Talk Talent To Me
Starring recruiting leadership from everywhere under the talent acquisition sun, Talk Talent To Me is a fast-paced rough-and-tumble tour through the strategies, metrics, techniques, and trends shaping the recruitment industry. Brought to you by your pals at LHH.
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Open Role Triage with Gynger Head of Talent Jonathan Graber
05/28/2025
Open Role Triage with Gynger Head of Talent Jonathan Graber
Summary In this episode, Rob interviews Jonathan Graber, the head of talent at Gynger, discussing his journey from agency recruiting to in-house talent acquisition. They explore the challenges and rewards of transitioning roles, the importance of setting deadlines in hiring, and the diverse responsibilities that come with working in a startup environment. Jonathan shares insights on managing priorities, the significance of people operations, and how to navigate the complexities of talent acquisition in a fast-paced setting. Takeaways The 10 80 10 rule illustrates how people respond to requests. Transitioning from agency to in-house recruiting Adding People Ops responsibilities Prioritizing recruitment based on urgency and revenue impact. Managing multiple roles in a startup requires effective triage.
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Betting On Yourself with Metropolis CPO John-Paul Sukkar
05/23/2025
Betting On Yourself with Metropolis CPO John-Paul Sukkar
JP, Chief People Officer at Metropolis, emphasizes the need to reframe the return to office narrative, highlighting the irreplaceable value of human connection and collaboration that cannot be replicated through remote work alone. He shares insights on fostering a culture of access and the responsibilities that come with managing a large workforce post-acquisition. In this conversation, John-Paul Sukkar discusses the challenges and strategies involved in integrating a large organization after a significant acquisition. He emphasizes the importance of cultural shifts, change management, and the reevaluation of core values to foster innovation and ownership among employees. JP shares insights on balancing agility with necessary processes in a larger corporate environment and introduces a personal framework for decision-making that encourages long-term thinking and risk-taking. Takeaways In-person interactions foster serendipitous conversations that can unblock issues. AI cannot replicate the nuances of human interactions in the workplace. Return to office should be viewed as an opportunity, not a punishment. Creating a culture of access encourages open communication and collaboration. Day one changes are crucial for signaling new directions. Ownership mentality is essential for employee engagement. Taking risks on oneself is vital for personal and professional growth. Links
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Endless Insight via Succession Planning with Elizabeth Egan
05/15/2025
Endless Insight via Succession Planning with Elizabeth Egan
Elizabeth explains how succession planning reveals far-reaching insights about the state of talent in an organization. As Director of Talent Management and Organizational Development at Cerence AI, Elizabeth has prioritized generating individual development plans (IDPs) for all employees. Elizabeth emphasizes that employees should take ownership of their careers and seek out opportunities for growth, while companies must create supportive environments to retain top talent. The conversation highlights the need for open communication, feedback mechanisms, and the role of managers in fostering a culture of development and engagement. Takeaways: Why implementation of talent management strategies is crucial. How succession planning is essential for organizational growth. Every employee should have an Individual Development Plan (IDP). Companies must support their managers to retain talent. Employees should take ownership of their career paths.
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Detecting Interview Cheaters with Mike Mroczka
05/12/2025
Detecting Interview Cheaters with Mike Mroczka
Mike Mroczka is an interview coach, author, software engineer, and consultant specializing in helping hiring organizations eliminate cheating in their interview processes. Mike shares the challenges posed by AI tools in coding interviews, the distinction between using resources and cheating, and the necessity of evaluating candidates' foundational knowledge. Mike shares insights on how organizations can design interviews to deter cheating and the tools available for monitoring candidates. The discussion concludes with a hopeful outlook on the future of technology in hiring, emphasizing the importance of adapting to new challenges while maintaining a focus on genuine skill assessment. Episode Notes: AI is significantly influencing the interview process. Defining & evaluating "vibe coding" Candidates often use AI tools to prepare for interviews, raising ethical questions. How Companies are adapting their interview processes to account for AI usage. Maintaining a balance between technology and traditional interviewing methods. There must be an unimpeachable understanding at the base of professional skills. Interviews are becoming more challenging due to AI tools. Candidates are using AI, which complicates the assessment process. Cheating in interviews is not solely AI-based; leaks can occur. In-person interviews do not guarantee the absence of cheating. There are services that help candidates cheat during interviews. Interview design must evolve to prevent cheating effectively. Bad actors are increasingly infiltrating the hiring process. Monitoring tools can help detect cheating but are not foolproof. Awareness and training can significantly improve the hiring process. Links:
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AI-Proof Your Interviews with Replicate's Lia Economos
04/30/2025
AI-Proof Your Interviews with Replicate's Lia Economos
Lia Economos discusses the evolution of interview processes, particularly in the context of integrating AI tools and adapting to the changing landscape of technical interviews. She emphasizes the importance of structured interviews as companies grow and the need to design interview questions that challenge candidates beyond the capabilities of AI. The discussion also touches on the ethical implications of over-employment and the necessity for candidates to network effectively during their job search. Key Points From This Episode: A brief overview of her background and what brought her to Replicate. Lia tells us about the 18-month hiatus that she took between jobs. The importance of practicing interview skills even when you aren’t seeking a job. How to help candidates who haven’t interviewed in a while prepare for interviews. Lia tells us about her interview process with Replicate and the recent one she conducted. When companies need to consider creating a structured interview process. How she sees AI tools being used in candidates’ interviews. Why AI can make technical screenings less effective. How Lia would handle finding out if an employee was lying about having multiple jobs. Lia shares advice for people reentering their careers after a hiatus. Quotes: “If you’re hiring for a team and you’re hiring more than one person, you have to create structured interviews around [the] principles that you’re looking for.” — [19:22] “There are so many tools right now that exist for technical candidates to use AI without the interviewer knowing that you have to redesign your interviews to make sure that you’re allowing for and working around these tools.” — [22:44] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
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Leadership & Career Growth with Pernod Ricard Chief People Officer Lani Montoya
04/28/2025
Leadership & Career Growth with Pernod Ricard Chief People Officer Lani Montoya
