Stephanie Moss

Welcome to the Talent Trade. I am your host, Stephanie Moss, partner with Thinking Ahead Executive Search. Today, I am super excited to have one of the absolute best and brightest that Thinking Ahead has certainly ever had and probably the industry as a whole. Please give a very warm welcome to Kay Linder. It's my pleasure, Stephanie.

Welcome to the Talent Trade. I am your host, Stephanie Moss, partner with Thinking Ahead Executive Search. Today, I am super excited to have one of the absolute best and brightest that Thinking Ahead has certainly ever had and probably the industry as a whole. Please give a very warm welcome to Kay Linder. It's my pleasure, Stephanie.

So tell us a little bit of your background with Thinking Ahead and then love to launch into talking about what's on your mind. Fantastic.

So tell us a little bit of your background with Thinking Ahead and then love to launch into talking about what's on your mind. Fantastic.

Okay. So Kate, obviously you have had a long and dedicated career as an executive recruiter. Tell me a little bit more about why the recruitment profession?

Okay. So Kate, obviously you have had a long and dedicated career as an executive recruiter. Tell me a little bit more about why the recruitment profession?

So out of my curiosity, when you are either working with a client for the first time or candidates for the first time, how do you evaluate what you need to focus on to be helpful, helping them figure out what they really need? So from where you sit, I think that's a very different approach than a lot of recruiters take. A lot of recruiters are order takers. Hey, go find me this.

So out of my curiosity, when you are either working with a client for the first time or candidates for the first time, how do you evaluate what you need to focus on to be helpful, helping them figure out what they really need? So from where you sit, I think that's a very different approach than a lot of recruiters take. A lot of recruiters are order takers. Hey, go find me this.

And then we jump to work. Sounds like your approach is very different.

And then we jump to work. Sounds like your approach is very different.

Wow. Sounds like right out of the gate. It's a very consultative approach.

Wow. Sounds like right out of the gate. It's a very consultative approach.

So how do you balance that approach with the for profit side of our business? Great question.

So how do you balance that approach with the for profit side of our business? Great question.

And then I have to imagine because of this meaningful level of rapport, it gives you insights into candidates that really change your conversations with clients.

And then I have to imagine because of this meaningful level of rapport, it gives you insights into candidates that really change your conversations with clients.

Let's talk about that just for a second in regards to your process. And I'm thinking specifically for recruiters that might be listening in going, wow, that sounds as complex as heart surgery. Break it down. What does this look like in terms of a process?

Let's talk about that just for a second in regards to your process. And I'm thinking specifically for recruiters that might be listening in going, wow, that sounds as complex as heart surgery. Break it down. What does this look like in terms of a process?

I think if listeners get nothing else out of this podcast, what you just said is the grand slam. The conversations in the beginning set the stage. You can't do that on the back end. The trust, the collaboration, that's the difference maker. Because people really feel, and I love that word that you used earlier, ally. It's a word that doesn't get used often in business.

I think if listeners get nothing else out of this podcast, what you just said is the grand slam. The conversations in the beginning set the stage. You can't do that on the back end. The trust, the collaboration, that's the difference maker. Because people really feel, and I love that word that you used earlier, ally. It's a word that doesn't get used often in business.