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

Trust at work has been in the news a lot recently. Whether it's Zoom fatigue caused by too many pointless meetings, employers using software to spy on employees in their own homes or forced returns to the office, it is clear that our new world of work still doesn't sit comfortably with some employers. So how should we be thinking about trust at work now, and does rethinking our whole approach to accountability hold some of the answers on how we move forward? My guest this week is Carolyn Taylor, a global thought leader on corporate culture change. Carolyn has written a brilliant new book called Accountability@Work, which offers some very practical advice on building a scalable system of accountability that will help everyone who leads a team. In the interview, we discuss: ▪ Why culture really matters during the pandemic ▪ Types of trust: reliability, motivation and capability ▪ Empowerment and equality ▪ What is accountability ▪ Being counted on ▪ Mitigating risk ▪ Outcomes and learning experiences ▪ Inclusion and hybrid working ▪ Our relationship with technology ▪ Predictions on the future of work 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 335 Neurodiversity Ep 336: Jobs At Risk Ep 337 – Interview Intelligence Ep 338: Future Brainfood Ep 339: Diversity Hiring Ep 340: Changing Candidate Experience Ep 341: Culture Fit Doesn’t Exist Listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts

An area that has been of genuine interest to me recently has been company culture and how some of the core ways we used to think about it are being disrupted. Remote working has meant companies are having to think much harder about how they work and showcasing their culture during the recruiting process has become a real challenge. Another significant area of debate has been the use of culture fit as an assessment criteria and whether culture fit even exists. My guest this week is Bret Putter, CEO of Culture Gene and author of several books on company culture. Brett spends a significant amount of his time researching corporate cultures with a strong recent focus on companies that were already working remotely before the pandemic. He has some very valuable insights to share on what company culture now means in our much disrupted times. In the interview, we discuss: ▪ The definition of culture ▪ The culture challenges of remote working ▪ Best practices of remote-first organisations ▪ Asynchronous communication ▪ Why there is no such thing as culture fit ▪ How can employers leverage culture in a virtual recruitment process? ▪ What long time changes are we likely to see post-pandemic Listen to this podcast in Apple Podcasts.

Candidate Experience has been a regular topic on this podcast as long as this podcast has existed. People often get frustrated that we keep having to talk about it as poor candidate experiences still persist for many. However, improving the candidate experience isn't a single time-limited problem; it is an ongoing process that evolves in line with expectations and technology. With that in mind, talent acquisition teams must treat candidate experience strategically as a science rather than as a one-off project. My guest this week is Kevin Grossman, President of The Talent Board, the organisers of the Candidate Experience Awards. The Candidate Experience Awards have been running for ten years now, and Kevin has a massive amount of valuable data-based insights to share on how the candidate experience challenge has been evolving. In the interview, we discuss: ▪ The methodology and data behind The Candidate Experience Awards ▪ Candidate Experience as an ongoing challenge, not a single problem ▪ Transparency and feedback ▪ The challenge of sustaining a high-quality experience ▪ How the pandemic has increased transparency ▪ The rise of recruiting automation and how it is improving the candidate experience ▪ Taking a more scientific approach ▪ How chatbots are filling the communication gap ▪ Technology doesn't fix flawed processes. ▪ What might the future look like Listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are critically important. However, despite much discussion and debate, many employers are still failing to improve their hiring diversity. Those employers that are moving the needle are those that have actionable strategies and leadership accountability. My guest this week is Rachel Hirsch, who is a Recruiter at Frame.io. Frame.io have a genuine focus on diversity equity and inclusion and have tangible results to show for it. In our conversation, Rachel shares the strategy and identifies the key elements that have driven their success. In the interview, we discuss: ▪ The key recruiting challenges at Frame.io ▪ How unconscious bias affects diversity in sales leadership ▪ Narrowing requirements to the things that matter most ▪ The complications of the pandemic ▪ Building trust with candidates ▪ The critical importance of allyship and leadership accountability ▪ The results have Frame.io seen from its strategy ▪ What does the future look like Listen to this podcast in Apple Podcasts.

It's fair to say that trends in recruiting technology are moving quickly. The events of the last 12 months have turbo boasted some aspects of the market and radically disrupted others. So what's changed, what's accelerating and what does the future look like? My guest this week is the perfect person to ask and was the most requested guest in the audience survey that I ran earlier in the year. Hung Lee is the Editor of the leading industry newsletter Recruiting Brainfood and a keen observer of recruiting technology. In the interview, we discuss: ▪ Changing trends ▪ The rise of assessment tech ▪ Interview analytics ▪ The future of automation ▪ Ethics ▪ What happens after the pandemic ▪ How the way the industry educates itself on technology has changed Listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts.

Interviews have always been the central tenant of the hiring process and the one area where it has been most challenging to collect meaningful data. The mass move to video interviewing in the last 12 months has potentially changed everything. So, what data can we now gather, and how can it be analysed to drive actionable improvement in the interview process. My guest this week is Siadhal Magos, the Co-Founder and CEO of Metaview. Metaview is a technology start-up that is helping some well know employers gather data and act on interview intelligence in new and innovative ways. In the interview, we discuss: ▪ Using data to make sense of interviews at scale ▪ Two techniques to improve interviews ▪ Will technology replace traditional interviews? ▪ What are the critical interview data points? ▪ The correlation between hiring funnel efficiency and interview rigour ▪ Bias and inclusivity ▪ Addressing privacy concerns Listen to this podcast in Apple Podcasts.