In today’s fast-paced world where candidates are always looking for the next opportunity, it’s rare to find someone dedicated to growing within one organization. As today’s guest Lani Montoya demonstrates, internal growth may be the best way to develop exceptional people leaders. Lani is the Chief People Officer at Pernod Ricard, the world leader in premium international wines and spirits, and she begins by explaining her path to joining the company and why she chose to grow in it instead of seeking opportunities elsewhere. We discuss how to rise above workplace complacency, the value of persistence and commitment, whether a work-life balance is real or myth, and the role of modern people leaders. Lani also describes how she makes new hires, how she helps others realize their people-leadership potential, what Pernod Ricard has cooking in leadership development, and her advice for choosing between staying at a company and pursuing other avenues. Key Points From This Episode: Lani describes Pernod Ricard and how she became its Chief People Officer. Why she chose to grow within the organization instead of looking elsewhere. How to stay at a company without becoming complacent (and still adding value). What Lani is busy working on today, and what she still hopes to achieve at the company. Why she believes in balance as a whole but not in work-life balance. Understanding what’s expected of modern people leaders. How Pernod Ricard prepares its people to become the type of leaders it needs. Lani’s process for helping others embrace and explore their people-leadership potential. Whether leadership and career growth go hand-in-hand Unpacking Pernod Ricard’s leadership development platform. Pernod Ricard’s strategy for becoming known as a skills-based organization. Lani’s advice for deciding whether to leave or stay at a company for personal growth. Quotes: “I always found the work I did [at Pernod Ricard] very interesting. I love the trust, the independence that I had, and I always felt like I was making a difference.” — Lani Montoya [11:41] “I’m not so sure that I believe in work-life balance, but I do believe in balance.” — Lani Montoya [14:57] “Strengthening the role of the people leader is a big opportunity for driving engagement, driving results, and driving our culture.” — Lani Montoya [22:39] “Being a people leader is as much an art as it is a science.” — Lani Montoya [25:05] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
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Runway Head of People Anna Chalon
04/22/2025
Runway Head of People Anna Chalon
What does it take to build a people-first hiring culture from the ground up, without sacrificing speed or scale? In this episode of Talk Talent to Me, returning guest Anna Chalon, Head of People at Runway, shares how she intentionally navigated her career from startup to acquisition and back again, fueled by a love for building and a clear sense of purpose. She unpacks her criteria for choosing the right company, the power of gut instinct balanced with measurable data, and how candidate experience can be both human and scalable. Anna also offers insights into how she assesses founders during interviews and why speed and thoughtfulness in hiring are good indicators of long-term cultural alignment. Tune in to learn how to build resilient, high-trust recruiting processes and make smarter career decisions rooted in self-awareness and intention! Key Points From This Episode: An overview of Anna’s journey from Frame.io to Adobe to Runway. How she used Adobe’s acquisition of Frame.io as a career checkpoint. The importance of being clear about the size and pace of the company you want. Values over industry: the creative culture and visionary founders that drew Anna to Runway. Founder responsiveness as a hiring signal (and what to look for in the first interview). Reflecting on hiring wins and misses as opportunities to learn and improve. Blending data and intuition to ensure that a role truly excites you. Building scalable, human-centered hiring from scratch with speed, structure, and soul. The impact of timely check-ins, personal touches, and radical hiring transparency. Starting lean but thinking long-term: balancing agility with a premium candidate experience. The power of seeking out quick wins to add value in the short term. A simple strengths-enjoyment framework for informed career decisions. Quotes: “Even though I'm not going to be using the product every day, the company culture is still shaped by the type of tool you create.” — Anna Chalon [08:15] “[Hiring] is not a perfect science. All these things are still human-based decisions at the end of the day. You do the best with the information you have.” — Anna Chalon [14:44] “My goal when I'm building these foundations is: how do we have enough structure and repeatability that we could hire 100 people – if we need to but every single candidate [also feels] like they're alone in the process?” — Anna Chalon [19:14] “Any kind of communication is better than ghosting. – When people are looking for a job, anxiously waiting to get a response, it's just not the right thing to do.” — Anna Chalon [26:24] “What am I good at? What do I like? What is the overlap? And how does that apply to work?” — Anna Chalon [37:52] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
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Director of TA & Employer Brand for Manscaped Molly Minczeski
04/10/2025
Director of TA & Employer Brand for Manscaped Molly Minczeski
What do the Sunday scaries have to do with how happy you are at work? Today we sit down with Molly Minczeski, the Director of Talent Acquisition & Employer Brand at MANSCAPED, the global men’s lifestyle consumer brand and male grooming category creator trusted by over 12 million men worldwide. Molly unpacks what the Sunday scaries really mean and why work-life balance looks different for everyone. She takes us inside MANSCAPED’s thriving remote culture, shares her journey into talent acquisition, and explains how she positions herself as a strategic business partner. Plus, she offers expert insights on how candidates can respectfully challenge hiring managers and assess how a company truly values them. Key Points From This Episode: The correlation between job satisfaction and the Sunday scaries. Why it’s vital to understand that the work-life balance looks different for everyone. Exploring MANSCAPED’s office setup and how it keeps its remote employees connected. Molly’s professional history and how she ended up in her current role. What her day-to-day looks like and what she’s most passionate about at work today. How she goes beyond her job title to contribute to the business at a fundamental level. Why candidates should challenge hiring managers (and how to go about it). What Molly is looking for when she asks candidates specific questions. Quotes: “There might be a correlation between job satisfaction and where on the [Sunday scaries scale] you fall.” — Molly Minczeski [03:04] “Every company is finding a rhythm that works for them. [MANSCAPED has] found that productivity has not slowed with everyone working fully from home.” — Molly Minczeski [09:36] “I’m a fan of transparency in any opportunity that I can find. [By calling] the elephant out in the room, you can just get so much more done that way.” — Molly Minczeski [26:13] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
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AssemblyAI's Senior Talent Pro Kenzie Hoelscher
03/31/2025
AssemblyAI's Senior Talent Pro Kenzie Hoelscher
Kenzie discusses her tansition from big tech to an AI startup, and how positive hiring manager relationships are more important than specific AI upskilling. Key Points From This Episode: Welcoming Kenzie (Keller) Hoelscher to the show. Kenzie tells us about herself and how she got into recruitment. A little bit about Kenzie’s fascinating career. The importance of building relationships with your hiring managers. The role AI is going to play in recruiting in the future. How she landed up at AssemblyAI and what it’s like working there. The kinds of questions she asks hiring managers when sourcing. How Kenzie filters resumes to narrow down her search. Kenzie shares some advice for anyone who wants to get into AI. Quotes: “With any role while you’re recruiting, as long as you’re having those conversations with your hiring manager and understanding what those main skillsets are, I do think it’s easy to go out there and source for them.” — Kenzie (Keller) Hoelscher [22:48] “There’s definitely risks to being in a startup but I think now we’re seeing that there’s risks at being at bigger companies as well so why not take the risk?” — Kenzie (Keller) Hoelscher [30:40] “AI is a booming industry [and] there’s a lot of energy around it right now.” — Kenzie (Keller) Hoelscher [31:24] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
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GM Financial VP of Global TA Neeti Upreti
03/25/2025
GM Financial VP of Global TA Neeti Upreti
