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

The death of the resume has long been predicted. It is widely acknowledged that they are ineffective and prone to promoting bias, but alternative approaches have yet to achieve universal adoption. However, with many employers moving towards skills and competency-based hiring and technology continuing to drive rapid change in recruiting, are the days of the resume finally numbered? My guest this week is Maya Huber, Co-Founder and CEO of the competencies-based sourcing platform TaTiO. Maya has a PHD in Job Analysis and some fascinating insights into practical ways of moving on from the resume and making hiring more efficient, inclusive and effective. In the interview, we discuss: The ineffectiveness of resumes The danger of assessing just on words and stories Skills-based hiring versus competency-based hiring Testing performance in its context Reducing the administrative burden for recruiters Job simulation Job analysis The hiring outcomes of competency-based assessment What should companies expect from the future of work? Listen to this podcast in Apple Podcasts.

The pace of business change is continuing to accelerate. According to a recent McKinsey Global Survey, business leaders expect that by 2026, half of their companies' revenues will come from products, services, or businesses that haven't been invented yet. Innovation is critical for companies to survive and thrive. So how can employers ensure they have talent strategies in place to have the right skills to create and drive new ideas forward, and could innovation be the catalyst that accelerates skills-based hiring? My guest this week is Mauro Porcini, PepsiCo's first ever Chief Design Officer and author of a new book on people-centric innovation. In the book, Mauro does a deep dive into the skills, culture, and philosophy companies need to innovate. It was brilliant to hear his views on what employers need to do to attract, retain and develop people with the diverse skills required for effective innovation. In the interview, we discuss: The role of Chief Design Officer at Pepsico How business cultures have changed Designing the future with human-centric design The 24 skills needed for innovation and the importance of identifying and developing them in leaders Building a culture of innovation Process versus people The power of kindness, optimism, and curiosity The relationship between kindness and productivity Recognizing and recruiting innovators Redesigning the recruiting process What does the future look like? Mauro's book - The Human Side of Innovation: The Power of People in Love with People Listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts.

One thing that has remained constant in our changing talent markets is the importance of targeting the right audience with the right message at the right time. In the noisy world of recruiting marketing, talent marketplaces are proving to be effective platforms for bringing employers and like-minded potential employees together. My guest this week is John Beard, Head of Corporate & Technical Talent Acquisition at One Medical. One Medical is competing for talent in some challenging markets. John has a lot of insights to share on finding, connecting, and persuading the right talent to join the organization in rapidly changing times. In the interview, we discuss: How recruiting challenges are evolving with the market. Recruiting missionaries, not mercenaries Candidate experience as a north star Offering feedback to all Cutting through the noise to connect with the right people Doing something important versus doing something with impact. Compelling storytelling The role of talent marketplaces and the advantages they offer employers How will the tech talent market evolve over the next two years? Listen to this podcast in Apple Podcasts.

The debate around the office versus remote versus hybrid looks set to run and run as employers continue to experiment with different strategies. Despite the enormous advantages of remote working, there are many challenges and gaps with some current approaches that need addressing as we move forward. So what are the key issues, how do employers address them, and what role should HR technology play? My guest this week is Saad Siddiqui, General Partner at Telstra Ventures, a VC firm with several HR technology investments. Saad has written extensively about the future of work and the advantages of a fluid workforce strategy. In the interview, we discuss: The current state of the hiring market and the longer term outlook Identifying gaps and challenges in new ways of working The fluid workforce Generational divides Building connections and mentoring Culture and the role of leadership Employee motivations and retention Finding the best talent on a global basis Key trends in HR Tech Consolidation and platform business extension How should employers think about technology? What does the future look like 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 471: Employer Brand Challenges Ep 472: Inclusive Assessment Ep 473: The Power Of Difference Ep 474: Talent In Tech Ep 475: Defining Talent Ep 476: Digital Talent At PepsiCo Ep 477: Innovation In Hourly Hiring Ep 478: Developing Talent Intelligence Listen to this podcast in Apple Podcasts

The last three years have seen unprecedented disruption to the world of work. The rise of remote and hybrid working indicates a workplace revolution, but how much have things actually changed? Presentism is still a big issue, with some employers using economically tough times as an excuse to get people back to the office. Meanwhile, many hybrid and remote employees struggle with legacy working methods not designed for the world we are now living in My guests this week are Lizzie Penny and Alex Hirst, co-founders of Hoxby and authors of the best selling book Workstyle. Lizzie and Alex are campaigners for a more modern autonomous working style. They are using their own experiences of running a remote first business to start a movement to make work better for everyone. In the interview, we discuss: What is wrong with work Ageing populations, independence and technology Breaking free from a 200 year old operating system Autonomy, productivity and accountability Digital first, not physical first. Trust over presentism The vital importance of asynchronous working How the Workstyle revolution works at Hoxby Inclusive for structurally excluded workers How to make a seismic change Meeting in person to build deeper connections. Remote leadership Old rules, new challenges The relationship between autonomy, well-being, and productivity Listen to this podcast in Apple Podcasts.

