About
Recruiting for industrial SMEs — with the depth to improve how it works, not just fill the next role.
I help companies place the right people in critical roles, build stronger recruiting processes, and develop the internal capability to hire better — long term.
Who I am
I'm Stefan "Baloo" Janzen — recruiter, headhunter, and recruiting enablement specialist with over seven years of hands-on experience in technical and industrial hiring.
My work sits at the intersection of direct search, active sourcing, and recruiting process improvement. I've worked end-to-end on critical roles — from the first briefing conversation to the signed offer — and I've seen where most hiring problems actually come from.
B:REX is built on that experience: the conviction that filling a role and improving how recruiting works are not separate goals.
7+ years in recruiting and executive search
Direct search, active sourcing, and end-to-end process experience in technical and industrial markets.
Focus on technical and industrial roles
Engineering, technical sales, and leadership positions in mechanical engineering, fluid technology, and industrial B2B.
Certified AI Expert (DBU)
Practical knowledge of where AI-supported workflows actually improve recruiting — without the hype.
My perspective on Recruiting
Most hiring problems aren't caused by a lack of effort. They're caused by unclear processes, weak role definitions, limited access to the right candidates — and too little use of what modern recruiting methods actually make possible.
I don't believe in doing more of the same faster. I believe in identifying the real problem first — and then choosing the right path to solve it.
Clarity before activity
More effort doesn't fix unclear roles or broken briefings. Before sourcing comes structure: a sharp role definition, realistic expectations, and a clear search strategy.
Access, not volume
The right candidates for technical and industrial roles are rarely actively applying. Strong sourcing capability — not more job ads — is what creates access to them.
Better systems, not just better search
Sustainable hiring improves when companies combine direct execution with clearer processes, stronger internal ownership, and the practical use of modern tools — including AI-supported workflows where they genuinely help.
Industry focus
My work is focused on industrial and engineering-driven companies — particularly where technical roles are hard to fill and recruiting needs to be both precise and market-aware.
I know these markets — their candidate pools, their hiring dynamics, and the expectations on both sides of the table.
Industry Tags
Mechanical Engineering
Industrial B2B
Drive- & Fluid-Technology
Hydraulics
Conveying & handling technology
Automation
Industrial Supply chain
Construction Industry
Typical Roles
Head of Sales
Sales engineer
Development engineer
Head of engineering / R&D
Design engineer
Technical specialist roles
Project Manager
Project engineer
How I work
My work is built around clarity, honest communication, and practical execution — not unnecessary complexity.
Diagnosis before solutions
I identify the real bottleneck before suggesting a path. Not every hiring problem is a search problem and I won't pretend otherwise.
Structured execution
I work with clear steps, realistic priorities, and consistent follow-through. No disappearing acts between milestones.
Pragmatic improvement
The goal is better hiring outcomes — through stronger processes, more useful methods, and smarter use of modern tools. Not more activity for its own sake.
Honest collaboration
I give clear recommendations, name what I see — including uncomfortable things and work toward solutions that are actually implementable.
Let’s talk about your recruiting situation
Whether the challenge is an urgent vacancy, a structural problem, or something in between — I'm happy to start with a focused first conversation.
No sales pitch. No generic proposals. Just a clear, honest conversation about where things stand and what could actually help.