The Full Desk Experience

Is AI creating advantage—or exposing inefficiency at scale? Kortney Harmon breaks down why 2026 won’t be defined by better tools, but by better operations. As growth slows and teams shrink, firms can’t outwork broken systems. Fragmented data, bloated tech stacks, and unclear workflows are quietly draining productivity—and AI is only accelerating the problem. The firms pulling ahead are doing less,...

This Best of FDE episode is a rebroadcast of one of our MarCom Gold Award winners—and honestly, it’s even more relevant now than when we first recorded it. In this episode of The Full Desk Experience, Crelate CEO Aaron Elder joins host Kortney Harmon to break down what it actually looks like to operate in a post-AI world—and what that means for owners, directors, and executive-level leaders. In th...

What builds a recruiting firm that lasts? In this Industry Spotlight, Kortney Harmon sits down with Norm Volsky, Managing Partner at DRI and leader within the Pinnacle Society, to explore why long-term success comes down to relationships—not shortcuts. Norm shares how top firms balance technology with trust, invest in operations to protect the client experience, and why reputation and delegation m...

What if growth in 2026 isn’t about doing more — but choosing better? In this keynote from Benjamin Mena’s Elite Recruiter Sales & BD Summit, Kortney Harmon reframes what winning looks like in today’s staffing market. In this episode, you’ll hear insights from Kortney Harmon’s keynote at Ben Mena’s Sales and BD Summit, where she explores why narrowing focus, redesigning revenue strategy, and pr...

In an industry built on speed, what actually sustains long-term success. In this Industry Spotlight, Kortney Harmon sits down with Elizabeth Rosenberg to examine why trust and reputation remain recruiting’s most durable advantage. Drawing on decades of experience advising executives on communication and personal brand, Elizabeth offers a grounded perspective on how credibility is built through eve...

Is the recruiting industry actually changing—or simply recalibrating? Kortney Harmon cuts through the noise to examine what’s really shaping recruiting leadership as firms look toward 2026. Rather than chasing headlines or hyped predictions, this Express episode outlines eight quiet but powerful signals emerging from real conversations with owners, operators, and executives. Kortney explores why r...

As AI accelerates across recruiting, the firms pulling ahead aren’t chasing tools—they’re doubling down on relationships. In this Industry Spotlight, Kortney Harmon sits down with Tom Wilson, Partner at Buffkin/Baker, to unpack what actually keeps recruiting leaders relevant as automation, speed, and expectations continue to rise. The conversation explores how client and candidate expectations hav...

What happens when candidate submissions disappear—and no one can explain why? In this FDE Express episode, host Kortney Harmon breaks down how undefined submission processes quietly drain revenue and momentum. Drawing on real-world audits, Kortney reframes failed submissions as an operational issue, not a recruiter problem. She outlines how inconsistent formats, missing follow-up, and lack of visi...

CEO turnover is accelerating—so how are boards, leaders, and search firms adapting while maintaining the judgment that high-stakes decisions demand? In this Industry Spotlight, host Kortney Harmon sits down with Lynne Murphy-Rivera, Managing Director of the Americas at AESC, to unpack how AI, demographic shifts, and rising performance expectations are reshaping the future of executive search. Lynn...

In this episode, Kortney Harmon and Chris Hesson join Benjamin Mena on The Elite Recruiter Podcast to examine how AI agents are reshaping the recruiting workflow and challenging the traditional KPIs many teams still rely on. They explore why sourcing is shifting, why volume-based activity metrics no longer reflect real performance, and how automation is redefining the recruiter’s day-to-day respon...

What does AI look like in practice—not in theory—for the recruiters and leaders using it every day? In this FDE+ panel, Kortney Harmon sits down with Neal Osler, Chris Allaire, and Justin Bellante to examine how AI is reshaping job intake, sourcing, candidate conversations, and recruiter productivity in real time. The panelists share where AI is truly delivering value: rewriting job descriptions w...

On this episode of FDE+, Kortney Harmon and Mike Wolford, CEO of LexDuo, explore how AI is redefining what it means to be a recruiter—and why the future belongs to those who build with it, not just use it. They discuss how recruiters are moving beyond basic prompting into programming and workflow design—creating custom GPTs, connecting APIs, and automating tasks that once drained hours from their...

