The Honest Hire · Retained Rec-to-Rec Search
We use the HUNTER Framework to identify recruiters who have FITFO, because if you're going to build a desk, build territory, and generate real revenue, you need hunters. Not order-takers.
Retained search only
Start a Retained SearchEvery candidate we present has been evaluated against all six HUNTER traits. Strong Hunters clear four or more, and H, U, and R are the three we never compromise on.
Look for: Independent action under uncertainty. Discomfort without paralysis. They make a move, learn, and adjust. No playbook required.
Look for: A specific follow-up cadence. Language like “I don’t let it sit.” Creates momentum instead of waiting for it.
Look for: Problem-solving ownership. Relational savvy under pressure. Takes accountability for their role in what goes wrong.
Look for: Named niche with specificity. Long-term relationship cultivation. Knows their market cold: funding, trends, key players.
Look for: Named metrics. Results-talk, not effort-talk. Has a recovery plan for slow stretches, not just hope.
Look for: Real hard-stretch story with a matter-of-fact tone. Recovery with learning, not just survival. Returns to fundamentals under pressure.
The Mindset
The best recruiter isn’t the one with the fanciest ATS or the biggest LinkedIn network. It’s the one who gets a brand-new client, zero relationships in the space, and figures out exactly who to call, what to say, and how to work the deal from first conversation to close.
Nobody told them how. They just did it. That’s FITFO.
It’s not a skill you teach in an onboarding. It’s a mentality, and it’s rare. Which is why we built the HUNTER Framework to identify it before someone hires the wrong person and finds out six months too late.
Four primary questions plus targeted follow-up probes for each trait. We’re listening for specific stories and real evidence of action, not polished answers, not what they’d theoretically do.
Green flags vs. red flags per trait, scored against what we actually observed in the conversation. Strong Hunters clear four to six traits. Head First, Urgency, and Relentless are the three we never compromise on: the traits that predict desk-building ability.
We tell you exactly what we found, including the gaps, before you meet a single candidate. If the comp plan will make the placement fail, we’ll tell you that too.
You meet a short list of qualified, motivated hunters. We support you through interviews, offers, and close. We stand behind every placement we make.
An order-taker fills the reqs handed to them and calls it a day when the market slows down. A hunter builds pipeline, develops clients, and doesn’t need to be told what to do next. The HUNTER Framework was built to identify the difference before you make an expensive hire.
Yes. Every candidate we present has been interviewed against the framework. No exceptions. It’s how we can stand behind our placements and have honest conversations with you about the gaps we found.
We tell you exactly where they sit. A strong candidate clears four or more traits, and we never compromise on H, U, or R. If there’s a conditional candidate worth considering, we’ll say that explicitly and give you the context to make the call.
Yes. We share the full HUNTER interview guide and scoring rubric as part of every retained search engagement. It becomes a tool your team can use for future hiring well beyond this search.