Job Boards still play a central role in talent attraction, but outside of the job board industry, there isn't much discussion or debate about their current state and future potential. So are they still fit for purpose, how are they evolving, and what can job board statistics tell us about the current talent market? My guest this week is Dave Jenkins, founder of Wave. Wave publishes Wave TrackR, a regular independent report that uses job board data to track recruiting trends, which means Dave has a wealth of insights to share. In the interview, we discuss: The current state of the job board market Pricing models and programmatic adoption Geographic market differences The importance of the active audience Are there still more jobs than candidates? How to get the best out of job boards Mindset change What's the future of job boards? Listen to this podcast in Apple Podcasts. A full transcript will appear here shortly.

I published three interviews in October to mark National Disability Employment Awareness month. What particularly struck me was the amount of work going into neurodiversity hiring, and I want to dive deeper by finding out how specific employers are developing their programs. My guest this week is Neil Barnett, Director, Inclusive Hiring and Accessibility at Microsoft. Neil helped to develop Microsoft’s Neurodiversity Hiring Program, which has been in place since 2015. He has excellent insights and valuable advice for employers looking to establish similar programs. In the interview, we discuss: Are employers getting any better at disability inclusion? The story behind Microsoft's Neurodiversity Hiring Program Screening in rather than screening out Changing the hiring process to set people up for success Providing tangible feedback How the success of the program has changed aspects of Microsoft's other hiring programs Building an inclusive workplace Non-apparent disability and self-disclosure ERGs and growing internal communities Building the business case to get started How Microsoft collaborates with other employers Advice for parents on the future of neurodiversity in the workforce Listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts A full transcript will appear here shortly

Talent Intelligence is on the rise, with an increasing number of TA teams putting data at the core of their strategy. However, do employers genuinely understand the full potential of TI, how do you get started, and what is the business case for building a specialist resource? My guest this week is Toby Culshaw, Talent Intelligence Leader at Worldwide Amazon Stores. Toby is one of the global pioneers of talent intelligence, having built teams and Philips and Amazon. He has also recently released his first book, "Talent Intelligence - Use Business and People Data to Drive Organizational Performance" Suffice to say, this is a must-listen interview for anyone who wants to know more about the development of talent intelligence. In the interview, we discuss: What is Talent Intelligence, and how is it developing The business outcomes and value of TI What areas of TA is data intelligence being applied to? Where should TI sit within the organization? Maturity model When TI isn't TI What skills does a TI function need to be successful? Building capability What will be possible in the future? Listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts.

Hourly hiring remains challenging for many employers, and despite the worsening economic outlook, it will likely remain a huge challenge for several years to come. So what innovations are we seeing in how employers approach hourly hiring and in the technology they are using? What does good look like now, and how will automation define the future? My guest this week is Sean Behr, CEO of Fountain. Over the last few years, Fountain has helped companies hire over 13 million hourly paid workers in more than 75 countries, meaning Sean has a lot of insight to share. In the interview, we discuss: The current talent marketing in hourly hiring The challenges of the last few years Fundamental changes in the workforce that will see hourly hiring continue to be challenging for years to come. What makes employers successful in this market The vital importance of speed in hiring Recruiting automation Using technology to provide a quality candidate, hiring manager, and recruiter experience at scale Really human hiring Personalization Quality versus quantity Why hourly hiring is the most innovative place to be in talent acquisition Listen to this podcast in Apple Podcasts

With high-profile layoffs in some large technology companies, it is perhaps easy to forget that digital transformation is still driving a massive need for tech talent in employers all over the world. Despite the current economic headwinds, long-term trends are in play that require specific operating and employer brand strategies, particularly in companies that are not traditionally seen as being digital. My guest this week is Blair Bennett, Senior Vice President Global Talent Acquisition at PepsiCo. Digital transformation is creating a significant need for tech talent in their business. In our conversation, Blair talks about the strategy they are putting in place to hire the people they need. In the interview, we discuss: The size and scale of talent acquisition at PepsiCo Market trends and challenges Digital transformation and bringing in new capabilities Repositioning talent acquisition strategy Personalizing candidate experience in competitive talent markets Automation in the TA operating model EVP and employer brand for specific talent cohorts Talent intelligence Geographical targeting and segmentation The role of technology The long term demand for digital talent The future of personalization in talent acquisition Listen to this podcast in Apple Podcast.

Skills based hiring continues to be a growing trend as employers rethink how they attract and assess talent. So how do you define what good looks like and identify the right hires for your organisation? My guest this week is Leadership Strategist and Talent Consultant Ginny Clarke, who formerly ran executive hiring programmes at Google. Ginny is a strong advocate of competency-based recruiting and has some invaluable advice to share. In the interview, we discuss: Spotting competencies and demonstrated behaviours Talent reviews and performance evaluations How do you define and identify talent? Looking more broader to increase diversity Psychological safety and equity The relationship between leadership and culture Competencies as skills plus knowledge plus ability Deconstructing job roles Looking past employment history and education What does the future of work look like, and how should employers be preparing Listen to this podcast in Apple Podcasts.

