Recruiting Future with Matt Alder - What's Next For Talent Acquisition, HR & Hiring?

The challenges of 2022 are causing many organisations to think very differently about talent. The employers who are getting it right are looking holistically at talent acquisition, development, retention and attrition to create the opportunity to build a talent dense organisation. So what does this look like in practice, and how can your company get there? My guest this week is Taylor Roa, Director of Talent at Wistia. Wistia is a growing technology company with an incredible culture and a big focus on talent density. They also use video as their superpower to showcase their unique employer brand. In the interview, we discuss: Recruiting challenges at Wistia Meaningful work and culture versus cash and compromise Using video to represent the company culture authentically. Making a competitive advantage of putting people first Becoming a talent dense organisation Why retention is not about trapping people Being a business that it is good to be from How the pandemic has changed work Advice on getting more from video in employer branding A defining decade in the future of work A full transcript will appear here shortly. Listen to this podcast on Apple.

With a growing number of use cases, people analytics continues to develop both in sophistication and the amount of value it drives for employers. However, despite the quantum leap in recruiting technology we've seen in the last few years, I still feel that talent acquisition is significantly lagging behind where it should be in terms of data and analytics. My guest this week is Vic Akosile, an HR Strategy Consultant at Humananalytics. Vic is a highly experienced people analytics specialist. He gives us an excellent overview of what is going on in the space and what talent acquisition leaders need to consider if they want to develop their data and analytics capability. In the interview, we discuss: The evolution of People Analytics Cutting edge use cases Increasing digital interactions mean increasing amounts of data. People Analytics in talent acquisition How to develop more sophistication in People Analytics What trends is technology driving Using sentiment and network analysis to help with retention Where is People Analytics going in the future? Listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts

Some of my favourite conversations in the last six months have been around inclusive hiring. Many people are doing brilliant work to support people from marginalised groups into the workforce, and I've learnt a lot from talking to employers like Timpson and organisations like The Bridge of Hope. In this episode, we're going to explore what happens when an employer removes all screening, all background checks and all education and experience requirements from their hiring to be more inclusive. What are the advantages, the challenges, and the results? My guest this week is Nykeba King, Global Head of Inclusion at The Body Shop. A few years ago, The Body Shop created an Open Hiring program to ensure they were being as inclusive as possible. It's a strategy that has produced some amazing results, and it is now giving them a unique competitive advantage in today's challenging talent markets. In the interview, we discuss: Recruiting challenges at The Body Shop What is Open Hiring, and how does it work? No background checks, no screening, no education requirements How Open Hiring is helping The Body Shop in the current talent markets Making recruiting more purposeful with "Targeted Recruitment." Replacing scrutiny with trust Removing barriers and removing bias Implementation challenges The danger of second-guessing someone's ability to do a job Wrap-around support to build an inclusive workplace Time to hire, performance and retention What's next for Open Hiring Listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts.

Whether it's the Great Resignation or the Great Reset, whatever you choose to call it, it is undeniable that employers are currently finding it extremely challenging to attract and retain talent. So which strategies should companies be exploring to improve their odds in such a difficult market? My guest this week is Christine Wzorek, CEO and Founder of White Label Advisors. Christine is a highly experienced HR leader and has essential advice about building holistic human capital strategies to deal with these incredibly challenging times. In the interview, we discuss: What is driving the Great Resignation? Employer engagement, happiness and fulfilment Adapting to the new reality Why talent acquisition needs to mirror sales Treating candidates in a hospitality orientated way Transparency in reward strategies Scaling L&D with technology Levelling the playing field for diverse talent Gender equality The future of talent acquisition and HR Listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts.

I've been a keen follower of the Job Board market for several decades. It's been a market that has often been very slow to evolve, but the pace of innovation has increased considerably over the last few years. So what effect has the pandemic had on the job board industry, and what is its likely future direction? My guest this week is Steven Rothberg, Founder and Chief Visionary Officer of College Recruiter. Steven has been in the job board industry since it started, and I could think of no better person to give us an update on the current state of the market. How have job boards evolved over time The programmatic revolution Recruiting marketing budget consolidation How has the pandemic changed things for job boards Why do job boards need to reduce the friction they are causing in the candidate journey. Market consolidation What is the future of job boards? Listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts. A full transcript will appear here shortly.

Expanding candidate pools, speeding up the recruiting process and diversity hiring are all key talent acquisition challenges in 2022. While technology is never a magic fix everything solution, it is becoming evident that as AI becomes more sophisticated, it can offer employers some of the tools needed to meet these challenges. So what are the latest use cases for AI in talent acquisition, and how is it driving skills based decision making? My guest this week is Andrea Shiah, Head of Talent Strategy and Transformation at Eightfold. Andrea was formerly Global Head of Talent Acquisition at American Express and has some unique insights into the development of AI in recruiting. In the interview, we discuss: What it takes to be successful in the current recruiting landscape Modernising talent acquisition Speeding up recruiting using skills intelligence and automation The danger of leaving the strongest candidates on the table Using adjacent skills to broaden candidate pools DE&I and skills based decision making Find out more about eightfold's Cultivate event here Listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts.

