Talk Talent To Me

There’s a saying that goes “Nothing grows in the comfort zone” and our guest today is a formidable example of success outside of comfort! We are thrilled to welcome to the Talk Talent to Me podcast, Nicolette Jackson, Head of Talent over at Zephyr. Nicolette shares more about what they do at Zephyr and her journey to becoming the Head of Talent. We dive into her inspiring and forward approach to negotiating her job offer at Zephyr, and she highlights what prompted her confidence to (always) ask for more! We then delve into the different facts of her mentor/mentee relationship with Lorraine Buhannic, and much more. Key Points From This Episode: The Nicolette of it all. More about Zephyr and Nicolette’s background and journey. Viewing another Chief People Officer’s visible role at the table: how it was apparent to Nicolette. She elaborates on the different types of things the board asked Lorraine (the CPO). The sparks that influenced Nicolette’s Chief People Officer aspirations. Nicolette delves into her approach toward negotiating her job offer at Zephyr. The inspiration that prompted her confidence to ask for more (from her job offer). Nicolette sheds light on various facets of her mentorship dynamic with Lorraine. She shares Lorraine’s anti-imposter syndrome pep-talk/ concept. Painting her own data journey and the impact it has had on her confidence. She explains the different ways she is currently quantifying the role. Why owning your expertise is a beautiful thing to do for a business. Quotes: “When I realized that recruiting was — one side bringing people in but then also how to grow them and make them happy while they were there was the whole other side of the spectrum. And to truly be happy in recruiting — I feel like I also wanted a say-so on how people were treated once they were in the door.” — Nicolette Jackson [0:08:40] “Who gets the oil? The squeaky wheel, honestly the people that ask for the things they want.” — Nicolette Jackson [0:14:44] “Nothing that I’ve done in this life that has made me successful was ever comfortable. It’s always been uncomfortable. It’s always been a challenge.” — Nicolette Jackson [0:25:20] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Nicolette Jackson on LinkedIn Zephyr Hippo Insurance Lorraine Buhannic on LinkedIn Episode: Juxtapose Head of Talent Lorraine Buhannic Juxtapose Talk Talent to Me Hired

Sometimes, life is all about taking leaps of faith. And when it comes to talent and talent management, a leap of faith can open doors that you never even considered walking through. Today we are joined by Kara Hughes, the VP, HR Business Partner of Tech & Digital, as well as the Head of Workforce Planning, People Insights, and Analytics at Northwestern Mutual – a financial firm focused on making their clients feel more confident and secure so that they can sleep better, breathe easier, and feel happier. Kara begins the conversation by answering an important recruiting question from one of Rob’s friends about how to approach problematic intake interviews. Then, we get to know more about Kara: how she ended up at Northwestern Mutual and what her job entails. We also discuss the importance of workforce planning, the departments that are responsible for it, and the role of recruiters in becoming part of business strategy and workforce planning conversations. To close off, we explore how the evolution of HR has added to the pains of the industry. Be sure to listen until the very end for some helpful advice on how to send an email in French. Key Points From This Episode: Welcoming Kara Hughes as she answers a recruiting question from one of Rob’s friends. Advice for candidates on how to approach intake interviews. The leaps of faith that led Kara to Northwestern Mutual and what her title and role entails. Exploring the role of recruiters in workforce planning. The departments that initiate and prioritize workforce planning, according to Kara. How recruiters can involve themselves in business strategy and planning conversations. Why many people (incorrectly) believe that HR should not have a seat at the strategy table. How the evolution of HR helps to explain the modern challenges of the role. Some multicultural advice to end today’s episode. Quotes: “Recruiters and hiring managers, you hope they have a really good intake meeting and are really, really clear on requirements but signals get crossed. So, advocate for yourself and cover all those important bases at the outset and don’t feel bad about doing it.” — Kara Hughes [0:03:51] “Show gratitude and know who has gotten you to where you are and who’s helped you along the way because if you really sit back and take stock, [you’ll realize that] it’s many, many people.” — Kara Hughes [0:09:49] “There’s been such a radical shift in the value that [HR] is expected to provide.” — Kara Hughes [0:28:28] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Kara Hughes on LinkedIn Northwestern Mutual Talk Talent to Me Hired