Referrals are an active, internal marketing campaign that recruitment leaders need to leverage alongside their external marketing campaigns. Today, global talent leader Neeti Upreti joins the show to discuss the power and importance of referrals in the recruitment industry. Hear all about Neeti’s incredible career, why recruiting isn’t only a push but also a pull, the importance of senior leadership roles in recruitment, handling referrals, and so much more! Neeti’s experience in various industries has helped her identify the dos and don’ts of recruiting and in this conversation, she delves into some of the best ways to increase referrals before talking about when to encourage employees to make referrals. Key Points From This Episode: Welcoming today’s guest, Neeti Upreti. Neeti shares her career journey and how she ended up where she is today. The push and pull of recruiting: why there needs to be a buy-in from both ends. Neeti outlines the imperative role of senior leadership in recruitment. Balancing hiring referrals with the best-qualified candidate. A few of the best ways to increase referrals within your company. Why employees should be encouraged to make referrals from onboarding. The importance of bringing an element of fun into recruitment. Why Neeti is so excited about transformation in the industry. Quotes: “Behind everybody’s success, there are leaders who lean in to provide that development opportunity.” — Neeti Upreti [5:48] “The reason why I think that [senior leadership roles are] important and why I still enjoy it is because I feel like you really need to be close to a problem in order to be able to find the solution.” — Neeti Upreti [8:01] “We should – be working on an internal campaign to see how [we can] network with our internal employees to find – talent.” — Neeti Upreti [22:42] “When you drive fun into a process, you get more engagement.” — Neeti Upreti [28:55] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
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An Entire Company of Recruiters with Anyscale Head of Talent Rich Adao
03/20/2025
An Entire Company of Recruiters with Anyscale Head of Talent Rich Adao
Rich shares invaluable insights from his time at Google and Facebook, explaining why he transitioned into the startup world and how Anyscale is tackling the challenges of machine learning talent acquisition. We also discuss the importance of sourcing differentiation, the role of AI in recruiting, and why every employee should think like a recruiter. Key Points From This Episode: Why Rich left big tech for startups and the lessons he brought with him. Selling shovels during a gold rush: how Anyscale enables AI and ML scalability. Anyscale’s plans to expand from 135 to 200 employees by the end of 2025. The importance of sourcing differentiation in hiring. Reflections on the role of AI in recruiting: what works, and what doesn’t. Insight into the power of referrals and empowering employees as recruiters. What goes into shifting from traditional referrals to proactive sourcing. Different ways that hiring managers are embracing LinkedIn Recruiter. Measuring hiring success as part of performance management. The impact of helping hiring managers understand the realities of recruiting. Rich’s mindset-focused advice for mid-career talent professionals. Quotes: “As a sourcing and recruiting team, you have to find differentiation – faster than your competitors. Otherwise, you're pulling up LinkedIn Recruiter, putting the same 150 engineers into a project folder that your competitors are, and going after the same talent.” — Rich Adao [12:45] “I'm still waiting for a magic AI tool to emerge. – You still cannot replace the human connection [with] a recruiter that can get to know somebody and explain the business.” — Rich Adao [15:09] “Recruiting is everybody's job. It is important. It is paramount for our future success.” — Rich Adao [26:02] “Don’t put limitations on yourself. If you have the right approach in your current job, you can surprise yourself with what you can do. Always continue to reach above and beyond. At the same time, be realistic about where you are. Seek out feedback.” — Rich Adao [38:33] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
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Developing Sustainable Talent Pipelines with GA's Lupe Colangelo
03/13/2025
Developing Sustainable Talent Pipelines with GA's Lupe Colangelo
In the age of AI and rapid technological evolution, skills planning has become a greater challenge than ever before. But how else can businesses ensure clear succession paths across their organizations? As we dive down this rabbit hole, we are joined today by Lupe Colangelo, the Director of Alumni Engagement and Employer Partnerships at General Assembly – a company focused on closing the global tech skills gap and connecting tech talent with top companies across the globe. We begin with the work being done at General Assembly and what Lupe’s role entails before examining the current state of the hiring market from the candidate’s perspective. Next, we discover how organizations are staying on top of candidate expectations, the guidelines to follow for employer branding in current market conditions, the reasons behind candidate frustrations, and how AI literacy fits into the recruiting conversation. To end, we unpack General Assembly’s State of Tech Talent 2025 to help define a ‘sustainable talent pipeline’, the challenges of developing one, how AI and technology affect skills and succession planning, and why it’s a good idea to brush up on your AI skills even if AI is not at the forefront of your work responsibilities. Lupe Colangelo also shares invaluable advice for leveling up your candidate experience as a recruiter. Key Points From This Episode: Assessing the current state of the hiring market from the candidate’s perspective. Why some recruiters won’t discuss salary expectations in the early interview stages. Unpacking the general sentiments of frustrated candidates. Automation, online talent portals, and other ways to improve the candidate experience. How recruiters select candidates, and how you can stand out in any talent pool. The role of AI in the hiring market and where AI literacy fits in. Defining a ‘sustainable talent pipeline’ and exploring the possible risks of developing one. How skills and succession planning become more difficult as technology evolves. What it means to have AI skills even in non-AI-specific roles. Final takeaways from General Assembly’s State of Tech Talent Report 2025. Lupe’s advice to recruiters hoping to improve their candidate experience. Quotes: “From an HR perspective, you never want to make a promise that you can’t keep.” — Lupe Colangelo [11:29] “Anything that you can include from an HR perspective that tells people where they are; when they can expect to hear back; if they’re still a candidate in the running, that makes such a difference to how a candidate perceives you and if they’re willing to reapply in the future.” — Lupe Colangelo [13:57] “We kind of assume everyone is using [AI], but now it’s [about] how you’re using it. So, you probably shouldn’t pull it up in an interview.” — Lupe Colangelo [21:35] “If your leaders aren’t scared of [AI], your employees are not going to be scared of it.” — Lupe Colangelo [31:20] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
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How AI Disrupts TA Workflows with Director Johannes Sundlo
02/28/2025
How AI Disrupts TA Workflows with Director Johannes Sundlo
How is AI shaping the candidate experience, from the application to the interview to signing on the dotted line? Here to brief us on the current state of AI in human resources is People AI Evangelist, Global HR Futurist, and HR Director at Avalanche Gaming Studios, Johannes Sundlo. Johannes is passionate about driving HR strategies such as workforce modeling, strategic staffing, performance calibrations, and compensation structures that impact the organization. He begins today’s conversation with his thoughts on how candidates use AI for their applications. Tuning in, you’ll learn how to distinguish between helpful AI news and background noise, how AI impacts the traditional vendor selection process, why and how Johannes developed his own ATS, and a close examination of how AI disrupts current HR workflows. We also explore the pros and cons of automating the recruiting process, the margins of error AI is expected to operate in, and the risks and rewards of making your own AI tool instead of waiting for one that you can buy. Key Points From This Episode: Johannes’s thoughts on candidates using AI for applications. Insight into the subsection about AI in HR on his FullStack HR Podcast. How he distinguishes between real AI news and inconsequential background hype. Ways in which AI will impact the traditional vendor selection process. Reasons that Johannes decided to develop his own applicant tracking system (ATS). How AI disrupts and improves current HR work processes. The highs and lows of an automated recruiter. Understanding the acceptable margins of error for AI compared to humans. Risks and rewards of developing your own AI tool versus waiting to buy it off the shelf. Why your data is more valuable than you know. Practical tips to help you create your own AI tools. Quotes: “[In AI], it’s hard to sort between what’s hype, what’s real, what’s tangible, [and] what we can ignore. It’s super hard to [make] that distinction, even for me.” — [05:28] “If we don’t start thinking about how [AI’s] impact will look and feel in the future, we might just end up in a future which we don’t like.” — [09:10] “Our data is valuable, our data is important, and we too easily give it away right now.” — [36:15] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
