Episode 73: Sean DeDeyn of The Axel Group

In this episode, Christian sits down with Sean DeDeyn, co-founder of The Axel Group, a full-service staffing and recruiting firm for the AEC industry. Christian and Sean discuss his “Anything but Typical” approach to finding the right talent for the job. He shares how he built a business rooted in asking the right questions, culture-first placements, and speed. Sean also unpacks his theory that company culture starts in the lobby and some interviews can fail before they even begin. Regardless of your industry, if you're hiring, looking to be hired, or just tired of hearing the same old recruiting advice, this episode is for you.

https://axstaffing.com/

https://theantiarchitect.com/

0:00 – Intro to Sean Dedeyn and the episode.
3:11 – Balancing speed vs. fit in recruiting.
5:37 – What Sean looks for beyond technical skill.
8:28 – Why recruiters need persistence.
10:59 – Hiring entry-level vs. strategic talent.
13:47 – Getting referrals without asking.
16:11 – Creating a smart, scalable interview process.
18:45 – Screening for culture, not just credentials.
21:16 – Why clients need to trust the recruiter’s process.
24:05 – How a poor interview experience kills offers.
26:21 – The ripple effect of delayed interviews.
28:57 – Why architects struggle to tell their own story.
32:08 – Why architects fall behind on compensation.
34:34 – Learning is faster in the office.
37:18 – Who really wants to work from home and why.
39:37 – The story behind “Anything but Typical.”
42:15 – The hidden signals in Sean’s screening process.
44:48 – How Sean fell into recruiting and why it stuck.
46:58 – Cold calling, Excel sheets, and building from scratch.
49:33 – The vision behind Axel Group: business like wrestling.
51:56 – Sean’s upbringing, hard lessons, and resilience.
54:17 – Learning from both his father and father-in-law.
56:58 – Teaching kids through failure and effort.
59:24 – Wrestling opened doors and shaped Sean’s mindset.
62:12 – How AI fits (and doesn’t) into modern recruiting.