Behind the Hire Podcast

In this episode of Behind the Hire, Jesse sits down with John Kehoe of Boaz Partners to discuss what executives can do to stand out in today’s hiring market. John shares why authenticity, transparency, and asking the right questions matter when building relationships with recruiters, along with the importance of understanding the role and culture you actually want before beginning a search. He als...

In this episode of Behind the Hire, Jesse sits down with Cheryl Bedard of Cheryl Bedard Search to discuss what executives need to know about today’s hiring market. Cheryl shares why companies are increasingly searching for the “perfect” candidate, what makes an executive stand out to recruiters, and the common mistakes candidates make when telling their story. They also discuss what a strong first...

In this episode of Behind the Hire, Jesse sits down with Allan Seibert, Founder of E-Commerce Talent Advisors, to discuss what it takes to stand out in today’s highly competitive e-commerce and digital job market. Allan shares insights from nearly two decades in recruiting, including why specialized industry expertise matters, how AI is changing both hiring and the job search, and what executives...

In this episode of Behind the Hire, Jesse sits down with Justin Marcus, President of Gratus Staffing, to discuss what executives need to know about today’s evolving hiring market. Justin shares his perspective on what makes candidates stand out, the importance of communicating complex experience simply, and why executives need to balance confidence with humility throughout the interview process. T...

In this episode of Behind the Hire, Jesse sits down with Ashley Richards, Managing Partner at Kaye/Bassman International, to discuss what actually helps candidates stand out in today’s crowded job market. Ashley shares lessons from more than 15 years in recruiting, including why strong recruiter relationships matter, how communication and eye contact can impact an interview, and why executives nee...

In this episode of Behind the Hire, Jesse Gale sits down with Gina Barge, Principal at JM Search, to unpack what executives need to understand about today’s senior-level hiring process. Drawing on 20 years in executive search, Gina shares what separates standout candidates from the rest, why clarity and concise communication matter so much in interviews, and the subtle qualities recruiters evaluat...

In this episode of Behind the Hire, Jesse sits down with Sandy Nahra, Senior HR Director at Practifi, to discuss what candidates need to understand about today’s hiring market. Sandy shares what makes candidates stand out, common interview mistakes, how to compete for remote roles, and why preparation, professionalism, and thoughtful follow-up still matter. She also explores what companies often g...

In this episode of Behind the Hire, Jesse Gale speaks with Xan Marcucci, Founder of Confetti Recruiting, about what sales executives need to do to stand out in today’s competitive market. Drawing from her experience as a salesperson, sales leader, and recruiter, Xan explains why candidates should treat the interview process like a sales process, demonstrate integrity, coachability, and grit, and c...

In this episode of Behind the Hire, Jesse sits down with Brett Frank, founder of BMF Talent Collective, to discuss how companies can build stronger teams and how executives can gain traction in a competitive job market. Brett shares insights from more than 20 years in talent acquisition, including what makes candidates stand out, the most common mistakes executives make during interviews, why netw...

In this episode of Behind the Hire, Jesse Gale sits down with Donna Krasner, Co-Founder and Managing Director of TalentWyze, to discuss what separates great hiring organizations from those that struggle to attract top talent. Donna shares why recruiting is fundamentally a systems challenge rather than simply a people challenge, how companies can build scalable hiring processes, and what executives...

In this episode of Behind the Hire, Jesse sits down with Brian Ippolito, Managing Director at Eastward Partners Inc., to discuss what it takes to succeed in executive hiring within private equity and venture capital-backed companies. Brian shares how leadership expectations differ from public companies, the biggest mistakes executives make when pursuing PE- and VC-backed opportunities, and why und...

  In this episode of Behind the Hire, Jesse sits down with Jennifer Meyer, Chief Revenue Officer at Govig & Associates and a nationally recognized executive recruiter with more than 30 years of experience and over 1,100 successful placements. Jennifer shares why the best executive hires are built on cultural alignment, mutual respect, and long-term relationships—not just resumes and skill sets...