I know that many TA Leaders who listen to the podcast are currently scaling or rebuilding their talent acquisition teams. Market challenges and rapid advancements in the sophistication and availability of technology have changed the game for talent acquisition in the last 24 months. So how do you structure and scale a high performing talent acquisition team to meet the needs of 2022? My guest this week is Alison Kaizer, Head of Talent at Lunchbox. Alison is currently scaling a talent acquisition team in a highly challenging market sector and has some practical insights on tech stacks, team structure, metrics and competitive advantage. In the interview, we discuss: The difference between a good TA team and a world-class TA team The current market for tech talent Communicating culture in a remote process Putting technology at the centre and building a scaleable tech stack How to find, assess and structure a TA team What are the metrics that matter? Using mission and culture to drive competitive advantage What's next for talent acquisition? Listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts.

Round up is the monthly show on The Recruiting Future Podcast channel that highlights episodes you may have missed and gives you my take on some of the key learnings from the guests. Episodes mentioned in this Round Up: Ep 415: LinkedIn & Career Breaks Ep 416: Asynchronous Working Ep 417: Optimizing The Recruiting Process Ep 418: A Mindful Return Ep 419: Speeding Up Hiring Ep 420: The Project Economy Ep 421: The Purpose Gap Ep 422: Digital Talent Ep 423: Perfecting The Candidate Experience Listen to this podcast in Apple Podcasts

It's now an obvious thing to say that the pandemic has created an inflection point in the future of work. However, understanding which of the current trends we are seeing will become the long term trends that shape this future is a challenge, particularly when demographics and technology also have a big part to play. To help me make sense of all of this and give us a professional opinion on how things might develop, my guest this week is Katy Tynan, Principal Analyst at Forrester. Katy specialises in both the employee experience and the future of work and has a vast amount of expert insight to share. In the interview, we discuss: The current state of talent markets Demographic shifts The working from anywhere trend Breaking down generational stereotypes Designing culture and working practices around employees and customers The importance of listening Values What does the career of the future look like The technology ecosystem The importance of collaboration Managing uncertainty What can we expect in the near term future? Follow this podcast on Apple Podcasts.

Delivering a high-quality candidate experience isn't easy, but it has arguably never been more critical with the recruiting challenges employers are now experiencing. Over all the years that candidate experience has been an industry talking point, what has become clear to me is that it is fundamentally a strategic rather than a tactical issue. My guest this week is Carlos Fernandez, Director of Talent Acquisition at Houston Methodist. Houston Methodist puts innovation at the heart of its corporate strategy, and its approach to candidate experience reflects this. In the interview, we discuss: Recruiting challenges in the healthcare sector The quality of candidate care mirroring the quality of patient care Standing out as an employer. Candidate experience strategy The "Know Me Experience" and voice of the customer research The role of technology Virtual chat, candidate capture and auto-scheduling Using technology to connect candidates with humans quickly Change management The future of talent acquisition Follow this podcast on Apple Podcasts.

So today is the international publication date for Digital Talent, the book I've spent the last couple of years writing with Mervyn Dinnen. We're incredibly excited that everyone can finally get to read it and wanted to record a special show to discuss the themes and some of the significant learnings from our research. In a disrupted and technology-enabled world of work, the ability to attract, recruit and retain people with digital skills can be the difference between business success and business failure. Our book explores how employers can do this successfully. I am absolutely delighted that Trish McFarlane, host of the legendary HR Happy Hour podcast, has agreed to be our guest host and interview Mervyn and me for this episode. Enjoy the conversation! In the interview, we discuss: Why we wrote Digital Talent How digital skills are critical to a company's success Speed, quality and humanity in Talent Acquisition Personalizing talent experience Aspiration vs Reality Hybrid, remote and talent intelligence Work Tech trends What are cutting edge employers doing to attract digital talent Total talent thinking Listen to this podcast in Apple Podcasts.

As we all know, recruiting and retention are tough at the moment, and employers need to work harder than ever to acquire and keep the talent they need. Purpose is often talked about as a critical differentiator in employer branding, but what does that actually mean in practical terms? New research from Cognizant has revealed just how important purpose is at work and has also highlighted a growing disconnect between employers and younger workers. So what does purpose mean for Gen Z employees, and what should employers be doing to close the purpose gap. I'm joined this week by Eduardo Plastino, Director of The Cognizant Center for the Future of Work, to talk through the research and explore its implications. In the interview, we discuss: Defining the purpose gap The increasing leverage of employees Understanding what is important to the Gen Z workforce Scepticism around employers' messaging on critical issues such as climate change and DE&I Shared values Implications for employers How to fix the purpose gap Aligning external employer brand communication with internal reality Advice to talent acquisition teams on how brand, marketing and recruiting process can demonstrate an employer is a great place to work. Listen to this podcast in Apple Podcasts.

The world of work has changed in many ways, and one fascinating area is the adoption of a more agile approach to talent. Project-based contracting is on the rise employers work to ensure they have the right skills at the right time in rapidly changing business environments. So what mindset do employers need to adopt to be successful in the project economy, and what are the implications on the career paths of knowledge workers. My guest this week is Kate Duchene, CEO at RGP, a human capital company redefining how professionals work in more flexible and collaborative ways. Kate is at the cutting edge of the project economy and has some very valuable insights and experiences to share. In the interview, we discuss: What is the Project Economy? The drive towards agility and mobility Renting or borrowing talent Run this place vs change this place Thinking differently about careers The importance of choice Skills development in portfolio careers From command and control to learning, listening and empathy Culture, productivity and performance The role of technology A future of increased flexibility Listen to this podcast in Apple Podcasts.

