Offer Accepted

Hiring teams often focus on filling roles fast—but what if your employer brand could do the sourcing for you?Jeff Moore, VP of Talent Acquisition, Operations and Workspaces at Toast, joins Shannon to share how his team scaled employer brand into a strategic lever for talent. Jeff explains why recruiters need to act more like researchers, how he has built flexibility into TA organizations, and why hyper-local pipelines are the future of field hiring.He also breaks down how Toast personalizes candidate experiences at scale, what makes a good recruiter today, and how to stay authentic in a noisy hiring market.Key takeaways:Employer brand scales your story: It’s not just marketing, it’s how you reach the right candidates and help the wrong ones self-select out.Flexibility beats structure: Building a TA org that adapts to business needs matters more than perfecting an org chart.Go hyper-local: Creating shallow talent pools at the zip code level helps fill field roles more quickly and effectively.Candidate experience is your moat: Personal touches, such as virtual office tours, make a lasting impression and are harder to replicate.Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction(00:43) Meet Jeff Moore(01:40) Why is employer brand your biggest lever(03:37) Letting the product story do the heavy lifting(05:02) How Toast turns interviews into mutual experiences(06:52) Keeping your org flexible through shifting priorities(09:32) The surge team experiment that worked, until it didn’t(12:24) Helping recruiters adapt to different roles fast(13:06) Why local hiring needs micro-pipelines(15:13) How to actually source at the zip code level(17:05) Why recruiters need deep market knowledge(18:28) The interview insight that made Jeff join Toast(20:20) Employer brand only works when it’s honest(23:06) How does a brand also boost employee pride(25:04) Where to find Jeff online

Hiring is one of the biggest responsibilities founders face in the early stages, and closing the right candidates can make or break your company’s trajectory.Harriet Walker, Head of Talent at SuperSeed VC, joins Shannon to share her Five Cs of Closing framework: Clarity, Credibility, Connection, Continuity, and Commitment. She highlights why closing is a discipline that begins from the first candidate interaction, offering tips on setting expectations, building trust, and making offers an easy “yes.” Harriet also covers the importance of reference calls, compensation check-ins, and how AI amplifies, rather than replaces, recruiters.Key takeaways:Closing starts early: The best hiring outcomes come from embedding candidate closing strategies throughout the entire process, not just at the offer stage.Five Cs of Closing: Clearly defining the role, showing authentic connection and consistency sets the foundation for attracting the right candidates.Partnership approach: Treating hiring as a collaborative effort between candidate and company creates buy-in and smoother offer acceptances.Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction(00:47) Meet Harriet Walker(02:10) Why early-stage founders must learn to close candidates(04:45) The Five Cs of Closing framework(05:16) #1 Clarity: Defining the role and setting expectations(08:26) #2 Credibility: Building a compelling and honest pitch(10:55) #3 Connection: Creating rapport and mission alignment(14:37) #4 Continuity: Delivering a consistent candidate experience(21:17) #5 Commitment: Partnering with candidates on the process(25:52) The importance of reference calls to close candidates(30:20) Why speed and conviction close top candidates

Candidate fraud isn’t just a recruiting problem. It’s a company-wide risk, too.Ari Garcia, Global Recruiting Operations Lead at Quora, joins Shannon to break down how hiring teams can partner with security, leadership, and with tools like Ashby to address fraud without compromising the candidate experience.With nearly six years at Quora, Ari brings a systems-focused lens to solving cross-functional challenges inside a fully remote, global organization. She shares how her team built alignment across departments, trained interviewers to stay focused on signal over suspicion, and developed criteria for identifying fraud, which keeps the process fair and efficient.The conversation also explores the weight of false positives, the risks of moving too fast, and why fraud detection can't sit with recruiting alone.Key takeaways:Candidate fraud is a business issue: Hiring one wrong person can jeopardize trust and security.Partnerships make the process: Aligning with security and leadership ensures stronger prevention.Candidate experience still comes first: Interviews must stay human even when suspicion is present.RecOps drives clarity: Building systems helps teams act with confidence, not guesswork.Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction(00:14) Meet Ari Garcia(03:06) Why candidate fraud is rising across remote companies(05:18) How to build cross-functional buy-in on fraud(07:19) Using tools like Ashby to flag fraud signals(10:46) Protecting candidate experience while preventing false positives(15:35) What Ari would do differently starting from scratch(18:14) Evolving fraud detection with RecOps and security partnerships(22:50) Why hiring fraud hurts business goals and trust(24:14) Final advice for making fraud prevention a priority

