The Art of the Wait: What Fishing Taught Me About Executive Recruiting I have spent most of my life doing fresh water and saltwater fishing and I couldn't help but realize how much fishing mirrors the world of executive search. After 30 plus years in the recruiting industry, I see patterns everywhere—but the parallels here are striking. If you want to land the "prize catch" in talent or on the water, the strategy is exactly the same: 1. You can’t just throw a bare hook into the water In fishing, you need to know exactly what the fish are feeding on—the right bait, the right presentation, the right depth. In recruiting, a generic InMail blast is a bare hook. Top-tier passive candidates don't bite on generic pitches. You must understand what motivates them, study their "habitat," and tailor your approach specifically to what they care about (culture, autonomy, specific growth challenges). 2. Location is everything (Look in the eddies, not just the open water...
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Showing posts from June, 2026