Somer Hackley

The emails candidates are writing with AI may have a bigger impact than you think. I’m not talking about mistakes (I see you <recruiter name here>); this is about something much bigger. Every year since launching my search firm, at least one client or potential client asks what I feel they can do to ensure better hiring, that their senior hires stick, and more importantly, thrive. They have interview scorecards, external assessment firms, candidate presentations, in-person meetings, the...

What separates a VP from a Director? What about a VP from an SVP? I love asking hiring managers this question. I also ask candidates. The answers are very revealing. It’s not just confidence or crisp communication. It usually comes down to: - The complexity of the problems they own - The organization's scope and their ability to drive results through a matrix - The level of stakeholders they influence - Whether they’re executing a vision or shaping it One of the most interesting things is...

Every week I get a message from someone I’ve known for years asking for job search advice. Usually it’s a past placement, a former client, their friends, or someone I sent on interviews years ago but never personally placed. You really get to know people through the interview process. Folks are weighing one of the most important decisions of their lives, and our conversations go deep. Years later, they want a trusted voice to give them a real, straightforward answer to a current situation....