The Recruitment Show with Lewis Maleh

Most professionals believe promotions are earned through performance alone.

In reality, career progression is influenced by a combination of performance, potential, visibility, relationships, and leadership capability.

In this episode of Espresso with Lewis, Lewis Maleh sits down with Kelly McGinnis, President of Business Operations at Thermo Fisher Scientific, to explore what separates those who continue to advance from those who remain stuck despite delivering strong results.

They discuss:

• Why performance alone doesn't guarantee promotion
• What leaders look for when identifying future executives
• The importance of peer relationships and internal networks
• How to demonstrate leadership before you have the title
• Career ownership and professional growth
• Workplace complacency and staying relevant
• AI adoption and the future of work
• The widening gap between professionals who adapt and those who don't

A practical conversation on leadership, career progression, talent development, and what it really takes to succeed in today's workplace.

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Connect with Kelly: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellyamcginnis

Connect with me: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lmaleh

Learn more: https://bentleylewis.com

Most people assume the original career plan they started with will eventually work out.

But industries change. Technology changes. Markets change. And many professionals are realising the path they planned for no longer looks the same.

In this episode I talk about career reinvention, adapting early, and why the people moving forward right now are often the ones willing to rethink their direction before they are forced to.

I discuss:
• Why career plans stop working
• AI, uncertainty and changing industries
• The importance of adapting early
• Rebuilding momentum during career transitions
• Why visibility and relationships matter more than ever
• The danger of waiting too long to change direction
• How professionals can position themselves for future opportunities

A conversation about careers, reinvention, adaptability and navigating uncertainty in a rapidly changing world.

🎙️ Espresso with Lewis — practical leadership insights, no fluff.

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Connect with me: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lmaleh

Learn more: https://bentleylewis.com

Most people approach interviews the wrong way.

They focus on getting the offer, not understanding whether they should actually join the company.

In this episode, Lewis Maleh shares a different perspective on long interview processes, candidate experience, and why meeting more people before accepting a role may actually reduce career risk.

Lewis discusses:

• Why interview processes frustrate candidates
• The real issue with long hiring processes
• Why communication matters more than the number of stages
• The hidden risks of joining the wrong company
• Why senior professionals should meet more people before accepting an offer
• The danger of relying on one sponsor inside an organisation
• Why candidates should interview companies too
• How relationships and culture shape career success long after the offer is signed

A conversation about hiring, leadership, career decisions, and the risks most professionals overlook when changing jobs.

🎙️ Espresso with Lewis — practical leadership insights, no fluff.

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Connect with me: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lmaleh

Learn more: https://bentleylewis.com

AI is changing work faster than most people realise.

In this episode, Lewis Maleh sits down with Matt Ober, Managing Partner at Social Leverage, to explore what happens when AI stops being a tool and starts becoming part of the workforce itself.

From token costs replacing salary discussions to the rise of one-person billion-dollar companies, this conversation looks at how AI is reshaping hiring, business models, SaaS, venture capital, and the future of professional work.

They discuss:

• Why AI “tokens” may become a major line item on company P&Ls
• Jensen Huang’s comments on engineers and compute costs
• Whether companies are truly saving money with AI agents
• The coming disruption to SaaS pricing models
• The rise of the “superworker” and one-person firms
• Voice AI, recruiting automation, and AI-powered interviews
• Why human relationships and trust still matter in leadership and hiring
• The skills professionals need to stay relevant in the AI era

A wide-ranging conversation on technology, leadership, hiring, and where work may be heading next.

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🌍 About Bentley Lewis

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Only 24% of people globally feel confident they have the skills needed for career advancement.

In this episode I explore how AI is changing hiring, why many candidates are being filtered out before reaching a human, and what people need to do differently to stay visible and competitive in the modern job market.

I break down the new reality of career growth, networking, LinkedIn visibility, AI-driven recruitment, and why simply being qualified is no longer enough.

This episode covers:

• Why AI is changing how people get discovered for jobs
• The hidden reason many qualified candidates never get interviews
• How recruiters and hiring managers actually search for talent today
• Why networking and visibility matter more than ever
• The biggest mistakes people make when trying to change careers
• How to position yourself for leadership opportunities
• Why staying informed is now a career advantage
• The difference between authentic networking and transactional networking

The workplace is changing faster than most people realise.

The people who adapt early will have a major advantage.

🎙️ Espresso with Lewis — practical leadership insights, no fluff.

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Connect with me: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lmaleh

Learn more: https://bentleylewis.com

Gallup’s latest workplace report found that only 20% of employees globally feel engaged at work.

