwhic

There is a troubling trend I am seeing in the data. AI budgets are exploding, but most boards still treat AI like a new money printer with little to n

Open article: The 4-Question AI Compass Every Board Needs by Trent Cotton • 4 min read

The 4-Question AI Compass Every Board Needs

Is AI the ultimate answer to all workforce problems? 

I've been digging in the data for the last year and I can't say that it is. Unfortunately, I am seeing a lot of companies make the bet that it is and cutting staff. Cutting staff as in: we are approaching 1.1M jobs lost this year. 

I break down all that I have learned in my recent podcast episode. I'll give you two options: 
1. If you like video, check out my 8 minute video here: https://lnkd.in/evxwBjQi 
2. Or if you prefer to read the data and my take on it, check it out here: https://bit.ly/49qguMo

If you are in the C-Suite and most especially in charge of the people function, you need to take the time to understand what's really driving market behavior.   

#HR #JobData #BLS #Workforcedata

Enterprises just committed $1.6M per year to AI in HR for 2026.

That's 10x what they spent in 2023.

But here's what matters more than the number: AI moved from "pilot project" to "strategic capability."

Companies treating it like a portfolio report twice the impact. The era of "let's test AI and see what happens" is over.

This week's newsletter breaks down what's actually getting funded, where early adopters are winning, and what it means for your hiring strategy.

#AIinHR #HR #REcruitment #HRTech 
Read the full breakdown in this week's Human Capitalist Newsletter.

This week I chose to bring you some of the insights from the analysts community. In case you missed it... Is your board ready for AI? Do they know the

Open article: Week Ending December 5th by Trent Cotton • 2 min read

Benjamin Mena

Select Source Solutions

We work with companies that are changing the world and protecting the world and bring them the Data Science, Cyber Security, and Recruitment talent that they need to enable that change. Recognizing that the single biggest driver towards results is people, we help our clients empower themselves with the right talent, in the right place, at the right time. 

➨ For Our Clients, we help find the best Cyber and Data Science talent allowing you to do what you do best, support your business growth and your own career.

➨ For Our Candidates, we put your unique Cyber and Data Science Talent in front of the decision-makers of the most cutting-edge companies in the world, and position you to blow your competition away, allowing you to take back control of your career trajectory.

Our area of specialization:
✓ Executive Retained Search (C-Level, VP, Director)
✓ Cyber and Data Science Direct Hire Search
✓ Recruiters 
✓ Contract Recruiters 

http://www.selectsourcesolutions.com/
Benjamin@selectsourcesolutions.com

Managing Partner

Pin.com - AI Recruiting

I’m partnering with the Pin.com team to bring real-world recruiting insights, help guide product development, and support adoption across industries beyond tech.

As host of The Elite Recruiter Podcast and organizer of recruiter summits, I’ve seen a lot of tools come and go. Very few truly move the needle—Pin is one of them. Its advanced search, smart messaging workflows, and clean ATS integration are built the way recruiters actually work, not how software vendors think we work.

My focus is on helping Pin shape the future of recruiting—making sourcing faster, smarter, and more human.

💡 Want to check it out? Use my code: BenjaminPin for a discount when you demo.

Strategic Advisor

The Elite Recruiter Podcast

The Elite Recruiter Podcast is the number one podcast for recruiting professionals.

This is where the top recruiters share: How they got there. What kind of work did it take. Tips, Tools, and Tricks. The Mindset needed to get them to where they are. What they are doing with their success. Goals and visions for the future. So please join me on this journey as I interview some of the best in our industry

https://www.eliterecruiterpodcast.com/

The Elite Recruiter Podcast Host

Decentralized Careers Podcast

Decentralized Careers is the number one podcast for learning how to land top talent for your Web3, Blockchain, Crypto company.

Learn from other leaders on how they were able to hire the right talent to build the products and help change the world.

https://pod.co/decentralized-careers

Decentralized Careers Podcast Host

DynCorp International

DynCorp International is a leading global services provider offering unique, tailored solutions for an ever-changing world. Built on more than six decades of experience as a trusted partner to commercial, government and military customers, DI provides sophisticated aviation, logistics, training, intelligence and operational solutions wherever we are needed. DynCorp International is headquartered in McLean, Va. For more information, visit www.dyn-intl.com.

