Behind the Hire Podcast

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...

In this episode of Behind the Hire, Jesse Gale sits down with Rich Bradley, Founder of TeamBradley, to talk about what stays true in recruiting even as the market and technology keep shifting. Rich shares how recruiting found him, how his mindset evolved from competition to service, and why relationship building and daily discipline still win. They break down the most common interview mistake he s...

In this episode, Jesse Gale sits down with Amy Simpson, Sr. Insurance Industry Recruiter at The James Allen Companies Inc, to unpack what really separates standout candidates from the rest in today’s evolving hiring market. Amy shares insider perspective from years of recruiting across the insurance industry, including the most common interview mistakes executives make, why transparency with recru...

In this episode of Behind the Hire, Jesse Gale sits down with David Fishman to unpack nearly 30 years of recruiting experience across executive search and staffing, including C suite and director level placements across manufacturing, engineering, finance, and cross border roles in the U.S. and Mexico. David shares what makes a candidate stand out fast, why your LinkedIn and resume must match, and...

In this episode of Behind the Hire, Jesse Gale sits down with Andy Miller, Founder and CEO of BrainWorks, to unpack what actually separates standout executive candidates from everyone else. Andy shares how he got into recruiting, the types of clients and roles BrainWorks supports across its 14 practice areas, and the key differences he sees between Fortune level companies and fast moving growth st...

In this episode, Jesse sits down with Kira Gale of Accenture to unpack what HR transformation really means and why it matters more than most leaders realize. Kira shares how her early work in healthcare technology and global team enablement sparked her move into consulting, then breaks down the biggest hurdles companies face when modernizing HR, from hidden process complexity to the capability gap...

In this episode of Behind the Hire, Jesse Gale sits down with Alex Drury, Partner at Hanover, to discuss what helps healthcare executives stand out in today’s evolving job market. Alex shares his path into executive search, how he partners with healthcare payers, providers, and supporting organizations nationwide, and why a relationship-first approach is essential at the senior leadership level. T...

In this episode of Behind the Hire, Jesse sits down with Renee Dovich, Founder of Career Encore and a 20 plus year executive recruiting veteran, to break down how recruiting is changing in the AI era. Renee shares how she moved from technical recruiting into building a modern search firm focused on SaaS startups and go to market roles, plus what her AI Talent Partner model looks like for high grow...

In this episode of Behind the Hire, Jesse sits down with Danny Cahill, the longtime leader of Hobson Associates, to unpack how executive search has evolved from a high turnover boiler room model into a more professional, partnership driven firm built for the long haul. Danny shares his take on the real impact of AI in recruiting, why early stage screening is quickly shifting toward automation, and...

In this episode, Krystena Sterling joins Jesse to explore how intentional leadership, organizational psychology, and genuine curiosity can reshape the way executives lead. She breaks down why great coaching isn’t about giving answers but about asking the right questions, how unconscious biases influence decision-making, and what leaders should prioritize when stepping into new roles or positioning...

In this episode of Behind the Hire, our team sits down with Aurora Baumgartner, an executive recruiter specializing in electronics manufacturing services at FPC of Huntsville. Aurora shares her unexpected path into recruiting, the types of clients and candidates she supports, and the evolving hiring trends she sees within the EMS world. She offers practical advice for executives on how to avoid ov...

In this episode, Jesse sits down with Lynn Barboza, an Executive Recruiter at Strategic Government Resources, for a deep and engaging conversation about what truly sets executive candidates apart today. Lynn shares how her early passion for people led her into HR and recruiting, the impact of similarity bias in hiring, and why the strongest executives are those who can clearly and authentically te...

In this episode of Behind the Hire, Jesse sits down with Tyler Weiss, an executive recruiter specializing in construction and real estate development at Neeljym Search Group. Tyler shares how he fell into recruiting, why the industry’s massive retirement gap is creating unprecedented opportunity, and how executives can tap into the hidden job market long before roles are ever posted. He breaks dow...

In this episode, executive recruiter Suzanne L. Rey traces her path from marketing into search and focuses on director through C-suite roles across real estate development, climate tech, and high-growth startups. Topics include culture and leadership dynamics that make or break a hire, why many managers are never trained to hire, and how subtle biases and overconfidence derail decisions. Suzanne e...