Jonathan Halvorson

Why this persona fits the audience

He runs an independent recruiting consultancy in Chicago with one assistant, using AI-generated headshots, employer-brand images, and short hiring videos for clients while keeping most planning in spreadsheets.

• Age: 44
• Location: Chicago, IL, US
• Occupation: recruiting consultant
• Income: $85k-$130k
• Education: BA in Communications
• Company size: sole proprietorship with one part-time assistant
• Years in role: 8

“I didn’t get into recruiting to be a creative director, but if I’m going to help companies hire, I have to make them look good. Even if it means spending way too many hours in Canva.”

Jonathan Halvorson cut his teeth in corporate recruiting, working his way up to talent acquisition manager at a Chicago-based tech firm. By 2016, he was ready to strike out on his own, frustrated by corporate red tape and eager to build something with his name on it. His consultancy, Halvorson Talent, started as a side hustle but quickly became his full-time focus. What he didn’t anticipate was how much creative work would fall on him—a reality that became painfully clear when clients started demanding 'more visual' hiring content. Jonathan’s solution was to embrace AI tools, using them to generate professional-looking headshots and employer-brand images without hiring a design team. He’s still figuring out the balance between efficiency and authenticity, and his spreadsheets are a testament to both his need for control and his deep-seated fear of losing track of something critical. Recently, he made the (painful) decision to raise his rates after years of underpricing his services—a move that’s helped stabilize his cash flow but left him second-guessing whether he’s now too expensive for his ideal clients. His biggest professional fear isn’t failing, but becoming irrelevant in an industry that’s rapidly changing. That’s why he’s always testing new tools, even if most of them end up abandoned in his apps folder after a week. Privately, he’s jealous of the solo recruiters who’ve built ‘personal brands’ with flashy content, but he knows that’s not his style. His superpower is making companies look good without making a fuss, and if that means spending his evenings tweaking hiring videos, so be it. He’s in the market for better tools, but only if they can deliver consistent results without adding complexity to his already full plate.

Background & daily life

A day in their life

Jonathan’s alarm goes off at 5:30 a.m., and after his workout, he’s at his desk by 7:30, already checking email. He spends the first hour responding to client messages—someone’s headshots need tweaks, another wants to adjust a hiring video script. By 9 a.m., he’s knee-deep in sourcing for a critical role, toggling between LinkedIn and his handcrafted spreadsheet system. Lunch is a protein bar and a craft beer (yes, at 11 a.m. sometimes) while he listens to a recruiting podcast. Afternoons are for creative work—editing a short video explaining a company’s culture, or tweaking AI-generated headshots in Photoshop. He ends most days with an hour of LinkedIn networking, sending personalized connection requests to potential clients or candidates. If he’s honest, he’d admit he stays at his desk too late, watching old Bears games while half-heartedly organizing his inbox.

Lifestyle

Jonathan lives in a well-kept but unpretentious Wicker Park condo, where he works from a cluttered home office with two monitors, a standing desk, and a perpetual stash of Midwest-style lagers in the fridge. He keeps a disciplined workout routine—6 a.m. CrossFit classes three times a week, long weekend runs along the lakefront—and compensates for the rest of his sedentary habits with guilt-free pizza nights. His social life revolves around a tight-knit group of former coworkers and a recreational kickball league. Money is never tight, but he’s still stingy with business expenses, always justifying a potential tool purchase by asking, 'Can I get 80% of the value for free?'

Work life

Jonathan’s consultancy is a lean operation: him, a part-time assistant named Priya who handles admin, and a network of freelance sourcers. His days are a mix of client calls, LinkedIn outreach, and content creation—crafting job postings, tweaking headshots in Canva, and editing short hiring videos. He’s mastered the art of appearing polished with minimal effort, using lightly customized AI-generated visuals to make small companies look like they have in-house design teams. His biggest pain point is the constant juggling between creative tasks and operational ones, especially when clients demand faster turnarounds. He’s wary of adopting new tools, having wasted hours on overly complex platforms in the past.

Relationships

Jonathan’s parents retired to Florida and call weekly to check in, though he’s always deflecting their subtle hints about settling down. His sister, a teacher in Madison, is his go-to for life advice, even if he rarely takes it. His closest friends are fellow recruiters or ex-colleagues from his corporate days, people who understand the grind. He’s quietly competitive with a few other solo consultants he follows on LinkedIn, always noting when they land bigger clients. His one vulnerability is that he leans too hard on a handful of trusted vendors—he’s still using the same copywriter he found in 2018 because changing would feel like betrayal.

How they decide

Methodical but prone to analysis paralysis on big purchases, particularly tech. He’ll spend hours testing free trials but then procrastinate on committing to a paid plan. Trusts personal recommendations over marketing, and if a tool isn’t immediately intuitive, he’ll ditch it fast. Once he’s satisfied with a solution, he’s loyal to a fault—even when better alternatives exist.

How they sound

Speaks in measured, professional tones but laces conversations with dry Midwest humor. Avoids jargon in favor of plain language, though he’ll drop occasional recruiting-specific terms without explanation. Often uses phrases like 'real talk' or 'let’s get after it' when rallying himself or others. Pauses thoughtfully before answering big questions, weighing his words. Doesn’t swear in professional settings but lets loose with his kickball buddies. Hates corporate buzzwords and will mock them in private with his peers.