The Talent Trade

Learn how to set yourself up for influence by scratching below the surface on matters like compensation, commute, and other potentially important employment factors, making the mute button your best friend, and learning from the Jedi Knights. Discover what sets ThinkingAhead apart, hear stories from recruiters, and browse opportunities by clicking here.

A good recruiter has your back in a surprising number of ways, but only if you're honest with them. Hear one unconventional example, and learn why honesty is ALWAYS the best policy. Discover what sets ThinkingAhead apart, hear stories from recruiters, and browse opportunities by clicking here.

Discover why MPCs beat MVPs and the importance of finding your niche, being proactive, and maintaining super secret confidentiality, plus, what's Tom Brady got to do with it? Discover what sets ThinkingAhead apart, hear stories from recruiters, and browse opportunities by clicking here.

Although they might sound the same, being hired and being recruited are two VERY different things, and only one of them typically generates long-term results. Learn the difference and why it's important. Discover what sets ThinkingAhead apart, hear stories from recruiters, and browse opportunities by clicking here.

Hear about the 5 areas to look for when building your confidence up in an uncertain market, the unexpected role of physical fitness and spirituality in recruiting, and more, all designed to get you out of your own head at work. Discover what sets ThinkingAhead apart, hear stories from recruiters, and browse opportunities by clicking here.

So, you got your bonus. What does that mean for your job satisfaction? Happier than ever? Or time to hit the market? Before you make any big moves, there's a few things you might want to consider... Discover what sets ThinkingAhead apart, hear stories from recruiters, and browse opportunities by clicking here.

Find out the 3 things to look for when evaluating if the person you're calling is a suspect vs a prospect, the most important 4-letter "F" word, and how to differentiate yourself from other recruiting options when entering "biz dev" (business development) mode. Discover what sets ThinkingAhead apart, hear stories from recruiters, and browse opportunities by clicking here.

Talent Trade host Stephanie Maas closes out 2023 with a fun exercise in year-end gratitude, and a unique way to frame your professional accomplishments as the calendar rolls over to 2024. Discover what sets ThinkingAhead apart, hear stories from recruiters, and browse opportunities by clicking here.

Talent Trade host Stephanie Maas wishes listeners the happiest of holidays and merriest of Christmases, and shares a few of her favorite traditions. Merry Christ-Maas! Discover what sets ThinkingAhead apart, hear stories from recruiters, and browse opportunities by clicking here.

Find out how to better operate in marketing vs. recruiting mode, including 2 simple types of scripts that can create a roadmap to save you mental energy, better your business, land more callbacks, and provide more value to clients. Discover what sets ThinkingAhead apart, hear stories from recruiters, and browse opportunities by clicking here.

Learn how to plan your perfect workday, including being effective vs. being efficient, working your recruiting desk like a retail store, "10 x 10s" and "process calls", following your energy, times when a plan itself isn't enough, and rewarding yourself with a little snack. Discover what sets ThinkingAhead apart, hear stories from recruiters, and browse opportunities by clicking here.

Find out how a well-executed client debrief can become the biggest way to promote a growing relationship with HR, and learn the value of practicing awkward silences, the psychology of insecurity, getting a blessing before sharing, being gentle, loving, and direct, and why not everybody takes the head cheerleader to the prom. Discover what sets ThinkingAhead apart, hear stories from recruiters, and...

Drill down on how to conduct a flawless candidate debrief, including how to get candidates to share their FEELINGS, put on your listening hat, and use the right phrasing to combat defensiveness, plus learn the 3 crucial areas of focus, T.Y.S.U.A.L. vs Z.I.A.L., and how a huge part of recruiting comes down to destiny. Discover what sets ThinkingAhead apart, hear stories from recruiters, and browse...

The relationship between candidate and recruiter is a two-way street. Avoid having to have a West Side Story-style dance battle over that street by finding out how to create your own "candidate creed", outlining how you as a recruiter are going to advocate for them, and what your candidate needs to do to hold up their end of the bargain. Discover what sets ThinkingAhead apart, hear stories from re...

Don't let a first interview feel like an awkward first date. Learn the reason why a lot of interviews can start off sloppy, how to create the best 60 to 90 minutes possible, and the primacy of actual live, back-and-forth conversation. Discover what sets ThinkingAhead apart, hear stories from recruiters, and browse opportunities by clicking here.

There's nothing worse than an undercooked candidate. Get the lowdown on how to get your candidate ready for the big interview, including tips on identifying interview style, not being an oversharer, 3 categories of questions that are ok to ask, and one thing to definitely NOT bring up. Discover what sets ThinkingAhead apart, hear stories from recruiters, and browse opportunities by clicking here.

Ok, so robots can be funny sounding. But you know what else robots are? Prepared. Learn how to devise a script for your voicemails and outreach calls which will impress those on the receiving end, without sounding stiff and mechanical. Discover what sets ThinkingAhead apart, hear stories from recruiters, and browse opportunities by clicking here.

Learn the 7 essential steps toward giving a rockin’ phone interview, including what to do ahead of time, how to prepare your environment, what to do with your own body, how to close the interview, and what to do afterwards. Discover what sets ThinkingAhead apart, hear stories from recruiters, and browse opportunities by clicking here.

The truth is that no deal is a done deal, until its a done deal. Learn how to be skeptical, in a positive way, and about being married to process, and divorced from outcome when working your search desk. Discover what sets ThinkingAhead apart, hear stories from recruiters, and browse opportunities by clicking here.

Change is scary. And walking through the dark woods can be scary...especially with a candidate. In this episode, learn to strike a balance between emotion vs logic, build a better client relationship, and pick up 6 practical tips for navigating your candidate out the other side of the "emotional forest of change". Discover what sets ThinkingAhead apart, hear stories from recruiters, and browse opp...

Why are we here, what does it mean for your professional success, and what does Tom Cruise have to do with it? Host Stephanie Maas has the answers. Discover what sets ThinkingAhead apart, hear stories from recruiters, and browse opportunities by clicking here.

Get to know Stephanie Maas, host of The Talent Trade, and find out what she has in store for listeners...

Pulling together decades of expertise from one of the top ten executive search firms in the country , The Talent Trade is honest and informative talk about what it REALLY takes to make it in the executive search business today.  The Talent Trade helps you zero in on how to find the right person, for the right opportunity, at the right time. Simple as that, r...