Everyone says they want “top talent.” But most recruiters look for it in all the same places. The same résumés, the same titles, the same predictable career paths. And now, with LinkedIn doing most of the heavy lifting, many recruiters have forgotten how to actually recruit. They inbox, keyword search, and wait for the algorithm to serve up the same recycled profiles, and then wonder why their placements feel interchangeable.
Talent rarely looks the way you expect it to. Sometimes it’s the Ivy League grad working as an accountant for a supermarket chain; a role most recruiters would scroll right past. Or it’s the veteran executive who’s been at the same company for twenty years, quietly waiting for someone to show him what’s possible beyond his comfort zone. Sometimes it’s the former trader who rebuilt his life from scratch after the market changed overnight.
A résumé is just a piece of paper; what matters are the intangibles that reveal how someone will perform, lead, and grow when the next challenge comes.
That’s the philosophy that drives Northbound Executive Search. For managing partners Jay Kondrup and Justin Brower, recruiting isn’t about taking orders or chasing volume; it’s about reading people. They don’t waste time shuffling candidates that “might fit.” They educate clients, challenge assumptions, and bring them the one person who will actually change their business.
How did they end up in the recruiting business? What drives the success of Northbound Executive Search?
In this episode, Jay and Justin talk about how real recruiters think beyond résumés, keywords, and LinkedIn algorithms, how they uncover talent in unexpected places, and why the future of this business belongs to those who combine new tools with old-school instincts.
Guest Bios
Jay Kondrup and Justin Brower are managing partners at Northbound Executive Search. Northbound Executive Search offers a genuine, hands-on approach to recruiting. They provide both Permanent and Temporary/Consulting recruitment services to companies looking to hire high-performing professionals in the NYC metro region. Northbound Executive Search has been consistently recognized as the premier recruitment firm servicing a variety of industries, including Private Equity, Hedge Fund, Asset Management, Investment Banking, Trading, Brokerage, Real Estate, Technology, Media, Entertainment, Insurance, and more. Their proven approach, developed over many years of best-in-class recruiting, continues to deliver exceptional results for a select group of clients and candidates we serve. They are a team of dedicated professionals motivated by providing a much higher level of commitment, expertise, and service to the companies and professionals they partner with. Connect with Jay on LinkedIn and Justin on LinkedIn.
About Your Host
Vince Holt is the founder and CEO of Management Recruiters of Mercer Island. With 35+ years of industry experience, he is the only MRINetwork team member to win CSAM of the Year, Person of the Year, and Lifetime Achievement Awards. In addition to spending time with his wife, children, and grandchildren, Vince has raced motorcycles for over 50 years, winning 5 National Championships.
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