Work. Shouldnt. Suck. · 2026-04-28 · 46 min
What does an executive search actually look like from the inside? This episode brings together two people who know the process from different vantage points: Pamela Bol Riess, CEO of PBR Executive Search, and Deeksha Gaur, Executive Director of Theater Development Fund, who was a candidate in a search Pamela led in 2023. Together, we discuss how executive hiring really works right now - what search committees are actually evaluating, why the boldest candidates tend to win, and how to show up in a competitive market without losing yourself in the process. In this conversation: Why you usually can't get everything in one hire, and how smart organizations identify their true must-haves before the search begins. How candidates are being evaluated from the first email they send, not just in the interview room. Why "the answers are in the position description" and what it looks like when candidates use them. Deeksha's approach to her own search: researching every search committee member, preparing a strategic deck, and giving herself the freedom to show up authentically. Why the boldest candidates tend to win and what "leading in the room" actually looks like.
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