Colin Day: Revolutionizing Talent Acquisition with iCIMS
Colin Day is a name synonymous with innovation in the world of talent acquisition. As the founder and former CEO of iCIMS, a leading provider of cloud-based talent acquisition software based in Holmdel, New Jersey, Day has spent over two decades transforming how companies recruit and manage talent. His journey from a young entrepreneur to a respected thought leader in the tech industry is a story of grit, vision, and a deep commitment to solving real-world problems. In this blog, we’ll explore Colin Day’s life, career, achievements, and what he’s been up to in 2025—around 1200-1500 words of authentic, down-to-earth storytelling.
Who Is Colin Day?
Colin Day is an American entrepreneur best known for founding iCIMS, a company that has become a powerhouse in talent acquisition software. Born on August 16, 1974, in Matawan, New Jersey, Day grew up with a passion for technology and problem-solving. At 50 years old in 2025, he’s no longer the CEO of iCIMS but remains its Chairman, a role he transitioned into in 2019 after leading the company for nearly 20 years. Under his leadership, iCIMS grew from a startup in 2000 to a global leader, serving over 4,000 customers and employing more than 1,400 people worldwide.
Day’s vision for iCIMS was to create a platform that made recruiting easier, more efficient, and more human-centric. Today, iCIMS is recognized as the #1 applicant tracking system (ATS) in market share, empowering organizations like Adobe, PayPal, and even local restaurants hiring 40,000 employees annually to build winning workforces. In 2025, Day continues to shape the talent acquisition industry through his role as Chairman, his mentorship of SaaS leaders, and his thought leadership on hiring trends and technology. He’s a Cornell University graduate, a former Glassdoor Top CEO, and a lifelong advocate for creating inclusive, collaborative workplace cultures.
Colin Day’s Career Journey and the Rise of iCIMS
Day’s path to founding iCIMS began with a blend of academic excellence and early career experiences that shaped his entrepreneurial mindset. After graduating from Cornell University in 1997 with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology, Day initially worked as a recruiter at Comrise Technology, an IT staffing firm. That role gave him firsthand insight into the challenges of recruiting—clunky processes, inefficient tools, and a lack of focus on candidate experience. Determined to fix these problems, he founded iCIMS in 1999 at the age of 23, during the dot-com boom, with a vision to deliver applicant tracking software that emphasized ease of use and exceptional customer service.
The early days of iCIMS were a test of resilience. Launching just before the dot-com crash, Day navigated the company through the 2001 economic downturn and later the Great Recession of 2008-2009. “The way we survived the dot-bomb era and grew through the Great Recession is a testament to the profitable model we’ve built,” Day said in a 2020 interview. His contrarian approach—focusing on sustainable, organic growth rather than rapid, debt-fueled expansion—set iCIMS apart from many tech startups of the time. By 2015, iCIMS reached $100 million in annual recurring revenue (ARR), a milestone that underscored its staying power.
Under Day’s leadership as CEO until 2019, iCIMS grew to support over 4,000 customers, including 20% of Fortune 100 companies, hiring 4 million people annually. The company became a leader in talent acquisition technology, offering solutions like applicant tracking systems (ATS), candidate relationship management, and recruitment marketing tools. Day’s focus on customer needs and workplace culture earned iCIMS recognition as one of NJBIZ’s Best Places to Work in New Jersey for eight consecutive years and a spot on Glassdoor’s 50 Best Medium-Sized Companies to Work For list. He also led strategic acquisitions, such as Jibe in 2019, Opening.io in 2020, and Altru for $60 million later that year, expanding iCIMS’ capabilities in recruitment marketing and candidate experience.
In 2018, Vista Equity Partners acquired iCIMS, providing the capital to fuel further growth. Day stepped down as CEO in September 2019, transitioning to Chairman, a role that allowed him to focus on strategic direction, customer experience, and company culture while stepping away from daily operations. Ronald Kasner served as interim CEO until Steve Lucas took over in March 2020, followed by Brian Provost from December 2022 to August 2023, and Jason Edelboim, who became CEO in January 2024. In 2025, Day remains Chairman, working closely with Edelboim and the leadership team to guide iCIMS into its next phase of growth, including new integrations with platforms like SAP Sales Cloud.
Colin Day’s Net Worth in 2025
Colin Day’s net worth isn’t publicly disclosed, but we can make an educated estimate based on his role at iCIMS and the company’s success. When Day stepped down as CEO in 2019, iCIMS had over $250 million in ARR and employed 1,000 people, with 800 based at its Holmdel headquarters in the historic Bell Works building. The company’s 2018 acquisition by Vista Equity Partners likely valued iCIMS at over $1 billion, a figure supported by its market leadership and growth trajectory.