In this episode, you will hear about Frank’s wealth of experience, recruiting for SeatGeek and the challenges it has brought, and their amazing finance and HR business partner team We then delve into what Frank is currently working on at SeatGeek before discussing the importance of foresight and being proactive when bringing talent into a large company. Finally, our guest shares advice for anyone in the talent recruitment space who is looking to move into bigger roles. You don’t want to miss this so be sure to tune in now! Key Points From This Episode: A brief overview of Frank’s career and a bit about SeatGeek. Overseeing the recruitment period at SeatGeek during COVID and the challenges it brought. Frank tells us about their new finance team and HR business partner team. Why they place focus on planning in their business while remaining agile. What Frank is working on right now at SeatGeek. The importance of being proactive about bringing talent into a large company. Frank shares advice for anyone wanting to climb the talent recruitment ladder. Quotes: “As you – become a more mature and bigger organization, you have to have better foresight just because there are a lot more moving parts.” — Frank Cebek [0:10:46] “Always try to bring value to the company you’re working at.” — Frank Cebek [0:26:04] “At the end of the day, recruiting is a support function.” — Frank Cebek [0:26:19] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Frank Cebek on LinkedIn Frank Cebek on Instagram SeatGeek Talk Talent to Me Hired

Doubling up throughout most of his career, my guest today has both maintained his rank and activity in the Air Force while being a C-level HR professional at a large, well-established company. I’m joined on the show today by Lieutenant Colonel and Chief Human Resource Officer at Riceland Foods Inc., Lionel Riley. Join the conversation as we learn how he managed his parallel careers, his thoughts on the journey of transition from the armed forces to the corporate world, and how his leadership overlaps from being Lieutenant Colonel to CHRO. He unpacks why he strives to maintain mindfulness while managing his team, his responsibility as CHRO for a multi-billion dollar company, including the journey of how he wound up there. We learn about his big move from a long and stable position at Walmart, and Lionel shares three key pieces of advice for those looking at forging a career in this space. Key Points From This Episode: How Lionel maintains his rank and activity in the army while being a C-level HR professional. We delve into the journey of transition from the armed forces to the corporate world. His overlap in leadership from Lieutenant Colonel to CHRO Lionel. All eyes on him: Lionel recounts first realizing that people were starting to pay attention to what he was doing. How he strives to implement mindfulness when managing his team and their lives. He expands on the responsibilities of the CHRO of a multi-billion dollar company. Lionel shares the journey of how he wound up in his role as CHRO at Riceland Foods Inc. Questions he asked in his interview process when deciding to leave a stable position at Walmart. He describes the words that settled him into taking a new position. Lionel shares three key pieces of advice for those forging their career in this space. Quotes: “The struggle [to transition from the armed forces to the corporate world] is relative.” — Lionel Riley [0:04:03] “It’s not that, from corporation to the military is so one-to-one, but there’s so many transferable skills: discipline, exposure, cultural experiences that military members who have had the privilege of servicing oversees; they’d be able to bring immense value to your corporation.” — Lionel Riley [0:06:01] “HR, I tell this to everybody, is a thankless job.” — Lionel Riley [0:11:57] “Never stop learning — relationships are key and always know that you can receive a nugget or two from anyone, on anything. Never stop learning!” — Lionel Riley [0:29:51] “Complacency kills.” — Lionel Riley [0:30:17] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Lionel Riley on LinkedIn Riceland Foods Inc. Talk Talent to Me Hired

Veronica Salcido is the Senior Director of Global Talent at Multiverse, and she joins us to share the defining moment in her life when she chose to decline a string of amazing job offers to sell her possessions and climb Machu Pichu. While acknowledging the privileged position she found herself in, Veronica urges listeners to take the plunge and reset their lives if the opportunity arises. Tune in to hear her story of starting a business and getting 21 clients within 30 days before eventually taking on a full-time opportunity where she was able to make a greater social impact. We also explore the influence of AI on talent acquisition and the capacity it holds to create the freedom to do more meaningful work. Join us today to hear all this and more! Key Points From This Episode: Welcoming Veronica Salcido, Senior Director of Global Talent at Multiverse. Parallels between working in talent and Veronica’s passion for mountaineering. How she selects opportunities that are value-aligned. The pivotal moment in Veronica’s career and the spreadsheet that changed everything. Traveling to Machu Pichu during a promising moment in her career. How her experience exceeded all of her expectations. Launching her own business and getting 21 clients within 30 days. Acknowledging the privilege necessary to reset your life. How her internal reality differed from external perceptions of the life Veronica was leading. Recapping why choosing herself was the best thing she could have done. The two services she offered in her newly started business and how she started to work with founders. Making the decision to climb the career ‘jungle gym’ and seek out a full-time role. The concept of a double or triple line. Weighing in on the reset happening in talent acquisition. Upskilling yourself to embrace Artificial Intelligence. The power of automation to create the freedom to do more meaningful work. Quotes: “I ended up having no inbox, no plan, I hiked Machu Pichu, I went off the grid, I had a total reset, and I launched my own business after that.” — Veronica Salcido [0:14:26] “I had 26 clients within the first 30 days of launching my business.” — Veronica Salcido [0:14:30] “I chose to get in the driver’s seat of defining my career and how my life and the opportunities that I was signing up for were going to support that.” — Veronica Salcido [0:14:36] “That is the juicy part of why we do what we do especially as leaders in talent acquisition - innovation.” — Veronica Salcido [0:36:52] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Veronica Salcido on LinkedIn Multiverse The Infinite Game Talk Talent to Me Hired

