Finding the candidate is only part of it.
Knowing why they'll move, which searches are actually winnable, and what you have to do to land them — that's where nearly three decades of recruiting matters. Great Bay is led personally by Brian Hughes and backed by 550+ independent recruiting firms across NPAworldwide. One accountable recruiter. Reach when the search needs it.
Brian Hughes
FOUNDER · GREAT BAY STAFFING
Detailed questions, resume submissions, or role specs — Brian@GreatBayStaffing.com
Or call the office and ask for Brian — (603) 207-3323
Recruiting got handed to the algorithms. Everyone's losing.
The black hole
Keyword matching isn't screening — it's sorting. ATS filters reject good people on a missing word, not a bad fit. The hires you're missing need judgment, not a match.
One desk
Most agencies put a single recruiter on your role. One rolodex, one person's bandwidth, one set of blind spots — then a 20–30% bill when it finally works.
AI everything
Chatbots don't know your culture or your business. The new platforms swap human judgment for automation, and no one's accountable for who you end up hiring.
The open-role tax
Every month a key seat sits empty costs more in lost output than the whole fee. Yet hiring still drags past 90 days while the role bleeds.
Most searches don't fail on sourcing.
They fail because the comp was wrong, the process was too slow, the profile changed mid-search, or nobody could articulate why a happy, employed professional would leave a job they like. After nearly 30 years, I can usually see that in the first twenty minutes. I'll tell you before you spend three months finding out.
The market read, before you commit
Whether the role is fillable at that comp, in that location, on that timeline. Sometimes the answer is no, and you should hear it from me on day one, not in week ten.
A reason to move, in writing
Every search starts by answering one question: why would a good one leave? If we can't answer it, we fix the offer before we go to market. In healthcare, that's the whole ballgame.
Network depth on the hard ones
Niche role, unfamiliar market? We activate the NPAworldwide firms who already work it. You still deal with one person: me.
I'd rather work three of your searches than thirty.
Candidate generation is the scarce resource in this market. Spreading it across a job board's worth of open reqs helps nobody.
I'll tell you honestly if a search isn't worth working — because the comp is below market, because six agencies are already on it, because the process moves too slowly to hold a good candidate, or because there's no real reason for someone to leave.
That's not me being difficult. It's me not taking your money for a search neither of us can win.
No mystery. No fine print.
Brian on every call
You get a recruiter working since 1997 as your single point of contact — not a junior handed your file. Every candidate, every update, every close.
Weekly calibration
A status call or email so you always know where the search stands, what the market's saying, and what to adjust. Zero surprises.
Full NPA network access
550+ independent firms across six continents working your role in parallel. You pay one firm and get the reach of the whole network.
Candidate prep packet
Each shortlisted candidate comes with context — strengths, stretch areas, and why they're worth your time to interview.
AI-accelerated
AI does the mundane work. Brian does the human work. More ground covered, faster, without losing the judgment that matters.
100-day prorated guarantee
If a hire leaves or is let go for cause within 100 days, we credit 1% of the fee per day remaining. You pay for days worked.
Hand us the search. We bring you the hire.
Every engagement starts with a 20-minute call — no cost, no obligation. We pressure-test your role, give you a straight read on the market, and tell you honestly whether we're the right fit. If we are, here's what happens next.
Intake + calibration
Understand the role. A full working session with Brian. We pressure-test the spec, the comp range, the culture, and what a great hire actually looks like — beyond the bullet points.
What I'll ask you on the first call
- Why would a good one leave their current job for this one?
- Who actually signs off — and have they agreed to this comp?
- What happened with the last three candidates you saw?
- What would make you pass on someone who meets every requirement?
- If I send you someone excellent Tuesday, can you move?
- How many other firms are working this?
If those are uncomfortable, that's usually the finding.
Source + screen
Work the market. Your role goes live across Great Bay's pipeline, the NPA network, and targeted outbound. AI handles the grind; Brian makes every call on who's worth your time. Every candidate has talked to a real recruiter — no chatbot screens.
Close + onboard
Get them signed. Offer negotiation, reference checks, counter-offer defense, and first-100-day support. Most searches close inside six weeks. We stay engaged until your hire is fully seated.
Hundreds of placements. A few words on each.
If you need great candidates to fill an important role yesterday, Brian is your guy. For years he's been our go-to — the consummate professional who comes through every time.
— Massachusetts · EmployerBrian found me a great job in record time. He didn't just get me the interview — he prepared me for it, and called on a Saturday to tell me I got the offer.
— Connecticut · CandidateI reached out on a Friday evening. He contacted the hiring authority that night — by Monday I had a breakfast interview with the VP. I'm now in a great role.
— Connecticut · CandidateTheir personal devotion and ability to match skills to needs surpass all expectations. I recommend Brian to anyone who wants a recruiter who takes it to the next level.
— Connecticut · EmployerWith a fast-growing company we add staff constantly. Brian has been there every time. He learns our culture and asks the right questions to get the right people.
— New Hampshire · EmployerThe level of attention and quality is something I haven't seen from any other firm I've used. Exceptional recruiters, plain and simple.
— Vermont · EmployerThe job boards aren't working. Here's why.
The black hole
You apply and hear nothing. ATS filters sort by keyword — not by whether you'd actually be great in the role.
Ghost recruiters
Someone calls once, submits your resume somewhere, then vanishes. No prep, no update, no accountability.
Spray and pray
Most staffing firms blast your resume to every open job they have. You find out after the fact — if at all.
One-size offers
Nobody's defending your comp. The offer comes in and it is what it is. A good recruiter changes that.
Looking? You talk to a person — not a job board.
Actively searching or just open to the right opportunity — either way, you deal directly with an experienced recruiter. Great Bay works with professionals across healthcare and manufacturing — from clinical and hands-on production roles through engineering, leadership, and highly specialized positions.
Roles you won't find posted
A lot of the best opportunities never hit a job board. They move through relationships, industry networks, and direct conversations.
A confidential search
Looking quietly while you're still employed? Your name goes nowhere without your say-so.
Prepped, not just submitted
Real interview prep, an honest read on comp, and someone in your corner defending the offer.
No black hole, no ghosting
You talk to Brian, and you hear back — even when the answer is no.
I'll tell you not to take it
If a move doesn't clearly improve your situation, I'll say so — even though I only get paid when you take the job. A placement that unravels in four months is worse for me than one that never happened.
Three steps. No runaround.
You reach out once. Brian takes it from there — confidentially, honestly, and without wasting your time.
Reach out
Send a note or your resume. Email Brian directly or hit 'Send your resume' below. No portal, no form, no bot.
A straight conversation
Brian calls you. One call to understand where you are, what you actually want, and whether there's a fit worth exploring. Confidential by default.
Presented right
We go to work for you. If there's a match, Brian presents you properly — with context, not just a resume blast. He preps you for every interview and stays in your corner through the offer.
Straight talk on hiring and getting hired.
Notes from a career on the phone with employers and candidates since 1997. New posts go up on the Great Bay blog.
Twenty minutes on the phone.
Hiring or looking — same deal. No pitch, no pressure. Brian picks up, gives you a straight read, and tells you honestly whether there's a fit.