What Recruiters Want

When companies hire recruiters to fill executive roles, they aren’t just looking for qualified candidates, they’re looking for someone who truly stands out. All candidates may have impressive experience and polished resumes, but recruiters are tasked with finding the exceptional few. Their reputation — and compensation — depends on it.

As longtime recruiter and executive career strategist Stacie Haller explained in a recent Q&A, if you’re not being routinely contacted by recruiters, it may be a sign that your LinkedIn profile isn’t compelling enough. And when a recruiter does reach out, they don’t want to see the same transactional resume you’ve been updating for decades.

At the executive level, your resume and online profile need to do more than list accomplishments. They need to tell a consistent value story — a narrative that clearly demonstrates the challenges you’ve tackled, the impact you’ve delivered, and the unique strengths you bring to solve complex business problems. A strong, cohesive value story is what separates candidates who get noticed from those who blend into the background.

Watch Stacie share her insights on what recruiters are truly looking for in executive candidates and how to make your profile irresistible in this excerpt from the Q&A.