Hiring plans rarely survive first contact with reality. So how do you lead when half your headcount is unplanned?Tommy Hansen, Head of Recruiting at Juniper Square, joins Shannon to share how his small team hired over 300 people in a year—despite 40–60% of those roles being unplanned. He explains how redefining “planned” vs. “unplanned” headcount changed how recruiting partnered with the business, earned more resourcing, and helped close the company’s largest deal to date.Tommy also shares how embedding recruiters with the business, strengthening exec partnerships, and prioritizing business acumen helped his team thrive through rapid change.Key takeaways:Redefining headcount unlocks clarity: Creating shared definitions of “planned” vs. “unplanned” headcount revealed the true scope of TA’s work and made invisible efforts visible.Visibility drives resourcing: By tracking unplanned hiring and visualizing it clearly, Tommy’s team earned more budget, tools, and RPO support.Business acumen builds influence: Connecting headcount to company OKRs helped recruiting steer prioritization and secure executive alignment fast.Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction(00:43) Meet Tommy Hansen(03:04) Why unplanned headcount matters more than ever(04:55) Defining planned vs. unplanned headcount at Juniper Square(06:28) How Ashby dashboards helped visualize TA’s real workload(09:06) 40–60% of hiring was unplanned—here’s how leadership reacted(11:10) Driving prioritization with data and OKRs(14:28) Forecasting future headcount through business metrics(16:20) How recruiting helped close a $10M client deal(17:35) Leading a team through constant change(20:04) Retaining team engagement during hypergrowth(22:06) Using business transparency to win over skeptical candidates(24:02) What hiring excellence means to Tommy(26:01) Recruiting hot take: AI is great, but we must develop future TA leaders(29:18) Advice to his early-career self(30:13) Where to connect with Tommy

In this engaging discussion, Adam Ward, Founding Partner at Growth by Design Talent, shares his insights from leading recruiting at Facebook, Qualcomm, and Pinterest. He emphasizes the transformation of recruiting from a service role to that of a trusted advisor, highlighting the importance of stakeholder engagement. Adam discusses the significance of data-driven insights, shared accountability, and the necessity of understanding business needs. Curiosity and strong relationships, he asserts, are vital for successful recruiting outcomes and positioning within the business framework.

Hiring the right people can feel like a guessing game if your process isn’t structured.Heather Doshay, Partner & Head of Talent at SignalFire, joins Shannon to explore the impact of structured interviews on hiring outcomes. She explains how unstructured interviews often lead to bias and why creating a consistent, repeatable process is essential for building high-performing teams.Heather outlines the key components of structured interviewing, how to build interview rubrics, and why taking time upfront leads to more efficient hiring down the line. She also discusses how to influence stakeholders, manage expectations, and tackle common objections from hiring managers.Key takeaways:Structured interviews boost accuracy: Clear criteria help make the right hire every time.Efficiency drives success: Investing time upfront leads to faster, more focused hiring processes.Bias mitigation is crucial: Removing subjectivity levels the playing field for all candidates.Influence is key: Helping hiring managers see the value of structure builds trust and compliance.Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction(00:43) Meet Heather Doshay(03:02) The flaws of the traditional hiring process(06:50) The science behind structured interviews and the research supporting them(12:03) Addressing pushback on structured interviews(18:52) Coaching hiring managers on structured interview adoption(26:00) Navigating the emotional side of saying no to candidates(31:38) Using follow-up questions to improve candidate evaluation(37:05) Training vs. outsourcing interview training

Ashby’s $50M Series D marks a shift in how the company is thinking about product, customers, and the future of recruiting.In this episode, CEO Benji Encz returns to share what led to Ashby’s latest milestone. He and Shannon talk about the strategic timing of the fundraise, the growing role of AI in recruiting, and how to balance tech with a human touch. They also unpack why quality of hire matters more than ever and how teams are linking recruiting data to long-term success. Benji reflects on lessons from building with patience—and why that mindset leads to stronger, more resilient teams.Key Takeaways:AI should solve real problems: The best tools improve workflows already in place.Quality of hire is rising: Executives want to understand impact beyond time to fill.Adaptability is strategy: Recruiting teams need to flex hiring models based on business needs.Culture is compounding: Strong internal practices create better experiences for both customers and candidates.Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction(01:24) Ashby Raises $50M Series D to Power Next Chapter(04:09) How AI Is Moving From Nice to Have to Business Imperative(05:44) Using AI to Surface Talent You’d Normally Miss(06:29) The Rise of Quality of Hire as a Board Level Priority(08:33) Real Customer Wins With Quality of Hire Metrics(10:05) Helping TA Teams Adapt Faster to Market Volatility(12:37) How Ashby’s Hiring Excellence Framework Guides TA Focus(13:18) Making Candidate Experience a Differentiator With AI(15:56) Scaling Customer Success Without Losing the Human Touch(18:18) Why Community Building Is a Strategic Bet at Ashby(20:22) Long-Term Culture Design and Operating Principles in Action(22:40) How Thoughtful Communication Shapes Ashby’s Internal Ops(26:04) How AI Has Reshaped Hiring Excellence in the Last Two Years(27:21) The Product Bet Benji Would Make Again Even If It Failed

