Candid With Candidates

About Candid With Candidates

If you’ve ever wondered how people actually build careers inside major organizations, not just what they post on LinkedIn, this podcast is for you. Candid with Candidates is hosted by Jenn Hahn, founder and CEO of J Recruiting Services, a national recruitment firm specializing in retail, wholesale, and distribution. In each episode, Jenn sits down with corporate leaders, from CMOs and senior executives to rising directors, to talk through the real decisions, setbacks, and moments that shaped their careers. This isn’t a highlight reel. These are thoughtful, honest conversations about what it takes to grow inside the corporate world, and how the people leading those organizations actually got there. Whether you’re just starting out, managing a team, or already established in your career, you’ll hear stories that help you feel informed, encouraged, and more connected to your own professional path. This podcast also serves as a space for leaders to share their perspectives and showcase their organizations, making it a valuable tool for both talent attraction and industry insight. What you’ll learn from each episode: - How real people move from entry-level to executive roles - What leadership looks like behind the scenes - The soft skills and mindset shifts that matter most - How companies grow and retain top talent - Honest advice from people who’ve done the work New episodes drop every second Tuesday, starting June 3rd. Make sure to follow Candid with Candidates wherever you get your podcasts, and get ready to hear the stories that don’t make it to the company bio.

Publisher

Jenn Hahn

Category

business · business · education

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

13 May 2025

Latest episode

29 Sept 2026

Latest episodes

21 of 37 episodes have a transcript.

1. 

   29 Sept 2026TRANSCRIPT

   You Asked, We Answered: What Recruiters Really Look for in Candidates with Cheri Jackman, Lead Recruiter at J Recruiting Services

   Lead Recruiter Cheri Jackman and host Jennifer Hahn discuss what recruiters truly seek in candidates, offering insights into interviews, compensation, and offer negotiations.

2. 

   15 Sept 2026TRANSCRIPT

   Why Career Development Matters More Than the Next Title—An Interview with Jason Nichol of Gordon Food Service

   Host Jenn Hahn interviews Jason Nichol, EVP & President at Gordon Food Service, about prioritizing career development over titles to achieve executive leadership.

3. 

   1 Sept 2026TRANSCRIPT

   Building Career Velocity: Lateral Moves, Executive Presence & Climbing That Ladder Towards Your Dream Role

   Host Jenn Hahn interviews five executives who share insights on navigating lateral moves and developing executive presence to accelerate career growth.

Inside a recent episode

You Asked, We Answered: What Recruiters Really Look for in Candidates with Cheri Jackman, Lead Recruiter at J Recruiting Services

Published 29 Sept 2026 · Transcript excerpt

[…] So we're working across a variety of industries across the entire United States, And that gives us this advantage or this privilege as recruiters where we really get to see both sides of the coin when it comes to hiring. So we get to have really honest communication with the companies and the executive leadership teams about what they're looking for initially and their feedback before or after interviews. And we also stay really close to our candidates and we hear what they're navigating, what they're frustrated by, what helps them succeed and win and get the job offer at the end of the day. So having that visibility to both sides of the coin, we felt like there are a lot of questions that come in regularly. […]

Who has been a guest on Candid With Candidates

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Cheri Jackman
• Jason Nichol
• Shaun Mayo
• Ralph Woodward
• Shannon Clark

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

23 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

1 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 17 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

14

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

51

Questions about Candid With Candidates