The intelligence professionals of DynCorp International (DI) work daily, protecting the United States and its allies, enabling decision-making through agile, integrated intelligence solutions:
•Educating, Training and Certifying tomorrow’s intelligence professionals
•Enhancing Collection and Analysis to deliver decision-enabling intelligence
•Assisting the Intelligence Mission Globally through service in all locations and conditions

DI proudly serves in all locations, environments and conditions to support optimal decision-making and effective national security action by delivering balanced and ever-improving cross-discipline capabilities as a part of a single integrated team.

Sr Contract Intel and IT Recruiter

Vencore Inc.

Inspired by combining the word core with Latin words denoting respect, the name Vencore emphasizes that our high quality, high value services and solutions are at the core of our customers’ missions. 

Vencore has over 40 years of proven experience providing information solutions, engineering and analysis to the U.S. Intelligence Community, Department of Defense and Federal/Civilian Agencies. We support our customers’ missions by helping them solve their complex challenges while maintaining the highest level of integrity and accountability. 

Our people design, develop and deliver critical solutions as our customers’ trusted partner. Our innovations in cyber security, data analysis and technology, combined with our focus on research, ensure Vencore remains ahead of the ever changing demands in the market.

Vencore and its Applied Communication Sciences subsidiary employ 4,800 dedicated employees located throughout the Nation with a presence in 17 states and in select foreign countries. For more information on Vencore, please see our company overview data sheet.

Sr. Technical Contract Recruiter

United States Postal Service

Manage, develop and execute recruitment strategies in partnership with hiring managers to identify and cultivate a pipeline of top executive level candidates to fill positions across all business units within the US Postal Service.
Identify, recruit, and assess top senior, executive, and officer level talent for active and open positions across all business units within the Postal Service.
Responsible for developing long and short term recruitment strategies in order to attract and create an active applicant pool
Develop industry appropriate requirements for executive vacancies based on meeting with the hiring manager and external research to ensure candidates are best matched with the needs of the position.
Research, implement, and maintain leading edge, creative and cost effective sourcing tools and resources that improve applicant relationship development.
Develops candidate recommendations for hiring manager review and consideration.
Interview candidates during the final interviewing process to evaluate and provide recommendations to the hiring manager.
Network with potential candidates to build a rapport, turn passive into active candidates, maintain a viable talent pool and to engage them in the opportunity of working at the Postal Service.
Coordinate with and oversee the work of external recruitment agencies to recruit for officer level positions, ensuring agency personnel are informed of job content and requirements. 
Review proposals, develop statements of work, create task orders, verify invoices and monitor contract-related expenses.
Stay current with the Postal environment, industry changes and market trends related to the executive level talent pools.
Partner with leadership and talent management groups on the strategy and preparation for succession planning and current management needs.

Executive Sourcing Recruiter

BAE Systems

BAE Systems is the premier global defense and aerospace company, delivering a full range of products and services for air, land, and naval forces, as well as advanced electronics, information technology solutions, and customer support services. With 105,000 employees worldwide, BAE Systems had 2008 sales of $34.4 billion.

Information Solutions is among the 10 largest IT providers to the U.S. government, serving most of the federal defense and civilian marketplace. It provides network-centric command, control, computing, and intelligence (C3I) solutions; wideband networking radio systems; information systems for the U.S. intelligence community; geospatial information services; and information technology services. Leveraging its knowledge of signals and data derived from signals, Information Solutions has attained a market-leading position in advanced information technology research, intelligence analysis and production, and geospatial exploitation software.

People are the greatest asset in any Company ... 

BAE Systems is committed to a high performance culture and provides an environment that challenges our employees to be remarkable and obtain their full potential.

Sourcing Recruiter - Talent Acquisition

L-3 National Security Solutions

* Responsible for full life-cycle hiring supporting the Executive Office of the President (EOP) along with various IT and Cyber Security programs based around DC Metro and various parts of the globe.
* Experience working with Cleared Professionals supporting various agencies and Department of Defense contracts and programs. 
* Responsible for full life-cycle hiring supporting the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) Dagger II contract, recruiting Imagery and Geospatial Analysts for a large program based out of Ft. Bragg, NC
* Also Responsible for surge efforts in support of Intelligence personnel on OCONUS programs supporting USF-I, ISS-A, to include: Intelligence Analyst, SIGINT Specialist, Collection Managers, MEDEX/DOMEX Specialist, Counterintelligence Support Specialist, Strategic Debriefer,, Screeners, and Database Managers, SharePoint SME, and Information Management Specialist
* Assisted with recruiting efforts, on the ISS-A contract win resulting in 95% fill-ratio within 3 months.
* Assisted in proposal efforts for ISS-A, AFSOC, ITA/CND, and various other  programs and task orders.  
* Proactively networked with other companies and contacts for new program leads.