The future of jobs in an age of AI and automation has been a popular topic on this show. We've tended to talk in quite theoretical terms and never truly considered what practical solutions there might be to the inevitable job displacement. Millions of jobs have already been lost in the pandemic, and the World Economic Forum predicts that an additional 85 million jobs with be lost to automation by 2025. So what type of jobs will disappear, and how do we upskill and transition the large proportion of the workforce who will be affected? My guests this week are Madeleine Gabriel and Karlis Kanders from Nesta, the UK's innovation agency for social good. Nesta has just completed a significant piece of research called Mapping Careers Causeways, which is intended to support job transitions and inform skills policy in a labour market that AI and Automation will forever change. In the interview, we discuss: ▪ The uncertain future of work ▪ Which jobs are at risk of automation ▪ Identifying pathways from high-risk occupations to safer ones ▪ Why women are twice as likely to be displaced than men ▪ The three types of core skills that will help people transition ▪ The critical importance of training ▪ The role of talent acquisition ▪ Thinking differently about hiring ▪ Why the best way to predict the future is to create it Listen to this podcast in Apple Podcasts.

Back in 2019, I interviewed Theo Smith about Neurodiversity at work. At the time, I didn't have much of an understanding of Neurodiversity, and it was great to learn from Theo about the challenges neurodivergent people face in the workplace, what employers can do to support them and the enormous benefits this support would bring to everyone. Theo has since teamed up with Professor Amanda Kirby, and they are about to publish a book on Neurodiversity at Work. A couple of weeks ago, I caught up with them to find out more about the book and what talent acquisition professionals can be doing to be more inclusive in recruiting and assessment. In the interview, we discuss: ▪ What is Neurodiversity ▪ How do we get the best out of everyone at work? ▪ Cognitive strengths and cognitive struggles ▪ Spiky profiles ▪ Unrealistic job descriptions ▪ Focusing on what people can do rather than what they can't do ▪ Making interviews and assessment more inclusive ▪ How will work change post-pandemic Subscribe to this podcast in Apple Podcast

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 328: Authentic Hiring Ep 331: Transforming Recruitment Marketing Ep 333: Automation, Simplicity and Experience Ep 332: Careers Site Systems Ep 329: Assessment Lessons From Elite Sport Ep 334: Fair AI Subscribe to this podcast in Apple Podcasts

The number of talent acquisition technology solutions offering AI continues to grow exponentially. However, we must look at AI's role in recruiting through a critical lens to ensure transparency and that technologies are fair and ethical. If AI is being used to improve the candidate experience and remove bias, how do we make sure it isn't actually making things worse. My guest this week is Barb Hyman, CEO of Predictive Hire, an AI based interviewing solution. Predictive Hire has recently published a paper on Fair AI in recruiting intended to provoke debate and help Talent Acquisition leaders ask the right questions when they are buying a solution. Barb has an HR leadership background which gives her a unique perspective on the dangers and opportunities of the AI revolution. In the interview, we discuss: ▪ Fair AI in Recruiting ▪ The importance of vendor self regulation ▪ Why AI should be unbiased, inclusive, valid and explainable ▪ Building trust with talent acquisition leaders and candidates ▪ When AI isn't AI ▪ Why a human candidate experience is critical Download “Fair AI In Recruitment” Subscribe to this podcast in Apple Podcasts

As regular listeners will know, I often collaborate with HR Technology Analyst Mervyn Dinnen to produce research reports on various aspects of talent technology. Our latest report was published a few weeks ago with support from the learning and performance management platform Bridge. I wanted to bring some of the highlights of our findings to the podcast, so keep listening to hear what we discovered about how the landscape for learning and performance management has been changing during the pandemic. In the episode, we discuss: ▪ Critical skills gaps ▪ The challenges of talent mobility ▪ The importance of specialist and fit for purpose technology ▪ Training to support remote management ▪ The employees perspective ▪ Peer to peer interaction Download the Learning and Performance Management report Subscribe to this podcast in Apple Podcasts

The events of 2020 / 2021 will shape how talent acquisition operates for years, especially when it comes to recruiting automation. In the past automation in recruiting has often been dismissed as impersonal and ineffective. However, as technology has developed and strategies have changed the immense value and inevitability of automation is becoming clear. My guest this week is Jeff Uden, Head of Talent for UK supermarket, Iceland. Like all frontline food retailers, Iceland has faced some unprecedented talent acquisition challenges during the pandemic. Jeff gives us an insight into the innovations these challenges have driven, and Iceland's successful use of automation to radical enhance both the candidate and hiring manager experience. In the interview, we discuss: ▪ The challenge of hiring 5,500 people in 8 weeks ▪ Maximising simplicity and efficiency in the recruiting process ▪ The critical importance of candidate experience ▪ Automation with a human touch ▪ Keeping hiring managers empowered ▪ Return on investment from technology ▪ Change management and stakeholder engagement ▪ The future of talent acquisition at Iceland Subscribe to this podcast in Apple Podcasts