Today on Talk Talent to Me, we are joined by Doreen Ghafari, VP of People at AllTrails, to find out how she and her team spearheaded a period of significant growth for the company, more than quadrupling the AllTrails staff in just over three years. Tuning in, you’ll learn about the value of making recruiting efforts an extension of the brand experience, why talent acquisition is so much more than putting butts in seats, and the importance of building a solid foundation of systems and processes during periods of hyper-growth. We also touch on the benefit of treating values as a core competency, data-driven frameworks for performance evaluation, and what a holistic approach to recruitment looks like from Doreen’s perspective. Key Points From This Episode: An overview of AllTrails and Doreen’s role there as VP of People. How Doreen and her team quadrupled AllTrails’ employees in just a few years. The value of making recruiting efforts an extension of the brand experience. Navigating noise in the inbound talent funnel. The what’s and why’s of recruiting that go beyond the “butts in seats” mentality. Growing pains that come with 4X-ing a company and why processes are key. Core competencies behind rapid yet sustainable business growth. Key values and frameworks that AllTrails uses to evaluate performance. Insight into Doreen’s holistic strategy for recruitment and people operations. Advice for aspiring talent professionals and why it’s certainly not a linear career path. Quotes: “AllTrails is a beloved brand. People tend to have delightful experiences with the app and the site. We wanted our recruiting efforts to be an extension of that. We want people who come to AllTrails to interview, even if they don’t get the job, to reflect fondly on their experience.” — Doreen Ghafari [0:05:11] “Scaling is hard – How do we set up the scaffolding that’s going to allow us to do that?” — Doreen Ghafari [0:09:41] “Recruiting and people teams need to be in lockstep with each other. It’s not separate functions. It’s two halves of the same circle.” — Doreen Ghafari [0:21:10] “Don’t think of your [talent career] as a linear thing. It’s more – of a bouldering experience rather than a linear ladder.” — Doreen Ghafari [0:28:36] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Doreen Ghafari on LinkedIn AllTrails ‘TopFunnel Head of People Doreen Ghafari’ Talk Talent to Me Hired

Russell is a seasoned professional with years of experience leading recruitment teams across various industries. His professional achievements and personal values make him a dynamic leader in the talent acquisition space. Hear how the shift from linear media to digital media has transformed the industry, his motivation for pursuing a career in talent acquisition, and what recruitment can learn from outsourcing channels. Discover how increased employee engagement results in better outcomes, why more information is better for candidates, and how Paramount plans to leverage AI to create opportunities in recruitment. He explains the power of collaboration, how skills create a shared language between HR and business, and the evolution of roles in recruitment. Key Points From This Episode: Russell provides an overview of the current entertainment landscape. His diverse professional background and path into the media industry. Gaps in the talent acquisition process and where it needs to be improved. The importance of employee engagement and lessons from the referral process. Fostering trust in non-referral channels and the secret to retaining talent. Paramount’s approach to recruitment and the influence of brands on the process. Explore the role of AI in connecting talent to the brand. Why collaborating with other departments is an essential consideration. He unpacks the concept of building a skills-based organization. Foundational skill metrics and why they are vital for job descriptions. How to create and maintain the idea of continuous improvement. Final takeaways about the recruitment industry Russel has for listeners. Quotes: “The only constant [in the industry] for the last several years has been change.” —@weaveru [0:02:06] “There is something fundamentally fractured still with [talent acquisition] processes and technology. I think we have to get back to basics to make sure we are doing things that allow us to connect to that high-performing talent.” —@weaveru [0:06:35] “If you are not building or maintaining active relationships with the marketing, corporate communications, legal, and tech departments, you are doing yourselves and your organization a disservice.” —@weaveru [0:20:21] “Demotivated hiring managers are the biggest challenge facing any organization today. If you do not have your hiring managers engaged and locked in, you are going to fail.” —@weaveru [0:34:27] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Russell Weaver on LinkedIn Paramount Talk Talent to Me Hired