Sr. Recruiting Consultant

Lockheed Martin

*Maintain the full-cycle recruitment process and pipeline of an average of 300+ requisitions 
*Maintained the pipeline for Entry Level Professionals/Interns/ and Co-ops for the Missiles and Fire Control Business Unit of Lockheed Martin
*Interface with all levels of management, Human Resource Business Partners, and Business Unit Managers for the hiring process for 7 Lockheed Martin sites within Missiles and Fire Control
*Sourced candidates, set up, and facilitated large scale recruiting events for the Lockheed Martin’s Leadership Development Programs
*Created strategies with each manager to source and hire top talent from our corporate and key schools.
*Worked as a Kaizen Team Lead in an office restructuring project to cut down wasted time and increase team inclusiveness. 
*Lead the Talent Acquisition Facility Rebranding Team in facility operations
*Helped set best practices in the communication standards that are set within local team

Corporate Talent Acquisition Recruiter

Need to hire? We can help! - Headhunter - Managing Partner

🎯 Having a tough time hiring for your Government Contracting Executive Team or GovCon AI teams?  There are way more openings than there are people to fill.  The top level talent your team needs are not even looking at your jobs ads. 🎯
** CLICK BELOW TO SEE MORE **

We understand how competitive the market is for top talent and how your career as a leader is impacted by the ability to attract and retain top talent.  

My name is Benjamin Mena, and for 15 years, I've built Data Science and Cyber Security teams for global Top Secret National Security programs.

Finding and attracting top-level people for our commercial sector is mission-critical. I know how right hire at the right time is vital for your team's growth and success.

SERVICES FOR CLIENTS AND CANIDATES 
💥 Executive Retained Search (C-Level, VP, Director)
💥 Direct Hire Search
💥 Employer/Candidate Value Proposition Development

Myself and my team are ready to help you 

🎯 To book a no-obligation, 15-minute Client Strategy or Candidate Career Call: https://calendly.com/benjaminmena
🎯 Email: Benjamin@selectsourcesolutions.com 
🎯 Phone: 703-297-8574

The Elite Recruiter Podcast is the number one podcast for recruiting professionals.

This is where the top recruiters share: How they got there. What kind of work did it take. Tips, Tools, and Tricks. The Mindset needed to get them to where they are. What they are doing with their success. Goals and visions for the future. So please join me on this journey as I interview some of the best in our industry

https://pod.co/the-elite-recruiter-podcast

Ever wondered how a recruiter becomes the first call for top venture capitalists, and carves a niche no one else can touch?

That’s the story of Norman Volsky🎙️, The Pinnacle Society Member.

He didn’t just want to fill a role. He wanted to dominate his market—and did it by playing a different game.

Norman’s path wasn’t linear. He started as an intern, failed gloriously at his first “dream” job (spoiler: watching a lot of basketball tape does not make you happy), learned from every mentor and moment of rejection, and found himself at the crossroad every ambitious recruiter faces: stick to what everyone else is doing, or think bigger.
He chose bigger.

✅ He became the recruiter attached to billion-dollar IPOs, riding alongside the fastest-growing startups in healthcare tech. 

✅ He turned a handful of key placements into a snowball of reputation and referrals—eventually leading to investors asking him to sit at the table, not just as a recruiter, but as a deal-maker. 

✅ He turned his unique market knowledge into investment opportunities, assembling groups of powerful insiders to help rocket companies forward (and benefit together).

But here's the twist: Norman’s secret isn’t just hustle. It’s radical transparency, relentless curiosity, and ALWAYS asking: 

“How can I help you?”  Even when it doesn’t seem directly tied to his bottom line.

That’s how he became the market. 

That’s why the best VCs call him first.

If you want to hear how someone built a true niche monopoly—and went from recruiter to influential investor—this is your episode.

Links below to the Pinnacle Take Podcast: Why Top VCs Call This Recruiter First: The Power of Niche Mastery with Norman Volsky

What’s one move you made in your niche that changed everything?

Make sure to also check out the episodes that dropped last week with with the following Pinnacle Society Members:

Rich Rosen
Pree Sarkar
Rob Bowerman
Justis Pederson

Most recruiters would have quit.
Imagine going six straight months without making a single placement.