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Vertex Pharmaceutical VP Global TA Grace Niwa
02/26/2025
Vertex Pharmaceutical VP Global TA Grace Niwa
Grace reveals her unique perspective on elite talent shaped by her career as a Juilliard-trained pianist. From mastering the nuances of excellence in music to identifying top-tier talent in the corporate world, Grace shares how her deep understanding of what sets people apart fuels her approach to hiring and leadership. She dives into the strategic side of talent acquisition, explaining why businesses can't always hire "A-players," how to align hiring with company readiness, and the power of talent intelligence in predicting industry shifts. If you're ready to move beyond transactional recruiting and start thinking like a business leader, this episode will inspire you to elevate your approach to talent acquisition. Key Points From This Episode: Insight into Grace’s journey from classical pianist to talent leader. Learning from both excellence and mediocrity to recognize top talent. The balance of humility and ego in exceptional leaders. How ambition and self-awareness drive career growth. Reasons that companies need diverse talent, not just A-players. Aligning hiring with company readiness and strategic timing. Why talent teams must think beyond job descriptions. Using talent intelligence to predict industry shifts and hiring opportunities. Moving from order-taking to strategic talent acquisition. What goes into making the transition from recruiter to business leader. The role of workforce planning and finance in hiring strategy. Leveraging validated data to influence hiring decisions and market entry. Talent intelligence as the "magic sauce" for strategic hiring. Grace weighs in on JPMorgan Chase CEO’s viral remote work rant. Practical advice for talent pros looking to become true strategic partners! Quotes: “Exceptional talent has this great balance – between humbleness and ego. – You're saying, ‘Hey, I'm great,’ because you have to rally others to follow you, and then you have to have the humbleness to listen.” — Grace Niwa [0:07:07] “In an organization, you're looking for team collaborators. You're looking for team leadership. You're not looking for that one rock star [who everybody just rallies around] because there's a danger in that.” — Grace Niwa [0:10:54] “I see talent acquisition as a sales and marketing team. Before you start doing the selling, you’ve got to understand the market research.” — Grace Niwa [0:20:13] “[Talent acquisition] is more than just filling recs.” — Grace Niwa [0:24:39] “Surround yourself with people who are like-minded. There are a bunch of us out there who believe in this new way of working.” — Grace Niwa [0:39:50] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
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Skillsoft Chief People Officer Ciara Harrington
02/24/2025
Skillsoft Chief People Officer Ciara Harrington
Ciara shares her journey from dreaming of being a CPO as a kid (briefcase in hand!) to leading global people strategies, the challenges of stepping into an internal leadership role, and the power of data-driven decision-making in HR. She breaks down Skillsoft’s strategy cascade, a system that ensures every employee’s work drives company success, and reveals how generative AI is changing the game for HR analytics. Key Points From This Episode: From County Cork to the C-suite: Ciara’s path to becoming a CPO. The power of listening and widening your perspective when stepping into a leadership role. Fixing a disconnected remote team and the small changes that made a big impact. Why Ciara always wanted to lead HR and how her analytical brain helps her do it. Insight into the AI revolution in HR: turning scattered data into real business insights. How every role is a tech role and why HR pros must upskill in AI and analytics. Benefits of a company AI co-pilot (and why you probably shouldn’t use ChatGPT). Skillsoft’s strategy cascade and the secret to aligning people with company goals. Streamlining organizational structure for speed, clarity, and real business impact. The art of subtraction and why HR needs to stop doing outdated tasks and focus on impact. Tips for executives to inspire organizational engagement in strategic goals. Lean in, step up, and follow your passion: Ciara’s advice for aspiring HR leaders! Quotes: “To have influence in a boardroom or at the C-suite [level], it's important you're able to demonstrate that the activities your functions provide to the organization actually drive tangible business outcomes.” — Ciara Harrington [0:10:33] “It doesn't matter if you're in IT, HR, finance, [or] product, every role is a technical role [these days]. As a result, every single employee or team member at every company needs to be up-skilling themselves in data, generative AI, and data and analytics.” — Ciara Harrington [0:15:04] “That's how we want people to think about things: every time you're making a decision on how to spend your time, it should be on one of these five things. Our logic is, if every single person at our company does that, we will meet our business outcomes.” — Ciara Harrington [0:29:25] “Do not follow the money. Follow the job. The money will follow you.” — Ciara Harrington [0:35:25] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
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Data Storytelling for People Teams with Serena Huang, PhD
02/21/2025
Data Storytelling for People Teams with Serena Huang, PhD
Today's guest, Dr. Serena Huang, champions the crucial role of data experts in people teams, showing how people analytics can lead to smarter talent decisions. A globally recognized speaker and innovator, Dr. Huang has a unique background as a data executive at Fortune 100 companies and a Chief Data Officer in the startup world. Her work goes beyond numbers, using data to create healthier, more productive workplaces. A Wiley author and sought-after lecturer at top MBA programs, she’s passionate about empowering the next generation of leaders with data-driven insights. In this episode, Dr. Huang discusses her journey into the people side of business, why data experts are vital to talent teams, and how people analytics can transform decision-making. She also dives into the data behind remote work trends, pawternity, and the inspiration for her book; sharing valuable insights on the art of data storytelling in talent leadership. Key Points From This Episode: Winning the fight with talent leadership: the importance of installing data experts on the people team. She unpacks the value of people analytics and how it generates valuable information. How she works with CHROs to define their actual problem. Data storytelling with people data: what makes it different. The verdict (and her opinion) on pawternity. We look at the current data on remote work and the push for office returns: making decisions based on informed data (from your people!) How Dr. Huang decided to write her book and what topic she wanted to focus on. Quotes: “What holds people back is the data quality. You can have great dashboards but when the underlying data is not trustworthy, no one is going to do anything with the data.” — [0:10:27] “Having autonomy, having the agency to decide where, how, and what you work on [is what matters] as humans. [And] I think that’s why remote work was so successful during COVID, for a short while, [and] that shocked everyone.” — [0:21:38] “For validation, I also found that people are much happier on Fridays. No matter where you are, no matter where you’re working, [on] Fridays, everyone’s mood is better!” — [0:27:58] “I think we are just starting on this AI journey and what AI can do. So much is yet to be seen!” — [0:33:51] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
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Flex EMEA TA Manager Benjamin Tarmann
02/13/2025
Flex EMEA TA Manager Benjamin Tarmann