Perhaps the hottest topic of 2022 so far is how employers can speed up recruiting while simultaneously maintaining or improving the quality of process and quality of hire. It's something that I'll be getting a lot of different perspectives on in the coming weeks, as I know it is a crucial challenge for many of you. My guest this week is Shannon Russo, CEO and Founder of RPO firm Kinetix. Shannon's organisation is working with many employers to help them speed up hiring, and she has a tremendous amount of expertise and experience to share. In the interview, we discuss: Challenges in the market Why speed has never been more important Speeding up hiring and improving quality Same day offers Finding talent Reaching back out to existing candidate databases. How are companies standing out Recruiting Technology The role of RPO in 2022 What does the future of recruiting look like Listen to this podcast in Apple Podcasts.

For many people who take parental leave, returning to work can be a very challenging time where they are not getting the support they need from their employer. So what should employers be doing to support new parents, particularly when talent retention is such a big issue? My guest this week is Lori Mihalich-Levin, founder of Mindful Return. Mindful Return is an organisation focused on helping parents and employers manage effective transitions back into the workplace, and Lori has some valuable insights to share. In the interview, we discuss: The common issues and difficulties for parents returning to work after parental leave The dangers of managers making assumptions What are employers getting wrong The importance of dialogue Making the transition an intentional and thoughtful process A mindful mindset, logistics, leadership and community Skills Culture, belonging and retention What are the best employers doing What does the future of flexible working look like? Listen to this podcast Apple Podcasts

With so many challenges in talent acquisition, process improvement and optimization are a constant theme as employers attempt to speed up their processes. But how do you speed up recruiting while protecting the integrity of quality of hire and DE&I? My guest this week is Erin Crask, Director Solutions Architects at SHL. Erin and her team use science and data to help enhance people strategies, and she has a tremendous amount of experience helping companies to streamline their external and internal recruiting processes. In the interview, we discuss: Current challenges in recruiting The danger of reactive decision making The dangers of scaling back assessment to speed up recruiting Making evidence based changes to processes Protecting the quality of hire while also shortening the selection timeline Using automation to provide feedback for all applicants Defending the integrity of the process with internal stakeholders Measuring the right things The critical elements of a high quality candidate experience Asynchronous processes to empower candidates Automation trends What does best in class internal mobility look like Listen to this podcast in Apple Podcasts.

For many people, remote working now feels like business as usual; however, most employers still haven't evolved their working practices to embrace its advantages. Adopting an asynchronous model or work has been something that remote-first companies have been doing for years, and there are proven benefits in terms of both productivity and wellbeing. So what are the strategic differences between synchronous and asynchronous, how does leadership work in an asynchronous model, and what steps should employers be taking to adapt to different ways of working in a remote world of work. My guest this week is Liam Martin, founder of a remote-first company with people in 43 different countries and no office. He is a thought leader on asynchronous work and co-organizer of Running Remote, the world's largest conference on building and scaling remote teams. In the interview, we discuss: The difference in mindset between asynchronous and synchronous Advantages and disadvantages of asynchronous management Clarity and autonomy How did the early remote-first companies develop this way of working The rise of the introverted leader Reprogramming teams to work in a different way. Issues with hybrid and the problem of distance bias First steps to take to become autonomous Long term implications of remote working Listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts.

Episodes mentioned in this Round Up: Ep 409: Inclusive Hiring Ep 410: Recruiting Fundamentals Ep 411: EVP In A Hyper Competitive Market Ep 412: Scaling Recruiting Ep 413: Into The Metaverse Ep 414: Change & Complexity Listen to this podcast in Apple Podcasts

Destigmatizing career breaks is something that I feel very strongly about and something that talent acquisition needs to take very seriously. With so much lip service paid to diversity and inclusion and the current difficulties of finding talent, it makes zero sense to still view career breaks negatively. This week LinkedIn have announced Career Breaks on the LinkedIn Profile to better reflect the realities of career journeys and, in turn, begin to normalize career breaks in the recruiting process. My guest this week is Jennifer Shappley, Global Head of Talent Acquisition at Linkedin. As well as talking us through the new career breaks feature, Jennifer discusses the key findings on LinkedIn's latest Global Talent Trends report and shares her thoughts on the future of talent acquisition. In the interview, we discuss: Global Talent Trends Wellbeing and flexibility Trust LinkedIn's new Career Break profile section How can talent acquisition support people who have taken a career break How is talent acquisition changing, and where is it going? Making interviews equitable in a hybrid world What are the biggest challenges talent acquisition teams are facing Listen to this podcast in Apple Podcasts.

One thing that really annoys me is when commentators, consultants or vendors offer advice to talent acquisition teams that doesn't recognise just how complex organisational hiring dynamics can be. Change is constant, but driving effective change in a complex organisation that radically improves talent acquisition is incredibly challenging. My guest this week is Jenny Cotie Kangas, Director, Digital Experience Talent Acquisition at Regis Corporation. Jenny has an incredible story to tell about the power of adopting a beginner's mindset to use technology to transform talent acquisition in a highly complex company. In the interview, we discuss: The talent acquisition challenges in a franchised organisation A beginner's mindset Calibrating talent acquisition as business critical Delivering intentionality to the candidate Identifying a recruiting technology partner Designing the candidate experience Offering consistency and flexibility in the recruiting process where one size fits all doesn't work Modular technology The results so far and the next stages Advice to talent acquisition leaders What does the future of recruiting look like? Listen to this episode in Apple Podcasts.

