Offer Accepted

The belief that great candidates don’t apply online still runs deep, but it’s outdated.Jim Miller, VP of People and Talent at Ashby and former recruiting leader at Google and FullStory, sits down with Shannon to unpack what really makes a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

Building talent programs that actually work requires co-creating with the business.Blair Bennett, SVP of Global Talent Acquisition at PepsiCo, joins Shannon to share how her team approaches large-scale recruiting strategy with intention and collaboration. She walks through the process of building a global interview framework, explains why involving stakeholders early creates better outcomes, and unpacks the balance between structure and flexibility across a company of 320,000 people.You’ll also learn about co-designing with users in mind and the often-overlooked strategic value recruiters bring to the business.Key takeaways:Co-design drives engagement: Bringing hiring managers and internal partners in from the start leads to stronger adoption, more thoughtful feedback, and deeper buy-in across the organization.Start with the problem, not the tool: It’s easy to get distracted by shiny solutions. The real impact comes from solving clear business challenges first, then layering in technology where it fits.Pilot thoughtfully and globally: Testing new frameworks with diverse teams across geographies and hiring levels ensures they hold up at scale and reveal where iteration is needed.Recruiters hold unique value: Talent acquisition bridges internal goals and external insights, giving recruiters a unique perspective that shapes culture and business success.Timestamps: (00:00) Introducing PepsiCo’s approach to candidate experience(01:09) Blair Bennett’s career path and mission in talent acquisition(02:16) Why co designing talent programs is essential(05:38) Starting with business problems, not shiny HR tools(08:13) Prototyping and piloting global interview frameworks(09:20) How pilot groups are selected and engaged(11:21) Structuring project ownership and change management(13:10) Earning credibility with collaborative recruiting changes(17:17) Getting executive support through informed involvement

What if your hiring process worked better because it trusted people more?Mike Joyner, Founding Partner at Growth by Design Talent, sits down with Shannon on the first episode of Offer Accepted Live to discuss what recruiting looks like in an AI-powered, resource-tight environment. With experience building teams at Apple, Facebook, and Pinterest, Mike brings a real-world view on how talent teams need to adapt.He explains how emerging roles like career guides and AI coaches support both hiring managers and candidates.The conversation covers what automation frees up, where trust gets built, and why job seekers might already be ahead of some employers. Mike also shares the habits that help teams stay curious, avoid overwhelm, and create standout experiences, even as things keep changing.Key takeaways:AI lifts load, not purpose: Automating routine work frees recruiters to invest human energy where relationships win offers.Clarity beats fear: Clear policies on data and tool use encourage staff to explore new methods without risking trust.Roles are shifting: Expect teams organized by problem skill and career stage rather than old functional silos.Trust scales impact: Authentic messages, logical processes and real empathy create candidate memories that fuel long-term hiring success.Timestamps: (00:00) Trust at the core of hiring(00:25) Introductions(00:51) Guest profile: Mike Joyner(02:12) Why talent teams must adapt in the AI era(03:04) Lean teams and higher stakes per hire(04:31) Using AI to give every candidate an executive experience(06:32) Making innovation a habit through timeboxing(10:03) Agility and upskilling in hiring(12:08) Future team structures in talent acquisition(22:56) A trust-based model for hiring excellence

What if your recruiting framework actually helped you close more offers?Bryan Power, Chief People Officer at Nextdoor, joins Shannon to unpack the practical strategy behind their AAA approach to recruiting. With over 20 years of experience leading teams at companies like Yahoo and Block, Bryan brings a clear, structured lens to the chaos of hiring.He outlines the AAA framework on how attraction, assessment, and acquisition function as distinct stages, each with its own metrics and challenges. The conversation covers how to track what matters, when to intervene, and why teams often focus on the wrong part of the funnel. Bryan also explains how his team uses a consistent but flexible process to create standout candidate experiences.Key takeaways:Offers accepted is the most important metric: If candidates aren’t joining, the rest of your pipeline doesn’t matter.Three A’s help diagnose issues: Clear metrics at each stage reveal where your process is breaking down.Not all candidates come equal: Referrals, sourced leads, and online applicants need different handling.Consistency supports personalization: Recruiters can deliver a tailored experience when supported by a repeatable system.Timestamps: (00:00) Introductions(02:42) The three As: Attraction, Assessment, Acquisition(06:27) Balancing pipeline recruiter focus(08:40) Evaluating sourcing channel noise(10:17) Data for hiring alignment(12:53) Engineering’s 90% failure rate(16:55) Diagnosing core team issues(19:35) Standardizing key recruiter moments(24:31) Relationships drive offer acceptance(28:20) Recruiters trusted beyond hiring