With the news cycle currently dominated by significant layoffs in large tech companies, it is essential to take a step back and consider the longer-term picture. Many employers are still struggling to find the right tech talent. Recent research has shown that skill shortages will continue for years as education systems are not setting students up with the right skills for our AI-dominated future. So what should employers be doing right now to recruit and develop tech professionals, and what is the impact of remote and hybrid working on early careers talent? My guest this week is Atli Thorkelsson, VP of Talent Network at Redpoint Ventures. Atli advises start-ups across Redpoint's portfolio on talent acquisition and development. He has some important insights to share on the current state of the market and the strategies employers need to adopt to deal with the longer terms challenges. In the interview, we discuss: The current state of the tech hiring market Long term challenges Development of early career talent The role of the Chief People Officer Building the right foundations for talent development How do remote-first organizations support mentoring and development? What are the biggest hiring mistakes start-ups make? What can corporate TA functions learn from start-up hiring practices? How will recruiting technology develop in the future? Listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts.

DE&I remains a major priority for employers, but progress is slow and sometimes completely stuck. So how should companies be thinking about diversity, and what practical actions can they take to build and benefit from teams of difference? My guest this week is writer, broadcaster and consultant Simon Fanshawe. Simon is a well known figure in the UK and has recently published an excellent book, "The Power of Difference". He advocates that progress comes when employers move away from the jargon around DE&I and genuinely understand how building a diverse workforce will drive their specific business objectives. In the interview, we discuss: The human question of diversity and what does it actually mean. The power of combining difference The dangers of conformity and the imposition of rules Building teams of difference Using data to understand what is happening and why Understanding specific diversity business cases The virtuous circle of selection Is unconscious bias training actually helpful? Redesigning the recruiting process to challenge assumptions The most accurate predictor of future success Making employee resource groups more effective Listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts. A full transcription will appear here shortly.

As the move towards skills-based hiring intensifies, the role of assessment tools is becoming increasingly important. As employers focus on being more inclusive, it is critical to understand how the science behind assessment tools works to support this. My guest this week is Kristin Allen, Senior Manager of Psychometrics at SHL. SHL has an applied research initiative, SHL Labs, driving talent technology innovation. One of the key research pillars is Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and SHL has recently published the first results from its neurodiversity research program. In the interview, we discuss the following: The role assessment plays in helping employers build diverse workforces. Fully inclusive talent solutions Using assessment to reduce bias Job analysis and validation Transparency Disability inclusion Using language that encourages candidates to ask for accommodations Spiky profiles Emerging best practices What does the future look like? Listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts.

A volatile talent acquisition market and the immense disruption we are seeing to traditional ways of working our driving significant changes in employer branding strategies. Culture, EVP, and employer brand marketing are going through a period of intense evolution, and it is essential to understand what's happening in this space. My guest this week is Charu Malhotra, Global Head of Talent Branding and Recruitment Marketing at PA Consulting. In our wide ranging conversation recorded at UNLEASH World in Paris, we discussed some of the current issues in employer branding, culture, and retention. In the interview, we discuss: The impact of external forces on talent acquisition Building inclusive workplaces when workforces are increasingly remote Proximity bias in hybrid working How do you create, manage and flex a culture Embedding values in high-performance cultures How does employer branding work on an international scale Focused segmentation and a constant heartbeat of content Employer brand and retention The importance of assessment technology Changing the balance between internal mobility and external attraction Reimagining EVP projects as nimble and responsive instead of one size fits all. Listen to this podcast in Apple Podcasts. A full transcription will appear here shortly.

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 465: Curiosity At Work Ep 466: UNLEASH World Ep 467: Automation & Personalization Ep 468: Embracing Neurodiversity Ep 469: TA Technology Transformation Ep 470: Disability Inclusion Listen to this podcast in Apple Podcasts

October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month, and with so much focus on DE&I in the workplace, this significant proportion of the population needs to be included and not overlooked. My guest this week is Dr Jennifer Luebke, Chief Workforce Inclusion Officer at PRIDE Industries. PRIDE Industries is a social enterprise creating sustainable career opportunities and training for people with disabilities, and Jennifer has some hugely valuable insights to share. In the interview, we discuss: The story of PRIDE Industries Projecting a welcoming attitude as an employer Accommodations and adjustments Misconceptions about hiring people with disabilities How does disability inclusion fit into DE&I? The Advantages of employing people with disabilities Neurodiversity in the workforce How to tap into new communities of talent Making it safe to disclose non-apparent disabilities Advice for employers A full transcription will appear here shortly. Listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts.

With recruiting challenges so acute and talent acquisition technology developing at such a great pace, tech stack adoption and transformation strategies are critical for many employers. So what are the key issues, and how are talent acquisition teams specializing and evolving to exploit new technologies and methodologies? My guest this week is Samantha Ramsay, Head of Experienced Hire UK&I at EY. I caught up with her a couple of weeks ago at UNLEASH World in Paris, where she was delivering a presentation about Tech Transformation. In the interview, we discuss: Current challenges in talent acquisition Driving change in recruiting Asking five whys to get to the root cause of the problem Building stakeholder consensus What makes a great vendor/employer partnership Talent intelligence Using CRMs in the right way Developing specialist skills within TA functions Building long term engagement and affinity with talent pools What does the future look like? Listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts.

