Would you hire you?
After 30 years of placing candidates earning $75K to $300K, I've learned that potential trumps experience every time. The professionals who thrive aren't necessarily the smartest or most experienced. They're the ones who stay relevant throughout their careers.
I work with mid-career professionals who've done what society expects but are questioning whether it even matters. You've worked hard, followed the rules, and somehow you're still getting passed over. You're not crazy, and you're not alone.
I combine the recruiter's perspective of what employers actually want with the coach's approach to developing it. My Three Relevance Pillars system gives you everything you need to age-proof your career and thrive through any change. These pillars are Mindset, Skillset, and Mirrorset.
Reinvent, adapt, succeed: Your path to lasting career relevance
Book - Available Now
Stay Relevant
In the modern workforce, where four generations work side-by-side in-person, online, or a mix of both – and where the rules that governed office protocol for decades are changing or disappearing – professionals have no choice but to keep up if they want to stay in the game. Whether you feel stuck in your career, limited by your age or experience, or overwhelmed by the complexities and cultural shifts of today’s workplace, Stay Relevant is your ultimate guide to building a meaningful, lasting career.
Combining insights from Chris Flakus’s thirty-plus years of executive recruitment experience with Candace Moody’s career-coaching advice, this book will help you age-proof your career by developing the mindsets, skillsets, and mirrorsets (abilities that help you understand how others perceive you) needed to thrive through any change in the market, your industry, or your company. Through a twelve-week step-by-step process, this book’s actionable lessons and coaching tactics are supported with weekly assessments and practical exercises to help you become desirable, hirable, coachable, and promotable.
No matter what happens tomorrow or a year from now, Stay Relevant ensures that you have the tools to adapt and thrive, regardless of what the future holds. This isn’t just career advice; it’s a framework for success at every phase of your career.
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“The insights are empowering… Stay Relevant is an interactive guide that uses self-assessment and exercises that teach you to adapt and self-motivate in the workplace.”
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“As a thank you for your order, download nearly 20 of my best assessments, frameworks, tip sheets and practical guides covering everything from how you communicate to how you show up professionally.
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Testimonials
What Readers Are Saying
Inside the book
Book Resources
Your 90-Day Relevance Roadmap
Track your transformation with 5 essential checkpoint questions that measure real progress, not just activity.
The Relevance Scorecard
Our complete coaching guide to diagnose your professional edge and create your personalized action plan.
Your Transferable Skills Inventory
Uncover the hidden assets you already possess that translate across industries, roles, and life stages.
Skillset Self-Assessment Tool
Get brutally honest about where you stand today so you know exactly what to strengthen tomorrow.
Mirrorset Self-Assessment
Discover the gap between how you see yourself and how others experience you (the results might surprise you).
The Curiosity Practice Guide
Simple daily exercises to reignite wonder, combat complacency, and stay mentally sharp.
Mindset Self-Assessment
Identify the invisible beliefs quietly sabotaging your relevance and replace them with momentum-builders.
Your Feedback Processing System
Transform criticism into fuel for growth without the defensiveness or emotional spiral.
Values Discovery Workbook
Pinpoint what truly matters to you and establish the non-negotiables that guide every decision.
Restorying Your Life Framework
Rewrite limiting narratives, shift your perspective, and take aligned action toward the life you want.
10 Conversationalist Secrets
Become the person others genuinely seek out, not the one they politely tolerate.
5 Communication Upgrades
Master clear, confident messaging that builds trust and gets you heard in any room.
The Oversharing Filter
Know exactly what to share, what to keep private, and how to read the room before you speak.
5 Style Relevance Tips
Look current and credible without chasing trends or losing your authentic self.
Business Image Elevation Guide
Three strategic upgrades to your professional presence that create instant credibility.
Personal Branding Blueprint
Build a reputation that precedes you and opens doors before you even knock.
Hybrid Work Navigation Guide
Proven strategies to thrive whether you’re remote, hybrid, or back in the office full-time.
Bridge-Building Exercise
Create genuine connections across generations, backgrounds, and perspectives that seemed impossible before.
Cultural Relevance Checklist
Five practical ways to stay plugged into what’s happening now without exhausting yourself trying to keep up.
"Stay Relevant is a timely and practical guide for anyone navigating the realities of today’s workplace. Drawing on decades of experience in executive recruitment and career coaching, Chris Flakus and Candace Moody deliver a framework that is both honest and empowering. Their focus on mindset, skillset, and mirrorset gives professionals at every stage of their career the tools to adapt, grow, and thrive in an environment shaped by disruption, technology, and generational change. This book is not just about staying employed—it’s about staying valuable, fulfilled, and future-ready. A must-read for professionals ready to reinvent themselves and for leaders who want to build resilient teams.”
"Chris Flakus combines decades of leadership and recruitment expertise with Moody’s coaching wisdom to create a must-read guide. This book equips you to conquer workplace change with practical, timeless strategies."