For over a decade now, I've been flagging up the development of virtual reality as something talent acquisition should have on their radar. It's taken a while, but with tech giants like Meta and Apple making multi-billion dollar investments in technology and infrastructure is now finally the time for our industry to fully embrace the Metaverse. So how does would this work, and what talent acquisition and HR activities are already in play in virtual reality. My guests this week are Misha Krymov and Jennifer Regan, the CEO and Head of Experiences at Morpheus XR. Morpheus XR is already designing recruiting, onboarding and leadership development experiences in the Metaverse and have a massive amount of knowledge to share with us. In the interview, we discuss: What is the Metaverse, and who is building it? Creating space for meaning and meaningful moments How environment shapes human behaviour How VR gives agency to users that Zoom / Teams calls don't Unbiased recruitment using VR Onboarding What should talent acquisition teams be doing to learn about the Metaverse Inclusion and alternatives to headsets Untangling science fiction from science fact Extending reality What's the potential for VR, and how will it be used in the future Listen to this podcast in Apple Podcasts

This year, scale and speed are an essential focus for many talent acquisition teams. But how do you scale recruiting and speed up hiring in an environment where recruiting recruiters is as tough as it is right now? My guest this week is David Spencer-Percival, CEO of Life Science People and formerly the founder of high growth recruitment businesses Huntress and Spencer Ogden. David has decades of experience scaling up and recruiting recruiters in various markets. He has developed a tried and tested methodology that many talent acquisition teams can learn from In the interview, we discuss: Recruiting, training and nurturing fantastic recruiters The academy model Selection Building the right culture of success and incentive The relentless pace of change Recruiting processes for a candidate driven market What are the most successful employers getting right? The role of technology Advice to TA leaders on building effective working partnerships with agencies Listen to this podcast in Apple Podcasts.

Over the last few months, as I've been researching the practical effects of the Great Resignation, we've heard the stories of talent acquisition professionals from the US, Europe and Australia on what is truly a global issue. One country I really want to know more about though, is India, one of the biggest global markets for tech talent. My guest this week is Aditya Singh, Director Head of Talent Acquisition at Informatica. Aditya has overall responsibility for designing and deploying Informatica's Talent Acquisition Strategy across India and gives us a great insight into what Informatica is doing to stand out in one of the most competitive talent markets on the planet. In the interview, we discuss: The Indian tech talent market Why EVP is critical for differentiation Gen Z's expectations from work Constant engagement throughout the client lifecycle The importance of campus recruiting The rapidly changing landscape of skills and why this makes internal mobility critical The impact of remote The role of technology Data and analytics What TA innovations can we expect to see in the future Listen to this podcast in Apple Podcasts.

As employers continue to struggle to find the talent they need, it is fascinating to see talent acquisition teams forensically picking their recruiting processes apart and reimagining them to reflect the reality of 2022. While talent intelligence, AI, and automation play a part, some human fundamentals sit at the heart of an effective TA strategy. So what should recruiters be focusing on, and how different is the talent market of 2022 from those in the past. My guest this week is somewhat of a recruiting legend and has strong opinions based on his decades in the industry. Lou Adler, CEO of Performance-based Hiring Learning Systems, is a prolific author, speaker and trainer. Keep listening to hear his thoughts on how best to deal with the challenges employers are currently facing. In the interview, we discuss: Is the current market really unprecedented? What should recruiters be focusing on? Designing recruiting processes Go to market positioning. Results versus competencies and experience Predictive indicators and confirming indicators Hiring manager The role of technology The future Listen to this podcast in Apple Podcast.

In the latter part of last year, I had two conversations on the show about hiring from marginalised groups. The first was with Eugène van den Hemel, who is doing pioneering work in The Netherlands to connect refugees with employment opportunities. The second was with Darren Burns, who runs the ex-offender hiring programme for UK retailer Timpson. Both of these conversations were eye-opening for me. They highlighted that now more than ever, employers need to challenge traditional policies and beliefs to think differently about hiring if they want to be genuinely inclusive. I wanted to know more, and a few weeks ago, I was introduced to James Fellowes and Chance Bleu-Montgomery from Prosper4, who run an inclusive hiring portal called the Bridge of Hope. Their organisation helps bridge the gap between being job-ready and getting a job in many marginalised and diverse talent pools. Their knowledge and expertise come from incredibly challenging personal experiences, and it was a privilege to give them this platform to tell their story. In the interview, we discuss: Being in the business of changing lives Inclusive recruitment and inclusive employment Building a coalition of support services covering critical areas such as qualifications, finance and broader family support What does the talent come from Improving the odds both for job seekers and employers The huge benefits to employers Which employers are embracing inclusive recruiting Future plans Listen to this podcast in Apple Podcasts.

Round up is the monthly show on The Recruiting Future Podcast channel that highlights episodes you may have missed and gives you my take on some of the key learnings from the guests. Episodes mentioned in this Round Up: Ep 403: The Skills Challenge Ep 404: The Great Opportunity Ep 405: Global Remote Teams Ep 406: A CEO’s Perspective On Remote Work Ep 407: Science Driven Talent Intelligence Ep 408: Hiring Revolution Listen to this podcast in Apple Podcasts

DE&I continues, thankfully, to be an extremely high profile issue for employers. However, the needle is still not moving quickly enough, and some of the data is shocking. For example, it would still take 200 hundred years to close the race and gender pay gaps at the current rate of progress. So what can employers do to accelerate the pace of change, and how much can individual recruiters influence diversity in hiring. This week, my guests are Trina Olson and Alfonso Wenker, co-founders of Team Dynamics. Trina and Alfonso work with some well-known organisations to improve their diversity and hiring practices. They have recently authored a book called Hiring Revolution that offers some extremely practical advice on how recruiters can inject DE&I into their organisation's hiring. In the interview, we discuss: Aligning cultural behaviour to values Why inequities in hiring and promotion are not a foregone conclusion Resume racism Recruiters taking individual responsibility to make change Notice, Name and Navigate RPDR What to do more of, what to do less of and what to stop. Onboarding How will things develop over the next two years? Listen to this podcast in Apple Podcasts.