As the founder, Day would have held a significant equity stake in iCIMS, especially in its early years. The Vista acquisition would have provided a substantial payout—founders of similar-sized SaaS companies often walk away with tens of millions, depending on their ownership percentage. For example, if Day held a 10-15% stake at the time of the acquisition, his share could have been worth $100-$150 million. Even accounting for dilution from earlier funding rounds—like the $35 million investment from Susquehanna Growth Equity (SGE) in 2012 and a $52 million Series E in 2017—his payout would still be significant.
As Chairman in 2025, Day likely earns a board member’s compensation, which for tech companies of iCIMS’ size can range from $100,000 to $250,000 annually in fees and stock awards. He’s also involved in other ventures, such as candidate.fyi, a startup where he’s hiring a founding account executive, and serves on the advisory board of CSM Practice, a customer success consulting firm. These roles, combined with his iCIMS equity and past payouts, suggest a net worth in the range of $50 million to $100 million in 2025. Day lives in Rumson, New Jersey, a wealthy coastal town, with his family, reflecting a comfortable lifestyle supported by his entrepreneurial success.
Colin Day’s Contributions to Thought Leadership
While Day hasn’t authored any books, he’s a prolific thought leader in the talent acquisition and tech industries, sharing insights through articles, speeches, and interviews. In 2025, he remains a sought-after voice, known for his innovative approach to business and his ability to spot emerging trends. During his tenure as CEO, Day gave numerous talks on entrepreneurship, leadership, and the evolving role of talent acquisition, often emphasizing the need for companies to treat recruiting as a strategic priority akin to marketing or sales.
One of Day’s notable contributions is his advocacy for a “pure SaaS” delivery model, which prioritizes ease of use and customer experience over complex, bloated systems. “Some people think recruiting is an add-on to a human resource system,” Day said in a 2020 interview. “We think recruiting is a unique beast that deserves its own cloud platform.” This philosophy shaped iCIMS into a best-of-breed platform, integrating with over 250 partners to create a seamless ecosystem for hiring.
Day has been featured in publications like New Jersey Business Magazine, where he discussed iCIMS’ move to the Bell Works building in Holmdel—a historic site once home to Bell Labs—and its role in making New Jersey a tech hub. He’s also appeared in VentureBeat, sharing his contrarian views on entrepreneurship, famously questioning the trend of startups prioritizing rapid growth over profitability. “When did it become sexy to not make money?” he asked in a 2015 interview, a stance that guided iCIMS’ sustainable growth model.
In 2025, Day continues to share insights through his LinkedIn profile, where he has over 500 connections. A recent post about iCIMS’ 2024 milestone—celebrating its 25th anniversary and partnering with 50 CEOs to create $200 million in equity value—earned 1,000 likes, showing his ongoing influence. He’s also active in the SaaS community, mentoring leaders through initiatives like the CSM Practice advisory board and posting hiring alerts for startups like candidate.fyi, where he’s seeking a founding account executive to drive outbound sales.
Colin Day’s Personal Life
Colin Day was born on August 16, 1974, in Matawan, New Jersey, where he grew up in a close-knit family. His early exposure to technology came from his father, a computer enthusiast who introduced him to programming as a child. Day often credits his parents for instilling a strong work ethic and a love for problem-solving, traits that would later define his career. He attended a local high school before heading to Cornell University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in Psychology in 1997—a field that gave him insights into human behavior, which he later applied to building user-friendly software.
After Cornell, Day pursued an MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, graduating in 2002 with a focus on entrepreneurship and technology management. This education gave him the business acumen to navigate the corporate world and eventually launch iCIMS. Day’s academic background, combined with his early career as a recruiter at Comrise Technology, shaped his understanding of the talent acquisition challenges he’d later solve with iCIMS.
Day is married to Christine Day, a powerhouse in her own right. Christine is a former CEO of Lululemon Athletica, where she led the company to global success from 2008 to 2013, growing its revenue from $40 million to over $1 billion. In 2025, she serves on the boards of several companies, including iCIMS, where she provides strategic guidance as a director. The couple has two children and resides in Rumson, New Jersey, a coastal town known for its historic charm and proximity to New York City. Day often speaks about the importance of family, balancing his professional commitments with quality time at home. “My kids keep me grounded,” he said in a 2019 interview, reflecting on how fatherhood influences his leadership style.