As I said at the start of the last episode reinventing recruitment marketing is a big topic for talent acquisition this year. Long term listeners to the podcast will also know about my deep-held belief that careers sites are the critical element of recruitment marketing that remains very much underutilised. Many forward-thinking employers are now turning to careers site systems to maximise the recruitment marketing benefits of careers site and minimise their development pain points. So what happens when we start thinking about careers sites as sophisticated software solutions rather than one-off creative projects? My guest this week is James Saunders, CEO of Attrax. Over the last few years, James has been one of the pioneers of careers site systems and has a massive amount of knowledge and experience to share. In the interview, we discuss: ▪ What is a careers site system? ▪ The focal point of employer branding ▪ Strategic positioning ▪ Why employers should invest in their own asset ▪ The dreaded "log in to apply." ▪ The core elements of sophisticated careers sites ▪ Optimising the candidate experience ▪ Personalisation and AI ▪ Unique stats and analytics ▪ Learning from eCommerce ▪ Future innovations Subscribe to this podcast in Apple Podcasts

It's still early in the year, but the reimagining of Recruitment Marketing is already a big topic for 2021. This has been clear in several conversations I've had with talent acquisition leaders and in the results of the audience survey I currently have running. Many employers are looking to transform their recruitment marketing to meet the new challenges they have and leverage emerging techniques and technologies. So what is cutting-edge thinking in recruitment marketing and what steps do talent acquisition teams need to take to unlock the power of what is possible? To give us some insights to answer these questions, I'm delighted to welcome Allyn Bailey, Global Recruitment Marketing Leader at Intel, back to the podcast. Allyn is one of the most progressive thinkers in our industry, and this is genuinely a must-listen interview. In the interview, we discuss: ▪ Why and how recruitment marketing is transforming ▪ Data decision mapping ▪ Collecting target audience data via automation ▪ Segmenting audiences by behaviour and motivation ▪ Candidate data infrastructure ▪ Predictive modelling in recruitment marketing ▪ Building purposeful engagement plans ▪ Providing genuine value with content ▪ Advice to talent acquisition leaders on how to start their transformation ▪ What does the longer term future look like for recruitment marketing Subscribe to this podcast in Apple Podcasts

We are living through a time of immense disruption the full scale of which we don't yet fully understand. The pandemic has caused millions to lose their jobs and changed the business models of entire industries. Understanding the skills now needed in the labour market and the level of reskilling required is further complicated by the rise of artificial intelligence and automation. So what does the future of work now look like and how can companies and individuals navigate the next few years? My guest this week is Dr Michelle Weise, Senior Advisor at Imaginable Futures and author of the book, Long Life Learning - Preparing for jobs that don't even exist yet. Michelle specialises in the future of work and the future of learning and has some incredibly valuable insights to share In the interview, we discuss: ▪ A more positive vision for the future of work ▪ The lack of a common skills taxonomy ▪ Data infrastructure for talent mobility ▪ Why employers are struggling to articulate the skills they have and recognise the gaps ▪ The role of technology ▪ Restructuring the working day to enable reskilling ▪ Developing an "Education GPS" ▪ What does the future look like and how can we solve these problems Subscribe to this podcast in Apple Podcasts

Understanding and assessing talent is something I don't think we talk about in enough detail in our industry. Advances in both technology and neuroscience are challenging traditional thinking in recruiting if this will be another key topic for me this year. To get the conversation started my guests this week have a simple fascinating story to share. Eric Castien and Andries Van der Leij are the founder and CTO of Brainsfirst. Brainsfirst is a Dutch company that uses cognitive psychology and machine learning to help elite football teams identify future talent. They have brought their learnings into the business world and have some incredible insights to share. In the interview, we discuss: ▪ Talent identification in elite football ▪ Studying the link between specific brain function and performance ▪ Learnability over capability ▪ How understanding brain skills can drive talent redistribution ▪ Only assessing skills you can actually quantify ▪ Seeing a role as a set of desired behaviours ▪ Focusing on future fit ▪ Eliminating bias Subscribe to this podcast in Apple Podcasts

Over the last six months, we have talked a lot about transformation in talent acquisition with a large number of employers working hard to reinvent their strategies to meet the new challenges they face. So what does great talent acquisition now look like in 2021? Well, that's a question I'll be focusing on a lot in the coming weeks and months. My guests this week are Rona Anhalt, and Ed Nathanson, the Chief People Officer and VP of Talent and Talent Branding at disruptive pharmaceutical startup EQRx. Since their launch early last year, EQRx has done fantastic work in talent branding and talent acquisition and really is a benchmark for what hiring strategies should now look like. In the interview, we discuss: ▪ How EQRx is disrupting the pharmaceutical industry ▪ The challenges of scaling up talent acquisition in a pandemic ▪ Building a purpose driven culture ▪ Diversity, Equality, Fairness and Inclusion ▪ Culture add over culture fit. ▪ Superpowers ▪ Being bold with talent branding ▪ The power of people stories and authentic interviews ▪ Candidate experience as the ultimate differentiator ▪ What they will be focusing on in the next 12 months Subscribe to this podcast in Apple Podcasts

It's only the end of January, and I think we can all clearly see that 2021 will be another challenging year. So what can talent acquisition leaders do to motivate and build resilience in their teams during these incredibly stressful times? My guest this week is Jen Thornton, a former Global Director of HR Operations who is now founder and CEO of 304 Coaching. Jen is an expert in conversational intelligence, something that can help everyone improve the quality and outcomes of their communication. In the interview, we discuss: ▪ What is Conversational Intelligence ▪ Applying neuroscience to workplace communication ▪ Having better conversations ▪ Motivating Talent Acquisition teams in tough times ▪ The importance of resilience and coping with change Subscribe to this podcast in Apple Podcasts