Joining me today is Kelly Culler, Senior HR Business Partner and VP of Talent Acquisition at Northwestern Mutual. In this episode, we discuss her unique role and why people are the heart of any company. Kelly is an accomplished executive with a distinguished career in human resources. She leads a high-performance team dedicated to sourcing, engaging, acquiring, and attracting top-tier, diverse talent that aligns with Northwestern Mutual’s values. In our conversation, we discuss her career journey and path to Northwestern Mutual. We delve into how the HR business partner role differs from traditional HR, ways of differentiating yourself in the HR space, how the recruitment landscape is evolving, and why people are at the core of business outcomes. Discover how to sell your role as a recruiter and unlock the full potential of people and teams. Gain insights into her approach, challenges in the HR space, strategies for building genuine relationships, and much more! Key Points From This Episode: Background about Kelly and her role at Northwestern Mutual. A Traditional recruitment role versus an HR business partner role. How Kelly developed her skillset and what sets her apart. Explore how the traditional HR landscape is changing. Her approach to navigating outdated mindsets in the HR space. Why just being good at your job is not enough. Kelly’s unique approach to her role and building relationships. Insights into the multi-disciplinary nature of her role. Critical aspects of developing healthy and accountable leadership. Metrics and methods for measuring effective leadership. The motivation for her leadership development programs. Final words of advice for others forging a career in HR. Quotes: “[As an HR business partner], I am going to bring the people acumen to the table because my expertise is people.” — Kelly Culler [0:07:39] “To me, people are the heart of what creates business outcomes.” — Kelly Culler [0:10:27] “Forge a relationship with your leader so you have the trust because they are going to help you unlock more things than not from a career perspective.” — Kelly Culler [0:33:37] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Kelly Culler on LinkedIn Northwestern Mutual Talk Talent to Me Hired

The performance of any organization is unquestionably linked to its ability to tap into the “human energy” encapsulated in the talents, approach, and potential of every team member. This is the belief of today’s guest, Julie Flowers, mentor, coach, sought-after speaker, and HR Director, HR Talent Development Initiatives at Chevron. In this episode, Julie shares some pearls of wisdom from her 26 years with Chevron and offers insight into how the technology, high standards, and ethics at Chevron appeal to Gen Z candidates, how talent development boosts morale and improves company culture, and why she believes that HR is the human energy in progress that leads to not only business success but individual success too. Key Points From This Episode: An overview of Julie’s career journey and how it led her to Chevron in 1998. Branding non-renewable energy for the younger generations. Lessons from Julie’s transition from talent acquisition to talent development. What it looks like to reinvent HR every few years (and why it’s so important). The value of continuous upskilling in consulting, project management, and more. Reasons that we should view AI as an enabling tool rather than a skill. Innovative ways that Chevron uses AI for external recruiting. Personal development for talent professionals: how to grow in every role. The importance of fostering a curiosity mindset. Insight into Chevron’s strong HR culture and how Julie nurtures it. The relationship between long-term development and short-term incentives. Tips for leaders, employees, and organizations to encourage continuous growth. Why storytelling is such a critical skill for talent professionals. Humbling advice for those who want to up-level their recruitment career. Quotes: “We’re focused on creating an [HR environment at Chevron] where the business recognizes us as an agile force, capable of adapting – where we need to for this ever-changing business that we’re in – and delivering amazing customer experience.” — Julie Flowers [0:08:51] “If people are paying attention, you grow in every role you have. Generally, the roles that you’ve had prepare you for the next role, you just don’t know it’s happened.” — Julie Flowers [0:17:01] “As a leader, I need to [encourage, support, and reward]. As an employee, I’ve got to want to learn and grow. As a company, I’ve got to show that we’re building that type of culture. [Continuous development] takes all three of those things.” — Julie Flowers [0:27:10] “Sometimes, when you come to the business with something HR, it might not be met with open arms. We have to be able to tell a story so they understand the value and impact it’s going to have.” — Julie Flowers [0:33:56] “We don’t learn most from our successes. We learn from when we don’t do something right, when we fail.” — Julie Flowers [0:35:28] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Julie Flowers on LinkedIn Talk Talent to Me Hired