Benjamin explains how he and his team measure candidate ROI, how he’s improved the candidate selection process, what to be wary of when using AI in TA, and the opportunities that await between what a candidate already knows and what they’re expected to learn in their new role. To end, Benjamin walks us through key data points that, when paid attention to, will help a company improve its candidate experience, and he shares vital advice for approaching a new job with the right attitude. Key Points From This Episode: Design and R&D TA Manager for EMEA at Flex, Benjamin Tarmann describes his new role. His daily tasks as he grapples with and embraces new responsibilities. The ins and outs of Flex and how Benjamin measures ROI. Candidate selection, improving foundational processes, and using the right metrics. Exploring the dangers of automation in TA and how to use AI responsibly. The opportunity gap between a candidate’s expertise and the demands of their new role. Data points to note for improving your company’s candidate experience. Benjamin’s parting advice on how to best approach a new job. Quotes: “It’s good to have somebody who’s familiar with the process to take a look at the process and analyze [it] because otherwise, you will either not even be aware of the issues in the process or you will be very confused by – [what] you see in the data.” — Benjamin Tarmann [05:01] “I’m really lucky that I have a boss that gives me almost boundless independence and very minimal supervision.” — Benjamin Tarmann [07:31] “The whole [Flex] organization lives and dies by the fact that we’re constantly working to improve our processes and systems and tools and methods.” — Benjamin Tarmann [08:55] “We want to focus on internal candidate selection. We want to ensure that people have an avenue for career growth.” — Benjamin Tarmann [12:42] “Don’t be afraid of diversity. Don’t be afraid of trying something else.” — Benjamin Tarmann [30:05] “Have the bravery to try something that’s outside of your comfort zone, it will make you a better leader down the road.” — Benjamin Tarmann [31:53] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
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LPGA Chief People Officer Sam Simmons
01/31/2025
LPGA Chief People Officer Sam Simmons
How do you create a career that reflects your values while staying open to unexpected opportunities? Today, we speak with Sam Simmons, Chief People and Internal Operations Officer at the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA), about embracing adaptability and authenticity. Sam shares her incredible career journey, starting in higher education and pivoting into recruiting, tech, professional sports, and now the LPGA. We explore how embracing career pivots and remaining open to fortuitous opportunities can shape personal growth and career success. Find out how to foster trust and transparency in the workplace, understand the importance of employee value propositions beyond surface-level perks, and uncover how recruiters and leaders can navigate changes effectively. Key Points From This Episode: The power of career pivots and how staying open to new opportunities can shape your path. Sam's journey from higher education to leadership roles across different industries. Transparency and trust in building organizational culture and fostering engagement. Sam's perspective on employee value propositions (EVPs) and how to develop them. Stay interviews and how they provide insights into retention and employee satisfaction. Tips for assessing organizational culture and identifying companies aligned with your values. Why Sam accepted the position at the LPGA and her goals for the role. Her approach to navigating ambiguous roles and finding clarity in the workplace. Steps for creating partnerships with hiring managers and setting realistic expectations. How lifestyle and mission play into modern recruitment and what this means for recruiters. Quotes: “You choose how you show up [or] rise to the occasion. Try to make the best of or something out of the circumstances that you are in and [don’t] put too much pressure on yourself to do it perfectly.” — Samantha Simmons [0:03:53] “It is better to know what exactly you are walking into as much as possible because you know there are bunches of surprises that await you once you get into the actual role.” — Samantha Simmons [0:15:34] “I am very introspective by nature. It helps a lot with my job and being able to maintain a cool head.” — Samantha Simmons [0:31:55] “Ask questions [and] make sure you are clear. You are trying to make placements that endure, but the only way you get there is through a partnership.” — Samantha Simmons [0:36:17] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
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Sandoz VP Global Head of Culture Frank Kellenberg
01/24/2025
Sandoz VP Global Head of Culture Frank Kellenberg
In a world where workplace culture typically lives on posters and slideshows, how do you ensure it’s felt and lived every day? Joining us to explore this vital question is Frank Kellenberg, VP Global Head of Culture & Inclusion at Sandoz. With a career spanning leadership roles at Ingram Micro, Adidas, and Novartis, Frank is a culture champion and inclusion advocate with an inspiring mission: to bring humanity back to the workplace! In this episode of Talk Talent to Me, Frank shares the story of Sandoz’s cultural transformation following its spinoff from Novartis, including how the organization defined its own identity, shaped its unique values, and cultivated psychological safety to empower employees to speak up. From using employee feedback as a foundation to building a culture that drives both belonging and performance, Frank unpacks what it takes to ensure that company values aren’t just words but a way of working. Key Points From This Episode: Transitioning from Novartis to Sandoz: a strategic cultural shift to forge a unique identity. Three questions that shaped Sandoz’s cultural evolution: what to discard, keep, and introduce. What it looks like to ensure that company values are more than just a poster on the wall. How Frank defines company culture using a three-layered housing metaphor. Why openness and transparency play an important role in Sandoz’s interview process. Difficulty attracting and retaining talent and other risks of neglecting workplace culture. Insight into the significance of employee feedback (including former employees). Psychological safety as a red flag signal for cultural issues in an organization. Measuring cultural success through surveys, unscripted employee feedback, and more. Going beyond curated narratives to uncover the true state of organizational culture. How leadership engagement and informal conversations foster cultural alignment. Frank's predictions about the growing importance of workplace culture. Quotes: “We integrated [Sandoz’s values and reflected them] in processes, tools, and performance management – so that, at the end, people could not just read it on a poster on the wall, ‘Here are our four values,’ but really experience it.” — Frank Kellenberg [0:08:32] “You can have a great facade. You can have great architecture or a great house with great furniture. But if the people are not representing it, not living it, [or don’t] like to live in the house, then you have a problem. – This is how I would describe company culture.” — Frank Kellenberg [0:12:06] “We came from a culture in which people had the feeling they [couldn’t] speak up. That was a signal for us that there was no psychological safety in the organization that people feel safe to speak up, to ask questions, to challenge the status quo.” — Frank Kellenberg [0:21:50] “If an organization doesn’t care about [workplace culture], they will struggle.” — Frank Kellenberg [0:32:22] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
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Executive Talent Director Dr. Hamira Riaz
12/23/2024
Executive Talent Director Dr. Hamira Riaz
