Alex Putman

Alex Putman

Head of Talent Acquisition - Price Industries

For Alex Putman, a career in recruiting began with a single resume and a bit of curiosity.

Fresh out of college, Alex was mailing paper resumes to companies he thought might be interesting places to work. As he worked through his stack of applications, one company remained unfamiliar.

“I had one resume left and thought, ‘Why not?’”

That company turned out to be a recruiting firm.

At the time, Alex knew very little about the profession. Recruiting was not a career path that had ever crossed his mind. But after learning more about the industry and speaking with professionals who explained the impact recruiters can have on both businesses and careers, he decided to give it a shot.

The decision would shape the next several decades of his professional life.

Since then, Alex has worked across nearly every corner of the talent acquisition landscape—from agency recruiting and corporate recruiting to startups, talent leadership, and even running his own business.

What has remained constant throughout each chapter is his passion for building relationships.

“That's where my natural personality gravitates.”

Many of the candidates, hiring managers, and colleagues he worked with early in his career remain close connections today.

For Alex, recruiting has never been about transactions. It has always been about people.

Learning From Great Leaders

When reflecting on the mentors who helped shape his career, Alex points to several individuals who invested in his growth at critical moments.

One of the most influential was Steven Childs, a former recruiting colleague who eventually became a senior HR leader.

The two began their careers working side-by-side as recruiters before Steven helped Alex transition into a corporate recruiting role at Panasonic.

That move proved to be a pivotal moment in Alex’s career, expanding his perspective beyond agency recruiting and exposing him to a broader business environment.

Alex also credits early agency leaders like Jeff DiPiro, Wayne Voris, and Kim Davis for helping him develop the foundational skills that would serve him throughout his career.

As his career progressed, he found himself learning from leaders beyond talent acquisition as well.

One particularly impactful experience came while working for Case-Mate, then a growing startup company.

Founder Shashi Reddy gave Alex something many recruiting leaders rarely receive: complete freedom to build.

Starting with little more than a spreadsheet of open positions, Alex was empowered to create recruiting processes, career marketing content, and employer branding initiatives from scratch.

That experience fundamentally changed how he viewed talent acquisition.

“It wasn't just recruiting anymore. It became marketing, sales, and business strategy.”

Recruiting Is a Business Function

One of the biggest lessons Alex learned throughout his career is that talent acquisition must be viewed as a true business function rather than a transactional service.

Early in his career, recruiting often felt focused on filling jobs and processing resumes.

Over time, he realized that great recruiting requires a much deeper understanding of the business itself.

The most successful recruiters learn how organizations operate, understand the challenges leaders face, and position opportunities in ways that resonate with candidates.

For Alex, recruiting is fundamentally about helping people make meaningful career decisions.

The job itself may be similar from one company to another.

What truly matters is helping candidates understand why a particular organization, culture, leadership team, or mission creates a compelling opportunity.

“My job is to show you why you should leave here and come over here.”

That mindset led Alex to embrace employer branding long before it became a common industry term.

Years before employer branding became a formal discipline, he was creating videos, showcasing company culture, and helping candidates understand what it would actually feel like to work inside an organization.

Relationships Remain the Foundation

Throughout decades of change in recruiting, one thing has remained constant in Alex’s view: relationships matter most.

Technology has evolved dramatically, from paper resumes and fax machines to applicant tracking systems, sourcing platforms, and artificial intelligence.

But none of those innovations have replaced the need for authentic human connection.

The strongest recruiters build trust.

They understand people.

They listen.

And they remain connected long after a hire is made.

Looking ahead, Alex believes the future of talent acquisition will continue to blend technology with relationship-building.

Tools may become more sophisticated, processes may become more automated, and sourcing may become more efficient.

But the recruiters who create lasting impact will be the ones who understand that recruiting is ultimately about people helping people.

By combining business acumen, entrepreneurial thinking, and a relentless focus on relationships, Alex Putman has built a career that demonstrates why great talent acquisition leaders are far more than recruiters—they are business partners, marketers, advisors, and trusted guides throughout the hiring journey.