One of the most encouraging aspects of our changing world work has been the number of employers actively seeking to recruit neurodiverse talent. However, it is estimated that 15-20% of the world's population is neurodivergent, and there is still a vast amount of work to do to ensure that our workplaces are inclusive for all and that employers benefit from supporting everyone to work to their full potential. My guest this week is Genie Love, an Executive Function Coach who works with neurodiverse professionals to help them achieve their personal and professional goals. In our conversation, she offers many practical insights into how employers can support their people at work. In the interview, we discuss: Understanding the unique strengths of neurodivergent people Time, attention, decision making, and organization Energy levels and strategies for deep work How can employers be more inclusive? Re-imagining job descriptions and interviews The power of thinking differently Subscribe to this podcast in Apple Podcasts

Anyone who has seen me speak this year knows that I consider personalization the next big trend in talent acquisition. If they get their strategies right, the rapid growth in automation technologies allows employers to offer a bespoke candidate experience at scale. So which employers are doing this well, and what can we learn from them? My guest this week is Lisa Scales, Head of Talent Acquisition for the UK and Ireland at Nestle. In our wide-ranging conversation, recorded at UNLEASH World in Paris, Lisa talks us through Nestle's strategies around personalization and the results they're getting. In the interview, we discuss: The turbulent market and conflicting tensions for talent acquisition Scarcity of skills Removing repetitive transactional tasks Using conversational AI to answer previously unanswered questions The power of personalization The time, place and wishlist for automation Personalized onboarding Why automated selection can amplify systemic bias Moments that matter, interesting technologies, and the deskless workforce What does the future look like Subscribe to this podcast in Apple Podcasts A full transcription will appear here shortly.

One of the best things about 2022 is that face-to-face events are back. It's been a pleasure to connect with people in person again for the first time in a long time, and great to see such enthusiasm for face-to-face conferences and events after everything that has been happening in the last few years. Last week I was at UNLEASH World in Paris, and as well as hosting some fantastic speakers on the Talent and Recruiting stage, I did a lot of podcast recording. Thank you to Kate Graham, Marc Coleman and Jon Kennard at UNLEASH for organising a dedicated podcasting booth, which Recruiting Future shared with The Chad & Cheese Show and the Tech Talks podcast. I recorded long-form interviews with three speakers; Lisa Scales from Nestle, Charu Malhotra from PA Consulting and Samantha Ramsay from Ernst & Young. I'll be publishing these over the next couple of weeks, but in the meantime, I wanted to give you a taste of the event, so here are four short interviews to provide a flavour of the topics that are top of mind in the industry at the moment. First up, you'll hear me sharing my thoughts on the event in a recording made for The Chad and Cheese Show. Next is a conversation with my co-author and collaborator, Mervyn Dinnen, followed by fellow podcaster David Savage from Tech Talks. Finally, as a bit of a bonus, I've got a quick-fire discussion with Bas van de Hatred about the recently published 2022 edition of his annual research into the state of corporate careers sites.

Albert Einstein once said, "I have no special talent; I am only passionately curious". I like this quote so much that I use the phrase "Passionately Curious" as the tagline for my consulting business. So you can imagine my delight then when I came across a book on workplace curiosity written by Stefaan van Hooydonk, the founder of The Global Curiosity Institute, who is my guest this week. A former Chief Learning Officer, Stefaan has done some pioneering work on the science behind curiosity and why improving the skill of curiosity is essential in the modern world of work, both at an individual and organizational level. In the interview, we discuss: The story behind the Global Curiosity Institute Intentional curiosity Why and how you can train curiosity The importance of curiosity to organizations Measuring curiosity on an individual and organizational basis Creating a curious culture Awareness, Intentionality and Measurement The importance of learning something new 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 458: Recruiting & Retention In The Current Market Ep 459: Underrepresented Communities of Talent Ep 460: Equity & Inclusion Ep 461: Talent Acquisition Realities Ep 462: What’s New In Candidate Experience Ep 463: Fractional Hiring Ep 464: Optimization, Automation and Augmentation Listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts

As talent acquisition rapidly adapts to disruptive times, innovative ways of working and new technologies are being adopted at an unprecedented pace. So, where are the most successful TA teams focusing and what are the mindset shifts we are now seeing in the industry? My guest this week is Will Staney, founder of Proactive Talent and co-founder of industry community The Talent Brand Alliance. Will has a long history of innovation in talent acquisition and shares his insight into the short-term and long-term strategies the most successful TA teams are currently building. In the interview, we discuss: The current state of the market Staying lean and nimble while adopting best practices What are the most successful TA teams focusing on Retention, culture and brand Working on short-term and long-term simultaneously Optimization, automation and augmentation Agile RPO The rise of the gig economy in talent acquisition Game-changing technology The link between employer branding, DE&I and profit Human-centric recruiting and the future of talent acquisition Listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts.