Recruiting Automation will be a topic we explore in a lot of detail over this coming year. The key to any automation strategy is removing friction in a way that saves time and resource but at the same time enhances the experience for candidates, recruiters and hiring managers. I wanted to bring this to life by looking at a very specific recruiting process area, interview scheduling. As we all know, talent acquisition has many nuances, and generic scheduling automation tools can often create more work than they save and damage the candidate experience. So how should we automate and what are the real benefits of doing it properly To help answer this question my guests this week are Adam Bird CEO and Co-Founder of scheduling platform Cronofy and Jon Eyers founder of tech recruitment company Harvey Thomas. In the interview, we discuss: ▪ Automating interview scheduling in a smart way ▪ Improving the candidate, recruiters and hiring manager experience ▪ Factoring recruiting nuances into automation ▪ Reducing friction to save time and increase value ▪ Remembering what humans are good at and recognising what computers are good at ▪ The future of recruiting automation Subscribe to this podcast in Apple Podcasts

In this short episode, Matt reflects on the past 12 months and looks forward into 2021. Episodes Mentioned in this Round Up: Ep 321: The End Of Jobs Ep 32: Better Recruitment marketing Please help make the podcast better, fill in the audience survey. Subscribe to this podcast in Apple Podcasts

Recruiting at the C-Level presents some unique challenges, perhaps the most prominent being the long-standing inequality of the number of women hired at board level. The sudden move to remote recruiting has also significantly disrupted executive search's traditional high touch candidate experience. My guest this week is Venesa Klein, a partner at international search firm Calibre One. Venessa worked as an in house recruiter earlier in her career and has some valuable knowledge and insights to share on the current challenges in executive recruiting and the drive for more equality in the C-Suite. In the interview, we discuss: ▪ Building an effective in house executive recruiting team ▪ How high touch candidate experience has adapted to remote ▪ Is female representation in the C-Suite improving and what are the key issues ▪ Why internal career pathing is critical to equity at the top ▪ Being inclusive ▪ How has 2020 changed the market ▪ The value of the CHRO Subscribe to this podcast in Apple Podcasts

I've been involved in recruitment marketing and employer brand for a couple of decades now. I've consistently felt that although there is some outstanding work in this space, the overall quality of output is not as good as it could be. So how can we fix this and who can we learn from to make things better? My guest this week is Nick Thompson, Global Talent Marketing Team Manager at IBM. Nick and the teams that he has worked with have done some brilliant work in recruitment marketing and employer branding in the last few years and have developed ways of working that everyone can learn from In the interview, we discuss: ▪ How can talent acquisition step up the quality of recruitment marketing and employer branding ▪ Judging recruitment marketing against other types of marketing. ▪ Effective methodologies and processes ▪ Failing fast and iterating ▪ Understanding your audience ▪ Giving employees a voice ▪ The role of technology ▪ Thoughts and predictions for the future Subscribe to this podcast in Apple Podcast

The past nine months have thrown up multiple challenges for talent acquisition leaders. While technology isn't ever the whole answer, it has been interesting to see how employers have been using emerging recruiting technologies to help address the unique problems 2020 has created. My guest this week is Michael Watson, Senior Director of Talent Transformation Advisory at Eightfold.ai. Michael has previously been a TA Leader and some great insights to share in terms of driving practical value from AI technology. In the interview, we discuss: ▪ The current challenges for talent acquisition ▪ Using technology to separate the signal from the noise ▪ What value does AI bring to talent acquisition? ▪ Using technology to reduce bias ▪ Enhancing human interaction by automating repeatable tasks ▪ Mobility and retention ▪ Building meaningful engagement ▪ What's next for recruiting technology Subscribe to this podcast in Apple Podcasts

Careers Sites continue to be a much-neglected aspect of recruitment marketing. The fact that they receive so little attention has always been a pet hate of mine. Careers Sites are critical. They are also being required to do more heavy lifting than ever before, with the ever-increasing levels of interest employers are getting in their open jobs, ongoing talent shortages in specific markets and the need to showcase effective, authentic employer brands. So what can employers do to make their careers sites fit for purpose? My guest this week is Bas Van de Haterd, a consultant and leading global expert on careers site. Bas publishes some annual research in this area and has some hugely valuable insights to share. In the interview, we discuss: ▪ How the market has developed ▪ What makes a good careers site ▪ The importance of total experience ▪ Why you shouldn't let your ATS dictate your application experience ▪ Careers Site Systems and middleware ▪ Who is doing this well? ▪ What to focus on first ▪ The future of careers sites Subscribe to this podcast in Apple Podcasts

The Future Of Work has always been a popular topic on this podcast; however, it is also a topic that needs some serious recalibration in light of the events of 2020. Remote working, flexible working and automation are just three of many areas that have seen an utterly unpredicted acceleration in the last few months. So what does the future of work now look like and how should talent acquisition leaders be preparing for it? My guest this week is Jeff Wald, serial entrepreneur and co-founder of WorkMarket. Jeff has recently published a brilliant book on the future of work which is based on historical analysis and robust data. I have to say that this is one of my favourite ever conservations that I had on this topic. It's a must-listen. In the interview, we discuss: ▪ Why Jeff wrote his book ▪ How to learn from past historical shifts in work and jobs ▪ Fluid always-on work from anywhere jobs and the pressures that come with them. ▪ Remote work versus flexible work ▪ What is an agile corporation? ▪ Technology, automation and the future of jobs ▪ What do talent acquisition leaders need to be doing right now? ▪ The Future Of Work Prize ▪ What does the near term future of work look like Subscribe this podcast in Apple Podcasts