New industry. New desk. New pressure.

Every day, picking up the phone… and nothing landing.

That was Emily Audibert at the start of her recruiting career.

But instead of walking away, she doubled down.

Listened to every training tape she could get her hands on.

Made twice the dials.

Took every bit of feedback—even the uncomfortable stuff.

And she kept showing up.

Then something unexpected happened:
She stopped trying to sound like every “hard-charging, script-driven” recruiter in the bullpen…
 and started leaning into her way of doing the job.

A softer approach.
More curiosity.
More intuition.
Less pressure.
More trust.

And everything changed.

She went from struggling to survive…
to becoming a million-dollar biller, landing multiple RPO contracts, and building a thriving agency rooted in authenticity—not aggression.

Here are a few of my favorite takeaways from the conversation:
🔹 Your energy matters more than your script:   Once Emily stopped forcing a style that wasn’t hers, deals started moving.

🔹 RPOs are a game-changer:    She breaks down exactly how she sold them, structured them, and turned them into predictable revenue.

🔹 Mindset is the real differentiator.
 Visualization, consistency, and refusing to quit—even when it felt hopeless—became her superpower.

If you’ve ever felt stuck… or wondered if there’s a “right” way to be successful in this business… Emily’s story is the reminder that you can build a wildly successful career by being fully yourself.

This is one of the most inspiring episodes we’ve done.

Thank you Atlas - the Recruitment Platform and Recruiters Websites for sponsoring this episode! 

Make sure to also sign up for the Recruiter Sales and BD Summit kicking off in Jan 2026!

Ohh and make sure to join The Elite Recruiter Community!

Just imagine if college football coaches had to deal with non-competes like the rest of us.
Coach leaves one university for another?

Sorry, you’ll need to sit out for a year.

Can’t work for a rival school.

And please don’t you dare call your old players or staff.

Sounds absurd, right?

Yet that’s exactly what happens every day in the corporate world.

Talented people blocked from opportunities by restrictive contracts.

Even as the game keeps moving, they’re benched.

Maybe it’s time we treated all professionals with the same fairness and mobility we give our coaches on Saturday.

If someone has a good reason to leave...  

Let them leave.

Most recruiters don’t lose deals because of sourcing.

They lose them because of what happens after the first interview.

A lot of recruiters don’t want to hear that.

But Steve Finkel said something on this week’s episode that stopped me in my tracks:

“Your worth to the client isn’t at the beginning.

It’s at the end.”
And he’s right.

We obsess over AI tools, outreach hacks, Boolean strings…
But we don’t obsess over the skill that actually gets us paid:

Closing.
Follow-up.
Debriefing.
Moving a candidate from a first interview to a second.

That’s where recruiters win.
That’s where recruiters lose.
And that’s where most of us leave the most money on the table.

Steve broke down EXACTLY why offers fall apart, how to fix it, and how elite recruiters use closing to add 30–50% more billing without working more hours.

This episode punched me in the gut in the best way possible.
If you’ve ever lost a deal you should have landed… or wondered how some recruiters have “insane” consistency year after year…

You need this one.

Listen to Part 1: The Art of Closing with Steve Finkel

Thank you Atlas - the Recruitment Platform and Recruiters Websites for helping make this episode possible!

🔥 Recruiter Wrapped 2025 is HERE.

This year, recruiters showed up.
 You sourced, you closed, you negotiated, you fought off counteroffers…
 and you changed lives.

So I put together something special:

The first-ever “Recruiter Wrapped”  a Spotify Wrapped–style year-in-review built just for agency & staffing recruiters.

Inside the template:
 ✨ Your Top 5 Searches
 ✨ Your Recruiting Personality
 ✨ Your Chaos Moments of 2025
 ✨ Metrics, milestones & the lives you changed
 ✨ Your 2026 Recruiting Forecast

If you want to celebrate your wins this year — and show your network the impact you made, download the Canva template and make it your own.

This is your year.
Your growth.
Your impact.
Your story.

👉 Comment "Wrapped" and I will DM you the Canva Template that you can customize.

Tag me when you share yours, I want to celebrate with you.

Recruiters!  Who are you thankful for this Thanksgiving?

Tag who and why! 

I have some of mine down below.

The 3 Most Registered Talks so far for the 2026 Recruiter Sales and BD Summit!


