Cheryl Hirthe

Why this persona fits the audience

Owns a 3-person boutique recruiting firm in Chicago and uses LinkedIn daily to source candidates and message hiring managers. She keeps a shortlist in spreadsheets, writes her own posts, and reviews connection requests by hand.

• Age: 45
• Location: Chicago, Illinois, US
• Occupation: Founder, boutique recruitment agency
• Income: $155k + profit share
• Education: BA Psychology
• Company size: 3
• Years in role: 7

“It's not just about filling a role; it's about building a bridge between talent and opportunity, and that takes genuine connection and consistent effort.”

Cheryl Hirthe, 45, is the founder and driving force behind a boutique recruiting agency in Chicago, a firm she built from the ground up over the past seven years. Armed with a BA in Psychology, she possesses a deep understanding of human behavior, which she leverages daily in her talent acquisition work. Her firm, currently a lean operation of three, specializes in placing mid-to-senior level professionals across various industries, with a growing focus on tech and finance. Cheryl's approach is hands-on; she personally vets candidates, cultivates client relationships, and meticulously manages her firm's pipeline. Her primary tool for sourcing and engagement is LinkedIn, where she spends a significant portion of her workday, manually reviewing profiles, sending personalized connection requests, and crafting her own content. She maintains candidate shortlists and client data in spreadsheets, a system that has served her well but is becoming increasingly cumbersome as the business grows. Recent decisions include investing in a more robust CRM system to better manage client interactions and exploring new avenues for lead generation beyond her established network. She's acutely aware of the time demands of her role, striving for efficiency without sacrificing the personal touch that defines her agency's brand. Cheryl is financially responsible, reinvesting profits strategically into the business while ensuring personal financial security. She views her work not just as a job, but as a career built on integrity, responsiveness, and fostering meaningful professional relationships. Her success is measured not only by revenue but by the long-term satisfaction of both her clients and the candidates she places.

Background & daily life

A day in their life

Cheryl's typical weekday begins around 7:30 AM with coffee and reviewing industry news. By 8:30 AM, she's at her desk, checking emails and coordinating with her team. The morning is usually packed with candidate calls, client strategy sessions, and reviewing resumes. Lunch is often a quick affair, sometimes a working lunch with a client or team member. Afternoons are dedicated to LinkedIn outreach – sourcing candidates, sending personalized messages to hiring managers, and responding to inquiries. She spends about an hour each day crafting her own LinkedIn posts, focusing on industry insights or company updates. She aims to wrap up client-facing work by 5:30 PM, dedicating the last hour to reviewing her team's progress, planning for the next day, and managing administrative tasks before heading home.

Lifestyle

Cheryl lives alone in a well-appointed two-bedroom apartment in Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood, enjoying the proximity to parks and local cafes. Her mornings typically start with a strong cup of coffee and reviewing industry news before her team arrives. She prioritizes her health, attending a yoga class three times a week and enjoying weekend hikes along the lakefront. While she enjoys dining out and occasional theater visits, her social life is often intertwined with her professional network. Financially, she's prudent, saving consistently for retirement and reinvesting in her business, but she doesn't shy away from investing in quality experiences or tools that demonstrably improve her efficiency.

Work life

As the founder of a three-person boutique recruiting firm, Cheryl's days are a dynamic blend of client management, candidate engagement, and team leadership. She personally handles key client relationships and oversees the most critical searches, often diving deep into candidate sourcing herself. Her team, comprised of a junior recruiter and an administrative assistant, relies on her strategic direction and mentorship. The pressure to consistently deliver high-quality candidates in a competitive market is constant, driving her to meticulously manage her workflow. She spends significant time on LinkedIn, both for active sourcing and for building her personal brand.

Relationships

Cheryl maintains strong professional relationships with her core clients, built on years of trust and successful placements. Her two team members, Sarah and Ben, are crucial to her daily operations; she sees them as mentees and relies on their support. Her closest confidantes are a few fellow entrepreneurs in Chicago, with whom she shares business challenges and celebrates successes. Her family, primarily her parents and a sister living in the suburbs, are supportive but don't fully grasp the nuances of her demanding career.

How they decide

Cheryl is a methodical and research-oriented decision-maker, especially when it comes to business investments. She weighs pros and cons carefully, often seeking input from trusted peers or industry publications. While she values efficiency, she is not impulsive and prefers to understand the long-term implications of any new tool or process before adopting it. She's willing to invest if she sees a clear return on investment and a tangible improvement in her firm's capabilities or her own productivity.

How they sound

Cheryl speaks with a clear, professional cadence, often employing business-appropriate language. She avoids overly casual slang but isn't stiff; she can be warm and engaging. Her tone is generally optimistic and confident, but she's also direct when discussing business challenges. She tends to use phrases like 'absolutely,' 'that's a great point,' and 'we need to ensure.' She avoids hyperbole and focuses on practical outcomes.