Talent intelligence is something that has gathered significant momentum in the last three years, and data-driven decision making is a crucial part of every sophisticated talent acquisition function. But are we asking enough questions about the sources of the data that is used and truly understanding the risk of bias? My guest this week is Markellos Diorinos, CEO at Bryq. Markellos is passionate about using objective science and unbiased data to inform hiring and internal mobility. In the interview, we discuss: Data supported decision making. Challenging recruiting norms The importance of human decision making Biased data and reliable data Understanding culture in an objective scientific way Translating a cultural framework into specific behaviours The role of technology What does the future look like? Listen to this podcast in Apple Podcasts.

Whatever form it eventually takes, remote working is here to stay. In the previous episode of the show, we explored the challenges and opportunities of building a global remote team; in this episode, I wanted to get the hands-on perspective of someone who has built a highly successful remote-first company. Everett Harper is the CEO of Truss, a software engineering business that has been fully remote for ten years. In our conversation, Everett shares myriad insights on hiring, communication, retention, culture and diversity, which will be of enormous value to everyone who's listening. In the interview, we discuss: Building a 100% remote company Culture Maintaining and measuring productivity. Focusing on human connection and building systems to support that The danger of expanding work hours Exposing the fallacy of presenteeism Putting diversity at the heart of the workforce How to ensure you have the skills and talent you need Salary transparency and consistency Thinking differently about the things we are seeing Do we understand the real implications of global mobility? What does the future look like? Everett's book - "Move to the Edge, Declare it Center." Listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts.

One of the early discussion points in the pandemic was the access to global talent pools that the move to remote working could open up. Two years on, it is pretty clear that remote working is now a permanent fixture in the working life of many people. So how far are employers tapping into global talent pools, and what are the challenges and opportunities. My guest this week is Nicole Sahin, CEO and Founder of Globalization Partners. Nicole and her company work with many employers who are building global remote teams, and she has some valuable insights and experiences to share. In the interview, we discuss: The long term trends that are coming out of the pandemic Everyone everywhere The benefits of building global remote teams Diversity of ideas Engagement & productivity Building community Common challenges What mindset shifts are employers making Understanding cultural norms Building a global employer brand Nicole's book " Global Talent Unleashed." Listen to this podcast in Apple Podcasts.

It's only January, and it's already clear that the Great resignation will continue to be a huge talking point in 2022 as companies fight for the talent and skills they need. However, some employers are already reframing this challenge as a fantastic opportunity to attract talented people they might not have previously persuaded to move roles. This isn't easy, and obviously, employer brand and employee experience are huge factors. However, there is a lot that talent acquisition teams can be doing to stand out from the crowd by focusing on the areas within their control that make a real difference. My guest this week is Maggie Spong, VP of Talent Acquisition at AstraZeneca. AstraZeneca has certainly been thrust into the spotlight by the pandemic, but they have also spent the last few years developing several initiatives to differentiate themselves in their talent markets. In our conversation, Maggie shares a number of these, including their talent scout programme, building a personalised and inclusive candidate experience, and focusing on training and development for their talent acquisition team. In the interview, we discuss: How Talent Acquisition is evolving at AstraZeneca Using Talent Scouts to build external talent pipelines for hard to fill roles and where there are gaps in internal succession planning Building a personalised and inclusive candidate experience. Giving feedback to all interviewed candidates The challenges of the pandemic Encouraging candidate self-selection by showcasing the authentic employee experience Turning The Great Resignation into The Great Opportunity The role of technology Employer brand advocacy Investing in development and the Talent Acquisition Academy AstraZeneca's focus for 2022 Listen to this podcast in Apple Podcast.

Skills shortages have always been an issue for employers and have certainly come into sharp focus in recent months. Skills mapping, predicting future skills requirements and opening up talent pools via hybrid and remote working are just some of the solutions employers will be looking at in 2022. So what kind of strategies should talent acquisition and HR leaders be planning, and how can technology help? My first guest of the year is Vanessa Tierney, CEO of Abodoo. Vanessa's organisation recently surveyed 100 HR Directors and C-Level Executives from the world's best companies to work for and asked their opinion about their firm's working strategy, talent, workforce, and social infrastructure. Unsurprisingly skills were the number one issue. In the interview, we discuss: Attrition and skills shortages Opening up talent pools globally via remote and hybrid working How do you make people feel connected? Adapting working models Presenteeism How can employers better understand the skills in their workforce? Hard and soft skills matching. Predicting future skills requirements and understanding gaps Spotting opportunities in geographical skills clusters Driving inclusivity in talent identification The Metaverse Advice on selecting HR and Recruiting Technology What should we expect in the medium and long term future? Listen to this podcast in Apple Podcasts.

