A sharp, funny, and brutally honest look into the world of recruitment, corporate politics, and business transformation—complete with real lessons from inside the hiring machine.

Behind every “strategic hire” lies a beautiful mess of egos, guesswork, half-truths, and very expensive suits.

Shortlisted for a Better Life is not a hiring manual. It’s a recruiter memoir that pulls back the curtain on the dysfunctional reality of global talent acquisition, told by someone who’s been everywhere—from executive search and headhunting, to in-house recruitment, RPO, and advising companies through transformation and change management.

This isn’t theory. It’s real talk.

Each chapter ends with a practical summary—distilling sharp insights about how hiring works (and doesn’t), how power moves behind closed doors, and how organizations try (and often fail) to evolve.

You’ll learn about:

The psychology behind the corporate handshake

What recruiters really whisper at conferences

How change feels from inside the boardroom—and why it rarely goes to plan

Influence, perception, and the truth about leadership in corporate transformation

Expect stories from:

The polished chaos of City finance

High-stakes hiring at C-level

The absurd world of buzzwords and PowerPoints

The behind-the-scenes stress of change initiatives

This book won’t teach you how to land your dream job.

But it will show you how the game is really played—dysfunctional, hilarious, and painfully human.

For the recruiters, the corporate survivors, the consultants, the HR rebels, and the career-curious.

Whether you're leading change or being crushed by it—this book knows exactly how you feel.

Come take a look behind the mirror.