Until recently, business or occupational psychologists have been rarities who mostly get hired as contracted consultants. But now, companies are beginning to see their undeniable value, and there’s a drive toward having an in-house business psychologist in all workplaces. Today we welcome Dr. Hamira Riaz, Executive Talent & Assessment Director. Dr. Hamira begins with how she switched from clinical psychology to HR before explaining why occupational psychologists should be an in-house norm for all businesses. We unpack the skills needed to be an expert in Dr. Hamira’s field, how the psychological contract between employees and businesses has changed through the years, the constant yo-yo of power between talent and employers, and why potential is an important subject to modern employees. We also learn about our shadow selves and how it affects our work, the role of resilience in breaking through shadows, how Dr. Hamira ensures that she gets the information she needs when speaking to business leaders, and AI’s role in the future of HR. Key Points From This Episode: Dr. Hamira Riaz describes her career pivot from clinical psychology to HR. Why in-house occupational psychologists will become a staple in most businesses. The skills and knowledge required to be an expert business psychologist. How the psychological contract between employees and businesses has evolved. Exploring the perpetual seesaw of power between talent and employers. Why potential matters, and work motivations in a post-COVID society. The environments in which potential is expressed and realized. How our shadows affect our work, and how to assess and alleviate shadows in the office. The role of resilience in breaking through shadows, and how to recharge your resilience. What Dr. Hamira is listening for when speaking to business leaders about their needs. Why she's very interested in how someone spent their 20s when making her valuations. The future of HR with AI. Quotes: “That psychological contract between an employee and a company has fundamentally shifted. We want different things out of work than we ever did before. Our tolerance and threshold for what's okay in terms of the boundary between our personal life and professional life has shifted, and we're never going to go back.” — [08:00] “The Human Potential Movement has been around for decades, since the 60s. I've never known potential as a subject to be as much in the minds of HR professionals as it is now.” — [10:16] “We're all deserving of these opportunities at work, and we don't need to wait for a professional in the HR function to tell us that we are talent and tell us that we have potential.” — [14:01] “I love the gift of time. I don't think anybody loves you more than when you give them back some time.” — [32:11] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
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Mosaic Senior TA Leader Orlando Haynes
12/19/2024
Mosaic Senior TA Leader Orlando Haynes
Orlando shares insights from his many years of experience and how he is giving back to the career-searching community through his coaching. He outlines his advice on how to navigate the interview process, especially when you’re asked to do free labor as a candidate, and how to view things from both sides of the recruitment process. Orlando also tells us about his role at Mosaic, his approach to long-term talent development, how to implement a holistic talent strategy, and much more. Key Points From This Episode: Some background on today’s guest, Orlando Haynes, and his impressive CV. How Orlando has given back to the career-searching community through his coaching. What to expect from a 60-minute clarity call with Orlando. The most common questions Orlando gets as a coach on his clarity calls. Advice on how to construct your resume based on your audience. Unpacking the interview process from the perspective of the interviewer and the candidate. Reflections on unusual, unreasonable, and unethical interview processes. What to do when you’re asked to do free labor as an interview candidate. Orlando’s role at Mosaic Company and his approach to long-term talent development. Balancing the need to have a position filled with investing in hires who need time to develop. Advocating for a holistic talent strategy and how companies need to showcase themselves. Orlando’s recruitment predictions for 2025. Quotes: “It's not that we assessed whether you're a good or bad candidate overall in that five or six seconds, but [it’s] that five [to] six seconds of review let us know to pick up the phone call to learn more.” — Orlando Haynes [09:21] “The big thing for us [at Mosaic] is [the] relationship. It's more about the long-term relationship, but it's also the education piece, whether you're a good fit for the organization or not.” — Orlando Haynes [24:01] “[It’s important] to showcase a day in the life, [for example] ‘what does the office look like?’ – People may not say it as much, but they consider those things. Job seekers consider the space and location where they want to work.” — Orlando Haynes [36:07] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
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TLDR Director of People & Talent Brandon Jeffs
12/11/2024
TLDR Director of People & Talent Brandon Jeffs
Explaining the resilience of modern talent acquisition pros is Brandon Jeffs, the Director of People and Talent at TLDR – one of the largest newsletters in the world with daily summaries of the most interesting stories in startups, tech, and programming. Brandon’s career is focused on empowering the employee-employer relationship, and he walks us through the best practices for cultivating lasting relationships in the talent ecosystem. We discover why he started The Revol•TA Podcast and what he’s learned from the guests on his show before unpacking the doggedness of modern recruiters, how recruiters can improve their job security, whether it’s better to be a generalist or specialist, and what it takes to be an exceptional talent acquisition specialist. We also learn more about TLDR, Brandon’s protocol for making really fast hires, and the role of AI in the future of talent and recruiting. Key Points From This Episode: Brandon Jeffs explains what inspired him to start his show, The Revol•TA Podcast. The best practices for forging meaningful relationships in the talent ecosystem. What Brandon has learned from the guests who’ve appeared on his show. Why recruiters are willing to do gritty and often thankless work. Whether there’s a way for recruiters to be recession-proof in the likelihood of being laid off. An age-old debate: Generalists versus specialists. The characteristics of a great job offer His protocol for understanding a candidate’s motivations, and why this matters. Insight into the markings of a great recruiter. Where preparation meets opportunity and the importance of timing. The ins and outs of TLDR, with details on a particular serendipitous role fill. Understanding Brandon’s method for making really fast hires. How the future of talent acquisition is linked to the possibilities of large language models. Quotes: “The main driver for me is what can I give back to other people?” — Brandon Jeffs [04:50] “The community is what brings us together. If you show up for other people, they will show up for you.” — Brandon Jeffs [11:52] “If you have the fundamentals and the curiosity to learn new things, you can apply those to ways and roles that you may not think of.” — Brandon Jeffs [17:57] “It’s really interesting to see how we position brand and prestige and pedigree in this larger game of capitalism.” — Brandon Jeffs [24:10] “A great recruiter can fill roles on time but an exceptional one can create moments of serendipity.” — Brandon Jeffs [29:47] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
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EQ App CEO/Founder Marcus Sawyerr
11/27/2024
EQ App CEO/Founder Marcus Sawyerr
How is AI reshaping the recruitment landscape, and what does it take to implement it effectively? Today, we sit down with returning guest Marcus Sawyerr to delve into the potential of AI-powered recruitment. Marcus is the Founder and CEO of EQ app, an AI-driven platform designed to connect people and knowledge to drive business growth. Marcus is a pioneer in leveraging artificial intelligence to enhance sales, marketing, and recruitment processes. Recognized as one of the top influential leaders in the staffing industry, Marcus has also served as an advisor to prominent venture capital firms and startups. In our conversation, we delve into the intricacies of deploying AI into an HR tech stack and how AI-powered recruitment strategies are shaking up the industry landscape. We discuss the reasons behind AI becoming front and center in the recruitment industry, explore the different use cases of AI in recruitment, and unpack the fundamentals of implementing AI in HR workflows. Marcus also explains the essential considerations of implementing AI, the paradigm shifts AI is creating in the industry, and what companies get wrong about it. Key Points From This Episode: Recent trends in AI and why the recruitment industry is beginning to embrace it. The different potential use cases of AI within the overall hiring workflow. Common misconceptions of AI in recruitment and missed opportunities within the industry. How AI is disrupting traditional recruitment workflows and enhancing productivity. Why AI is not a "silver bullet" for problems and why a deep understanding of it is vital. The hype cycle around AI and its role in connecting people to the technology. Ways to distinguish between valuable AI solutions and overhyped tools. Insight into the internal and external company aspects of implementing AI. Marcus’ approach to identifying workflow gaps and building trust with teams and the C-suite. The potential of AI to enhance workflows and help grow small businesses. Recommendations for recruitment leaders to begin deploying AI strategies. Final takeaways and an update on the EQ AI Community. Quotes: “The difference now is that AI allows a new workflow and a new way of doing things, which you may not have considered [before].” — [0:07:55] “The way that we work and interact with machines — is evolving at a rapid pace that we haven’t seen before.” — [0:15:46] “It’s really about thinking how you use AI technology to perform better in real life.” — [0:29:00] “If you are inside of an organization, you’ve got to figure out how can you drive [AI] proactively or do something else on the side to help you do extra and do more.” — [0:32:14] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