What does it take to build a recruitment team that thrives in an AI-driven world? Host Kortney Harmon sits down with Greg Benadiba, CEO of Bilingual Source, to unpack how forward-thinking leaders can integrate AI into their recruiting businesses while strengthening the human skills that truly move the needle. With over 20 years in the industry, Greg shares hard-won insights on using AI to streamli...

In this FDE+ episode, Kortney Harmon is joined by Benjamin Mena, Managing Partner at Select Source Solutions and host of The Elite Recruiter Podcast, to explore how AI is transforming the recruiting industry. They discuss how top performers are using AI to automate sourcing, streamline outreach, and clean up CRMs — while doubling down on the human skills that build trust, strengthen relationships,...

Unlock the future of recruiting with this episode of The Full Desk Experience. In this special FDE+, host Kortney Harmon sits down with Matt Strain — seasoned technology leader, AI educator, and founder of The Prompt. Drawing on his experience as Adobe’s former Head of Innovation, Matt brings a fresh perspective on how artificial intelligence is reshaping the recruiting and staffing industry. In t...

Sales is moving faster than ever—so how do leaders keep pace without losing the fundamentals that drive real results? In this Industry Spotlight, host Kortney Harmon sits down with sales leadership expert Shad Tidler to explore how AI is transforming strategy, team dynamics, and decision-making while amplifying—not replacing—the human touch. Drawing on more than a decade of experience with Lushin,...

In this episode of The Full Desk Experience’s Industry Spotlight, Chris Hesson joins Kortney Harmon to cut through the AI hype and reveal how recruiters are truly reshaping their day-to-day processes. Chris brings years of experience working with hundreds of recruiting teams, offering a behind-the-scenes look at how AI is streamlining workflows, surfacing new insights, and freeing recruiters to fo...

Welcome back to another episode of The Full Desk Experience! In this Industry Spotlight, host Kortney Harmon sits down with Lauren Jednat to unravel the true impact of AI sourcing agents on the recruiting world. With tales from the trenches and insights from daily conversations with recruiting leaders, Lauren and Kortney dive deep into how AI is augmenting—not replacing—the human touch in staffing...

Step confidently into the post-AI era with this episode of The Full Desk Experience. Join CEO Aaron Elder and host Kortney Harmon as they uncover how AI is not just changing, but fundamentally reinventing, the rules of recruiting—transforming processes, expectations, and business models in real time. Key Insights: Discover why every search firm’s true competitive edge is their proprietary data and...

In this FDE Express episode, we’re having a direct, no-nonsense conversation about where recruiting teams really stand in the “post-AI era.” With AI moving from buzzword to business essential, there’s a growing divide between firms still debating AI and those already reaping huge efficiency gains. Kortney will break down what the post-AI era actually means for your talent business, reveal some eye...

Step into the future of recruiting with this episode. Whether you're a recruiting leader, firm owner, or decision-maker, this episode is for those who are determined to keep their firms thriving in a rapidly changing, AI-driven landscape. Host Kortney Harmon cuts through the noise to reveal why clinging to yesterday’s metrics and technology isn’t just outdated—it could spell extinction for your bu...

Get ready to reimagine the future of strategic recruiting. In this pivotal episode of The Full Desk Experience, Crelate CEO Aaron Elder joins host Kortney Harmon to share cutting-edge strategies for thriving in the rapidly evolving, post-AI era—essential listening for owners, directors, and executive-level leaders. Key insights you can’t miss: -The Post-AI Paradigm: Why AI is already as essential...

Ready to take your executive search firm to the next level? In this can't-miss Industry Spotlight episode, host Kortney Harmon sits down with powerhouse Brent Orsuga—founder of Pinnacle Growth Advisors—to unpack the bold strategies and mindsets driving exceptional results in executive search. Key takeaways for executive search leaders: - From Recruiter to Trusted Advisor: Brent breaks down the dif...

Get ready for a powerhouse episode featuring highlights from Joanie Bily’s impactful conversation with Kortney Harmon. Dive into proven strategies and actionable insights designed to help executive search leaders stay ahead in a market defined by rapid change, digital innovation, and evolving client demands. In this episode, you’ll discover: - A candid look at talent supply and demand trends—what...

In this episode of The Full Desk Experience’s Industry Spotlight, guest Kelli Schutrop, CEO and founder of Thoughtful Resound, joins host Kortney Harmon to deliver game-changing insights. Kelli draws on 15+ years in talent acquisition marketing to reveal high-impact branding and growth strategies for firm differentiation and sustainable growth. Key insights you can’t miss: Why a brand-facing prese...