What does it actually take to fill a niche Director of Dairy Sourcing role in the middle of Wisconsin… when the client isn’t even sure what they really need yet?

That’s the recruiting challenge we unpack in the latest episode of Recruiter Wins with George Blomgren, Recruiting Manager at Kinsa Group and 20-year talent acquisition veteran in food & beverage.

This one hit home for anyone working tough, specialized searches where every variable seems stacked against you:

• a brand new, poorly defined role (that turned out to be all about ultra-filtered milk purchasing)
• a relocation-only opportunity in a mid-sized town
• a function (procurement) where most top candidates want to stay remote
• an amazing client… with a rusty hiring process thanks to years of low turnover

George breaks down how he turned this into a true recruiting win by:

- Turning vague reqs into real clarity, asking, “What problem do you really want this hire to solve?” and using every rejected candidate as a source of market intel

- Going beyond the job ad to make sure that the best candidate was willing to relocate, researching schools, crime, recreation, DEI factors and even local food options and houses of worship

- Coaching a low-turnover client on candidate experience, from simple things like interviewers introducing themselves to building a process that doesn’t scare off A-players

The line that stuck with me:

“If you get an expert on the phone, even if they’re not a fit, don’t rush off. Learn everything you can from them.”

If you recruit for niche roles, manage relocation-heavy searches or work with clients who “don’t know what they don’t know” about a role, this episode is packed with practical scripts, questions and mindset shifts you can use on your very next search.