1. Clark Willcox - Mastering LinkedIn Inbound 
2. Jordan Shlosberg, CFA - AI Meets Business Development 
3. Rebekah Brown - Scaling Your Book of Business

You don't want to miss this summit kicking off Jan 26th! 

All the live sessions is FREE!  

Follow: Benjamin Mena
Listen to and subscribe to The Elite Recruiter Podcast

Traveling this weekend and need a podcast to listen to.   5 episodes dropped in the last 24 hours! 

Jared Watts - The Pro Athlete Mindset That Creates World-Class Recruiters on The Elite Recruiter Podcast

Rich Rosen - Record-Breaking Recruiting: How Rich Rosen Had His Best Month Ever (Mindset, Tech & Tactics for Crushing It in Any Market) - Pinnacle Take Podcast 

Rob Bowerman - Why Niching Down Makes Recruiters Elite: Lessons from Luxury & the Pinnacle Society - Pinnacle Take Podcast 

Pree Sarkar - From Survival to Seven Figures: The Step-by-Step Playbook to Building a Million Dollar Recruiting Desk - Pinnacle Take Podcast 

Justis Pederson - Breaking the Recruiting Plateau: How Justis Pederson Went from Burnout to $1.5M with Digital Transformation and Sobriety - Pinnacle Take Podcast 

Check them out! All the links are below.

Who you surround yourself with has a bigger impact than you realize. 

I signed up for a 10K without really training. 

I run.  But have not trained and most of my runs are with a stroller.  

So my expectations were low.  

Goal was to finish and see where I might be at.  

But as I got to the start line.  

I realized I was about 50 runners deep from a 40 minute pacer.  

I tried to get closer but it was to crowded. 

I thought.  If I could just hang on for a little bit it just might be a good run.  

After the gun went off.  It took me a good half mile to catch up with the pacer.   

I could feel the lactic acid already filling up my legs.  

But I had to catch him.  At least for a while.

But when I caught him.  I didn’t just catch him.  I caught the pack.   A pack of about 40 runners.  

Sitting in the pack the miles started to fly by. 

I was able to hang to the group for about 4.5 miles.

Ended up finishing with a 40:26.

If I didn’t catch up with the pacer.  I still would have had a respectable time.  

But because I surrounded myself with the pack of other runners.  

I did even better.   

But this is the same thing with recruiters.  

We are all running the race for ourselves.  

But if you get the chance to run with others. 

You can go faster and further than if you were alone.  

I really don’t talk about it as much as I should.  But it’s been awesome to see everyone running together in The Elite Recruiter Community that recently launched.  

Having access to every summit replay is cool.   

But finding running buddies.  Is even better.  

Excited where it’s going to go over the next year.  

And I can’t wait to look back in Dec of 2026 and realize how fast the pack of recruiters running. 

Was able to accomplish.   

If you want to join us.  Hit me up.

This recruiter flew across the country for a meeting most people would’ve taken on Zoom.

And that decision explains everything about why he’s elite.

When I sat down with Craig Picken, one story kept coming up:

He doesn’t hide behind screens.
He gets on planes.

Not for show.
Not for “content.”
But because he understands something most recruiters forget:

Big searches are built on trust.
Trust is built in person.

Craig runs a one-man executive search firm.
No team.
No layers.
No fluff.

This year alone, he’s closed 22 executive searches.

How?

• He refuses to go through HR
• He maps every org like a dartboard
• He says no to the wrong searches
• He flies out to see clients when it matters
• He does the work most people talk about but avoid

One line from the episode stuck with me:

“It’s a simple business. It’s not easy.”

Most recruiters are busy adding complexity.
Craig is busy adding relationships.

If you’re trying to build a desk (or firm) that lasts…
If you want clients who trust you with critical hires…
If you’re tired of chasing transactions instead of building leverage…

This episode is worth your time.

🎧 Full episode of The Elite Recruiter Podcast is live.
👉 Links below.

Curious — what’s the one thing you know you should be doing…
but haven’t committed to yet?

Thank you Atlas - the Recruitment Platform for brining this episode of The Elite Recruiter Podcast together!

𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 𝘂𝗽 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗴𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱?

Recruiting never slows down. If you want to build a bigger book and stronger relationships, you need fresh tactics and the right network.