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Quantum Motion Head of Talent & People Christine Ng
11/15/2024
Quantum Motion Head of Talent & People Christine Ng
Christine shares how her background has enabled her to treat with the most technical talent in the market, and details her approach of developing young talent as well as luring niche talent away from academia. Key Points From This Episode: A bit about Christine’s career and how she landed at Quantum Motion. Christine tells us about the engineering company she was part of. Her opinion on being a generalist versus specializing in something. A breakdown of Quantum Motion, what they do, and their hardware search. Christine tells us about the kinds of people they hire at Quantum Motion. The two very different ways of hiring for a startup (academia and industry). How they develop the talent that they need on their own as well. Christine tells us how she can tell if someone has used ChatGPT. Some advice for anyone wanting to apply for a role in quantum. What they are looking for when recruiting at Quantum Motion. Quotes: “The reality is, if there’s no hardware, there is no quantum computing.” — [0:20:28] “It’s tricky to hire because we do get a lot of interest.” — [0:31:06] “Stay tuned! I think in the next two or three years there will be a lot more opportunities in the [quantum] space.” — [0:32:06] “If you’re applying for a role in quantum, really think about what about quantum that excites you because there’s so much hype around this area as well.” — [0:33:09] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
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Munich Re Head of TA, Europe & Latin America Nuria Munoz
10/31/2024
Munich Re Head of TA, Europe & Latin America Nuria Munoz
Local recruiting for a global brand is not always as synchronous as it could or should be. Joining us with the solutions to this problem is the Head of Talent Acquisition for Europe and Latin America at Munich Re, Nuria Munoz. We discuss the importance of large company gatherings and how to maximize that time before unpacking the value of building both internal and external work relationships. Nuria then describes the efforts of her team in merging local hires with the company’s global vision, the many hats she has to wear in her current role, how she plans on improving the traditional way of making hires in insurance, and the undeniable importance of building a talent pipeline for your business. We end with Nuria’s protocol for cultivating interest in the insurance industry, Munich Re’s approach to succession and workforce planning, the ins and outs of what our guest has dubbed “the skills economy”, and her final words of wisdom for those hoping to follow a similar career path. Key Points From This Episode: Nuria Munoz unpacks the global Munich Re team after the company’s recent conference. Making the most of large company gatherings and the importance of building relationships. How Nuria and her team merge local hires with the company’s global vision. The many hats she wears as the Head of Talent Acquisition for Europe and Latin America. Why the traditional way of making hires in insurance is unsustainable. Exploring Munich Re’s approach to its relationships with talent agencies. Industry branding: how Nuria cultivates interest in insurance. The ins and outs of succession and workforce planning at Munich Re. Unpacking the skills economy: skills matching and transferable skills. Nuria’s parting words of wisdom and advice. Quotes: “I’m trying [to get] the [talent] agencies [to] change their business models so that they bring me something that is different; that is more sustainable long-term.” — [0:12:05] “When you start looking at ‘what’s next, what’s next, what’s next,’ sometimes you miss the ‘right now.’” — [0:28:47] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
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Gentrack Chief People Officer Fran Caldwell
10/30/2024
Gentrack Chief People Officer Fran Caldwell
It is a leader’s responsibility to create the best possible environment for their team and there’s no better way to get insight into how to do that than leveraging employee engagement. Tuning in to this episode of Talk Talent to Me, you’ll hear all about our guest, CPO of Gentrack, Fran Caldwell, why she has such a positive attitude towards her work, the responsibilities she has at her company, and the impact she has made at Gentrack. We delve into the critical nature of employee engagement before discussing the importance of building trust among employees in order to gain these insights from employee engagement. Our guest goes on to talk about key motivators for an engaged workforce and how that varies between generations. Fran even shares the metrics she uses at Gentrack to measure the success of employee engagement and how to evaluate them. Finally, hear how you can handle negative engagement survey results and get some incredible advice about creating a career as a CPO. Key Points From This Episode: The importance of being proud of your role in HR Fran shares how she sees her responsibility at Gentrack How Fran makes sure employees trust the organization The key motivators for an engaged workforce How messaging needs to be adjusted for different generations Fran shares her strategy for measuring employee engagement success Fran tells us how she handles negative results from surveys Our guest gives advice for listeners wanting to forge a career like her own Quotes: “If you work in the people space, every day is an opportunity. And if you focus on it being challenging and in a negative way, well then frankly, how do you get out of bed every day?” — Fran Caldwell [0:02:31] “When you come into a new business or when you’re in these roles, you absolutely need to be led by insights and the only way you’re going to get these insights is by asking a lot of questions but importantly, listening to the answers.” — Fran Caldwell [0:10:00] “Engagement and productivity metrics are intrinsically linked.” — Fran Caldwell [0:17:15] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
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Remote.com Director of TA Anastasia Pshegodskaya
10/28/2024
Remote.com Director of TA Anastasia Pshegodskaya
Anastasia Pshegodskaya is the Director of Talent Acquisition at Remote—a global employment platform that eliminates barriers to international hiring so that great companies can work with great people—and she begins our conversation by explaining why she’s always been more susceptible to working from home. We unpack Amazon’s recent back-to-the-office mandate, why many other companies are trying to get their employees back into the office space, how trust is essential to creating successful remote work environments, and remote work limitations to be aware of. We also discover how Anastasia and her team onboard talent remotely, the talent-specific process that keeps changing as a company evolves, the role of AI at Remote, and why “changing lives” is one of the main reasons for Anastasia’s joy at work. Key Points From This Episode: Anastasia Pshegodskaya details her work-from-home lifestyle even before joining Remote. Her thoughts on Amazon’s back-to-office mandate, and why many others are doing the same. The importance of trust in building a successful remote work environment. Exploring the limitations of remote work and when it’s more beneficial to be in the office. How Anastasia onboards talent remotely and still makes them feel like part of the team. Her journey to joining Remote, what her role entails, and some notable successes so far. How talent-specific processes change and evolve in line with a company’s growth. A closer look at Anastasia’s candidate application review process. The role of AI, and how the Remote team ensures they’re using AI responsibility. Why HR and other people-focused teams are happy to adopt evolving AI tools. Anastasia explains what she loves most about her job. Quotes: “For great talent; for candidates; job seekers, remote work remains a thing. This is something that inspires them and what they want to have in their lives, and I think that it really comes down to flexibility and having the ability to choose where you work and how you work.” — Anastasia Pshegodskaya [0:04:22] “There is a common misconception, in my opinion, that remote teams lose productivity – the customers that we’ve been serving don’t see any productivity loss. On the opposite, they see that the switch to remote work enables more efficient collaboration and communication.” — Anastasia Pshegodskaya [0:05:29] “It comes down to the fact that you just need to trust the people that you hire.” — Anastasia Pshegodskaya [0:06:08] “Every day, my team is changing someone’s life, and I do think that we’re doing this in a good way.” — Anastasia Pshegodskaya [0:31:18] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
