A letter from Joe: How trust is actually built

This year, Shaker turns 75.

Milestones like this invite reflection. But when I think about what has actually sustained a family-owned business for three quarters of a century, I don’t think first about the big wins, the launches, or the defining pivots. I think about daily moments. A prompt reply. An honest answer. A teammate stepping in before being asked. A client conversation where we say what needs to be said, not just what’s easy to hear.

That’s where trust is actually built.

We’re in a moment shaped by AI acceleration, economic uncertainty, talent pressure, and a complex technology landscape. Talent leaders are being asked to do more with less, prove ROI faster, strengthen employer brand, and create better candidate and employee experiences, all while the ground keeps moving beneath them.

Since my grandfather started this business in 1951, we’ve seen wave after wave of change. Every era, from print to digital to programmatic to AI, has brought new tools, new acronyms, and new promises. But the fundamentals have held. People still want clarity. They still want partnership. They still want to know that the person across the table or on the video call will tell the truth, follow through, help them make sense of it all, and lead with confidence. Those are the moments that really matter.

Those moments remind me of a healthcare client we’ve partnered with for more than twelve years.

From the very beginning, our intention with every client relationship is the same: to build a partnership grounded in trust, transparency, and shared accountability, especially in environments where the stakes are high and the margin for error is small.

For example, in healthcare, where hiring decisions directly affect patient care, trust is essential from the start. When this organization came to us, they were navigating complex workforce challenges across critical roles, alongside constant change, flat budgets, and heightened pressure to deliver.

Rather than approaching the work as a series of disconnected initiatives, we committed to understanding the full picture: how talent strategy, employer brand, leadership priorities, and care delivery all intersect. That commitment allowed us to move beyond reactive hiring and toward a more intentional, employer brand–led approach designed to adapt, scale, and perform over time. Over the last five years, that work has helped drive a 20–25% increase in external candidate applications year over year.

I’m proud of those results, but what I’m most proud of is the trust we’ve earned and built together. In today’s landscape, it’s increasingly rare for an organization to work with an agency for more than a decade. That longevity is the result of consistently showing up through moments of growth and moments of pressure. As our client leader puts it, it’s not just the results that have defined our work together; it’s the quality of the partnership itself, and the trust that has allowed both of our teams to grow alongside each other.
That’s the part of this business I value most. Relationships built for the long term. Innovation with integrity. Creative, strategy, and technology working together. The right message, the right activation, the right conversion. That combination matters, but it only works when the relationship underneath it is strong.

Longevity gives you perspective. And with that perspective also comes responsibility.

Responsibility to stay curious without chasing every headline. Responsibility to bring a steady hand in times of change. Responsibility to tell the truth, especially when the truth is inconvenient. And responsibility to instill trust in our clients by helping them navigate uncertainty—thoughtfully, practically, and grounded in what will create lasting value.

That’s the mindset shift I’d offer any leader right now: before you start implementing a new strategy or technology, ask whether your people, your partners, and your candidates will trust what it delivers.

Because in the end, the tools will keep changing. Markets will shift. Expectations will rise. But trust—earned over time, reinforced daily, and proven when it matters most—will always be what lasts.

And after 75 years, I can tell you: that’s still a very good way to build a business.

In gratitude,
Joe Shaker Jr.
President & CEO, Shaker Recruitment Marketing

As we reflect on 75 years of Shaker, we’re sharing more stories, perspectives, and moments that have shaped who we are today. Explore the Shaker 75 collection here.