About Us

Thirty years in one industry. That’s not a niche. That’s expertise.

Find your next candidate

Our Story

The Midelis Group was founded by Jim Midelis in 2009 with a simple but demanding premise: that the construction and real estate development industries deserve a recruiting firm that actually understands them.

Jim didn’t come to construction recruiting from the outside. Before founding The Midelis Group, he spent eight years at one of the largest executive search firms in the world, where he was named National Rookie of the Year out of more than 1,000 offices and ranked among the top ten International Account Executives for eight consecutive years. He built and led their construction and development practice from the ground up.

When he launched The Midelis Group, he brought that experience, and a network built over decades, into a firm built entirely around one industry and one standard: exceptional.

Why Construction & Real Estate

Most recruiting firms cover dozens of industries. We cover one.

That decision is intentional. The construction and real estate development world has its own language, its own culture, and its own definition of what makes someone truly qualified. A great Senior Project Manager at one firm may be the wrong fit at another, not because of their resume, but because of the project type, the leadership style, the pace, the values.

After more than 30 years working exclusively in this space — attending industry events, building relationships with the people who run the best firms in the country, and placing over 900 professionals — we understand those distinctions at a level no generalist firm can match.

Our clients range from ENR Top 200 companies to respected regional developers and contractors. Over 85% of our placements are in Florida, with deep concentration in Naples, Southwest Florida, Tampa, and the surrounding markets. But our reach, and our candidate network, is international.

The Passive Candidate Philosophy

Here is something most recruiting firms won’t tell you: the best candidates are almost never looking.

The professionals at the top of the construction and real estate world are busy. They’re running complex projects, leading high-performing teams, and building careers at companies that value them. They don’t browse job boards. They don’t update their resumes. They won’t respond to a cold listing.

Reaching them requires something different: long-standing relationships, genuine industry credibility, and the ability to have a real conversation about a real opportunity. That is what we do, and it is the only way we work.

We do not advertise positions on Monster, Indeed, LinkedIn, or any public job platform. Every candidate we present has been identified, personally contacted, thoroughly vetted, and confirmed as a strong match, before they ever reach your desk.

Our Industry Involvement

Our relationships are a core part of how we stay current, how we maintain our network, and how we identify the exceptional talent that our clients need. We maintain active involvement in the organizations and events that matter most in the construction and real estate development world, including:

  • Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC)
  • Associated General Contractors (AGC)
  • Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA)
  • World of Concrete (WOC)

Expert Partners Agree

“Over a dozen years, Jim and his team have consistently brought us some of the best talent in the marketplace. They have done a great job at understanding who we are, what we are looking for, and how we value our time. Their prescreening process has led to one of the highest success rates with regard to candidates reviewed and actual hires.”

Thomas C. Murphy, President, Coastal Construction Company

“Jim has an uncanny knack to bring the very top talent in the industry with exceptional backgrounds and the right cultural fit. Six of the last seven candidates he presented over an eight-month period were not only offered positions — they joined our organization and began contributing immediately. Jim saves us time and money.”

Robert S. Hayes, Florida Division President | Gilbane Building Company

Unlike many executive search firms, Jim took the time to truly understand our needs and delivered highly skilled candidates who were not necessarily actively pursuing career changes. He did an excellent job providing insight that would not be on a resume — matching not only technical aptitude, but personality traits that helped land key individuals. Jim has always worked in a highly ethical manner.

Barton Malow, Former Southeastern Vice President | Barton Malow Company

Jim is a rare breed in the recruiting world, as he is able to understand both the candidates perspective and a company’s specific position qualifications and culture for the right fit.

He targets the passive candidates, the ones who are not really looking to bring you the very best in the marketplace. I have been in Human Resource Management for over 20 years and he is, by far, the best Executive Recruiter I have had the pleasure of working with. I highly recommend Jim and his team for key searches in your organization. We look forward to Jim being part of the Moss team for many years to Come!

SR VP Moss & Associates, Moss & Associates

“It is not often that you find thorough, honest, and dependable staffing and recruitment services. You have consistently exceeded my expectations.”

Kevin M. Camarata, President, Camarata Masonry Systems, Ltd.

Ready to start your search?

If you have an open position — or anticipate one — the right time to talk is now. The best candidates require time to identify and approach properly. The earlier we begin, the better your outcome.