Why recruiting is a long game

Spotlight is our series on the people shaping the future of hiring and talent. We ask them how they work, what they believe, and where AI actually helps.

This time we spoke with Chris Cabe, who has spent nearly a decade in IT staffing and recruiting.

He has been at Capstone IT Staffing for over seven years, starting as a senior principal recruiter where he delivered more than $2M in gross margin multiple years running and helped the company hit its first $1M month. He moved into leadership as recruiting team lead, managing a team of five recruiters, and was recently promoted to director of recruiting. Before Capstone he recruited cleared IT professionals at Convergenz, qualified for President's Club, and cut his teeth in talent acquisition at Thruline Marketing.

What advice would you give to someone starting out in hiring?

Master the fundamentals. Learn the business deeply and understand what "great" performance actually looks like, not just what's written in a job description. Build a reputation for responsiveness and follow-through. Get comfortable having hard conversations. And treat every interaction as relationship-building, not transactional. Recruiting is a long game. Your judgment and your network are your greatest assets.

What's the most rewarding part of your work today?

Aligning talent strategy with long-term business goals while creating life-changing opportunities for people. Building high-performance teams that drive results is incredibly fulfilling. Equally meaningful is helping someone step into a role that expands their confidence, income, or trajectory. At the intersection of strategy and human impact is where this work matters most.

What's one thing you hope never changes about how we hire?

That hiring remains fundamentally human. Technology and data are powerful tools, but they can't fully measure character, ambition, or long-term potential. The best hiring processes prioritize conversation, trust, and discernment. Some of the strongest hires aren't obvious on paper. They're uncovered through thoughtful dialogue and strong relationships.

What does humane AI in hiring look like?

Humane AI enhances fairness, transparency, and candidate experience. It's audited for bias, keeps humans accountable for final decisions, and creates more space for meaningful conversations. At its best, AI removes friction so recruiters can focus on what truly matters: recognizing potential and helping people thrive.