Building High-Impact Teams with Aaron Menkin, EVP of Gainor
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Aaron Menkin is redefining what it means to build high-performing teams and equip companies with the right people. As Executive Vice President at Gainor, Aaron leads a team of specialized recruiters whose expertise spans marketing and creative to finance and human resources.
With a keen eye for what makes candidates and cultures align, Aaron brings knowledge to talent sourcing in an age where AI and remote work are reshaping the recruiting industry. A piece of that wisdom is made available to you through this interview!
Key skills for today’s job market
Joy Wallet: What do you believe are the key skills that candidates need to succeed in today’s competitive job market?
Aaron: The workplace is evolving, with new skills and career paths emerging constantly. These shifts have fragmented the job market, which makes it essential for candidates to be intentional about articulating how their past experiences align with the roles they seek. This involves taking the time to understand the market for their skillset and specific industry and being intentional about how they frame their experiences to validate your readiness for the role you want. Candidates who take a more passive approach are losing out on opportunities and run a greater risk of being vulnerable to long periods of unemployment when the market changes, as it inevitably does.
AI’s impact on recruiting
Joy Wallet: How has the talent sourcing landscape changed with the rise of AI and technology in recruiting?
Aaron: As is the case with many industries, the productive application of AI within the recruiting industry is still taking shape, and the industry is very much in an experimental phase. While there are productive applications (in identifying candidates most relevant to interview for a role, creating workflow, writing, and research efficiencies), the skill of taking all factors into account to holistically match a person with the right intangibles and background to succeed in a skilled position still requires a good deal of old-fashioned human intelligence.
For mid- and junior-level technical jobs (that are mostly skill-based), I do foresee AI tech advancing to the point that it would be able to facilitate the majority of those recruiting processes.
Finding high-quality talent
Joy Wallet: What are the top strategies you use to identify high-quality talent in a crowded field?
Aaron: To identify high-quality talent in a crowded field, we focus on the following strategies:
- Defining top talent: We start by thoroughly understanding what "top talent" looks like from the hiring company's perspective. This includes aligning on the role's technical qualifications, soft skills, cultural alignment, and long-term potential.
- Leveraging industry expertise: With in-depth knowledge of competitive landscapes within marketing, media, and professional services, we pinpoint where top talent relevant to the role is currently employed. We maintain an exhaustive list of leading companies across niche submarkets, as it enables us to target the best candidates in the most relevant organizations.
- Utilizing a pre-built network: For industries in which we frequently work, we are already connected to top candidates. This access to passive talent — those not actively applying to job postings — allows us to deliver exceptional candidates more quickly. Our extensive network also serves as a referral base that unlocks further access to standout professionals.
- Expert candidate evaluation: Our team has deep experience in assessing candidates' technical skills, soft skills, and intangibles. This ensures we align not just on qualifications but also on fit with the company’s culture and long-term goals.
Building client-candidate relationships
Joy Wallet: How do you manage relationships with both clients and candidates to ensure long-term satisfaction?
Aaron: We treat everyone we interact with with care and simultaneously operate in the best interests of both candidates and clients at all times. We identify and highlight the unique talents and personalities of the candidate we represent to ensure that the positions that we consider with them align with their goals and interests. Acting as savvy ambassadors for our clients, we effectively communicate opportunities beyond what candidates can find online. Transparent communication and fostering genuine connections ensure we are facilitating holistic fits that create lasting relationships.
Remote work and talent sourcing
Joy Wallet: How has remote work influenced the way you source and evaluate candidates?
Aaron: Remote work has changed the way we source and evaluate candidates by making it more important to assess work style and cultural fit. With companies offering remote, hybrid, or full in-office setups, it’s key to understand how a candidate will adapt and thrive in the specific environment of the hiring company. We look closely at how they align with the company's productivity standards and cultural norms.
