My Evolution from Headhunter to Human-AI Translator

I used to think being a headhunter was about reading people—figuring out who was bluffing, who had real ambition, and who’d actually show up for that 10 p.m. interview call from another continent. Back then, the work was messy, unpredictable, and, honestly, a little addictive. But somewhere around 2020, the old tricks stopped working.

Speed, transparency, and certainty became the new currency. Suddenly, intuition and hustle weren’t enough. Clients wanted data, candidates wanted fairness, and everyone wanted results yesterday.

That’s when I stopped resisting change and started building for it. Working with teams who challenged the “black box” of hiring, we asked: what if you could make every step of recruitment visible, rigorous, and—dare I say—more human? That’s how DEX AI and CVFlow were born. These aren’t magic boxes; they’re tools built to give recruiters superpowers, not replace them. We use what’s already out there—public info, platforms like Lusha, Apollo, and ZoomInfo—plus a lot of hard-won judgment. The goal isn’t to automate away the human touch, but to free it up for what matters: understanding people, not just profiles.

Here’s what I’ve learned along the way:

• The parts of your job that are boring, repetitive, or easy to game? Automation is coming for those. But the work that requires trust, curiosity, and real connection? That’s where humans win.

• The best leaders aren’t the ones with all the answers—they’re the ones who keep learning, who aren’t afraid to admit when something doesn’t work, and who build teams that thrive in uncertainty.

• The real edge isn’t in the tech. It’s in how fast you adapt, how honestly you communicate, and whether you can build something people actually want to be part of.

If you’re wondering what’s next for your team or your own career, don’t wait for permission. Start experimenting. Ask the uncomfortable questions. And if you need a translator between the old world and the new, I’m here.

Claire Jin, Principal, DEX AI & Senior Consultant, LYC Partners

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