Her Story
About Sharon
Sharon Buchwald is a Talent Acquisition professional with 15 years of experience in technology recruitment, HR and talent management, coaching, succession planning, team building, and mergers and acquisitions. Based in Strongsville, Ohio, she has built her career around helping organizations navigate growth and change, whether that means assembling teams for contract and consulting engagements or guiding clients through digital transformations and M&A due diligence. Her path into the field was anything but linear: she began her career in printing before moving into HR and recruiting, and her education reflects a similar willingness to explore before settling in — starting with pre-physical therapy coursework at the University of Dayton, shifting into hospitality management at The Ohio State University, and ultimately earning an Associate's degree in Human Resources from Cuyahoga Community College. She has since built on that foundation with SHRM-CP and SHRM-SCP certifications.
Buchwald credits her professional success to a consistent set of principles: integrity, authenticity, hard work, persistence, and a willingness to stay coachable. She often points to a piece of career advice that shaped how she approaches challenges — that it's better to work through a problem independently, fail at it a few times, and only then seek outside help, since that process is what builds genuine confidence. She carries this philosophy into her coaching of candidates and hiring managers alike, encouraging people to push through setbacks rather than avoid them, while also recognizing when a path isn't the right one and shouldn't be forced.
Outside of her client work, Buchwald is active in her community as a board member for getWITit in Cleveland, where she leads sponsorship and fundraising efforts that support women pursuing careers in technology. She also volunteers as a coach with First Tee – Cleveland, mentoring children through the organization's youth programs. Looking ahead, she views artificial intelligence as the defining challenge and opportunity in her field, with much of her focus centered on understanding its practical value and figuring out how to guide meaningful conversations about it within the talent acquisition space.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Sharon
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to leading with integrity and authenticity, working hard, staying persistent, and remaining coachable. None of it would have been possible without having the right people and mentors around me along the way.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best advice I received was to try to figure things out on my own first, and only turn to outside resources after I'd failed two or three times. That process of struggling and failing is what builds real confidence.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I'd tell them not to give up, but also to recognize when something isn't the right fit so they don't spend valuable time without gaining value from it. Work things out independently before leaning on resources, treat failure as a learning tool, surround yourself with the right people and coaches, and always lead with integrity, authenticity, and hard work.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Artificial intelligence is the biggest challenge I see right now — specifically, figuring out its real benefits and value, and how to start and manage conversations about it effectively.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Integrity, authenticity, and persistence are the values that matter most to me, along with staying coachable and building strong professional networks.
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