That’s why I’m thrilled to announce that Jordan Shlosberg CFA will be sharing his expertise at our Sales & BD Summit this January. This summit will show you:

How to fill your pipeline with high‑quality leads and bill more
Proven outreach and negotiation strategies that convert
Ways to use AI tools and automation to save time without losing the human touch
The mindset shifts needed to create repeat business and referrals
 
The summit is packed with actionable playbooks from 30+ industry leaders who will help you hit the ground running in Q1. Live sessions are FREE, with options to upgrade for replays and deeper learning.

Building strong professional networks and relationships is one of the most effective ways to find new opportunities and accelerate your career. 

Don’t miss the chance to learn from the best and connect with other driven recruiters.

Join us and set yourself up for success in 2025!
Link in the comments!

Confession: I didn’t run the LinkedIn gender experiment.
Rosie Taylor did.

She flipped her gender setting from “female” to “male” for a week.
Nothing else changed – same profile, same bio, same posting cadence.

Her “people reached” went up 220%. Profile views up 174%. Impressions up 195%.

Her top posts as “Rosie” were doing 11–13K views.
As “Rosie the man”? 21K and 52K views.

Same person. Same thoughts. New gender. Wildly different reach.

Fortune’s Emma Hinchliffe has already covered this, along with other women who saw their content take off the moment the platform read them as men.
LinkedIn’s line is that gender is not a ranking signal and the feed is driven by things like network, activity and role.

But here’s where my recruiter brain kicks in:

In recruiting, this hits differently.

There are a ton of women actually doing the work in this industry, yet when you scroll “recruiter” content on here, it’s still mostly men who get seen, shared, and treated as the voices of the profession.

If the system is learning from years of men posting more, engaging more with each other, and being overrepresented in “power user” buckets…
…then any ranking model trained on that history is going to treat male-coded behaviour as the default “signal” and everyone else as the edge case.

So when we say “the best content rises”, are we really measuring quality?
Or are we measuring who the machine has already decided looks like a “leader” because of past behaviour?

I don’t think the answer is “women need to be more confident on LinkedIn”.
I think the answer starts with questions like:
- Whose posts do you comment on without thinking?
- Whose content do you reshare?
- Who do you tag for opportunities and intros?

Because that’s the data the algorithm is drinking every day.

What do your last 30 comments say about whose voices you’re helping the algorithm learn to love?

Things that suck but are true!

You can be the best in the world about something.  

But if no one knows who you are.  

The person with the higher “reach” so often in today’s world gets ahead faster.

Thanks Brent Orsuga for recommending this book!

Most of us learned sales by osmosis.
Sit next to someone.
Copy their script.
Pray it works.
Repeat.

That’s how an entire industry learned “sales.”
No structure.
No real training.
Just survival.

And that’s exactly why so many recruiters are stuck.

Because when you peel back the layers, it’s not sourcing that holds most recruiters back…
It’s not pricing…
It’s not the market…

It’s the lack of a real sales process.

This week on The Elite Recruiter Podcast, I sat down with someone who understands sales at a level few people do:
Conor Kline — Head of Revenue at PIN, former founding member at Interseller, and a guy who has spent YEARS selling into the toughest buyers on the planet: recruiters.

If you can sell to us…
you can sell to anyone.

We unpacked the stuff nobody teaches recruiters:
• Why 90% of outbound fails before the first email is even sent
 • The targeting structure elite sellers use (and recruiters ignore)
 • The 12–15 touch sequence Conor recommends
 • The discovery question that reveals a client’s REAL pain
 • How MEDIC changes everything about your BD workflow
 • Why closing becomes effortless when you stop winging it

My favorite moment?
Conor said:
 “You don’t get to even sniff a closed deal unless you do great discovery.”
That line alone can transform someone’s billings this year.

If you’ve ever felt like BD was chaotic…

If you’re tired of winging sales calls…

Or if you want to build a business that doesn’t rely on luck…

This episode is the blueprint.
👉 Full conversation in the comments:

Curious — what’s ONE thing you wish someone had taught you about sales earlier in your recruiting career?

There’s a moment in this interview where Steve Finkel said something that hit me like a freight train:

“Recruiters don’t lose deals because they can’t find candidates.
 They lose them because they can’t CLOSE them.”

And he’s right.

AI can source.
Internal teams can source.
Junior recruiters can source.

But closing?

Real closing?

The kind that rewires fear, dissolves hesitation, and guides someone through one of the biggest career decisions of their life?

That’s rare.

That’s a craft.