So that was the year that was 2021. As we move into 2022, the seismic changes of the last 12 months have certainly given us a lot to reflect on. The Great Resignation, the AI revolution in talent acquisition, the redefinition of the workplace, the continued depth of focus on DE&I, the list is as long as is it significant. It is impossible to make predictions, but I think it's fair to say that 2022 is potentially even more significant as employers find new ways of dealing with the considerable talent challenges they face. So what should we expect, and how do we process what has happened? I'm delighted to welcome Lars Schmidt back to the podcast as my last guest of 2021. Lars runs Amplify Talent, a boutique agency, HR leader development platform, and community that sits at the centre of the redefinition of HR. Lars is a passionate curator and facilitator of insights from some of the world's most innovative CHROs and is the perfect person to help us reflect and prepare for 2022. In the interview, we discuss: What positives should we take from 2021 When emergency measures drive long term changes The opportunity to redefine the nature of work Moving from Synchronous to asynchronous in communication and collaboration What are the most innovative employers doing, and which CHROs are leading from the front? What is changing in talent acquisition Compelling value propositions Preboarding and onboarding Increasing talent mobility and fluidity The Metaverse and Web3 The future for hybrid working Hopes for 2022 Listen to this podcast in Apple Podcasts.

As I referenced in the 400th episode, one of the standout trends for me in 2021 has been the adoption of AI in talent acquisition and its impact. As we move towards 2022, I wanted to take deeper dive into the practicalities of the revolution AI is driving in talent intelligence, recruiting process and talent management. My guest this week is Jason Cerrato, Senior Director Product Marketing at Eightfold AI. Jason has a unique combination of experience, having been a talent acquisition practitioner and leader as well as an industry analyst before working on the vendor side. This combination of experience gives him a unique insight into the change AI is driving in talent acquisition, and he has valuable advice to share. In the interview, we discuss: Why not all AI is the same How AI is changing Talent Intelligence The importance of adjacent skills Unlocking more diverse talent pools Being dynamic, real-time and agile in recruiting Identifying learning capabilities How AI is changing Talent Management Internal talent marketplaces Free Agent skills Advice to TA leaders on AI strategy What we can expect in 2022 Listen to this podcast in Apple Podcasts.

When I launched this podcast almost seven years ago, I had an expectation that I was in it for the long haul, but I couldn't have imagined that 400 episodes later, I would be publishing two episodes a week, and the audience would still be growing. Thank you for listening and for your support; it means so much to me. In keeping with the show's theme for this 400th episode, I want to look forward and not backwards. 2021 has been a year for talent acquisition like no other, and I believe we are seeing trends emerge that will shape recruiting for the next decade or more. I've had some fantastic guests on the show this year, and I wanted to showcase highlights from five interviews that shine a light on some of the innovations and trends that have made 2021 so important, and that will, in turn, have a significant impact in 2022. Interviews featured in this episode: Ep 333: Automation, Simplicity and Experience Ep 331: Transforming Recruitment Marketing Future Live: DE&I Ep 395: The Challenges Of Recruiting Recruiters Ep 375: The Magic Of Behavioural Science Listen to this podcast in Apple Podcasts. A full transcript will appear here shortly.

Perhaps the only thing that is clear about the future is that it will involve a lot of uncertainty, disruption and change. As we've heard from all of my recent guests on the show, talent acquisition transformation is now happening in ways we could not have predicted 18 months ago. So what can Talent Acquisition leaders do in 2022 to help their teams navigate an ever more volatile business landscape? My guest this week is Ira Wolf. Ira is President of Success Performance Solutions and a well-known author, speaker and commentator on the changing world of work. In our conversation, Ira shares some valuable perspectives on what employers can do to support their employees to make the behavioural changes needed to be effective in our new never normal. In the interview, we discuss: The perfect storm that has been brewing for years Why we are living on an exponential curve of change Complexity with no predictability Resistance to behavioural changes How can employers accelerate change to match the exponential landscape? Being comfortable being uncomfortable Abilities, character and environment The importance of company culture Grit and resilience Teaching people to unlearn How does talent acquisition need to change What increases the effectiveness of technology? What can we expect in 2022 Listen to this podcast in Apple Podcasts.

One of the things I have been doing on the show this year is investigating new technologies in the assessment market. As the speed of adoption increases, it's essential to understand the actual science behind what is being developed. I've always been fascinated by language and what we might be able to learn from the words that people use. With that in mind, I was very keen to talk to this week's guest. Mike Durland is CEO of Receptiviti. Receptiviti has a robust scientific methodology that uses language data to uncover emotions, personality, and psychology. This is essentially an interview in two parts. In the first half of our conversation, Mike talks about what we can learn from applying science to language. In the second half of the conversation, he shares some important insights that Receptivit has uncovered about the effect of remote and hybrid working on different parts of the workforce. It's fascinating stuff. In the interview, we discuss: The relationship between psychology and language The secret life of pronouns Applications for recruiting What are people saying about work? How happy are people working from home? Has the pandemic driven an increase in empathy at work? The different effects of the pandemic on senior and junior employees How to be a great place to work What can we expect in the future? Listen to this podcast in Apple Podcasts.

Digital transformation remains a crucial issue for most organisations. The pandemic has exponentially accelerated the pace of change, with companies scrambling to supply products and services to meet the demands of our increasingly digital economy. The need for digital skills and continuing issues of gender diversity are two of the implications for talent acquisition. TA leaders must have a strong understanding of the evolving digital landscape. My guest this week is Bev White, CEO of Harvey Nash. Harvey Nash have a long starting reputation for providing market intelligence via their annual CIO survey. This year the research has been refocused as the Digital Leadership Report. Bev has important insights to share around the role of talent in the future development of the digital economy. In the interview, we discuss: The background to the Digital Leadership Report Key findings Who are the digital leaders within organisations? The unacceptably slow growth in the increase of females in digital leadership positions The rise of flexible and hybrid working and why this is cause for optimism What can employers do to improve gender diversity? Creating systemic, sustainable change Are digital skill shortages holding back growth? Investing in apprenticeships The vital importance of reskilling Opening up new talent pools via remote working How is recruiting evolving, and what role is technology playing What can we expect in 2022 Listen to this podcast in Apple Podcasts.

