Adrian Munoz's Linkedin Analytics

This Morning, I Walked in From the Gym… And Got Absolutely Blindsided! My son says, “Happy Birthday, Dad! Oh, and Happy Mario Day!” …Wait. What? 🤨 He says, “Yeah, March 10th… MAR10… Mario Day. You know that, right?” It has taken me 38 years to realize I share a birthday with a mustached plumber who stomps on turtles for a living. If you knew about Mario Day before today and never told me… we are NOT okay. #Level38 #SuperMarioDay #NoWarpZone #BirthdayPowerUp

3 roles in 5 years? If that’s all it takes to screen someone out… You’re FAILING as a hiring manager! Here’s who you just filtered out... 15 years of engineering leadership at Raytheon, Maxar, and 2 A&D startups. Full-stack software. DevOps. Systems engineering experience. At Maxar, their team consistently scored 15% above average in climate surveys. At a startup, they grew engineering from 3 to 15 and didn’t lose a single engineer in 18 months. All in a pre-Series A, high-pressure environment with limited runway. They aligned software delivery with satellite manufacturing timelines. Cut image turnaround from 60 minutes to just over 20. And, built true dream teams—that got results! But, NONE OF THAT MATTERED! Because they had 3 roles in 5 years. And, the dates didn’t “look right.” Never mind 2 roles ended due to funding shortfalls. They still gave 18 months of loyalty, leadership, and impact—to each one. So, here are better questions to ask: What did they build? Who followed them? And, where are they going next? If spotless timelines are your filter… You’re not building a dream team. You’re building a comfort zone and are FAILING. Look deeper. Hire smarter. Because there are diamonds in the rough. If you’re a hiring manager in Colorado looking for an A-player like this... I’m confidentially representing them right now. Send me a message for a warm intro. Because this A player WILL NOT be on the market for long. #aerospace #defense #recruiter #recruiting

A CEO told me something I can’t stop thinking about... “Playing it safe in A&D in 2025 will end your career!” Not a soundbite. Not theory. Just a hard truth based on what they’re dealing with inside a billion-dollar space tech company right now. Here’s what they laid out and it mirrors what I’m hearing from executives across industry: - Sales cycles still built for 18 months, while competitors quote and close in 6 weeks - Leadership teams waiting for budget instead of building ahead - Cultures where decision-making is confused with “alignment” But, the real issue? It’s not systems. It’s mindset. They’re spending more time untraining risk-averse executives than building product. “They don’t need more tools. They need permission to move and the guts to do it.” We landed on this: - Hesitation looks like strategy until the market moves without you - Quoting slow is the same as not quoting at all - The slowest decision-maker is now the liability no one wants to say out loud Speed isn’t a stretch goal anymore. It’s the new cost of survival. So, if you’re leading a team right now... Are you enabling speed or just branding the delay? Because the pressure is already inside the building. From customers. From boards. From your own operators. If you're feeling that same pressure you're not alone. But, you are on the clock... I work with executive teams who are done waiting and ready to move. Feel free to send me a message to explore synergies. #aerospace #defense #recruiting #recruiter

Gen Z is turning down promotions. And, it’s not because they aren’t ready. It’s because they watched what happened to the last one who said, "yes." A&D is bleeding future leaders. Gen Z talent is cleared, capable, mission-driven and are silently opting out of the manager track. Not out of laziness. Out of self-preservation. Because here’s what leadership looks like to them: No training No backup More admin Less impact They’re not saying “I don’t want to lead.” They’re saying: “I watched leadership break someone I respect. Why would I walk into that?” And, that hesitation? It’s not just personal. It’s program-threatening. Delays Burnout Gaps you can’t hire your way out of The leadership pipeline is quietly collapsing. And, if Gen Z doesn’t see a viable path forward? You don’t have a future org. You have a countdown. I broke down how top A&D orgs are fixing this without throwing cash at the problem. (And how you can, too.) #AerospaceLeadership #DefenseTalentCrisis #GenZEngineers #aerospace #recruiter

It’s taking 70–90 days to fill ONE role. That’s not slow. That’s broken. I built a Custom GPT to fix it. It helps hiring managers write better job descriptions. Here’s what they’re saying... - 25%+ more qualified applicants - Stronger interviews - Faster time to hire If you’re tired of the same copy-paste JDs... 👇 Comment “send it” and I’ll DM you the link Let’s make hiring not suck again! PS: It's free! #recruiting #talentacquisition #hiring #aerospace #defense

I thought I was talking to a junior A&D candidate referral. Turns out, she is a Marine veteran, Columbia grad, and director at Jabil. That’s Elizabeth Bordi! She reached out to help her best friend break into an entry level A&D role. “She’s smart, driven, and needs someone to believe in her.” That got my attention... But, as the conversation continued, I quickly realized she is special... - Immigrated from Ukraine at 7 - Raised by a single mom in NYC - Joined the Marine Corps at 18 — Aviation Logistics (6694) - Graduated from Columbia University - Jumped into finance with ViacomCBS - Pulled into Sony Pictures by the CPO Now, she's leading supply chain strategy at Jabil for Fortune 50s like Amazon. If you know me, you know this... I don’t just connect people. I recognize TOP talent. Liz is arguably in the TOP 1%! If she's not in your network... TRUST ME... She SHOULD BE! #VeteranLeadership #WomenInSupplyChain #MarineCorps #AerospaceAndDefense #ProcurementStrategy #Jabil #LeadershipInAction #TopTalent #LinkedInCommunity

