Susan Crossett Interviewed by Syracuse.com to Speak on Leadership and the State of Recruiting
Following Sapphire Recruitment’s recognition as a 2026 CenterState CEO Business of the Year for Community Involvement, Susan Crossett spoke with Syracuse.com to share her perspective on leadership, talent recruitment, and the region’s next wave of development.
Earlier this month, our CEO, Susan Crossett, sat down with Syracuse.com to discuss leadership, the future of recruiting, and the opportunities emerging across Central New York.
The conversation highlighted many of the values that guide our team every day: trust, relationships, community involvement, and a commitment to helping people and businesses succeed.Â
Key Insights
Leadership Shaped by Experience
Susan’s path to CEO has been shaped by a diverse professional background and a desire to make a meaningful impact.
Susan’s career began like that of many young women, with a retail job at the local mall, followed by her first professional role as a recruiter with a staffing firm. She continued to build her leadership experience through positions in government, lobbying, consulting, and corporate leadership at National Grid before returning to the staffing industry in an executive capacity.
By the time Susan joined Sapphire Recruitment, she brought decades of experience leading organizations, building high-performing teams, navigating complex business environments, and developing strategies tailored to the needs of clients and communities. At Sapphire, she has applied that broad leadership background to expand customized recruiting solutions across engineering, information technology, supply chain, sales and marketing, accounting and finance, administrative support, manufacturing, customer service, and healthcare.
Today, Susan leads with a philosophy rooted in trust, accountability, and empowerment. By creating an environment where people are supported and encouraged to succeed, she has helped shape a culture that values collaboration, growth, and long-term relationships.
That approach influences everything we do, from serving our clients to helping candidates take the next step in their careers.
Recruiting in the Age of AI
As artificial intelligence continues to become part of the recruiting conversation, we remain focused on what has always been at the heart of successful hiring: people.
Technology can support efficiency and provide valuable insights, but meaningful recruiting requires human connection. Understanding a candidate’s goals, recognizing potential, evaluating culture fit, and building trust cannot be accomplished through automation alone.
We believe great recruiting begins with conversations. It requires listening, understanding, and building relationships that help both employers and candidates make confident decisions.
While the tools used in our industry will continue to evolve, our commitment to a people-first approach remains unchanged.
Purpose in Practice
That same philosophy extends beyond recruiting.
We believe strong businesses have a responsibility to strengthen the communities they serve. By helping organizations build great teams and supporting professionals throughout their careers, we have the opportunity to create a positive impact that reaches far beyond a single placement.
Last year, Susan shared similar insights during her appearance on the Cultivate CNY podcast, where she discussed leading with purpose and building an organization grounded in meaningful relationships.
More recently, those efforts were recognized when Sapphire Recruitment received CenterState CEO‘s Business of the Year Award for Community Involvement.
While we are honored by the recognition, we view it as a reflection of something larger: a commitment to investing in people, supporting our community, and building lasting relationships that create opportunities for growth and success.
As our region continues to evolve, those principles will remain at the heart of everything we do.
More Than 35 Years of Dedication to Clients & Candidates
At Sapphire Recruitment, partnership is our foundation. Our clients’ stories show the trust, expertise, and impact we bring to every opportunity.
