The recruiter who said ‘hell no’ to Paraform—until she didn’t
Olga has done it all. From scaling ClassPass to tripling Chief’s headcount, she’s been at the forefront of talent acquisition for some of the most exciting and high-caliber companies out there.
Her career started in agency recruiting before she moved to Goldman Sachs, where she helped recruit for the highest-level technical teams. After navigating the breakneck pace of startups, she eventually landed in crypto.
“I was burnt out. I’d had enough of the logistics, the admin, the constant juggling of emails and interviews. I wanted my life back.”
But stepping away from recruiting isn't that easy.
“When you’ve spent years building a skill set, there’s this sadness in thinking you’re throwing it all away.”
That’s where Paraform came in—a platform that didn’t just reignite her passion for recruiting (and by this, we mean the actual part of recruiting that recruiters love) but gave her the freedom she craved.
How she almost didn't join Paraform
“When I first heard about Paraform, my reaction was hell no! I was in the middle of building a fractional leadership business, and recruiting was the last thing I wanted to touch.”
Then came the LinkedIn message. Sam Kwak reached out, and Olga decided to hear him out.
“Honestly, I wasn’t sure about it at first,” she admits.
“But once I started looking into it, I realized how much easier it made everything. Once it clicked, I realized all I had to do was build the best sourcing strategy, submit top candidates, and let the law of numbers do its thing. With all the admin and grunt work taken off my plate, I completely transitioned to Paraform full-time. Why wouldn’t I? I don’t need a CRM or a list of every candidate I’ve ever spoken to—if I’m not submitting someone, they don’t belong in my talent pool anyway.”
Why Olga thinks Paraform kicks butt
1. It cuts the noise so she can focus on excellence
Recruiting is a high-pressure space, where the mental load of managing candidates, clients, and logistics can feel overwhelming. Paraform eliminated all the clutter.
“The logistics of recruiting are what burn you out—scheduling interviews, chasing hiring managers, negotiating offers. With Paraform, all of that disappears. All I have to focus on is getting the top 3% of candidates, closing them, and submitting them. That’s it. And honestly, that’s what I’m great at.”
2. It brings her sixth sense to the surface
Olga’s career journey—from agency work to startups to crypto—has given her a sixth sense for spotting what companies truly need.
“When I read a role description, I know exactly what they’re looking for. I know the type of candidate who will thrive there and the type who will flounder. That’s the bar I set for myself with every submission.”
Her background has honed her instincts in ways that most recruiters don’t get to experience.
“At Goldman Sachs, I recruited for the strats team—the same teams that hedge funds poach from. At Chief, we only hired from Ivy League or top 30 schools. I’ve worked in companies where the talent bar is insanely high, and I’ve carried that standard with me ever since.”
And although she's only been on Paraform for a little over a month, she's already made a placement at Ply Health for a Founding Engineer role.
3. It frees her time (and mind)
“I used to think of recruiting like having a million balls in the air. If you drop one, the whole thing falls apart. Now, everything is in the system. I see exactly where everything is, and I don’t have to worry about admin anymore.”
Recruiting is notorious for mental overload, but Paraform has flipped the script.
“Yesterday, I decided not to check my email. At all. And I had zero anxiety about it. That’s unheard of in this industry.”
4. Business development? Who is she?
For someone who’s run her own agency, the ease of finding clients on Paraform has been a relief.
“I don’t even think about business development anymore. Clients come to me, not the other way around. It feels almost too good to be true. And they’re companies I actually want to work with—startups with high-caliber needs."
5. Efficiency
Olga describes herself as “obsessed with operational efficiency,” and Paraform fits right into that groove.
“It’s like having a well-oiled machine doing all the heavy lifting for you. No CRM, no juggling spreadsheets.”
Advice for other recruiters
For recruiters considering Paraform, Olga has one piece of advice: get clear on what you want.
“If you’re like me—someone who loves the craft of recruiting but hates the grind of running a business—this is perfect.”
Paraform has given Olga what she calls “operational freedom.”
“If you’re burnt out from in-house recruiting or you don’t want the headache of running your own agency, Paraform is the perfect middle ground. You get to flex your skills, make an impact, and live life on your terms. I can’t imagine going back to the old way of working.”
What I realized from speaking with Olga is this: she’s found a way to make everyone else wonder why they’re still doing it the hard way.
Ready to start recruiting and earning?
Apply to join Paraform today!