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Harvard Business Publishing CHRO Angela Cheng-Cimini
10/24/2024
Harvard Business Publishing CHRO Angela Cheng-Cimini
The mental wellbeing of employees is a crucial part of the overall success of any organization. Today on Talk Talent To Me, we’re joined by the CHRO of Harvard Business Publishing, Angela Cheng-Cimini to discuss self-advocacy, career development, and most importantly, mental health. Angela shares how her father encouraged her to get into HR, why you (and your boss) need to advocate for yourself without being braggadocious, the importance of elevator pitches, ways to enhance your sphere of influence, be more visible at work, and so much more! We delve into the Mental Health First Aid Program and her current focus on mental health at Harvard Business Publishing. We even talk about how to measure success in mental health programs and what to do when a company doesn’t prioritize the mental wellbeing of its employees. Finally, our guest shares some pearls of wisdom about reflecting on your career, finding motivation, and knowing when it’s time to move on. Key Points From This Episode: How Angela’s dad inspired her career path to become CHRO of Harvard Business Publishing. The importance of self-advocacy and the line between advocacy and braggadocious-ness. Angela encourages everyone to practice their elevator pitches. How to enhance your sphere of influence in your organization. Why making the case for your value is a shared responsibility between you and your boss. What Angela is busy with right now: the mental health of her employees! How to handle working in organizations that do not prioritize mental health. Angela explains what mental health first aiders are and what they do. The three business units in Harvard Business Publishing and her role in each unit. Angela tells us about the role they are recruiting for at the moment. How to measure the success of employee mental health programs. Angela shares how she reflects on her own career motivations. Quotes: “Know what’s important to your boss.” — Angela Cheng-Cimini [0:10:17] “The bigger you enlarge your sphere of influence, the more likely you are to have allies in the organization and people who will think of you when there’s a piece of work that you can easily slot into.” — Angela Cheng-Cimini [0:10:25] “Showing up for work is not just about your success, but how you make others successful.” — Angela Cheng-Cimini [0:12:11] “[There’s no] single indicator. It’s a whole host of things that feed into whether or not employees can show up and be their best every day.” — Angela Cheng-Cimini [0:26:29] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
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Play Ventures Head of Talent Joe Burridge
05/29/2024
Play Ventures Head of Talent Joe Burridge
Venture capitalists are far more collaborative among each other than one may think, and today, we learn how this willingness to share ideas enticed today’s guest to join his current company. Joe Burridge is the Head of Talent at Play Ventures – a venture capitalist firm that loves helping ambitious and passionate entrepreneurs to fulfill their dreams – and he begins our conversation by walking us through his latest career developments since his last appearance on Talk Talent To Me in 2019. After musing on the importance of talent professionals upskilling themselves by listening to podcasts like this one, we discuss the merit of going full-freelance in today’s economic climate, when and how Joe knew that he and his employer were on the same page, the importance of having vast talent pools and making the right hires, and the pros and cons of joining a startup as a talent professional. To end, Joe explains what we could be doing more of to embrace and encourage collaborative work environments. Key Points From This Episode: How Joe Burridge's career has developed since his last appearance on this podcast in 2019. Whether he regarded his contracted work as a temporary or permanent solution post-layoff. His experience of working in-house and leading a team versus doing more consultative work. A brief interlude on the value of listening to podcasts like this one as talent professionals. When and how Joe knew that his concerns aligned with his employer's needs. A case study from his career, highlighting the importance of talent and making the right hires. The pros and cons of joining a startup. Joe's recruiting approach, and the trends he sees in current candidate pools. What we can learn from the (surprisingly) collaborative nature of venture capitalists. Quotes: “In North America, for the most part, if you get laid off it's a fairly immediate thing. Thankfully, in the UK, layoffs take weeks, sometimes months. So, you've got quite a bit of breathing room to figure out what you're going to do next.” — [0:07:04] “If you spend your free time listening to a recruiting podcast, I think you're probably a pretty good recruiter. It signals to me that you really care about getting better at your job.” — [0:13:55] “Yes, there's an abundance of talent available, but you need to be more honed into hiring for culture than ever before when you've got such a variety to choose from.” — [0:24:32] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
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LKQ Director of TA Gordon Patterson
05/23/2024
LKQ Director of TA Gordon Patterson
In today’s episode, I sit down with Gordon Patterson to discuss his mission of fostering relationships and championing individual empowerment. Gordon is the Director of Talent Acquisition at LKQ Corporation, a leading provider of alternative and specialty parts to repair and accessorize automobiles and other vehicles. In our conversation, Gordon tells us about LKQ, the changes the company is currently going through, and the different markets it serves. Hear about his role at the company, the ways he pushes the envelope in recruiting, and the value of brand recognition for finding talent. Discover the different organizations LKQ leverages for recruiting, how it retains employees, and details of its “Your Voice Matters” survey. Find out how Gordon overcame the tech hesitation hurdle, his approach to creating referrals, LKQ’s people process technology (PPT) framework, and what “sweat equity” is. Gain insights into the role of leaders in the recruitment process, the secret sauce to retaining talent, what he has planned for the future, and more. Tune in now! Key Points From This Episode: History about the LKQ Corporation and what makes it unique. His role at the company and what he is currently working on. Gordon shares his approach to finding top talent for LKQ. How national and local partnerships help for networking. Hear how many hires LKQ has each year and its employee turnover. Exciting programs the company offers employees, such as scholarships. Taking feedback from employees and turning it into policy. The challenge of slow adoption of technology in the sector. Learn about the type of technologies LQK has invested in. Relying on non-technological tools for talent acquisition. Discover the red flags he noticed in the company’s staffing process. Why CRM (candidate relationship management) software is essential. Quotes: “It has been really fun to see, in my two years [at the company], how talent acquisition has evolved to impact the business.” — Gordon Patterson [0:05:51] “At LKQ, we have been very fortunate, even with all the acquisitions and movement, that a lot of our front-line associates have been with the company for twenty-plus years.” — Gordon Patterson [0:11:20] “The technology that [LKQ] has invested in on the [talent acquisition] side has worked really well.” — Gordon Patterson [0:17:28] “When you see the business going to contractors or temporary talent or however you want to call it; where there is smoke, there is fire.” — Gordon Patterson [0:22:28] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
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