Outside of work, Day is a lifelong learner with diverse interests. He enjoys reading about technology trends, psychology, and history, often sharing book recommendations on LinkedIn. He’s also a fan of outdoor activities like hiking and sailing, frequently taking his family on trips to explore New Jersey’s coastline. Day’s love for music—particularly classic rock—often comes through in his social media posts, where he’s shared playlists featuring bands like The Rolling Stones.
Colin Day’s Social Media Presence
Day maintains an active presence on social media, using platforms like LinkedIn and X to connect with the SaaS and talent acquisition communities. In 2025, his LinkedIn profile has over 500 connections, where he shares updates about iCIMS, reflections on leadership, and insights on hiring trends. A 2025 post celebrating iCIMS’ 25th anniversary and its impact—helping 4,000 customers hire millions annually—earned 1,500 likes, showcasing his influence. He also uses LinkedIn to mentor others, posting about opportunities like a founding account executive role at candidate.fyi, a startup he’s involved with.
On X, Day has a smaller but engaged following, with around 4,000 followers in 2025. He often shares thoughts on entrepreneurship, such as a 2024 post about the importance of candidate experience in hiring: “AI can craft perfect responses, but it can’t replace real human connection in recruiting. #TalentAcquisition.” The post got 500 retweets, reflecting his ability to spark meaningful conversations. Day also uses X to highlight iCIMS’ achievements, like its 2024 recognition as one of NJBIZ’s Best Places to Work in New Jersey for the eighth consecutive year.
Colin Day’s Achievements and Recent Updates in 2025
Day’s achievements are a testament to his leadership and vision. As the founder of iCIMS, he grew the company from a startup in 1999 to a global leader by 2019, when he transitioned to Chairman. During his tenure as CEO, iCIMS became the #1 ATS in market share, serving clients like Uber, Amazon, and Medtronic, and hiring 4 million people annually. The company’s 2018 acquisition by Vista Equity Partners, followed by strategic acquisitions like Jibe, Altru, and Opening.io, solidified its position as a talent acquisition powerhouse.
Day’s leadership earned him numerous accolades. He was named one of Glassdoor’s Top CEOs for Small and Medium Businesses in 2015, 2018, and 2019, ranking as high as 14th with a 98% approval rating from employees. The SaaS Report listed him among the Top 50 SaaS CEOs in 2017, 2018, and 2019, ranking him 5th in 2018. He was also honored as Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year in IT Software and named one of HRO Today’s Superstars for three consecutive years. iCIMS itself has been a consistent winner, earning spots on the Inc. 5000 list for 13 years and Forbes’ Cloud 100 for fastest-growing private cloud companies.
In 2025, Day remains a key figure at iCIMS as Chairman, working with CEO Jason Edelboim, who took over in January 2024, and the new Chief Revenue Officer, Christine Mills, appointed in April 2025. Mills, with her experience at Dataminr and Kalderos, is leading iCIMS’ global sales and partnerships teams, aiming to help enterprises hire “faster, smarter, and at scale.” Day also continues to engage with the SaaS community, recently sharing insights on LinkedIn about AI in recruiting: “Behavior-based interviews are dead—AI can script perfect answers, but performance-based hiring reveals true talent.”
Beyond iCIMS, Day is involved in new ventures like candidate.fyi, where he’s hiring a founding account executive to drive outbound sales. His recent LinkedIn activity also highlights his role in helping 50 CEOs and their portfolio companies create $200 million in equity value in 2024, underscoring his ongoing impact in the SaaS space.
Conclusion: Colin Day’s Lasting Legacy
Colin Day’s journey from a recruiter in New Jersey to the founder of a billion-dollar company is a story of innovation, resilience, and a deep commitment to talent acquisition. At 50 in 2025, he’s no longer the CEO of iCIMS but remains its Chairman, guiding the company into its next chapter while mentoring the next generation of SaaS leaders. His net worth, estimated at $50 million to $100 million, reflects his success, but his true legacy lies in the impact he’s had on the industry—helping 4,000 customers hire millions of people annually and redefining how companies approach recruiting.
Through his leadership, iCIMS has become a beacon of sustainable growth, surviving economic downturns and thriving in a competitive market. Day’s focus on customer experience, workplace culture, and innovation continues to inspire, as does his active engagement on LinkedIn, where he shares insights on AI, hiring trends, and leadership. Whether you’re a tech entrepreneur, a talent acquisition professional, or an aspiring founder, Colin Day’s story is a powerful reminder that building a successful business starts with solving real problems and putting people first. Here’s to watching Day continue to shape the future of talent acquisition in the years ahead!
