The Art of Candidate Profiling with Elizabeth Kennedy.

What does great candidate profiling mean to you?

Great profiling is really about identifying A-player candidates and doing more than just speccing them out.

 It’s deeper, more qualitative. 

You're not just firing off CVs, you’re building a narrative around that person and creating real opportunities. In short, it’s about understanding top talent and going to market with purpose.

Where do most recruiters go wrong when it comes to candidate profiling?

Most recruiters are too transactional. 

They “spec” candidates with a handful of generic bullet points and send them to a massive list. 

That’s not profiling. 

Profiling is specific, curated, and intentional. 

You might only be sending a profile to 20–30 targeted hiring managers, but it’s deeply thought-out. 

It’s a one-pager you’ve written that actually tells a story, not just regurgitating a CV.

Here is an example of one of mine, anonymised and slightly tweaked so you can use the insights for different markets: Example Candidate Profiles.

Can you walk us through your candidate profile and workflow from start to finish?

Most of my candidates are referrals, and they’re not always actively looking. 

So the first step is a proper qualification call, understanding their experience, motivations, and what would genuinely excite them. 

I ask about their top accomplishments, preferred company size, followed by industry specific questions such as whether they prefer pharma, biotech, CRO, etc.

Then I write a one-pager based on that chat, not a CV, but a profile that tells their story. 

After that, I map out 20 - 25 companies that fit what they’re looking for.

I’ll ask the candidate to rank those companies, tell me who they know there, and what they like about them. 

That gives me warm intros and insight.

From there, I build a SourceWhale campaign - multi-step, multi-channel - with their profile at the center. And I follow up consistently, not just with “Hey, checking in” but with tailored outreach.

What are the key questions that you ask to uncover a candidate's real motivations and strengths?

For strengths, I always ask, “What makes you stand out as a candidate?” and “What are your top three career accomplishments?” 

For motivations, I ask what’s driving them right now - what are the three key things they want from a new role?

When it comes to creating the profile, how do you decide what to include and what to leave out?

Honestly, I just rely on the notes from my conversation and their CV. 

No AI, no auto-generated fluff, I think you can always tell when someone’s used ChatGPT badly. 

I start with a strong one-liner: “Board-certified pulmonologist with 10 years in industry,” for example.

Then I build out a story: education, training, career progression, and accomplishments. 

I include bullet points if needed, but mostly it’s narrative. 

I finish with a close that reinforces their value and ideal next step. 

It’s a storytelling format from top to bottom.

Once you have built it out, how do you go to market with that profile?

I’ll keep it simple. I say, “Hey, we’re connected through XYZ. I’m a headhunter focused on your space. 

I’ve worked with A, B, and C. Here’s someone who’s expressed interest in your company.” 

Then I follow up with more detail, why this person is a good fit, what problems they can solve, and how I can help.

I also name-drop where appropriate. That builds credibility. 

If I can reference someone they know or another company in their portfolio, that gets attention and then I follow up smartly, not just to nudge, but to actually add value.

What common mistakes do recruiters make when trying to sell a candidate into a client?

They make it transactional. 

They think, “Here’s a great candidate, do you want them?” That’s a pitch, not a conversation. 

What I do is pivot: use the candidate to open a broader discussion, that way the conversation becomes a discovery call and that shift makes all the difference.

Last question, what is the one thing that recruiters should start doing today to get better at profiling?

Start having more conversations with A-players, even if they’re not actively looking and even if you’re not working on a live role for them. 

That’s how you build relationships and understand your market. 

If you only speak to people when you have a job to pitch, you’ll always be playing catch-up. 

Profiling is about building a network that pays off long term, not just completing a transaction.

P.S. Whenever you're ready, there are 2 ways I can help you:

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