We often talk about evolution in talent acquisition. That has always seemed appropriate in an area where the pace of change has been relatively slow compared to other areas of the corporation. However, what we are seeing now is much more like a revolution as talent shortages, changing business priorities, and rapid technological advancement send shock waves through the industry. So what does talent acquisition transformation now look like, and how are employers moving at pace to keep up with the changing landscape. My guest this week is Yasar Ahmad, Global VP of Talent at HelloFresh. Yasar is only six months into his role but has quickly embarked on an ambitious recruiting transformation strategy that is already showing tangible results. In the interview, we discuss: Talent acquisition challenges at Hello Fresh Recruiting maturity From 1.0 to 4.0 and beyond Investment from senior leadership Driving a vision based on candidate experience Putting talent intelligence at the core Hiring and retaining recruiters by communicating a long strategy and building a sense of purpose The transformation roadmap The role of technology Automation Turning candidates into customers Hiring in 24 hours Sustainability in recruiting Listen to this podcast in Apple Podcasts.

Round up is the monthly show on The Recruiting Future Podcast channel that highlights episodes you may have missed and gives you my take on some of the key learnings from the guests. Episodes mentioned in this Round Up: Ep 386: Future Talent Acquisition Trends Ep 387: Assessment Innovation Ep 388: Candidates In Control Ep 389: Automated Sourcing Ep 390: Strategic AI Ep 391: Scaling Hiring At Speed Ep 392: Leveraging Recruiting Technology Ep 393: Hiring From Marginalised Groups Ep 394: Lessons From Startups Ep 395: The Challenges Of Recruiting Recruiters Listen to this podcast in Apple Podcast

We've been talking continuously about challenging talent markets on this podcast since March. However, we've not so far mentioned the one specific skill shortage which is affecting everyone. The pressure on many employers to scale up their talent acquisition functions is immense, but hiring experienced recruiters has arguably never been tougher. So what can companies do to attract and retain experienced recruiter talent while also building capacity and capability? My guest this week is Amy Schultz, Global Head of Talent Acquisition at Canva. Canva has been scaling up at speed over the last few years, and Amy has some very valuable perspectives and experiences to share. In the interview, we discuss: The recruiting landscape at Canva The current challenges recruiting recruiters when talent supply is even tighter than it is for software engineers Perceptions of talent acquisition within organisations Attracting and retaining experienced recruiters Investing in developing skills to build rather than just buy-in New sources of recruiting talent Raising up and celebrating the profession. Work, craft and impact Building peeks rather than fixing potholes Humans and technology The broadening scope of talent acquisition teams What should TA leaders be focusing on in 2022 Listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts.

Although I've tended to work with very large enterprise businesses as a consultant, I've always been fascinated by startups and the lessons larger, more established companies can learn from them. Although the actual execution will always be different, I think there are some real insights around how smaller, more agile companies think about talent, candidate experience, and recruiting technology. My guest this week is is Ben Butler, Head of People at Dublin based tech startup Evervault. Ben has worked for startup and scale-up companies on both sides of the Atlantic. He has a really fresh approach to talent and some great insights to share. In the interview, we discuss: Recruiting challenges in technology The power of a strong value proposition Cutting through the noise Building effective outreach and automating follow up How do you keep great people? Building culture while scaling Democratising information Build speed into a tech stack for competitive advantage The future of recruiting Listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts.

For many years I've been reading about the work UK retailer Timpson does to hire ex-offenders and other marginalised groups. What they do is a win win win situation. It's a win for the ex-offenders who get a job, it's a win for society as employment is a crucial part of breaking the re-offending cycle, and it's a win for Timpson as they get access to a large talent pool. Now more than ever, employers need to be challenging traditional policies and beliefs to think differently about hiring. With that in mind, I'm absolutely delighted to welcome Darren Burns, Timpson's National Recruitment Manager and Head of The Timpson foundation, to the show. As well as running Timpson's own ex-offender hiring initiatives, Darren also advisors other companies looking to do the same, and he has some unique experience and advice to share In the interview, we discuss: The work of The Timpson Foundation Timpson's motivations behind recruiting ex-offenders Breaking the re-offending cycle Working with prisons in the recruiting process The benefits of employing ex-offenders Advice to other employers Accelerator prisons and prison reform What's next for Timpson Listen to this podcast in Apple Podcasts.

Talent Acquisition is having to evolve at speeds we have never seen before, and recruiting technology is playing a central role in enabling this transformation. However, the recruiting technology ecosystem has never been more complicated and confusing. Building an effective tech stack can be challenging. My guest this week has a considerable amount of advice to share on the best ways to leverage recruiting technology in the dynamic environment employers are currently operating in. Ryan Dull is the Founder and CEO of Sagemark HR and an expert in pairing best fit technology, innovative process and industry best practices. In the interview, we discuss: Talent Acquisition challenges Technology adoption Building Tech Stacks to improve efficiency and increase conversion How much of recruiting will be automated How do TA leaders make sense of the market? Stakeholder buy-in and support The impact of vendor acquisition and investment on customers Broader technology trends to keep an eye on for the future Listen to this podcast in Apple Podcasts.