“Practical, courageous, and deeply human, this book feels like a trusted mentor walking beside you through every stage of life and career. With heartfelt wisdom from Chris Flakus and Candace Moody, it invites you to pause, reflect, and take bold steps toward growth—whether you’re starting out, reinventing yourself, or leading others. A must-have for recruiters, coaches, and HR and talent leaders, it’s not just a career guide; it’s a reminder that resilience, purpose, and intention can transform both your work and your life.”
“I've always believed that mental toughness is doing the best you can with what you have, wherever you are. That's exactly what Stay Relevant teaches, but for your career. Chris Flakus doesn't sugarcoat the reality that the workplace has changed dramatically. Instead, he gives you a step-by-step system to adapt, grow, and thrive no matter what comes your way. The winner's mindset isn't just about sports, it's about staying relevant in a world that's constantly evolving. If you're tired of feeling stuck or passed over, this book is your playbook for taking back control of your professional future.”
“Having worked with Chris Flakus for more than 20 years, it comes as no surprise to see he and Candace Moody have written a powerful and relevant book. Chris is the best of the best and Stay Relevant brings his expert insight on thriving in today’s fast-changing workplace.”
"I hire thousands of people every year, and the ones who thrive all share one trait. They never stop adapting. Chris captures this perfectly with his core question, 'Would you hire you?' If that makes you uncomfortable, read this book. The 12-week system works because it's built on real experience placing real people in real jobs. Chris understands that staying relevant isn't about age. It's about mindset."
“Oh my….this is a must read! Relevant is the ultimate guide for professionals who feel stuck or overlooked. Chris Flakus and Candace Moody have written a straight talking, no-nonsense framework to help you adapt to today’s ever-changing world and the always changing need to stay in tune and on top of your game to thrive in it. Bravo!”
"Coming from the seat of a CEO and executive recruiter, Chris Flakus offers a perspective few others can. RELEVANT is not just about finding your next role — it’s about shaping a career of continuous relevance and contribution."
"I worked with Chris for over 20 years as both a client and a colleague at The CSI Companies. Over those 20 years, I saw Chris handle many situations from the book and coach others, myself included. Self-help books are useful only if you apply their advice to make real changes. This book offers valuable insights to support your career development, as well as practical strategies that can be integrated into your daily professional activities. No matter what stage you are in, there is information that can help you."
Core Values
Excellence
We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.
Adaptability
You can't solve a problem with the same level of thinking that got you there.
Authenticity
Be yourself, but within reason. Authenticity in the workplace means being consistently yourself while meeting professional expectations.
Growth
When you're not so busy defending your position, you have the ability to open up to new possibilities.
Testimonials
People are talking
"Chris has, without fail, represented the highest quality candidates available.
He acts as a business partner, not a vendor. He has a network that reaches far beyond most of his peers in the industry, and maintains those relationships due to his high integrity.”
Tamara Joiner, Leadership Coach
“Chris is among the very best with which I have worked during my 20+ years in HR.
If a smart, personable, get-it-done businessman is what you’re after, Chris Flakus is your guy.”
Steve Frey, Global HR Leader
"One of Chris' key attributes is his commitment to personal integrity in both his professional and personal lives.
He is a senior business leader, great father and respected member of the Jacksonville business community.”
Rusty Bozman, CCP, SHRM-SCP
"I have known and worked with Chris for over 10 years.
He is great guy that is well respected in the Professional Staffing and Executive Search industries.”
Brian Interdonato, JPMorgan Chase & Co.
"Working with Chris was one of the most transformative experiences of my career.
His ability to see potential in people and then empower them with the mindset, tools, and trust to realize it changed the way I lead and think about growth.
Under his leadership, I learned to challenge limiting beliefs about what’s possible in business and within myself. Chris doesn’t just build companies; he builds confidence and clarity in the people around him. His blend of vision, strategy, and genuine care creates an environment where excellence feels both achievable and inspiring.”
Brandy Kerby
ABOUT
Chris Flakus
Chris Flakus, an award-winning executive with over three decades of distinguished leadership in the workforce solutions and staffing industry, is the visionary force behind the extraordinary growth of CSI Companies. As Chief Executive Officer since 2020 and a board member, having previously served as President since 2003, Chris has driven a remarkable fifty-fold increase in revenue and EBITDA, solidifying CSI’s leadership in the industry.
An alumnus of the University of North Florida, Chris began his career as a recruiter, rapidly advancing through sales and leadership roles to become a transformative figure in the staffing sector. His strategic acumen and deep industry insight have consistently delivered innovative solutions.
Chris’s leadership has driven unparalleled financial success while cultivating a resilient, innovative corporate culture that positions CSI Companies for sustained excellence. Renowned for his ability to navigate complex market dynamics, he continues to shape the future of workforce solutions.
Chris resides in Jacksonville, Florida, with his wife and children.