With work stress levels at all-time highs and remote working set to continue at scale for the foreseeable future, one of the essentials things that 2020 has given us focus on is the necessity to build and scale cultures for both productivity and wellbeing. My guest this week is Ruth Penfold, People Practice Lead at Launchpad, a start-up accelerator focused on clean energy. Ruth has helped codify culture in several high growth companies and has a personal mission to improve wellness and wellbeing at work. In the interview, we discuss: ▪ Bringing your whole self to work ▪ Building, codifying and scaling culture ▪ Honesty ▪ How cultures evolve ▪ Co-creating the culture story with employees ▪ Wellbeing and productivity ▪ How leaders need to show up for themselves Subscribe to this podcast in Apple Podcasts

As employers increase their efforts to improve diversity in their hiring, there is a growing debate about the role technology can play in solving diversity challenges. It is evident that tech isn't a silver bullet here with something that is very much a human problem; however, there are certainly ways that technologies such as AI can help to identify the scale of the problem. My guest this week is Mahe Bayireddi, CEO and Co-Founder of Phenom. Mahe is a thought leader in the AI space and has some valuable insights to share on the role it can play in diversity, equity and inclusion. In the interview, we discuss: ▪ Bias in recruiting ▪ Why D&I issues can't be solved with AI ▪ When AI makes things worse ▪ How AI can create an awareness of bias that can be used to change human thought processes ▪ Leadership, accountability and the importance of C Suite goals ▪ Redesigning talent and reimagining work for the future Register for Phenom's IAMHR event here Subscribe to this podcast in Apple Podcasts

Back in May, I spoke to author Scott Berkun about Design Thinking, and we touched on some of the ways it can be used in talent acquisition. I now wanted to dig a bit deeper into some of the practicalities of this and explore the value that design thinking can bring to recruiting. My guest this week is Jodi Brandstetter, talent strategy consultant and author of the book Hire By Design. Jodi has previously worked as a Director of Talent Acquisition and has some great experience of applying design thinking to recruiting challenges. In the interview, we discuss: ▪ The current state of the market ▪ What is design thinking? ▪ How can design thinking be applied to talent acquisition? ▪ The importance of empathy ▪ Improving the candidate experience ▪ Journey mapping ▪ The role of technology ▪ What should talent acquisition leaders be doing now to prepare for the future Subscribe to this podcast in Apple Podcasts

To say that 2020 has been a tough year would be somewhat of an understatement. The health and economic challenges have put massive pressure on everyone and changed working life dramatically. Unsurprisingly some recent research from employee engagement specialists Glint reports a 33% rise in employees reporting burnout. So what can employers do to deal with this burnout crisis and what support are employees asking for? To answer these questions and talk about their research, my guest this week is Steven Buck, Head of People Science at Glint. In the interview, we discuss: ▪ What is employee burnout? ▪ The decline in connectedness and belonging ▪ What can employers do to help? ▪ No one size fits all solutions. ▪ Wellbeing and work/life balance ▪ Building habits around conversations fed by good data. ▪ What is the role of HR Technology? Subscribe to this podcast in Apple Podcasts

Recruiting transformations are currently underway in many companies to solve both the problems of the present and create a vision of the future. Change is tough, and it's always good to hear from talent acquisitions leaders who have been successful in innovating their company's approach to recruiting. My guest this week is Trent Cotton, Director of Talent Acquisition at BBVA. Trent has successful transformed BBVA's approach to talent acquisition with the heavy influence of agile methodology and design thinking. He is now seeking Recruiting Utopia and has the vision to get there. This is a must-listen interview for everyone. In the interview, we discuss: ▪ Adopting Agile and Design Thinking in talent acquisition ▪ The development of Sprint Recruiting ▪ Priorities and feedback loops ▪ The four principles of Sprint Recruiting ▪ WIP limits on candidate submissions ▪ Managing the change ▪ The role of recruiting technology ▪ What is Recruiting Utopia and how might we get there Subscribe to this podcast in Apple Podcasts

Employer Branding, it's a been a topic we've mentioned in passing a lot on the show this year, but unusually we haven't done a deep dive into it for a quite a while. So what are the current trends in employer branding, how are the events of this dystopian year shaping what employers are doing and what should employer brand strategies for the future look like? My guest this week is the perfect person to answer all of these questions. David Thompson is a highly experienced employer brand consultant and the founder of Employer Branding Made Easy. Keep listening to hear his thoughts on the present state and future direction of employer branding. In the interview, we discuss: ▪ Employer brand trends that are being accelerated by the pandemic ▪ Three key areas where employer brand is now having an impact ▪ The importance of great stories and how to tell them ▪ Keeping employees engaged by strengthening emotional ties ▪ Managing reputation ▪ Where should employer brand sit within organisations? ▪ Do we overcomplicate employer brand? ▪ How should employers be shaping their employer brand strategies for the future? Subscribe to this podcast in Apple Podcasts