In this episode of Behind the Hire, Jesse sits down with Michael Pietrack, Managing Director of the Pharma & Biotech Recruiting Team at Kaye/Bassman International. A globally recognized recruiter, Pinnacle Society member, leadership podcast host, and author, Michael shares how specialization, relationship-building, and personal branding have helped him become one of the industry's top rec...

In this episode of Behind the Hire, Jesse sits down with Angie Truitt, Executive Partner at Joseph Chris Partners Executive Search, to discuss what truly separates executives who land leadership roles from those who get overlooked. After transitioning from a 13-year career as a commercial litigator into executive recruiting, Angie shares why preparation, authenticity, and meaningful networking con...

In this episode of Behind the Hire, Jesse sits down with Rich Rosen, Executive Recruiter & Founder of Cornerstone Search, to discuss what it really takes to stand out in today's competitive sales and leadership job market. Drawing from more than three decades of recruiting experience and over 1,200 successful placements, Rich shares the habits, mindset, and interview strategies that consi...

 In this episode of Behind the Hire, Jesse sits down with Andrea Colabella for a deeper conversation on hiring strategy, legal and compliance recruiting, onboarding challenges, and the growing impact of AI in the investment management space. Andrea shares how firms can identify when they are becoming too lean, the importance of proactive hiring, and why onboarding and expectation-setting are becom...

In this episode of Behind the Hire, Jesse sits down with executive recruiter Cathy Stewart from Jeff Harris & Associates to discuss what truly separates top executive candidates from the rest. Cathy shares insights from her work in senior living and retained executive search, including how boards and CEOs make leadership decisions, why alignment and urgency matter in hiring, and the biggest mi...

In this episode of Behind the Hire, Jesse sits down with Kimberly Laipple to discuss the evolving recruiting landscape within life sciences, biotech, and pharma. Kim shares insights on what truly makes candidates stand out, the importance of preparation and transparency during the interview process, and why leadership today requires both strategic vision and hands-on execution. The conversation al...

In this episode of Behind the Hire, Jesse sits down with Julia Stegman, former HP executive turned career coach and author of Discover Meaningful Work, to discuss how executives can navigate layoffs, career transitions, and professional reinvention with greater clarity and purpose. Julia shares the mindset shifts she encourages leaders to make before jumping into a job search, why self-reflection...

In this episode, Matt Anderson shares what it really takes to succeed at the executive level in today’s healthcare market. Drawing on over two decades of experience in retained executive search, Matt breaks down what boards, CEOs, and private equity firms are actually looking for when hiring C-suite leaders. From the growing importance of AI and data-driven decision-making to the critical role of...

In this episode, Jesse sits down with Josh Volinsky, CPA and Co-Founder of Synergy Search, to unpack his transition from public accounting into recruiting and what gives his firm a unique edge in the market. Josh shares how having real accounting experience builds instant credibility with both clients and candidates, along with practical advice on how finance professionals can stand out through st...

In this episode, Gail Audibert shares insights from over four decades in executive recruiting, with a deep focus on the insurance industry. As President of Gail Audibert Associates, Inc., she reflects on her journey from an early career setback to building and scaling her own firm, navigating multiple economic cycles along the way. The conversation explores how recruiting has evolved, what separat...

In this episode, Kris Holmes, Principal and Executive Recruiter at O’Connell Group, shares over three decades of experience helping executives navigate their careers and build high-performing teams. Kris breaks down what truly separates top candidates in today’s competitive market, from focusing on long-term career alignment over short-term gains to mastering the art of networking and recruiter re...

In this episode of Behind the Hire, Jesse sits down with Jon Semingson, President of Peak Demand, to explore what is really happening in renewable energy hiring and what executives need to understand to stand out in a more selective market. Jon shares how he fell into recruiting, how Peak Demand supports companies across solar, energy storage, and broader utility infrastructure, and why the best h...

In this episode of Behind the Hire, Jesse Gale sits down with Katharine Wilcox, President & Head of Executive Search at Resource Mosaic, to discuss what it really takes to stand out in today’s executive job market. Katharine shares how she built a career in executive search, what she looks for when helping companies build accounting and finance leadership teams, and the biggest mistakes candid...