And that’s the skill the best recruiters in the world have mastered.
In this new episode and in his new book Closing for Recruiters, Steve breaks down:
- The “College Professor Close”
- The Fear-of-Change Close
- Why major closes require combinations
- How to structure a closing call like a pro
- How to blend logic and emotion the right way
- Why top billers review every call like elite athletes
- And how these strategies increase billing 30–50%

This isn’t theory.

This is the real playbook used by the recruiters who consistently dominate their markets year after year.

If you’ve ever lost a deal you should have won…

or wondered why some recruiters just seem unstoppable…

This episode is the missing piece.

🎧 Part 2 is live. If Part 1 changed how you think, this one will change how you CLOSE.

 (Link in comments)

Thank you Atlas - the Recruitment Platform and Recruiters Websites for helping this episode possible!

Most recruiting firms don’t fail because they’re bad.
They fail because they run on chaos.

No systems.

No scorecards.

No real accountability.

Just pure “white-knuckle and pray the deal closes.”

Kelsey Boyd lived inside that chaos and she shared the story on The Elite Recruiter Podcast.

She walked into a recruiting firm with 32 different brands, outdated processes, triple-entry time sheets, and a business model that was basically held together by grit and duct tape.

Most people would have tapped out.

She rebuilt the entire thing.
→ Rebranded the company
 → Unified the tech stack
 → Implemented EOS
 → Built the operating system that carried the firm into real growth

Not because she was asked to.

But because she saw a way forward when everyone else saw “that’s just how we do things.”

In this week’s episode, Kelsey breaks down the exact operating frameworks that help recruiting firms escape chaos and finally scale:
• How to spot the bottlenecks killing your billings
 • Why most firms plateau at the same revenue point
 • How EOS actually works inside a staffing company
 • What “right people, right seats” really means
 • Why consistency > talent in this business

If your desk or agency feels chaotic…

If you’ve hit a ceiling you can’t break through…

Or if you’ve wondered why some firms scale and others stay stuck…
This episode is the blueprint.

This is the final episode of the 3-part EOS Series for Recruitment Firms.
Part 1: Jackie Kibler
Part 2: Derek Pittak

And Kelsey Boyd is wrapping up the series with Part 3.


Thank you Atlas - the Recruitment Platform for sponsoring this episode.

You have to figure out what works for you.  This was a great episode with Emily Audibert

Open article: From 6 Months with No Placements to Million-Dollar Biller: Emily Audibert’s Feminine Energy, RPO Strategy & Mindset Shift by The Elite Recruiter Podcast • 12 min read

From 6 Months with No Placements to Million-Dollar Biller: Emily Audibert’s Feminine Energy, RPO Strategy & Mindset Shift

How do you think recruiting will change in 2026?
What do you think will stay the same?

Working on my next year thoughts... but wanted to see what you thought about also?

How does a pro athlete go from getting cut, traded, and fighting for a contract… to becoming one of the most disciplined recruiters in the industry?

By treating recruiting the exact same way he treated professional sports.

In this week’s episode of The Elite Recruiter Podcast, I sat down with Jared Watts, a former pro athlete who had to earn everything, from his roster spot to his second contract.

He wasn’t guaranteed anything.
 No locker room.
 No contract.
 No promises.

Just pressure, evaluation, competition… every single day.

And when he left sports, he took that exact mindset into recruiting:

Review your game tape: Jared listens back to his calls, studies his tone, tracks where conversations break down, and fixes it.

Treat KPIs like a scoreboard: Not vanity metrics—actual performance indicators tied to revenue, speed, and repeat clients.

Sprint to a NO: Because clarity saves time. And time is a recruiter’s real currency.

Visualize the win before you get it: He never puts clients on a pedestal. Ever.

Give without keeping score: His handwritten notes and intros (with zero expectation) have turned into repeat PE/VC clients.

The athlete DNA didn’t fade.

He just changed fields.

If you’ve ever wondered what separates “pretty good” recruiters from elite performers, this episode will hit you hard.

Full conversation dropped today with the help of Atlas - the Recruitment Platform and Recruiters Websites.

This one will make you want to audit your habits, raise your standards, and sharpen your process.

What part of Jared’s story resonates most with you?

Link below to check out the episode.

taplio

The Battle

Trent Cotton

Benjamin Mena

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Performance ScoreTrent Cotton's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreBenjamin Mena's LinkedIn Performance

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Trent Cotton

Benjamin Mena

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Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Trent Cotton's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreBenjamin Mena's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreTrent Cotton's LinkedIn Performance