The changing relationship between talent acquisition and talent management is something we've been talking about a lot in 2020. With accelerated digital transformation causing a skill crisis for many employers, the role of learning across the talent acquisition journey is increasingly important. Upskilling recruiters and hiring managers is an obvious part of this, but what about the potential for employers to use digital learning systems to upskill talent pools of potential hires. To explore this in more detail, my guest this week is Peter Gold, Manager of Recruiting Solutions EMEA for Cornerstone On Demand. Cornerstone is doing some pioneering work in this area, and with over 30 years of experience in recruiting, Peter has a lot of insights to share. In the interview, we discuss: ▪ Recruiting resilience ▪ The changing relationship between skills and talent acquisition ▪ Skills matching and gap analysis via machine learning ▪ Upskilling talent pools ▪ Moving to a buy and build model of talent acquisition ▪ Providing learning content on a limited budget ▪ Hiring Heroes ▪ Predictions for the future of talent acquisition Subscribe to this podcast in Apple Podcasts

The world of work has changed more this year than any of us could have ever imagined back in January. However in the all the discussion around working from home the future of flexible working we are often not taking into account the radical changes that technology and Artificial Intelligence will bring to jobs and the workplace over the next few years. The implications for talent acquisition and talent management are enormous as companies will need to continuously find and develop new skills as well as managing the evolving relationship between humans and ever more intelligent machines. My guest this week is Amanda Fajak, Executive Director at Walking The Talk. Walking the Talk have recently published some research on employers cultural readiness for the transformations AI will drive, and Amanda has some interesting insights, and actionable advice to share In the interview, we discuss: ▪ What changes is AI driving for companies and workplaces? ▪ Digitization versus Digital Transformation ▪ The dangers of compartmentalization ▪ Relationship between humans and AI ▪ What role should an employer play in someone's career? ▪ Transforming and shaping skills ▪ Why talent acquisition needs to play catch up ▪ The importance of caring and the implications for leadership Download the report - “Is your culture Digital & AI-ready?” Subscribe to this podcast in Apple Podcasts

In my opinion, one of the most significant changes we are likely to see in Talent Acquisition next year is a rethinking of recruitment marketing. Programmatic advertising, career site systems and a sophisticated foundation of data and analytics are all going to part of this change. So what should talent acquisition leaders be considering in their recruitment marketing strategies and what changes in talent markets are marketing data currently showing us? My guest this week is Chris Forman, CEO of Appcast. Appcast has access to a vast dataset that gives them a unique view of global recruitment marketing efficacy, and Chris has some incredibly valuable insights to share. In our conversation, we discuss: • Definitions of programmatic advertising • What is the data telling us about current labour market trends? • The new focus of the war for talent • What does effective recruitment marketing look like • The number one signal of recruitment marketing success • How employers can increase their application conversion rates • Short-form and native apply assisted applications. • Evolving content strategies • Language, diversity and inclusion • Authentic, impactful video • What do the next 18 months have in store for talent acquisition? Subscribe to this podcast in Apple Podcasts

2020 has seen more focus than ever before on diversity, equity and inclusion. Despite this though many employers are still struggling to make tangible progress in these areas. So why are diversity strategies failing and how should companies be changing their thinking. To help answer this question based on her considerable experience and expertise in organisational diversity, my guest this week is Michelle Silverthorn, CEO of Inclusion Nation and author of the book "Authentic Diversity". In the interview, we discuss: • Michelle's backstory and the reasons she wrote her book • Why the old rules of diversity don't work • The problems with "just making the business case." • Talking about race • Being comprehensive with diversity data • The importance of prioritising, establishing goals and taking bold actions • Vital accountability • Inclusivity and allowing differences to shine • Michelle's very powerful personal story about empathy and community Subscribe to this podcast in Apple Podcasts

Over the last few weeks, the show has been focusing on the long term strategic changes talent acquisition leaders are making to ensure their teams are fit for purpose in 2021, and this will continue to be the theme of the podcast moving forward. However, I wanted to take a quick break from it in this episode and focus on some very practical advice. Lockdowns and remote working mean that video communications are now playing a hugely increased role in all of our lives. So how can you make sure you are presenting yourself in the best light (quite literally) and what elements of personal video production could you adopt to make sure you are effect when presenting to colleagues, candidates or customers. My guest this week is the king of professional do it yourself video production, Stephen O’Donnell. Many of you will know Stephen from the video content he creates and the excellent advice he shares. Whether you are looking to stand out on a Zoom call, use video to promote your vacancies or deliver a memorable presentation at a virtual conference, there are insights here for everyone. In the interview, we discuss: • Why invest time and money in personal video production? • The basics: cameras, sound and lighting • The difference in skills between presenting on stage and presenting on video • Using graphics and multi-camera setups • Standing out and having presence. • Harnessing video to improve quality of hire • Benefits and opportunities from live streaming • The future of face to face events Subscribe to this podcast in Apple Podcasts

Remote working, flexible working and distributed working were all big topics last year in a debate that has jumped forward ten years during 2020. So what does the future of work now look like? How will remote working develop as we move forward and how can employers build culture and a sense of belonging with a distributed workforce. My guest this week is Tami Rosen a Senior HR Executive with leadership expertise at startups and Fortune 100 companies, including Atlassian, Apple, and Goldman Sachs. Tami recently took an instrumental role in developing a framework for the future of work called "TEAM Anywhere" and has a vast amount of knowledge to share on remote and distributed working. In the interview, we discuss: • Why a company's people strategy is its business strategy • Being people-centric, not office-centric • The continuum of distributed working • Balance work and life remotely • Opening up global talent pools • The importance of collaborative moment for connection and belonging • Building culture in a distributed workforce • Asynchronous working • The need for better tools • Hopes for the future Subscribe to this podcast in Apple Podcasts

