Leah has been recruiting since 2012, building her career across agency recruitment, corporate talent acquisition and startup environments.

She has recruited across a wide range of industries and functions, but what has kept her interested in recruitment all these years is simple: no two searches are ever the same.

Leah is a hands-on recruiter who believes great recruitment starts with understanding the business, the role and the person behind the resume. She is known for asking the right questions, being honest when expectations need to be challenged, and staying closely involved throughout the entire search.

Her approach is relationship-driven, practical and built around finding the right fit for both the company and the candidate, not simply filling a role.

Leah is also the founder of Hael Talent, a recruitment education and resources company focused on helping recruiters and hiring teams hire with more clarity, intention and a human approach.

Best career advice given to you

Don’t be afraid to make a change.

Careers aren’t always linear, and sometimes the opportunities that make the biggest difference are the ones that require you to take a chance on yourself.

Best career advice you give

Relationships matter.
Your reputation follows you. Treat people well, stay connected and don’t underestimate where one conversation or relationship might lead five or ten years from now.

Worst career advice

“Make yourself sound more senior than you are.”
Don’t inflate your title or exaggerate your experience. A good recruiter will dig into what you actually did anyway. Own your experience, know your value and be able to talk about it.

Favourite interview question

“What would make you leave a job you’re happy in?”
It gets beyond titles and compensation and helps uncover what someone actually values in their career and what would genuinely motivate them to make a move.

What makes you a great recruiter?

I genuinely love recruiting.
After more than a decade, I’m still hands-on. I still headhunt, make the calls, interview candidates, work through difficult searches and get excited when the right person and opportunity come together.

I’ve worked across industries, functions and different types of organizations, so I know there isn’t one formula for a great hire.

I ask a lot of questions, I’m honest with both clients and candidates, and I’m not afraid to challenge a brief when I think there’s a better way to approach a search.

Most importantly, I care about the relationships I build along the way. Some of the best moments in my career have been seeing candidates I placed years ago become hiring managers themselves and coming back to me when it’s time to build their own teams.