About Us
Manifest Recruits is a premier executive recruitment firm specializing in placing senior military leaders into high-impact roles across the federal government, defense contracting, and mission-driven corporate sectors. We understand the exceptional leadership, operational discipline, and strategic acumen that senior military officers bring—and we help organizations harness that talent for maximum impact.
Our Team
Founded and led by Corliss Jackson, a nationally recognized expert in federal hiring and workforce strategy, Manifest Recruits brings unparalleled insight into how top-tier leadership is identified and selected across public and private sector landscapes. A former GS-15 at the U.S. Office of Personnel Management and the Department of Health and Human Services, Corliss offers more than two decades of experience in navigating federal and contractor hiring systems. She is the author of Cracking the Federal Job Code and pens the Washington Post’s weekly federal careers column, Corliss’ Corner. Under her leadership, Manifest Recruits has become a trusted bridge between elite military talent and the nation’s most mission-driven employers.
Supporting this mission is Wendy Thompson, a veteran Career Strategist with over 20 years of experience coaching high-performing professionals through career pivots and transitions. As the former Director of the Career Center at the National Institutes of Health, Wendy brings deep expertise in guiding senior leaders—including transitioning military officers—into roles that align with their values, leadership style, and long-term goals.
Marissa Schofield, our Client Services Manager, ensures each candidate and client experiences personalized, high-touch support throughout the recruitment journey. With a background in strategic communications and corporate client management, Marissa upholds the standard of excellence that defines Manifest Recruits.
At Manifest Recruits, we don’t just connect resumes with roles—we align exceptional leaders with organizations seeking transformative impact. Whether you’re a senior military officer preparing for your next mission or an employer seeking tested leadership, Manifest Recruits is your partner in purposeful placement.
Our Core Values
Collaboration: The staff of Manifest Recruits is committed to building a trust-based, highly collaborative relationship with every client. We believe the successful process of constructing a resume and securing a position ideally aligned with an individual’s experience and strengths is based on the mutual respect and cooperation of client and staff. We strive to build long-term partnerships with our clients.
Professionalism: The staff of Manifest Recruits is committed to establishing and maintaining a professional relationship with their clients. We recognize a job search can be a stressful and complex process. Therefore, we strive to be simultaneously supportive and instructive throughout our time together, while maintaining confidentiality of all information shared with us. We present no information to potential employers without consent, and we thoroughly safeguard all client data.
Experience: The Manifest Recruits team brings more than 50 combined years of experience to the job search process. We leverage this first-hand knowledge and experience in every step of our clients’ experience to ensure they secure interviews with the organizations and positions most compatible with their strengths.
Advancement: The staff of Manifest Recruits is committed to enabling our clients to develop the strategies to move from unemployment to employment; from one organization to another; and/or from one position level to another. We strive to enable our clients to emerge from the job search process in a place better than the one in which they began.