Jamie joins us to offer some insight into what it takes to be an early-stage recruiter, how talent professionals can level up the entire function of a business, and when companies should consider bringing on a full-time in-house talent resource. Key Points From This Episode: How Jamie forged a career in the talent space and what led her to Primary. Insight into her role as the first-ever recruiter at SeatGeek. Recruiting for an early-stage company and what attracted her to the talent function. How being an early-stage recruiter differs from a typical talent role. What it looks & sounds like when a company invests in talent in a meaningful way. The threshold at which a full-time in-house talent resource becomes invaluable. Advice for fledgling recruiters who want to make the most of their skill sets. Quotes: “When you scope a role appropriately and you bring in the right person for it, you can level up an entire function of a business, especially when it’s early stage.” — Jamie Sterrett [0:07:10] “Ultimately, as you grow in your career, you will need to be able to tie your work back to the impact that you’re having [on the business].” — Jamie Sterrett [0:12:23] “Early-stage recruiting is not for everyone. When you are the first recruiter somewhere, you are wearing all of the hats.” — Jamie Sterrett [0:23:37] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Jamie Sterrett on LinkedIn Primary Venture Capital Talk Talent to Me Hired

Lorraine left a great job at Butler University to join FIB, and she credits the move to a remarkable recruiter and a FIB culture that was too wonderful to resist. In our conversation, Lorraine dives deeper into staying comfortable versus trying something new, the power of listening to your gut, what she loves about HR and the recent developments in the industry, and why being future-ready is among her top priorities. We also discuss resilience and how to cultivate it in the workplace, how to create an office culture that facilitates constructive conversations, and what you can do as an employee when someone ranked above you dismisses your views. Key Points From This Episode: Introducing the Chief People Officer at First Internet Bank (FIB), Lorraine Ortiz. Lorraine Describes FIB, her role at the company, and how she ended up there. Why she left a secure job (that she was happy in) at Butler University to join FIB. Being comfortable versus trying something new, and listening to your gut. How a great recruiter can make all the difference. Why Lorraine loves the business of HR, and how the role has evolved over the years. Her definition of “future-focused” and how she implements the philosophy as CPO. Why she believes that she’ll retire at FIB. How she’s resilient in her role, and how FIB shares her personal values. The way Lorraine fosters a culture of honest and constructive conversation in the workplace. How to deal with managers who do not appreciate your moments of professional vulnerability. Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Lorraine Ortiz on LinkedIn First Internet Bank Talk Talent to Me Hired

In today’s episode, I sit down with Ryan Loken, Head of HR Policy, Administration, and Governance at Tyson Foods, to discuss his multifaceted role within the company, his broader impact on the community, and the dynamics of HR. Tyson Foods is a multinational corporation and one of the largest food processing companies in the world. Ryan discusses his role in the company, why there is no such thing as a typical day for him, and the community outreach work he is involved with. Discover how he leverages the company for good, his motivation for pursuing community outreach, and how his professional experiences benefit his current role. Explore why HR professionals are no longer compliance police, metrics that provide pragmatic insights into the structure of a business, why he chases the mission and not the title, the interconnectedness between company policy and culture, and much more. Key Points From This Episode: Ryan explains his role at the company and what his day-to-day looks like. His community outreach work and motivation behind it. How his job and community outreach work feed into each other. Discover how the HR landscape has changed and what caused it. Practical strategies and examples to enhance your role in HR. Become a business partner as opposed to a traditional HR manager. Self-development, constantly learning, and remaining motivated. Background about Ryan and his path to his current role. Leveraging policy to drive culture and company values. Final words of wisdom that Ryan has for listeners. Quotes: “I want to be able to give back and hopefully provide a better future for those who may not have the same opportunities that I did.” — Ryan Loken [0:03:45] “With every job we hold, we learn some [valuable] things.” — Ryan Loken [0:16:55] “I have never really had aspirations of having this title, that job, or this thing. It has always been a situation of how do I make my job more efficient.” — Ryan Loken [0:21:05] “I have never chased a title. I have always chased a mission.” — Ryan Loken [0:21:43] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Ryan Loken on LinkedIn Tyson Foods Talk Talent to Me Hired