In this episode I explore what’s really driving workplace disengagement, why so many professionals feel disconnected from their jobs, and how AI, uncertainty, burnout, and career stagnation are reshaping the modern workforce.

This isn’t just about productivity. It’s about meaning, motivation, leadership, and what happens when people quietly stop believing in the work they do.

I also shares what he’s hearing directly from senior professionals across the market, why disengagement is becoming one of the biggest hidden risks in business, and what both employees and leaders need to think about moving forward.

Topics covered:
• Employee disengagement
• Burnout and career stagnation
• AI and the future of work
• Leadership and workplace culture
• Career growth and motivation
• Hiring and talent trends
• The hidden cost of people checking out at work

🎙️ Espresso with Lewis — practical leadership insights, no fluff.

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Connect with me: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lmaleh

Learn more: https://bentleylewis.com

Are you rejecting your best hire without realising it?

In this episode, I break down one of the most common hiring mistakes: using the CV as a decision, instead of a filter.

Most candidates don’t tick every box on paper. But the best hires rarely do.

I share how top hiring managers think differently — looking beyond keywords, brand names, and job descriptions to find real potential.

In this episode:

• Why CVs are often used as a rejection tool
• The “missing keyword” problem
• Why ex-Google doesn’t mean what you think
• The human traits that actually predict performance
• Why your hiring issue might be a thinking problem, not a talent problem

If you’re hiring right now, or planning to, this will change how you evaluate candidates.

🎙️ Espresso with Lewis — practical leadership insights, no fluff.

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Connect with Lewis: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lmaleh

Learn more: https://bentleylewis.com

Mark Zuckerberg is building an AI avatar of himself — voice synced, visually cloned, and designed to attend one-on-one meetings on his behalf.

But should leaders ever outsource their presence?

In this episode, Lewis Maleh shares his perspective on the rise of AI leadership avatars, the risks of using AI to replace difficult conversations, and why human connection still matters more than ever in leadership.

Lewis explores where AI genuinely helps CEOs become better leaders — from agents, analysis, and decision support — and where it becomes a dangerous leadership shortcut.

Topics covered:
• Why AI avatars could become a leadership trap
• The real danger of outsourcing difficult conversations
• Why the best leaders still show up in person
• How AI agents can act like a “co-CEO”
• Where Lewis uses Claude and AI tools inside Bentley Lewis
• Why human trust still wins in executive leadership

If you're leading teams, building a company, or navigating AI transformation, this episode is worth your time.

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Connect with Lewis: linkedin.com/in/lmaleh

Learn more: bentleylewis.com

Sixteen years ago, Lewis Maleh started Bentley Lewis alone—winning clients himself, doing his own admin, and building the business one decision at a time.

Today, Bentley Lewis operates globally across three regions with a fully remote team spanning multiple continents.

In this episode, Lewis reflects on what it actually takes to build and lead a business over the long term: resilience, mindset, leadership, reinvention, and learning how to move from “I” to “we.”

From the Roger Federer 54% statistic to AI transformation, remote leadership, boutique firm strategy, and staying emotionally steady through uncertainty—this is a candid conversation about what survives after 16 years.

We cover:

• From sole trader to global executive search firm
• Why mindset matters more than strategy
• Leadership lessons from sport, failure, and long-term resilience
• Why Bentley Lewis went fully remote
• How AI is changing executive search
• Why boutique firms are beating bigger competitors
• Advice for leaders feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or behind

This episode is for founders, leaders, and anyone trying to build something that lasts.

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Connect with Lewis: linkedin.com/in/lmaleh

Learn more: bentleylewis.com

Most senior leaders think the job market is a meritocracy. Apply, interview, get hired. At the executive level, that's not how it works.

80% of searches are never advertised. You won't see them posted. The only way in is to already be known — by the right people, at the right firms, before the role even exists.

In this episode, Lewis Maleh — Founder and CEO of Bentley Lewis — shares exactly how executive search works from the inside. How headhunters build their lists, what gets you on them, and the practical steps that put you in front of the right people long before you're looking.

In this episode:

• How retained executive search actually works
• How to network with headhunters before you need them
• LinkedIn optimisation for AI-powered sourcing
• What search firms are really assessing on the screening call
• Why the questions you ask matter more than your career story

Bentley Lewis is a global boutique executive search firm.

Subscribe for weekly insights on leadership, hiring, and the future of work.

Connect with Lewis: linkedin.com/in/lmaleh

Learn more: bentleylewis.com