With continuing skills shortages and massive disruption to how and where work is done, it is not surprising to see innovation as employers start to think differently about talent. Fractional hiring is rising and has some significant benefits to employers and employees. But what is it, how does it work, and how is it different from traditional interim and contract hiring? My guest this week is Matt Widdoes, CEO of Mavan. Mavan is a globally dispersed network of specialized former growth leaders at iconic tech brands working fractionally, and Matt has some unique insights to share on this growing trend. In the interview, we discuss: What is fractional hiring? Recruiting as the key to growth The current state of the talent market Specialist talent as a resource that can be turned on and off Benefits for organizations and the implications for the career development of individuals The mindset shift employers need to make to use fractional working successfully. Decentralized talent pools The kind of roles that can be fractional How is fractional different from interim and contract? What does the future of work look like Listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts.

This is a special cross-over episode with The Talent Savvy Podcast hosted by Bas van de Haterd and Marlies Farrill. It was a pleasure to join them for a conversation about the latest thinking in candidate experience, undoubtedly an evergreen topic in talent acquisition. If you've not listened to the Talent Savvy podcast before, I would highly recommend subscribing for a great mix of informed opinion and practical advice. In our conversation, we discuss: Why candidate experience isn't an object to fix An automated personalized experience at scale Technology innovation and unchanging human nature Differing attitudes to feedback in North America and Europe Do we have the right tools to provide quality feedback? Consistent and regular communication Motivation and targeted marketing Examples of employers who are getting things right Listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts.

I've never known a more disruptive, uncertain and confusing time in talent acquisition. With so much complexity in the market, it can be challenging for TA talent to get a clear picture of what is happening outside of their own organisations. My guest this week is Sven Elbert, Senior Analyst at Fosway Group. Fosway is Europes leading HR industry analyst and has recently published its Talent Acquisition Realities 2022 report, a piece of research that looks at the key challenges, trends and forces TA teams are currently dealing with. This is a must listen for anyone wanting an independent view of what is going on in the market. In the interview, we discuss: Stand out findings from the research. The impacts of uncertainty on hiring Quality of hire What TA teams report they are most and least effective at How is DE&I working in practice? Current market changes Availability of skills The most in demand recruiting technologies Are tech stacks currently fit for purpose? Conducting the candidate experience orchestra Upskilling recruiters Listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts.

Many employers are focusing hard on diversifying their talent pools at the moment. It has been encouraging to bring so many stories to the podcast about employers working to connect with historically marginalized groups and embracing more open approaches to hiring. However, diverse hiring is pointless without addressing equity and inclusion at a systemic level within organizations. My guests this week are Dr Tina Opie and Dr Beth Livingston, authors of the soon to be published book "Shared Sisterhood". Share Sisterhood embodies a practical methodology that gives employees a starting point with diversity, equity, and inclusion. It inspires employees to explore their personal assumptions, build connections and take collective action. In the interview, we discuss: Shared Sisterhood as a radically optimistic philosophy Power dominant and historically marginalized groups Addressing equity at a systemic level Building authentic connections with people who are different to you Where to start with DE&I Dig, Bridge and Collective Action The difference between equality and equity Metrics and accountability Ally versus Accomplise versus Co-Conspirator Listen to this podcast on Apple Podcast.

Effectively attracting, selecting and hiring people from underrepresented and marginalised groups is something that many employers aspire to. Unfortunately, only very few have the right strategies and resources in place to be set up for success. Having the right partners to work with is critical if companies are to truly understand the needs of the communities they want to work with. My guest this week is Roy Baladi, Founder of Jobs for Humanity. Jobs for Humanity works to connect historically underrepresented talent to welcoming employers via training and technology, and Roy has some extremely valuable insights to share. In the interview, we discuss: What is Jobs For Humanity? Advantages of hiring diverse talent Diversifying the TA funnel Designing a fair hiring process Challenging personal bias Onboarding, inclusivity and safe spaces Making simple accommodations Recruiting refugees Brain diversity Why DE&I is still at the early adopter stage with employers Intention and action 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 450: Attracting and Retaining AI Talent Ep 451: Building Communities Of Talent Ep 452: Assessment Innovation 2022 Ep 453: Onboarding Evolved Ep 454: Effective Employer Branding Strategies Ep 455: Talent Rediscovery Ep 456: Soft Skills Ep 457: Employability and Social Mobility Listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts

After almost three years of constant disruption, the talent market still shows no signs of normalization. Even with rising inflation and layoffs in some parts of the economy, US and UK job openings remain at record highs. So what are the implications for employers recruiting in times of economic instability and a cost of living crisis? How do TA teams need to think, and what are the most successful employers doing to hire and retain the talent they need? My guest this week is Jon Wilson, CEO of Totaljobs, which is part of the Stepstone Group, one of the largest online recruitment companies in the world. This means Jon has access to a vast amount of data and insights into the current hiring market and has some valuable advice to share. In the interview, we discuss: The current state of the market High job openings and fewer job seekers The impact of high inflation How demographic factors are driving scarcity Why the great resignation will to continue Increasing mobility in the workforce Flexbility and upskilling What are the most successful employers doing? Forecasts for the next six to twelve months Listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts.