The last year has been tough on all fronts when it comes to tech recruiting and hiring. Joining me on the show today is a returning champion and CEO of Hired, Josh Brenner. He’s here with me today to talk about what’s predicted for hiring in 2024 and to discuss the report released by Hired called, ‘The Future of Tech Hiring: 8 Bold Predictions for 2024.’ Our conversation starts with a quick general overview of how things are going at Hired and Josh shares his thoughts on tech hiring and AI. We dive into some of the key points highlighted in the report including the predicted hiring resurgence in 2024, going back to a job that laid you off, and delve into a discussion on the raging debate between remote, hybrid, and in-office working. Key Points From This Episode: A general outlook and how things are going at Hired. His thoughts on tech hiring and AI. Why he thinks there will be a resurgence in hiring in 2024; and clarifies what he means by resurgence. He highlights different categories of companies that are seemingly ready to start rehiring. Boomerang employees and going back to a job that laid you off. We discuss the poor manner of handling layoffs over the past year and a half: you reap what you sow. The raging debate of remote working versus hybrid working versus in-office working. Quotes: “I think, over the next year or two, [AI] has the real opportunity to not only redefine how people are hired and find their jobs, all the way to how people do their jobs. It’s a pretty exciting time to be in this space!” — [0:04:44] “I don’t know the reason, or I don’t know the root of why it went down this way, but the layoffs were handled a lot poorer in this past and a half than I have seen in the history of my career.” — [0:14:55] “I’m a firm believer if you are operating in a remote capacity, the value of getting people together, the team together, whether that is only once a year or multiple times a year, it obviously depends, but there is a lot of value in building that trust in person.” — [0:17:55] “Companies that have the best teams are the most successful, and you, as the talent professional, are the ones that are helping companies build those best-in-class teams.” — [0:22:21] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: ‘The Future of Tech Hiring: 8 Bold Predictions for 2024’ Josh Brenner on LinkedIn Hired Talk Talent to Me

Jim breaks down Booz Allen’s approach to recruitment and talent development, why hiring tech talent is so competitive, and what they are doing to set themselves apart. We also discuss how they cultivate a culture of continuous learning, their use of data and predictive analytics for workforce planning, their most effective retention strategies, plus a whole lot more. Key Points From This Episode: Get to know today’s guest, Strategic Talent Development Leader, Jim Hemgen. An overview of Jim’s career journey and the uniqueness of his current role. Jim’s insights on talent development and recruitment at Booz Allen Hamilton. The company’s evolution over the past decade and its growing focus on technology. What they are doing to attract early-career professionals for tech and management roles. A breakdown of their approach to employee development and getting them client-ready. Their strategies for cultivating a culture of continuous learning. Using data and predictive analytics for workforce planning and future skills needs. A rundown of their retention strategies and why they developed a talent marketplace. Supporting career mobility and why this is essential. Jim’s parting words of advice to those in the talent development space. Quotes: “We do the best we can to allow for self-directed learning through our employees. So they have a variety of programs and services available to them that they can tap into. And then we have also targeted upskilling initiatives.” — Jim Hemgen [0:18:13] “It's a cultural thing where we need to be able to support career mobility.” — Jim Hemgen [0:26:03] “I highly encourage soliciting a mentor from an outside organization. Find somebody who's in a role you aspire to be in and get engaged in conversations. It goes a long way.” — Jim Hemgen [0:32:24] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Jim Hemgen on LinkedIn Booz Allen Talk Talent to Me Hired

In talent acquisition, future-proofing is as important as focusing on the present! Today on Talk Talent To Me, Ali Bebo of Pearson joins us to discuss her many years of recruitment experience. You’ll hear about how she went from retail to being senior CHRO at Pearson, how talent acquisition has changed since she got started, the role of AI in the industry, the importance of upscaling your talent, and why managers should avoid being passive in team building for the future. Ali thinks talent recruitment is much like coaching a sports team and in this episode, she explains how the two jobs are similar. We also discuss her experience in helping her company hire a new CEO before she leaves us with some incredible advice about knowing your superpower. Key Points From This Episode: An introduction to today’s guest, Allison (Ali) Bebo. Ali shares her version of New Year’s resolutions and why she isn’t a list-maker. How Ali wound up in her role as senior CHRO at Pearson after working in retail. Ali’s views on how talent acquisition has changed over the years. She tells us what Pearson does and how AI is affecting their work. How they upscale their talent and educate others outside the company to do the same. Why managers should be proactive in building up their teams now and for the future. The parallels we can draw between sports and talent acquisition. Ali tells us about the process of helping Pearson hire a new CEO. Some parting advice for anyone wanting to level up in their careers. Quotes: “What can you do better than 10,000 people? – Once you can really answer that question, then you find roles and – opportunities where there’s less friction. – Because when you’re in a role that you’re able to use your best strengths and get to do what you do best every day, then frankly, performance happens.” — Ali Bebo Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Ali Bebo on LinkedIn Pearson Talk Talent to Me Hired

