#60- From Athletic Director to Top Biller with LinkedIn Branding with Ben Cottingham

Episode Summary

In this episode of The Digital Recruiter Podcast, we sit down with Ben Cottingham, Search Practice Lead at FireSeeds, to dive deep into his journey from high school athletic director to a top-performing recruiter in the AEC (Architecture, Engineering, and Construction) industry. Ben shares his unique career transition story, the lessons he learned from early failures, and how he mastered relationship-driven recruiting.

We explore the power of honesty in the hiring process, why retained search is "bought, not sold," and how Ben has leveraged LinkedIn and strategic content to build a thriving pipeline of clients and candidates. He also discusses the biggest hiring mistakes AEC companies make, why culture fit is more important than ever, and how recruiters can truly add value beyond filling roles. Along the way, he worked with The Digital Recruiter in leveling up that brand, further refining his approach to executive search.

This episode is packed with insights for recruiters, hiring managers, and AEC industry leaders who want to attract the best talent, build stronger client relationships, and rethink how they approach hiring. If you’re looking for a fresh take on executive search, this is a must-listen!

Ben’s Bio

Ben Cottingham fell into search almost by accident. He has a deep passion for helping organizations grow while making an exponential impact on improving people's lives.

He began his career in urban education, serving as a high school Athletic Director, Assistant Principal, Teacher, and Coach. During that time, he was exposed to several capital projects for the athletic program, which sparked his interest in the AEC industry. From heavy civil contractors and concrete contractors to civil engineering design teams, he noticed they all faced the same challenge—they struggled to find experienced leaders who not only fit their culture but also had strong technical backgrounds.

Today, he is focused on solving that problem. He partners with values-driven AEC companies to help them find top-tier talent and works with AEC professionals to guide them toward their next opportunity.

In his role, he leads within the AEC practice, developing long-term partnerships and leveraging a world-class network to connect companies with the top 1% of industry leaders.

You can find Ben on LinkedIn

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