Some of my favourite discussions on this show have been with employers driving diversity, equity, and inclusion, not just because it is the right thing to do but because they are using their DE&I strategies to solve specific business challenges. My guest this week is Graham Briggs, Head of Apprenticeships & Employability Programmes at Greene King, the UK's largest pub retailer and brewer. The hospitality sector has had an extremely challenging few years. Greene King has been running some incredible programmes to reach diverse talent pools and deliver positive outcomes for their business and the communities they work with. In the interview, we discuss: The recruiting challenges in hospitality Challenging perceptions about career development Employability and social mobility Communities and values Untapping potential The importance of C-Suite support Partnering with external organisations to reach out to new pools of talent Delivering positive outcomes for young people Building confidence and focusing on wellbeing Working with prison leavers Support, development and retention Business outcomes and results Working with other employers to lobby government Advice to TA leaders looking to build similar programmes Plans for the future Listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts.

Work and jobs are changing, and the way companies select and hire people needs to keep up with this pace of change. We've always talked a lot about soft skills in talent acquisition, but what are they in the context of modern work, why are they important, and how can they be assessed? My guest this week is Dr Alan Redman, Head of Science and Technology at Clevry. Alan is an expert in the definition, assessment and impact of soft skills and has some very valuable insights to share. In the interview, we discuss: Perspectives on the market and changing world of work Understanding what employees want from work What are soft skills in the context of modern work, and why are they important? Adapting to change How soft skills hiring can solve recruiting challenges Skills portability and job design Being a soft skills focused organisation How to assess and measure soft skills The future impact of AI on skills and decision making Listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts.

Reaching out to past applicants about new roles has always been a challenge in talent acquisition. Poor technology, tight timescales and inflexible processes have often limited the effectiveness of talent rediscovery. However, AI is now starting to drive some change, and talent rediscovery is becoming an ever more effective strategy. My guest this week is Mike Watson, Head of Customer Advocacy at Eightfold. Before he joined Eightfold, Mike was a long-time Head of Talent Acquisition, and, in our conversation, he shares his unique insights into the benefits and practical results of AI-driven talent rediscovery. In the interview, we discuss: The current state of the market and the effect on talent acquisition teams The threat of losing recruiter intellectual property Warm passive talent versus cold passive talent What the ATS can't deliver Driving ROI but reducing time to hire Talent intelligence Communication strategies and best practices Which employers are doing talent rediscovery well Where is the technology taking us next? Listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts.

To say that the talent acquisition market in the tech sector is complex and fast-changing at the moment would perhaps be a bit of an understatement. So how are big tech companies developing employer branding strategies that help them solve their shifting challenges, and what lessons can employers in other sectors learn from them? My guest this week is Ashlee Gerow, Senior Manager, Employer Branding at Hubspot. I've always been a massive fan of Hubspot's sophisticated and innovative approach to talent acquisition and employer branding. Ashley is very open about their recruitment challenges and how a dynamic approach to employer branding is being used to address them. In the interview, we discuss: The current tech hiring market How employer branding is being used to solve recruiting challenges at Hubspot Developing a highly targeted strategy Cutting through the noise Advanced persona work Is who you are externally authentic to who you are internally Understanding where you are not converting and adapting accordingly How the pandemic changed Hubspot's approach Working with cross-functional teams and being deeply connected across the business Making sure the EVP is consistent throughout the entire candidate journey Using employee's stories to show, not tell Employer Branding as a constant marketing machine The role of data and technology Moving quickly to adapt, sprint and change The future of employer branding Listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts.

The pandemic changed many aspects of talent acquisition and perhaps none more so than onboarding. With many people spending less time in their employer's physical offices, how have TA and HR teams evolved their onboarding processes to forge a sense of belonging, develop relationships and ultimately increase productivity and retention? My guest this week is Sharawn Tipton, Chief People Officer at LiveRamp. Over the last few years, LiveRamp has developed a strategic and very intentional approach to onboarding, and Sharawn has a lot of insight and advice to share. In the interview, we discuss: Shifting from a transactional approach to one that focuses on building relationships Providing an immediate sense of belonging The impact of the pandemic on onboarding and retention Employee Resource Groups Wellness and mental health Starting onboarding before the hiring process even starts Culture Moments that matter How important are the first 30 days Personalization of experience EVP & expectations Lesson learned and having a growth mindset. Listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts.

I'm finally back in Scotland after a summer of much travelling, so normal service is now resumed, and the podcast is back into its regular rhythm of two new shows a week. Assessment and selection continue to be an area of debate, investment and technological innovation. So what has been happening in the space over the last 12 months, and more importantly, what is working? It is my great pleasure to welcome Netherlands-based consultant Bas van de Haterd back to the show as my guest this week. Bas has been on the podcast a few times discussing new thinking in assessment and runs an awards program for innovation in assessment. His 2022 awards have just been judged, and he joins us to update us on what is working and discuss the different approaches the shortlisted organisations have taken. In the interview, we discuss: The current state of the market Innovation in assessment and selection Increasing diversity by selecting on quality Engagement, motivation and stress resilience Cynicism and the importance of results and ROI Open hiring - innovating by having no assessment Neuroscience and brain-based assessment Reducing attrition Skills versus experience The importance of using the right tools How will assessment techniques and technologies develop in the future? Listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts.