Ty shares how a non traditional background can help break barriers to creating change in talent acquisition. RSM US LLP the leading provider of assurance, tax and consulting services to the middle market. Focusing on careers and culture, Ty orchestrates an environment where individuals thrive, fostering their passions and professional growth while advocating for inclusivity at every level. His approach reflects a blend of professional prowess, a commitment to fostering a vibrant workplace culture, and a zest for life. In our conversation, we discuss Ty's career trajectory, from its origins to his present role, showcasing the distinct ways his prior experiences differ from his current position and how his unique perspective has helped transform the talent experience at the company. We explore how Ty's inexperience proved beneficial, his approach to nurturing talent, embracing innovation for success, the value of curiosity, and much more. Key Points From This Episode: Introduction and background about Chief Talent Officer, Ty Beasley. Details about his role and how it differs from his professional experience. His professional career journey to his current role at RSM US LLP. Why he is suitable for the role, despite his non-traditional career path. The unique approach and perspective he brings to the role. How he has helped enhance the talent experience at the company. Discover how his inexperience was beneficial for the role. Barriers to creating change and why embracing innovation is vital. Ty shares his approach to supporting and developing talent. What personal traits Ty looks for in a potential candidate. Quotes: “I have always had a passion for the people side of the business.” — Ty Beasley [0:07:06] “It is my vision to have a talent function that is more consultative in nature.” — Ty Beasley [0:08:40] “The ultimate value I bring to the talent organization is not operating in the guts of it. It is leadership.” — Ty Beasley [0:15:28] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Ty Beasley on LinkedIn RSM US LLP Talk Talent to Me Hired

Collin discusses redefining traditional HR approaches and his focus on practical, hands-on training. Collin boasts a wealth of experience as an HR and organizational development expert, with a track record marked by successful talent management and impactful operational enhancements. Heyday stands at the forefront of skincare, dedicated to revolutionizing the industry by offering a unique blend of personalized facial treatments and invaluable skincare advice curated by a team of seasoned estheticians. In today’s conversation with Collin, you will hear about his unconventional path to his current role, the unique qualities that he brings to HR, his various responsibilities at Heyday, and the value of pre-training. He explains his innovative approach to acquiring top talent, creating effective training content, and how he handles large amounts of applications. Collin also shares his advice for creating effective recruitment funnels and what HR should be doing differently. Tune in to discover new approaches to recruitment with Collin Russell! Key Points From This Episode: Collin’s background and career journey into his current role. Ways that he has helped Heyday grow since joining. How development goals differ between retail and corporate. A look at Colin’s approach to delivering hands-on training content. Insights into creating an effective recruitment funnel. Steps for identifying weak points in the recruitment and training processes. Measuring the success of the systems Collin implemented. Addressing recruitment issues through innovative methods. The challenges and opportunities of leveraging remote workers. Heyday’s approach to processing large amounts of applications. Providing guardrails for people to make mistakes and learn from them. Exploring Collin’s opinion on the future of the HR landscape. Quotes: “Having a good team and the right mission behind you helps fuel that [passion].” — Collin Russell [0:05:47] “If you hire great people but you don’t give them the right training to be successful in their roles, then they are eventually going to leave or become disengaged.” — Collin Russell [0:11:49] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Collin Russell on LinkedIn Heyday Talk Talent to Me Hired

Creating deep, meaningful relationships is often pushed aside in the world of recruiting but the truth is, these relationships lead to better success in talent acquisition. Today on Talk Talent To Me, the wonderful CEO of Rabble Recruiting, Tammy Dain, joins us to discuss her unique recruitment model. Tuning in, you’ll hear all about how she fell into recruiting, the balance between being ready for a new opportunity and pushing yourself out of your comfort zone, why Rabble’s approach is so different from other recruitment agencies, and so much more! We even discuss the flexible work trend before delving into Tammy’s other company, Talent Collective. Finally, our guest shares advice for young recruiters. Key Points From This Episode: Welcoming a phenomenal guest, Tammy Dain. Tammy tells us about her background and how she started Rabble Recruiting. The importance of giving your team opportunities just before they’re ready for them. Tammy tells us all about her Rabble Recruiting model and approach. Why Tammy believes that the flexible work trend is going to grow exponentially. What makes Tammy’s Rabble offering so different from others of its kind. The kinds of people that will thrive in Rabble’s model. Tammy tells us a little bit about Talent Collective and what their goals are. Our guest shares some advice for young recruiters about breaking out of their comfort zones. Quotes: “You’ve got to know enough, but you obviously have to have room to grow too.” — Tammy Dain [0:09:41] “I think, more often than not, the embedded approach to delivering recruiting services in HR is so much more effective.” — Tammy Dain [0:12:19] “Continuous connection and learning is what fosters and creates really deep relationships!” — Tammy Dain [0:32:40] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Tammy Dain on LinkedIn Rabble Recruiting Talent Collective Talk Talent to Me Hired

