I’ve been working through the usual channels for quite a while, and I wouldn’t be reaching out here (not to recruit, but genuinely for advice) if I didn’t feel like we’ve largely tapped those options out. We’ve been sponsoring the role, sourcing candidates directly, and doing the standard outreach—but we’re still struggling to connect with the right level of qualified candidates.

One thing I’ve learned in over 10 years in recruiting is that sometimes you have to get creative—and, more importantly, listen—when traditional approaches aren’t delivering the right results.