Diversity and Inclusion strategies are often just about moving existing talent between organisations rather than growing talent pools and giving more opportunities to more people. So how should employers be thinking about diversity hiring, and what kind of organisations should they partner with to increase the spread of opportunity? My guest this week is Linc Kroeger, President of Knight Moves. Knight Moves is a limiting profit company helping to create the next generation of technology professionals by offering training with an intentional focus on Native American, rural and urban underserved communities. In the interview, we discuss: What can change diversity outcomes in the technology space Building physical communities of technology talent in rural areas Inspiring teenagers Teaching instantly usable skills Longer-term transformational impacts What value are employers getting? The importance of remote working Listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts.

Despite some highly publicised layoffs in the tech sector, macro trends are still driving a high demand for highly skilled tech professionals. This is particularly true in data science and AI, where hiring the right talent can have a significant business impact. So what do employers need to do in the current market to ensure they are getting the talent they need? My guest this week is Kevin Dewalt, CEO of Prolego, a leading AI consultant for Fortune 500 companies. Prolego has recently published a report to help companies get better at hiring data science talent, and Kevin has some valuable insights to share. In the interview, we discuss: Why we are only at the beginning of a long-term trend in AI adoption and innovation The current state of tech hiring Why there is no new wave of talent in the market Creating the right working environment to be an employer of choice. Attention and attraction Gathering talent intelligence to understand motivations The critical importance of the hiring manager and why you should include them in the JD Longer-term structural considerations Prioritising learning and the importance of non-management career paths How to compete for talent with big tech The future of AI in recruiting technology Listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts.

I know that many of you who listen to this podcast are very aware of the quality of your employee experience and the importance of your employer brand reputation. However, as the balance in the workforce between permanent hires, contractors, and project-based workers evolves, do you still truly understand all the factors influencing your employer brand? My guest this week is Tanya de Grunwald, journalist and founder of The Good And Fair Employers Club. Tanya is a long time campaigner for the rights of young people in the workplace and has been working tirelessly to expose the use of exit or training fees by some IT outsourcing companies. This interview is an absolute must listen for everyone working for an organization that contract in workers from external providers. In the interview, we discuss: What are exit fees, and what are their implications for young people? The implications of denying people the right to move jobs The legal position Activism Outsourcing and placement: who is and isn’t an employee? Why have employers been so slow to act Ethics in procurement and supplier management Providing consistent values and experience for the entire workforce Whistleblowing & PR disasters Good and fair employers Listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts.

I'm on holiday at the moment, but I want to make sure that you have plenty of Recruiting Future content to listen to until I'm back. So for the next couple of weeks, I'm going to republish some of my favourite episodes with conversations that you may have missed the first time round. This week's replay is my conversation from earlier in the year with Maggie Spong, VP of Talent Acquisition at AstraZeneca. It is one of the best examples I've had on the show for a while of a company developing holistic, long-term strategic solutions to deal with ongoing skill shortages. It is well worth a listen, even if you have heard it the first time around. In the interview, we discuss: How Talent Acquisition is evolving at Astra Zeneca 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 Astra Zeneca's focus for 2022 Listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts.

I'm on holiday at the moment, but I want to make sure that you have plenty of Recruiting Future content to listen to until I'm back. So for the next couple of weeks, I'm going to republish some of my favourite episodes with conversations that you may have missed the first time round. This week's replay is my interview with Rory Sutherland, Vice Chair of Ogilvy and one of the world's leading thinkers on behavioural science. I firmly believe that behavioural science will take a leading role in talent acquisition in the future, particularly when it comes to automation and personalisation, and that's why I wanted to give you all a second chance to listen to what Rory has to say. In the interview, we discuss: Why Behavioural Science is the science of knowing what economists are wrong about The dangers of defensive decision making Finding psychological truths and the importance of emotions Why Uber has a map Recruiting for diversity of thought How Ogilvy have redesigned the recruiting process to find people of exceptional non-standard ability While the average is not the optimal solution The difference between equality of opportunity and diversity of opportunity Why work is a relational relationship, not a transactional one Cost reduction versus lost opportunities Personalising the value exchange between employer and employee The future of work and why it has taken a pandemic to get us there Follow 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 442: Lessons From Elite Cycling Ep 443: The Nowhere Office Ep 444: Workplace Culture Ep 445: Happiness At Work Ep 446: The Competitive Advantage Of Employee Experience Ep 447: Dealing With Disruption Ep 448: Proving The Business Value Of Talent Marketing