For companies bringing people back to the office, whether hybrid or full-time, it’s important to highlight the value of frequenting in-office work early on. Benefits include things like mentorship, collaboration, learning from experienced colleagues, and opportunities to build relationships with decision-makers. Structured in-person opportunities to connect and work together can make office time feel more rewarding and worthwhile.
By tailoring how we source and evaluate talent based on these dynamics, we ensure candidates aren’t just a technical fit — they’re set up to succeed in the work format the company offers.
Balancing client and candidate needs
Joy Wallet: How do you manage expectations between clients seeking top talent and candidates who are in high demand?
Aaron: We balance these expectations by acting as trusted advisors to both clients and candidates, ensuring mutual understanding. By transparently communicating clients' unique offerings, we attract candidates who align with their culture and needs. Providing insights into candidate motivations helps clients understand how to appeal to top talent effectively. This approach manages expectations and facilitates successful placements that satisfy both parties.
Advice for aspiring recruiting managers
Joy Wallet: What advice would you give someone aspiring to move into a management role within recruiting?
Aaron: If you want to move into a management role in recruiting, start by figuring out your goals and what really drives you. Managing clients and leading a team are two different jobs, and leadership isn’t for everyone. Think about how much responsibility you want and what kind of impact you’re looking to make.
Start small — take on one management task at a time to see what feels right for you. Along the way, focus on key leadership skills like listening, communicating with empathy, and handling tough conversations. Being real and consistent with your team goes a long way in building trust.
As you practice and find your style, ask yourself if the work energizes you. Leadership takes a lot of effort, and the satisfaction you get from those challenges will tell you if it’s the right path. It’s all about figuring out what makes you thrive and leaning into that.
Measuring ROI in recruitment
Joy Wallet: How do you assess the ROI of recruitment investments such as job boards, tools, and technology?
Aaron: With the rapid advancements in AI, we’re in a phase where experimentation is necessary to understand if and how each platform delivers results and ROI. However, it’s not just about the tech — it’s also about training your team to use it effectively. These are separate but equally critical steps in achieving ROI.
Here’s how we approach it:
- Testing in phases: We evaluate new tools by running small-scale pilot programs. A select group of users tests the technology, providing feedback to determine if it’s worth rolling out more broadly.
- Measuring impact: Once implemented at scale, we track both anecdotal and measurable productivity gains over a set period, typically a quarter, to assess effectiveness and ROI.
- Avoiding redundancies: With multiple tools in use, redundancies creep in. Every few months, we review our tech stack holistically to identify overlaps, eliminate inefficiencies, and decide where new solutions might be needed.
Financial challenges in hiring top talent
Joy Wallet: What are the most common financial challenges companies face when trying to attract top-tier talent, and how can they overcome them?
Aaron: These include the hidden costs of prolonged hiring, the scarcity of specialized skills, and the impact of talent gaps on business operations. Here's how these challenges manifest and how companies can overcome them:
- Prolonged hiring timelines: Time is money. When hiring drags on, it places a disproportionate burden on staff, affecting productivity and morale. For example, if a team loses a key member, existing employees take on additional workloads, which increases burnout risk and jeopardizes client satisfaction. This can lead to further turnover and higher costs to backfill multiple roles. Companies can mitigate this by streamlining their hiring processes, working with specialized recruiters, and clearly defining role requirements upfront.
- Scarcity of skilled talent: With rapid advancements in AI and tech, the demand for professionals who can effectively use these tools has outpaced supply. These individuals are critical to driving business success but are hard to secure. Offering competitive compensation, continuous learning opportunities, and a strong employer brand can help attract and retain these in-demand professionals.
- Operational and financial risks of vacancies: Talent gaps have ripple effects. Managers left unsupported may feel they’re being set up to fail and could leave, which further compounds costs. Additionally, delays in hiring can slow project delivery, impact margins, and harm client relationships. Partnering with expert recruiting firms can accelerate the hiring process and ensure better alignment between candidate skills and business needs to reduce costly mismatches.
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