Written from the field. Not the theory.
7 years. 40+ companies. The Strategic Recruiter is the newsletter I wish had existed when I was building my first recruiting function from scratch.
The story behind TSR
I spent 7 years inside recruiting functions — not as a consultant advising from the outside, but as the person sourcing, screening, closing, and building teams. I've seen the same broken patterns repeat across startups, scale-ups, and enterprise tech companies on three continents.
Most recruiting content optimizes for one of two things: generic tips that sound good in a LinkedIn caption, or vendor-sponsored "research" designed to sell you software. The Strategic Recruiter is neither.
Every piece published here is grounded in documented field experience, real data, and a specific point of view. I take positions. I question trends when the evidence doesn't support them. I write the same way I'd brief a hiring manager before a critical search: direct, specific, and without padding.
"For IT Recruiting leaders who want to stop guessing and start winning — data-informed strategies with the human insight that no algorithm can replace."
The audience for TSR is specific by design: TA Managers, Heads of Recruiting, and Recruiting Leads at tech companies who want to build recruiting functions that produce measurable outcomes — not just fill seats. If you're looking for motivation content or vendor comparisons, this isn't for you. If you want to think more clearly about how you hire, keep reading.
Subscribe to the Newsletter — FreeWhat TSR stands for — and what it doesn't.
Authority
Written from experience, not theory. Every insight has 7 years of field work behind it. When I cite data, I cite the source. When I share a framework, I've tested it.
Clarity
Dense information translated into clear action. Never three words when one will do. No corporate jargon. No "synergy." No "paradigm shifts." Just the thing.
Human Precision
Data informs. People decide. Recruiting is ultimately about humans — candidates, hiring managers, teams. The human element is never reduced to a metric.
Independence
No vendor bias. No sponsored content dressed as editorial. No affiliate links. TSR is funded by readers who find it valuable — full stop.
Strategy, not tips.
TSR covers the decisions and frameworks that move recruiting outcomes — not the surface-level tactics you can find anywhere.
Recruiting Metrics That Matter
Which data points actually predict quality of hire — and which ones are vanity metrics disguised as KPIs.
Sourcing Strategy
How top companies build talent pipelines for roles that the market says are impossible to fill.
Process Design
The operational decisions — intake sessions, interview loops, debrief design — that separate fast, high-quality hiring from slow, expensive mistakes.
TA Function Building
How to structure a recruiting team, build credibility with hiring managers, and move from reactive to strategic.