Measuring the impact of talent marking in a way that aligns with the rest of the business and demonstrates value for the c-suite has always been challenging. TA leaders often find themselves judged by measures and outcomes they don't fully control, which are impossible to translate into business value. So how do you prove the business impact of recruitment marketing and employer branding, particularly in such volatile times? My guest this week is Nick Thompson, Global Talent Marketing Leader at IBM. Nick and his team have been working on this issue for a while and have devised a way of measuring the value of talent marketing that resonates with the C-Suite and provides a laser focus for optimisation and improvement. In the interview, we discuss: The scale of recruiting at IBM The current state of the global market for tech hiring The shortcomings of existing talent marketing metrics Speaking the same language as the rest of the business Measuring where you have ownership and control What is the time to apply metric, and how was it developed? What insights does time to apply enable? Mapping onto business value The reaction The levers that reduce time to apply Removing the reasons why people don't click apply The role of employer branding Advice to TA leaders Listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts

Back in 2020, there was an acknowledgement that talent acquisition had changed forever but a sense that things would eventually stabilise into a new normal. Two and half years later, it is clear that the only new normal is continual long-term disruption, change and uncertainty. So what should TA leaders focus on to give their organisations the best chance of maintaining a competitive talent advantage in these challenging times? My guest this week is Hayli Thornhill, Head of Recruiting at Brighthire. Hayli is an experienced TA Leader with experience in both start-ups and large corporates. She has some insightful advice on dealing with disruption and preparing for an uncertain future. In the interview, we discuss: Long term disruption and uncertainty Intelligent interview and evidence based hiring What should TA Leaders be focusing on Efficiency and quality Auditing tech stacks Modernising interviewer training Improving the hiring process Five non-negotiables to focus on Providing a brilliant candidate experience Looking to the future Listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts A full transcript will appear here shortly

Many employers will claim to be people-centric organisations, but how many actually have the quality of employer experience to back this up? A high-quality employee experience dries value for businesses in many ways, including competitive advantage in talent acquisition, better retention, increased productivity and better service for clients and customers. So how do you build a genuinely people-centric organisation with an employer experience that delivers on its promises? My guest this week is Mayra Chimienti, COO of Mister Carwash, the largest car wash operator in North America. Mister Car Wash is a certified Great Place to Work that has built a category-leading employee experience. In the interview, we discuss: What it means to be a people-first business Employee experience and customer experience Building competitive advantage in Talent Acquisition Telling authentic stories and showing evidence in the recruiting process Retention, professional development and benefits The long term impact of the pandemic Innovation The future of people strategy at Mister Carwash Listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts.

With so much unhelpful noise around the topic of the future of work, I'm taking a deep dive into the practicalities of what is actually going on over three podcast episodes. In the previous two episodes, I spoke to authors Julia Hobsbawm and Bruce Daisley about our physical relationship with the workplace; in this episode, I want to explore happiness at work. The John Lewis Partnership is a unique UK-based retailer jointly owned by its employees and founded on the premise of ensuring worker happiness. My guest this week is Lord Mark Price, the former UK Trade Minister who was CEO of Waitrose and Deputy Chairman of The John Lewis Partnership. Mark now works via his business WorkL to help employers increase workplace happiness using some of the lessons he learned during his time at John Lewis. In the interview, we discuss: Lessons from The John Lewis Partnership The six core elements of happiness at work Why looking at averages is dangerous. How can employers build a happier workplace? Using happiness for competitive advantage in talent acquisition The relationship between the individual and their line manager Prospects for the future of the labour market Listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts.

With so much unhelpful noise around the topic of the future of work, I'm taking a deep dive into the practicalities of what is actually going on over a series of three podcast episodes. In the previous episode, I spoke to author Julia Hobsbawm about some of the challenges of this emerging new phase of work, and I want to continue this theme in this episode. My guest this week is the perfect person to help me do this, and it is great to have him back on the show. Bruce Daisley is a speaker, author and workplace culture enthusiast. Previously a VP at Twitter, Bruce now hosts one of the world's most popular podcasts on making work better. In the interview, we discuss: Critical issues in workplace culture Why flex is the new pay The danger of uncoordinated hybrid Productivity and worker satisfaction The intentional curation of culture Using the office as a tool How management infrastructure is changing The rise of the community manager Rethinking knowledge transfer Understanding the demands of top talent Challenges for talent acquisition Work from anywhere The danger of nostalgia What will work look like in five years? Pre-order Bruce’s new book “Fortitude” Listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts.

All around the world, debates about hybrid and remote working rumble on as employers and employees experiment to find mutually agreeable and effective ways of working. There is a lot of noise in the debate around the future of work, and I really want to cut through this. With that in mind, I'm going to focus the next three episodes of the podcast on the future of work, exploring the real issues, looking at the practical solutions that are being put in place and taking an informed look at what the future might look like. My first guest in this mini-series is writer, speaker and consultant Julia Hobsbawm, author of the brilliant book "The Nowhere Office". In her book, Julia explores what is happening at the moment in the context of workplace changes over the last few decades and examines the current issues to help map the future. In the interview, we discuss: Reimagining and reframing how we work The four phases of work since 1945 How the pandemic has accelerated trends that were already there The complexity of hybrid The real challenges with developing the next phase of work Undoing assumptions and old norms The challenge for talent acquisition Autonomy, flexibility and networks Thinking strategically to improve wellness and mental health. Listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts.