Most big recruiting wins don’t start with a perfect plan.

They start with one curious question asked at the right moment.

In the newest episode of Recruiter Wins, Zack Gallinger sits down with David Case (20-year vet in engineering + construction recruiting) to unpack a win that literally helped set the trajectory of his firm.

Here’s the short version:

David was a few months into building Advastar. He had no CRM, no database and no paid tool. Just a phone, a notebook and some hustle.

He makes a cold call that’s going nowhere until he hits the hiring manager with a simple pivot:

“What about the industrial plant side of your business?”

That one question turns into:

• 50 skilled trades roles needed ASAP
• A scramble to source candidates with basically zero infrastructure
• Six vetted candidates sent at 12:30am (same day)
• A reply waiting at 5:30am: “Great start. Keep them coming.”

And that “random” cold call?

It became a 15-year client relationship and one of the biggest revenue drivers of his career.

A few takeaways that’ll stick with you:

• Great recruiters are also investigators (curiosity wins deals)
• You don’t need the “perfect script”. You need to be real, listen, and ask the next question
• Sometimes the move is simply to say yes and then figure it out fast

If you’ve ever had a call dying on the vine or felt like you’re “not ready yet” to take on a big opportunity, this episode is for you.

Recruiting for a market leader is easy mode.

Recruiting for an underdog in a commoditized space where reps are basically “carrying feathers to a gunfight”?

That’s where you need a skilled recruiter.

In the newest episode of Recruiter Wins, I sat down with Steve Faulkner, a 23 year employee benefits recruiting vet, to unpack his biggest win.

What I loved about this conversation: Steve gets candid about the fine line between storytelling and deception.

He’s not trying to “put a butt in a seat”. He’s trying to make placements that stick so everyone wins long-term.

A few takeaways you’ll be thinking about after:

• How to position a “flawed” opportunity honestly without sugarcoating it
• Why some roles require candidates who can sell themselves as much as the company
• Why personal brand beats product when the market sees everything as a commodity

If you recruit in a niche market, work tough searches or ever have to sell an opportunity that isn’t perfect, this one’s a solid listen.

Many recruiters try to win business with a cold InMail and then wonder why nothing sticks.

This week on Recruiter Wins, I sat down with Ben Watkins (Executive Recruiter at Intrinsic Search) to discuss how his “biggest win” started by hosting paid, high-quality in-person events for senior B2B SaaS leaders.

A conversation at one of those events turned into a multi-year partnership helping a CEO build an entire European commercial team from scratch.

A few moments worth stealing for your own desk:

• How paid events drive high attendance and attract the right crowd
• How to turn a vague hiring idea into a real recruitment strategy (role clarity + a sellable story + timeline)
• The underrated power of locking in interview dates early to create momentum and commitment
• Ben’s simple way to cut through candidate noise: a 2-minute pitch video + instant calendar booking
• What makes Germany uniquely tough for startup hiring — and how to de-risk the pitch for A-players

If you recruit in SaaS, build client relationships or you’re trying to stand out in a sea of “vanilla outreach”, this episode is a playbook.

Listen to the latest episode of Recruiter Wins with Ben Watkins.