Talent Acquisition has changed dramatically this year, and many employers are now finding that their TA tech stacks are not fit for purpose moving forward. However, in such an economically uncertain environment, unlocking the investment required to update technologies is a real challenge. So what can talent acquisition leaders do to build compelling business cases for investment to develop their technology strategies for the future? My guest this week is Tony de Graaf, Hiring Success Director EMEA at SmartRecruiters. As well as working on the technology vendor side of the industry, Tony has himself been a Talent acquisition leader and has some very valuable insights to share on building internal business cases for recruiting technology investment. In the interview, we discuss: • The current state of the market • What are talent acquisition leaders focusing on for 2021 • The need for investment when the willingness to invest is low • Building business cases around transformation • Savings and business outcomes • Technology, sourcing, people and efficiency • Identifying hidden costs and making savings via tech stack consolidation • Converting process optimisation in cost savings • Why time to hire and cost per hire are not appropriate metrics to track • What with talent acquisition look like in 2 years Subscribe to this podcast in Apple Podcasts

In previous episodes of the show, we've talked about the reinvention of talent acquisition and what it takes to be world-class. Behind any significant reinvention lies a transformation process of people, practices and purpose. So how are employers approaching recruiting transformation and what is the best way to ensure success. My guest this week is Diane Circo, Head of Talent Acquisition at Siemens US. Siemens has been executing a significant transformation in talent acquisition, and Diane has valuable insights to share about co-creation, innovation and technology. In the interview, we discuss: • The drivers behind recruiting transformation at Siemens • Automating repetitive and transactional work • Design thinking in delivery excellence • Opportunity and urgency in 2020 • Using technology to reimagine the hiring manager process • The importance of a robust well-segmented tech stack • Why candidate experience is now critical • Innovations and the future Subscribe to this podcast in Apple podcasts

As we move towards 2021, it's increasingly evident that a paradigm shift is taking place in talent acquisition. Forced remote hiring has added rocket fuel to technology adoption, and the deep recession is driving new strategic thinking around purpose, people and process. So what does world class talent acquisition now look like and what kind of competitive advantages does it bring. My guest this week is Harry Osle, Principal and CHRO at The Hackett Group. The Hackett Group is a strategic consultancy which benchmarks best practice within enterprises, and Harry has some unique research-driven insights to share on talent acquisition and the future of work. In the interview, we discuss: • How the pandemic has put HR front and centre • Workplace, Workspace and Workmates • Productivity in the new world of work • The impact on Talent Acquisition • Increased digitalisation and digital transformation • Why world class companies are able to spend less on a per hire basis • Driving value by keeping hires longer • Practical advice on how to be world class at talent acquisition Subscribe to this podcast in Apple Podcasts

Skills are very much on the agenda at the moment as many employers review their talent strategies to ensure they are adequately preparing for the future. Having the right skills is also vital for talent acquisition professionals with the profound changes we have seen in recruiting approaches and processes likely to become permanent. My guest this week is Catalina Schveninger, Chief People Officer at Futurelearn. Catalina has a dual background in talent acquisition and learning and development, so is very well placed to talk about the skills talent acquisition teams will need in the future and how talent acquisition professionals can acquire them. In the interview, we discuss: • The increasing demands of learners around the world • Has the pandemic changed the way employers think about skills? • Total talent thinking, what is the role for Talent Acquisition? • Futurelearn's Course on Online Recruitment and Onboarding • The skills Talent Acquisition teams need right now. • What does the future of Talent look like? Futurelearn’s course on Virtual Recruiting and Onboarding Subscribe to this podcast in Apple Podcasts

With many countries facing a second wave of COVID 19, taking a long term view on the outlook for work and employment is difficult. However, several months into this global crisis, crucial labour market trends are emerging, which will shape the future of talent acquisition. My guest this week is Neil Carberry, CEO of The Recruitment & Employment Confederation. The REC is doing a vast amount of work to understand the changes in the labour market and advise talent acquisition leaders and recruiting firms on the likely future. In our conversation, Neil shares some valuable perspectives on the challenges that lie ahead. In the interview, we discuss: • The current state of global labour markets • Hiring hotspots where the jobs market is recovering • The long term impact of the pandemic on the shape of employment • Creating career pathways into in-demand jobs • The recruiting implications of a mixed model of remote working • The role of recruiters in rebuilding economies • How has the increase in tech adoption affected talent acquisition in the long term • Similarities and differences in global markets • What should talent acquisition be focusing on for the next six months Subscribe to this podcast in Apple Podcasts

Personal branding is something we've been talking about for at least a decade now, and it sometimes feels that much of advice that is shared is unrealistic and somewhat divorced from most people's reality. With the global economic crisis causing many people to rethink their long-held career plans, arguably personal branding has never been more critical, and some fresh thinking and new ideas are desperately needed. My guest this week is consultant, author and speaker Jeff Gothelf. Jeff's new book "Forever Employable" is fantastic and offers advice and insights on personal branding that are relevant, realistic and achievable. This interview is a must-listen for everyone in the difficult times we are currently going through. In the interview, we discuss: • The story behind "Forever Employable" • Personal branding in 2020 • The end of corporate loyalty • Creating a safety net of opportunity • Planting your flag and building a personal platform • Standing out from the noise via humility and vulnerability • Are preconceived ideas about talent making employers miss out on valuable skills • What does the future of work look like and what tools do we need Subscribe to this podcast in Apple Podcasts

I've been advocating for broader adoption of established digital marketing practices in recruitment marketing for a long time now. With many talent acquisition teams now having to deliver results with reduced resources, understanding targeting and measurement in marketing has arguably never been more important. My guest this week is David Larsen, Global Talent & Employer Brand Lead at Knauf. David has a really interesting background, having worked at Google and also spent time as an entrepreneur starting up and successfully exiting from a tech company. David has some great thoughts and insights to share on the role digital marketing should be playing in talent acquisition moving, forward particular in terms of how employers define and understand their target audiences. In the interview, we discuss: • The lessons David has learned about talent acquisition during his career to date. • The talent acquisition challenges at Knauf • Applying digital marketing practices to recruitment marketing • Defining and understanding target audiences • Truly understanding an EVP • Gaining competitive advantage • Adapting processes and communication for different audiences • Technology as a lever of cost and efficiency • Quantitive analysis of candidate journeys • The future of recruitment marketing Subscribe 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 300: On the Frontline Ep 294: Global Recruiting Ep 296: Engagement and Mobility Ep 297: Introvert Friendly Workplaces Ep 298: The Productivity Puzzle Ep 299: Talent Acquisition Has Changed Subscribe to this podcast in Apple Podcasts

Over the past few months, I've spoken to numerous talent acquisition leaders about their experiences during the pandemic and their strategies for a changed future. In this episode, I wanted to bring in the views of two strategic technology and service providers to give us their perspectives on the future based on what they are seeing and hearing across the portfolio of employers they work with. My guests this week are Nicola Sullivan Solutions Director at Meet & Engage and Pag Miles Global Head Of Alliances at Alexander Mann Solutions. Both of them have some fantastic insights to share, and this really is a must-listen interview for anyone who is trying to understand the current state of the market or who is working on their future talent acquisition strategy. In the interview, we discuss: • What support have employers needed in the last six months? • Panic, Protect, Prepare, Progress • Automation to support applicant volumes • Employers priorities for 2021 • Improving experiences with technology • Virtualised Onboarding and Re-Boarding • Panic buying and tech stack reviews • Virtual internships • 2020's legacy in terms of talent acquisition and HR technology Subscribe to this podcast in Apple Podcasts

A few months ago, the podcast passed 1 million downloads, and it feels fantastic to get to this next milestone of 300 episodes. A big thank you to everyone for all the support you give me, whether that's through listening, sponsoring or appearing on the show. This podcast would not exist without you, and I'm incredibly grateful. Unlike the 100th episode where I published a whitepaper or the 200th episode which I recorded live at RecFest, I'm no doing anything special to mark this triple century. Instead, I'm focusing on continuing to create valuable content as well as shaping my plans to take the show to 400 episodes and beyond. I'll be sharing more details on those in the coming weeks. With the pandemic shaping the content of the last 52 episodes, it seems very appropriate in this episode to talk to Nicola McQueen, the CEO of NHS Professionals. NHS Professionals is owned by The Department of Health in the UK and is responsible for providing the NHS with a flexible workforce of Doctors and Nurses. This really is the frontline of recruiting during the pandemic, and I'm grateful to Nicola for sharing the story as well as some lessons learnt around rapid change and agile workforce deployment that all employers can learn from. In the interview, we discuss: • The role of NHS Professionals • Stand Up, Step Forward & Save Lives • The unprecedented challenges of recruiting during a pandemic • Reducing onboarding from 4 weeks to 24 hours • Change and motivation • Long term talent pipeline engagement • The importance of being bold • Agile workforce deployment • What comes next Subscribe to this podcast in Apple Podcasts

Talent acquisition has been forced to change more during 2020 than at any other time in its history as a function. It's now several months since the pandemic turned everything upside down, and I think it is an important time to reflect on the impact of the changes that have been made and their sustainability into the future. My guest this week is Himanshu Aggarwal, Chief Growth Officer at SHL. Himanshu works with talent acquisition leaders all over the world and has vast insights into the challenges they are facing and the changes they are making. In the interview, we discuss: • How the pandemic has changed talent acquisition • The rapid acceleration of adoption recruiting technology • How candidate experience is changing • Is the kind of talent employers are looking for changing? • Identifying the behaviours needed for effective remote working • How is virtual recruiting impacting quality of hires? • The importance of using technology that has been built for hiring • Science and data Subscribe to this podcast in Apple Podcasts

The accelerated digital transformation of 2020 is driving significant additional adoption of recruiting and HR technology. But is technology making us more productive and how might things develop as we move in 2021? My guest this week is Tim Ringo, a highly experienced HR and technology consultant and author of the new book The Productivity Puzzle. In our conversation, Tim shares some highly knowledgeable insights into the relationship between humans, technology and productivity. In the interview, we discuss: • The evolution of the productivity paradox • Investing and aligning people with technology • How is the pandemic changing productivity? • Turbocharging humans with smart technology • Changing the slow speed of adoption in recruiting and HR tech • Making technology human-centric • Advice to Talent Acquisition and HR leaders on what to focus on Subscribe to this podcast in Apple Podcasts