In today's talent markets, speed is critical when it comes to securing talent. Maintaining speed and quality when hiring is being scaled up is a challenge and is also a position many employers are now in. My guest this week is Katie Morrow, VP of People Operations at Podium. Podium is a rapidly growing business, and Katie has some great insight to share on scaling up hiring without losing speed or damaging the candidate experience. In the interview, we discuss: Scaling up talent acquisition High touch candidate experience The mind shift from relocation to remote Demonstrating company culture in virtual hiring Connecting people to the mission of the business Childcare The role of technology What do the next 12 - 18 months look like Listen to this podcast in Apple Podcasts.

As I mentioned in the previous episode, with recruiting evolving so quickly, I will be dedicating a lot of time on the podcast to providing deep dives into how AI and Automation are being deployed to solve real life recruiting challenges. Conversational AI is a big topic at the moment, with a shift taking place from simple chatbots to sophisticated tools that can radically improve the candidate experience, speed up hiring and allow TA leaders to redeploy their human team members to higher-value tasks. So what are the thoughts processes, decision journies and implications of putting AI at the heart of your TA strategy? My guest this week is Shannon Hughes Swayney, SVP of Human Resource US at Prosegur. Prosegur uses conversational AI strategically throughout their employee lifecycle and has done an enormous amount of work to ensure that it reflects their employer brand values in an authentic and helpful way. In the interview, we discuss: Talent Acquisition challenges Putting AI at the heart of strategy Building a talent lifecycle solution and supporting candidate success The decision journey Basing a chatbot on a real person and embedding brand values Scripting and tone of voice Engagement, retention and compliance The balance between AI and humans ROI and results Advice to TA leaders The future of Talent Acquisition Listen to this podcast in Apple Podcasts.

Recruiting Automation is finally moving from a theoretical concept to pragmatic reality. A combination of the unique pressures talent acquisition is currently under and some quantum leaps forward in technology means automation is becoming a smart solution for an increasing number of employers. However, I know that this currently throws up more questions than answers for many TA leaders, so over the coming weeks and months, I'll be doing some deep dives into the practicalities of automation with practitioners who have hands-on experience. We've recently had a couple of episodes looking at screening via conversational ai, and in this episode, I wanted to explore the growing trend towards automated sourcing. My guest this week is Mike Smart, a hands-on recruiter and Global Talent Leader at Devo. Devo is having a lot of success using automated sourcing to deal with some tough recruiting challenges, and Mike has some valuable insights and advice to share. In the interview, we discuss: Dealing with the mismatch in supply and demand of talent Helping hiring managers understand the reality of current hiring dynamics How employers can stand out on LinkedIn Automating manual processes Augmenting recruiters with intelligent technology Finding undiscovered candidates Can you effectively automate candidate outreach in a way that resonates? The power of being persistent Advice to Talent Acquisition leaders on the reality of automation What does the future look like? Listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts.

Challenging talent markets and the increasing adoption of AI-driven technology are driving a revolution in recruiting. We now see recruiting automation happening in many ways, and it's becoming clear that talent acquisition is changing forever. So how can employers use AI and automation technology to benefit recruiters and hiring managers and radically enhance the candidate experience? To help answer these questions in a practical way, I have two brilliant guests: Rhonda Lloyd, Director of People Solutions & Recruiting at Webhelp and Barb Hyman, CEO at Predictive Hire. In the interview, we discuss: How Webhelp is addressing recruiting challenges across the globe Putting candidates in control Is this the most innovative time we've ever seen in talent acquisition? Humans don't scale Automation and Smart Technology Finding undiscovered talent The end of the resume? Giving personalized feedback to every candidate Increasing both speed and quality Re-imagining the role of the recruiter Ethics and transparency Advice to talent acquisition leaders around AI vendors Why the future is personalized Listen to this podcast in Apple Podcasts.

Over the last couple of years, I've become fascinated by the innovation in the tools available to assess candidates in the recruiting process. While there are a growing number of impressive technologies and techniques, up to this point, it has actually been quite challenging to get solid case study evidence of effectiveness. My guest this week has recently run a case study based award process for assessment innovation that provides the evidence of adoption and success that we have been looking for. I'm delighted to welcome Netherlands based consultant Bas van de Haterd back to the show. Bas has been on the podcast a few times showcasing new thinking in assessment and, in this conversation, talks us through five very different case studies of assessment innovation in action. In the interview, we discuss: Assessment innovation and adoption Using inclusive assessment techniques to broader talent pools and increase diversity Improving recruiter efficiency and effectiveness Mapping cognitive capabilities and ignoring resumes Lessons in spotting long term potential from elite sport Alleviating burn out Measuring ROI over long periods of time Mitigating bias What can we expect to see in 2022 Listen to this podcast in Apple Podcast.

As I say in pretty much every interview on the podcast, predicting the future accurately is impossible. However, identifying and tracking the trends that will shape the future is not just possible; it is essential for any kind of strategic approach to talent acquisition. It's very clear that we are at the start of a new phase in the evolution of recruiting, and understanding where we are heading has never been more critical. My guest this week is Kevin Wheeler, Founder of The Future of Talent Institute. I've known Kevin for over a decade now, which is long enough to understand just how skilled he is at identifying the trends that matter. In the interview, we discuss: What is the purpose of talent acquisition, and is it structured in the right way? Why is internal mobility so hard How does talent acquisition need to evolve Workforce flexibility Recruiting automation and the future of recruiters Investment levels in recruiting technology Exponential Growth Upskilling and reskilling What has surprised Kevin the most in the last two years What can we expect to see in 2022 Listen to this podcast in Apple Podcasts.