Patrick Metcalf

Background

About Patrick Metcalf

When your team is understaffed, everything gets harder. Service delivery slows, morale drops, and growth becomes an uphill battle. That’s where we come in. I’m the founder of Ascend Career Services, where we help organizations resolve persistent staffing shortages and build strong, scalable recruiting systems. We specialize in filling critical roles and improving the hiring process—so you can focus on what matters most: running and growing your business. What We Do: AI Talent Partner We design AI-powered recruiting systems that create a steady flow of qualified candidates. This approach transforms limited outbound efforts into a reliable talent pipeline. Recruiting We fill professional and specialized roles quickly using a thoughtful, tech-enabled approach and a broad candidate network. We listen closely to your needs and deliver results that align with your goals. Consulting Often, small changes yield big wins. We audit and optimize your current hiring systems to unlock near-term gains and long-term efficiencies. Before launching Ascend, I spent over two decades in Behavioral Health leadership, overseeing multi-state treatment facilities. Like many in human services, I constantly battled high turnover. I partnered with internal HR teams, researched every staffing solution imaginable, and tried most of the major firms—yet the struggle to stay staffed remained constant. Then the pandemic hit. The labor shortage became severe. I realized I had two choices: either get dramatically better at recruiting or start over. I chose both. I launched Ascend Career Services from my kitchen table with a mission: help others avoid the chaos I once faced. Along the way, I immersed myself in recruiting best practices, sharpened my skills, and kept searching for better ways to connect great people with great organizations. Eventually, I found something that changed everything—AI. Used the right way, with the right systems and human touch, AI can transform how companies find talent—especially passive candidates who aren’t on job boards. What was once accessible only to Fortune 500 companies is now within reach for businesses of all sizes. We’re here to help you unlock that potential. If you’re tired of chasing applicants and ready for a smarter, more sustainable way to recruit, I’d love to connect and show you what’s possible.