On none other than March 14, Pi Day... Crew-10 is on Their Way! Tonight, NASA and SpaceX successfully launched the Crew-10 mission to the International Space Station. It’s a fitting reminder that precision, timing, and trust are the foundation of spaceflight. Behind every mission, there’s more than just rockets and astronauts. There’s math. Launch Trajectories – Pi ensures Falcon 9 reaches orbit with pinpoint accuracy. Orbital Synchronization – Pi keeps Crew-10 perfectly aligned with the ISS at 17,500 mph. Docking & Reentry – Pi helps calculate the safest approach and return path. Tonight’s success is a testament to engineering excellence, teamwork, and the relentless pursuit of discovery. Congratulations to NASA, SpaceX, and everyone who made this mission possible. Now, onward to the ISS. Safe travels, Crew-10! #PiDay #Crew10 #SpaceX #NASA #SpaceExploration

This aerospace company didn’t realize it, but they were burning $1,200 a day… They needed an executive-level engineer Someone to lead a 15-year roadmap from vision to execution. They posted the role. Then, they waited. 30 days passed. One barely qualified “maybe.” No momentum. No real progress. The plan? “Let’s give it another 30 days before we bring in help.” By day 60, they had burned: – Over $70,000 in lost productivity – Their team’s morale and confidence – Two months of momentum And, the seat? Still empty. This is the cost of vacancy. Not just in dollars. But, in missed deadlines, stalled missions, and overwhelmed teams. In A&D, you don’t execute a 15-year roadmap by “hoping” the right person applies. You do it by knowing where to find them. That’s when we were brought in. 31 days later, the role was filled. With the right engineer. Ready to lead. Ready to deliver. They didn’t need more time. They needed a partner who understands the mission and knows exactly where A-players are. Stop burning money. Start building momentum. #Aerospace #Defense #ExecutiveSearch #CostOfVacancy #HiringStrategy #Leadership #TalentAcquisition

After my last post on why companies can’t win the A&D Talent War on pay alone, the backlash was fierce! DMs. Comments. Arguments. Some agreed. Some didn’t. Some came out swinging. Saying recruiters push candidates to move for lateral pay or less. But, like Ali slipping a punch, stepping back and loading up a right hand— Here’s my counter: - Compensation absolutely matters, but it’s just one piece of the bigger picture. - Winning top talent takes more than a paycheck—culture, leadership, and internal opportunities matter just as much. - I will never encourage a lateral move that doesn’t align with fair market value & career growth. And let’s be honest… Some think they’re “top talent.” But their performance reviews say otherwise. So, hiring managers… If you want to attract and keep the best in 2025, build a workplace they don’t want to leave. Now, stay down for the count! Because, when the culture is broken… NO PAYCHECK IS BIG ENOUGH! #TalentWar #Aerospace #Recruiting #Leadership #Retention

Here’s what I heard in February from A&D leaders: “I’m ready to make a move because…” “The promotion isn’t coming.” “Leadership keeps talking about change, but nothing actually happens.” “The workload keeps growing, but composition does not reflect.” Here’s the thing… Gripping the same rope, in the same spot, with no vision of movement… Is how you get stuck in the rat race! And, here are your options: 1) Continue to hold on “hoping” for change 2) Let go If you’re open to having a confidential conversation about your circumstances and possibly what’s next… Feel free to reach out. #Aerospace #Defense #Recruiter #Recruiting

We asked a lot of our kids this year. We moved from NC to SC in the middle of the school year. And honestly, we didn’t know how they’d adjust. But, Alexander didn’t just survive—he thrived! He made Honor Roll for the 3rd quarter. And, he was one of 2 students to receive the Safety and Leadership Award. Named in honor of Lance Corporal Dana Tate (a Navy veteran and fallen deputy who gave his life protecting others). That award means more than grades or test scores. It’s about character. Doing the right thing, even when it’s hard. And, that’s what made us most proud. Alexander, You’re not just growing up. You’re growing into someone this world needs! #ProudParent #Leadership #HonorRoll #NextGeneration #CharacterMatters

Recently, an Aerospace & Defense leader shared the last email you'd ever want to receive... Subject Line: Resignation—Effective Immediately "After careful consideration, I've decided it's best to move on." "I've raised multiple concerns about unfair, inconsistent, and questionable business practices." "Unfortunately, no meaningful action has been taken." Ouch! Losing this key player isn't just costly (think 3-5 times their annual salary)... But, it hits this team's morale, experience, and productivity like a freight train. Ask yourself... How would an unexpected resignation like this impact your team? No one expects perfection. But, your team absolutely expects you to listen, act, and follow through on their feedback. Leadership isn't about getting everything right; it's about doing the right things consistently. When your reputation suffers, recruiting top talent becomes exponentially harder. Fight to protect your culture. Fight to take care of your people. And, watch your organization go from good to GREAT! #aerospace #defense #recruiter #recruiting

Salary wars won’t win top aerospace and defense talent. But, here’s what candidates say actually makes them move... Recently, we confidentially represented a Senior RF Engineer. The company loved them. He was excited about their mission, culture, and future roadmap. Then—a competitor made a move: $20,000 higher salary Sign-on bonus Premium benefits package We reached out to the company... "Can you match?" Silence. Then, reluctantly… "We can't." I had to send the tough email: "Our candidate has decided to move in a different direction." The hiring team was frustrated. "How are we supposed to compete when big companies throw money around?" And, this is where most get it wrong. They think salary is everything. Just like Robin... Robin: "We lost them because we didn’t offer enough money!" Batman: "No—because you didn’t offer enough purpose!" The truth? You can’t outbid deeper pockets. But, you can win talent wars by: Creating clear career paths. Building leadership that actually inspires growth. Fostering a mission-driven culture that money can’t replicate. Because top talent craves more than a paycheck. They want purpose, impact, and a team where they can say: "This is where I belong." Compete on culture. Not just compensation. #Aerospace #Defense #Recruiter #Hiring