Critical Fit Recruiting

The role is still open. You’re exhausted. You’re doing the work of 2–3 people… …and trying to hire the person who’s supposed to fix it. You’ve talked to candidates. You’ve had a few “maybes.” But there’s no real pipeline. No momentum. Just the same feedback on repeat: ✅ “Not interested.” ✅ “Comp doesn’t match.” ✅ “Won’t relocate.” ✅ “Not the right background.” If you’re a hiring manager reading this, I already know how your week feels: 80+ hours. Everything urgent. Everything behind. And recruiting on top of it all. Here’s the truth: most searches stall because they’re either too broad… or too rigid. That’s where we come in. At Critical Fit Recruiting, we don’t “spray and pray.” We build a focused search strategy around: Real requirements (not wish lists) Location + relocation reality True market comp data Adjacent talent mapping Outreach that actually gets replies In specialty chemicals (especially R&D, Operations, Marketing, and Sales) we know how to build pipelines in markets that feel dry. Because the market isn’t dry. The strategy is. If your role has been open 60+ days and you’re burning out trying to solve it, I’m happy to share a simple market map + pipeline approach no pressure.

As a Purdue alum, I’m not supposed to root for Indiana. But I can’t help but respect what’s happening in Bloomington. From one of the worst programs in college football… …to one of the most talked-about transformations in the sport. The common thread? Every interview. Every player. Every coach: “The process.” They don’t talk about hype. They talk about details and the habits that reinforce them. They talk about buy-in. That kind of shift doesn’t happen overnight. It happens when a leader refines a process until it fits the mission and then everyone aligns behind it. The lesson for business? Talent matters. But transformation lives in process. And momentum comes from alignment. Leaders don’t just build a team. They build belief. What if the breakthrough you're chasing isn’t about doing more... but trusting more?

Happy Friday! https://lnkd.in/g6qzwg2r

This week I spoke with a VP of Commercial of Chemicals. The role had been open 63 days. He said: “We’ve talked to candidates… but we don’t have a pipeline.” Same feedback every time: Here’s the truth: Most hiring stalls aren’t a talent problem. They’re a precision problem. And the longer it drags, the worse it gets: more hours → less clarity → diminishing returns → burnout. At Critical Fit Recruiting, we build exact pipelines using: true requirements comp + market intel adjacent talent mapping outreach that gets responses If your role is stuck at Day 60+, DM me.

I recently spoke with a mid-career professional in the electronics sector who was feeling stuck. Strong technical background. Ready for something new. But as he talked, he kept drifting back to what felt comfortable roles he’d already outgrown, even a competitor offering less responsibility than he has today. At one point I asked, “Are you choosing what you know… or what you actually want?” He got quiet. Then he said our conversation gave him more clarity than anything he’d heard from mentors or colleagues. And it reminded me of something important: People don’t just need advice. They need someone who will actually listen, hear what’s beneath the surface, and ask the questions that bring real clarity. As we head into a new year: Surround yourself with people who help you get clear, not just comfortable. Clarity is the difference between repeating your past and stepping into your future. What clarity are you seeking in 2026?

I spoke with a commercial leader this week about a Regional Manager opening. He had strong sales candidates in his network… but he still wouldn’t move forward. Why? Because none of them understood the buying behaviors of the electronics sector. And when you're selling into phones, laptops, wearables you don’t have 6 months for someone to “figure it out.” Design-in cycles move fast. Decisions move even faster. Do you hire talent with high potential? Or talent that already understands the game you’re playing? Different sectors have different rules. Different buying behaviors. Different sales rhythms. And when your mandate is to double in size, capability alone isn’t enough. You need someone who can make an impact now, not after a long onboarding curve. This is why niche recruiting matters. Not for resumes, but for access to people who already know how to win in your world. Because when the runway is short, the wrong hire isn’t a setback… It’s a growth killer. Leaders how are you navigating this tension?

Grateful for the opportunity to partner with clients who value transparency, communication, and performance. Thank you for trusting Critical Fit Recruiting to deliver the right talent, the right way!