How does internal mobility impact employee experience?Dr. Kalifa Oliver, Global Director in Employee Experience (EX) Analytics Strategy at Ford, joins Shannon to discuss how internal mobility influences not just hiring efficiency but long-term culture building. With a background in neuropsychology and people experience at Ford, Dr. Kalifa brings valuable insights into the intersection of talent acquisition and employee development.She highlights the challenges recruiters face in making internal moves feel as seamless as external ones and the impact that transparent, fair mobility systems can have on employee retention. Kalifa also shares her thoughts on the importance of giving employees room to grow within the company and the role that recruiters play in facilitating that growth.Key takeaways:Internal mobility promotes retention: It’s about building long-term career paths.Treat internal candidates as you would externals: Fair treatment is key to employee trust.Mobility systems should be built for scale: Ensure fairness and transparency as companies grow.Recruiters drive the employee experience: Their role goes beyond just hiring.Timestamps: (00:00) The importance of a human-centered mindset(00:17) Introductions(01:54) Guest profile: Dr. Kalifa Oliver(02:38) Why candidate experience is the foundation of employee experience(05:31) Defining internal mobility(09:20) Making internal candidates feel seen: a recruiter's responsibility(11:48) Treating internal candidates with care(15:46) The impact of internal mobility on DEI(17:39) Gen Z, transparency, and the end of silent pay gaps(21:45) Writing job descriptions that actually support mobility(24:58) How fear-based layoffs damage productivity and well-being(31:08) Designing soft exits that strengthen your talent brand(36:09) What hiring excellence means to Dr. Kalifa(37:22) Recruiting hot take: There are no shortcuts

The belief that great candidates don’t apply online still runs deep, but it’s outdated.Jim Miller, VP of People and Talent at Ashby and former recruiting leader at Google and FullStory, sits down with Shannon to unpack what really makes a high-performing hiring strategy today. From his early days building sourcing teams to overseeing millions of inbound applications, Jim shares how experimentation, data, and the right job title can radically shift how your team finds and evaluates talent.He explains why internal mobility should be every team’s first stop, what most recruiters get wrong about job descriptions, and how candidate behavior has changed with the rise of algorithm-driven search. Jim also opens up about testing bold ideas, from limiting applications to transforming online inbound into a strategic advantage, and how recruiting teams can build credibility through experimentation and measurable outcomes.Key takeaways:Candidate behavior has evolved: Inbound isn’t just noise when you get discoverability right.Internal mobility is undervalued: Moving people across roles builds culture and saves time.Job titles matter more than you think: Standardizing language increases visibility and accuracy.Testing is a muscle: Data-driven recruiters can challenge norms and drive lasting improvements.Timestamps:(00:00) Hiring excellence from Jim Miller(00:16) This is Offer Accepted(00:42) Introducing Jim Miller(02:40) The myth that great candidates never apply online(06:20) Using continuous improvement to strengthen inbound strategy(07:17) Why internal mobility should be your starting point(10:12) Turning job descriptions into scalable sourcing tools(12:35) Where resistance to change in recruiting comes from(16:37) Measuring volume, passthrough rates, and when to stop(23:42) How vague job titles quietly ruin your pipeline(29:04) Running experiments to validate and scale recruiting strategy(38:25) Cohort hiring as a more equitable hiring model

The reason your best candidates aren’t getting hired is because your team isn’t aligned.Maria Fernanda, Senior Technical Recruiter, with past experience at Twilio and Brunel, joins Shannon to talk about the hidden costs of misalignment between recruiters and hiring managers. With experience leading global teams and building internal tools, Maria breaks down how trust and clarity change hiring outcomes.She shares how to coach two distinct types of hiring managers and why both need different forms of support. The conversation explores how to set expectations, use internal data, and guide decisions when processes vary across cultures and company sizes.Maria also reflects on the power of being human in high-pressure roles and why weekly syncs need clear goals to stay valuable.Key takeaways:Alignment drives results: Without shared criteria, even top candidates can get passed over.Context is everything: Understanding your hiring manager’s background helps shape better communication and trust.Recruiters are partners: Building influence starts with showing up as an advisor, not a task-runner.Processes need explaining: Success depends on making sure hiring managers understand the why behind every stage.Timestamps: (00:00) What hiring excellence really means(00:09) Introductions(00:35) Guest profile: Maria Fernanda(02:16) Why strong recruiter–hiring manager relationships matter(04:25) Aligning multiple perspectives across a hiring team(07:39) Two types of new hiring managers and how they differ(10:12) Coaching seasoned managers new to the company(13:38) Using real candidate examples to clarify alignment(17:20) Building buy-in for unfamiliar hiring processes(22:42) Helping new managers navigate ATS tools(29:33) Adapting communication style to influence hiring decisions