Founder of Interviewology, Anna Papalia joins us today to discuss the evolving world of interviewing from the perspective of both sides of the table. In her recently published book, Interviewology: the New Science of Interviewing, Anna provides a guide to four different interview styles and how to get the best out of each one. Tuning in, you’ll hear the story of her leap from a comfortable role at an insurance brokerage to kickstarting a career in empowering candidates and interviewers through the hiring process. We discuss how to know when is the right time to make a change, what keeps people from listening to their intuition, and assess the state of the interviewing process in general. Anna also shares pertinent insights from her book and offers a starting point for anyone looking to improve their process of interviewing. Be sure to listen in to hear all this and more today! Key Points From This Episode: Anna’s evolution from a comfortable career to pursuing something bigger. An earlier leap in her career that kickstarted her HR profession. How to identify when the time has come to make a transition or change. Two types of change and where they originate from. The fear that accompanies intuition. Acknowledging the privilege required to go out on a limb. Factors that motivated Anna to leave HR and create her dream job with her special skills. What is wrong with the interviewing process. Why it’s so important not to blame candidates. Factors working against the success of hiring managers. A candid reflection on where diversity truly starts. What motivated Anna to consider that there are different interviewing styles. Why each interviewing style is as valid as the others. Why thinking of an interview as a performance is not a good strategy. Distinguishing between authenticity in a personal and professional context. What it truly means to show up as yourself. How Anna’s book, Interviewology, is structured. Anna’s perspective on the inflection point we currently find ourselves in. Quotes: “I live and die by the saying, ‘If you don’t change direction, you’ll end up where you’re headed.’ You’ll get to where you’re going. I’ve coached so many thousands of people in their careers that I know this to be true.” — Anna Papalia [0:06:54] “I looked out [at] the world and my dream job didn’t exist, so I created it for myself.” — Anna Papalia [0:15:33] “When we are in a position of power, as people in the talent space – we have a tendency to blame the powerless.” — Anna Papalia [0:15:51] “If you’re trying to build an organization that’s diverse – in gender, race, and thought, it starts at the interview table.” — Anna Papalia [0:20:50] “I believe that interviewing well is all about building up your self-awareness.” — Anna Papalia [0:33:16] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Interviewology Interviewology: The New Science of Interviewing Anna Papalia on LinkedIn Anna Papalia on YouTube Anna Papalia on Instagram Talk Talent to Me Hired

Recruitment has not changed over the last few decades, but company needs certainly have. Gary Davis is the Senior Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Business Partner at Adobe. During this episode, he joins us to discuss the evolving importance of DE&I, the metrics used to evaluate candidates, and how to determine how people experience your company culture. Tuning in, you’ll hear Gary’s thoughts on the two-way street of recruitment, valuing transparency, and the importance of solving problems specific to Generation Z. We discuss what it truly means to shrink the gaps in equity and inclusion, Gary’s Christmas wishlist for the future of the industry, and more. Key Points From This Episode: Introducing Gary Davis, Senior DE&I Business Partner at Adobe. His motivation to find creative ways to address inequality in the USA. What his role involves and how he serves all of the communities at Adobe. The process of productizing equitable interviewing. How recruitment has not evolved over the last fifty years. Interrogating the metric we use to evaluate candidates for a role. How Gary’s roles have evolved in DE&I and tech. Measuring how people experience your company culture. Whether or not recruiters should be incentivized around retention. Why Gary values transparency so highly. Considering recruitment a two-way street. His favorite thing about diversity and inclusion work. What it means to creatively shrink the gaps in equity and inclusion. Why it is important to solve problems specific to Gen Z. Gary’s Christmas wishlist for the future of the industry. Reshaping how we approach DE&I work with the past in mind. Quotes: “The throughline for any work that I’ve ever done has been about designing programs and products that create spaces for people from excluded groups; women, people of color, and folks with disabilities.” — Gary Davis [0:03:15] “One of the interesting things to me about recruiting is that we have not really changed it in the last fifty or so years.” — Gary Davis [0:05:21] “We don’t have a talent shortage. We have a sourcing issue.” — Gary Davis [0:07:58] “The coolest thing about diversity and inclusion work is that you are really measured by your ability to influence.” — Gary Davis [0:26:11] Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Gary L Davis on LinkedIn Adobe The Devil Wears Prada Talk Talent to Me Hired