HR Interviews Playlist

We've talked about generative AI a lot this year and its incredible potential to change and disrupt talent acquisition. A lot of our industry conversation has been about creating with Large Language Models to generate recruitment marketing content and automate interactions with candidates. However, the impact of AI goes much deeper than this, and its effect on the speed of vendor innovation is highly significant. AI is already changing the way candidates are found, and matches are made and has the potential to make boolean searching and keyword matching obsolete in a very short space of time.So what is the art of the possible here, and how can TA Leaders ask the right questions of vendors to ensure they are dealing with genuine products that are ethical and legally compliant?My guest this week is Mark Chaffey, CEO of Hackajob. Hackajob has integrated generative AI into its technology to vastly improve matching between candidates and roles. At the same time, they have a strong focus on using AI to improve diversity in tech hiring and are already getting some significant results.In the interview, we discuss:Every company is a tech company.Market differences between the USA and EuropeThe continuing skill shortage in techThe impact of generative AI on vendorsBuilding technology that actually solves problemsMoving beyond boolean and keywords with richer LLM-driven datasetsThe questions TA leaders need to ask vendorsImproving diversity in tech hiringOpt-in self, disclosed diversity data.Will AI change the way we think about skills and hiringWhat does the future look like?Listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts.

When we're talking about the future of talent acquisition, Generative AI has been taking all of the limelight this year. However, arguably, although it grabs fewer headlines, the steady evolution of skills-based hiring is potentially even more disruptive to traditional recruiting norms.There is an enormous amount of data, science and research going into understanding the relationship between skills and job performance, and the results are smashing some of our longest-held assumptions about hiring.My guest this week is Andy Nelesen, Global Head of Talent Acquisition Solutions at SHL. SHL has done an enormous amount of work to establish the link between skills and performance, and their research has revealed 12 skills that universally predict success. There is also a significant discrepancy between the skills employers ask for in job ads and the skills the science shows they actually need, so this is a must-list interview for everyone who wants to hire more effectively.In the interview, we discuss:Why understanding skills is so importantThe adoption rate of skills-based hiringWhat does potential mean?Overlaying soft skills against performanceThe 12 skills that universally predict successWhy a growth mindset is more important than resilience and adaptabilityMoving away from academic credentials and previous experienceAre skills the key to diverse hiring?Talent mobilityWhat does the future of work look like?Listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts.

Evolving VR production and solutions throughout the organization.

“Is recruiting dead?” On this episode, Chad Sowash goes straight for the jugular and doesn’t let up. Fortunately, Amy Butchko, VP of TA at Maximus, is light on her feet and takes everything the boys throw at her and counters like the true champ she is. This interview was part of ATAP’s recent online event and covers all things A.I. when it comes to hiring. From audits to legal minefields to messaging to budgeting and everything in between, this one’s got it all, including Q&A with the live audience of recruiting veterans.

We welcome Parker Pell from AbodeHR on this week's episode.HR Tech Founders who have never worked in HR, Park your bias at the door until you listen to this episode. 3 university students have the same experience. They begin to wonder if this is a chronic issue or isolated event.They reach out to hundreds of sources to find out, it's a classic problem that has plagued campus recruiting since the 1990s.Although GenZ gets lots of bad press, they are not the first generation to feel ghosted by employers who swoop onto campus in September then crickets until your internship or new grad role is supposed to start.AbodeHR solves the communication black hole. A simple and elegant solution to an age old problem. Remote work, work from home, in the office? What GenZ wants.

Effective LinkedIn outreach can be the difference between a recruiter on Skid Row and one on Easy St. One start-up that promises to put headhunters on the fast track to champagne ‘n' cocaine is HyperJob, a solution that says it”ll replace your plain-text job descriptions with interactive job microsites. The solution, founded by Janis Kreilis, CEO and co-founder, uses A.I. to evaluate LinkedIn profiles and craft individual messages with artificial intelligence from there. Hmmm, another start-up relying on LinkedIn for its success. What could possibly go wrong?Gotta listen to see if HyperJob survived the Firing Squad or not.

Regular listeners will know just how essential I believe it is for talent acquisition to learn the art and science of storytelling. Being able to craft stories that resonate isn't just part of effective recruitment marketing; it is vital to building internal stakeholder engagement and developing more influence to move TA up the corporate strategic value chain.So why is effective storytelling so powerful, and how can we all build our skills in this area?My guest this week is Karen Eber, CEO of the Eber Leadership Group and author of a new book called The Perfect Story: How to Tell Stories That Inform, Influence and Inspire. The book deals with the science and structure of good storytelling in business and is full of advice that can help everyone tell more powerful and engaging stories.In the interview, we discuss:What happens to your brain when you listen to stories?Being memorable and engagingWhy business storytelling is so importantUnderstanding your audienceConflict as fuel to drive the narrativeTelling stories with dataContext, Conflict, Outcome and TakeawayHow do you know if your story is resonating?AI and storytellingListen to this podcast in Apple Podcasts.

Why bad behavior hurts business

The talent acquisition landscape is changing rapidly. 2024 has been difficult for many people in the profession, with many layoffs and an incredibly tough job market for recruiters. At the same time, advances in AI and automation technologies are driving types of change that we couldn't have imagined a few years ago, and post-pandemic labour shortages are still a reality in many talent markets.All this disruption is forcing employers to think differently about jobs, work, skills and recruiting, creating an incredible opportunity for talent acquisition to illustrate its long-term value to the business. So what role does TA play in the future, and how can TA leaders prove its strategic value when many of their teams are being downsized?My guest this week is Jessica Zwaan, COO at Whereby. Jessica is a cutting-edge HR thinker and has written a book detailing how People Ops should be run using product management principles. In our conversation, we talk about the future role of TA, and Jessica offers practical advice on how TA leaders can prove their strategic value.In the interview, we discuss:Talent market challengesBuilding a people team like a product teamWork as a subscription modelOutput metrics and funnel thinkingWhy businesses cutting TA teams are getting it wrongBuilding tools and products for the employee subscription lifecycleThe shortcoming of working in silosClosing the gaps between TA and People OpsCan existing HR functions evolve towards this model?A COO's advice to TA Leaders on proving their strategic valueWhat TA can learn from marketingThe impact of AI and what the future might look likeListen to this podcast in Apple Podcasts.

The rush to create AI solutions, and how technology is changing the work of HR