Can talent leaders establish themselves as essential players in headcount planning? Mario Espindola, Senior Director of Talent Operations at SignalFire, shares his insights with Shannon Ogborn on how talent acquisition can secure a seat at the decision-making table. They discuss how understanding business metrics and collaborating with finance can improve efficiency and drive better outcomes. To learn more about startup headcount planning, you can check out his article on the topic here.Mario explains how talent leaders, once excluded from strategic discussions, are now becoming essential players in today’s tech-driven landscape. By mastering data, talent leaders can participate in key conversations and lead proactive, informed recruiting efforts.Key Takeaways:Data-driven decisions foster credibility: Reliable market data and internal performance metrics position talent leaders as indispensable in planning processes.Eliminating silos enhances focus: Aligning talent strategy with business goals increases precision in role definitions and prioritizes impactful hiring.Real-time feedback refines clarity: Regular updates based on performance and market shifts support adaptive strategies that meet current business needs.Team integration builds successful outcomes: Collaboration across functions turns hiring into a comprehensive exercise, ensuring all voices are considered in the journey to recruiting success.Timestamps: (00:00) Redefining Hiring Excellence: Structured Hiring and Role Intakes(02:41) Why Talent Leaders Were Historically Absent from Headcount Planning(04:38) Downstream Effects of Excluding Talent from Strategic Conversations(09:03) Transforming Recruiters into True Talent Partners(11:15) Mastering Market Data to Influence Headcount Planning(13:10) How Talent Leaders Gain Credibility and a Seat at the Table(17:46) Data Talent Leaders Should Always Have Ready(22:11) Preparing for Leadership Meetings on Headcount Strategy(25:38) Defining Hiring Excellence: Structured Process and Team Collaboration(28:30) Recruiting Hot Take: The Inefficiency of Evergreen Catch-All Job Requisitions

Hebba Youssef, CPO at Workweek and Creator of I Hate It Here, shares her sharp insights on modern HR practices. She argues for the shift from traditional interviews to project-based assessments, emphasizing how thoughtful evaluations lead to better hiring outcomes. The conversation highlights the importance of rubrics for fair evaluation and the role of transparency in enhancing candidate experience. Hebba also discusses how early projects can save time and improve selection accuracy, all while fostering a more equitable hiring process.

What should a newly-hired talent leader focus on in their first 100 days?Jeff Winter, VP of Talent Acquisition at Grammarly, has spent decades helping companies scale. As the first recruiter at Chime, he helped grow the team from 100 to 1,500 employees—experience that shaped his approach to stepping into leadership roles with impact.In this conversation with Shannon, Jeff shares how new TA leaders can build trust, assess existing hiring processes, and make meaningful changes without disrupting what works. He explains why listening is the most valuable skill in those first months, how to align with finance and engineering leaders, and why hiring excellence starts with clarity, not speed.Key Takeaways: Listening builds trust faster than action: The best leaders don’t walk in with a rigid playbook. They start by learning the history, understanding challenges, and earning credibility.Finance and engineering are key partners in hiring success: Aligning with finance helps ensure responsible headcount planning, while strong engineering partnerships make recruiting more effective.Not every process needs to be rebuilt: Before changing systems or workflows, leaders should assess what’s working and where there are opportunities to improve efficiency.Treating recruiting as a strategic advantage: The best hiring teams don’t just move candidates through a pipeline. They help shape the company’s culture and long-term success.Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction(02:20) The importance of a listening tour in leadership transitions(03:52) Why new TA leaders need a 100-day plan(07:42) Building trust and credibility across an organization(12:18) Evaluating existing recruiting systems and tools(15:08) The hidden costs of unused hiring tools(24:08) How hiring processes need to evolve with changing workforces

What if you could hire faster and make better hiring decisions?Anna Hall, Lead GTM Recruiter at Ashby, has spent over a decade in talent acquisition, refining data-driven hiring strategies that help teams scale efficiently. At Ashby, she’s built a structured approach that enables hiring managers to make faster, more confident decisions—without sacrificing candidate experience.In this conversation with Shannon, Anna breaks down why cohort hiring works, how it reduces time to fill, and why it’s not just for entry-level roles. She also shares actionable insights on setting up the process for success, using data to improve hiring outcomes, and creating a smooth experience for both candidates and teams.Key Takeaways: Structured hiring leads to better decisions: When hiring managers assess talent as a group rather than in isolation, they can compare candidates more effectively and make stronger, more confident decisions.Efficiency doesn’t mean rushing: Cohort hiring requires more planning upfront, but that extra preparation pays off with reduced time-to-fill and smoother collaboration between recruiters and hiring teams.Data is your best friend: Understanding application ratios, pass-through rates, and pipeline health is critical to making cohort hiring successful. The right data helps predict hiring needs and avoids last-minute scrambling.Predictability benefits everyone: Candidates appreciate knowing where they stand in the process, while recruiters and hiring managers gain clarity on timelines, workload, and hiring goals.Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction(02:08) Understanding cohort hiring and how it works(03:56) Common misconceptions about cohort hiring(06:02) Key benefits of the cohort model for efficiency and equity(10:21) Potential pitfalls and how to avoid them(17:03) Using data to optimize the hiring pipeline(19:44) Results and impact of cohort hiring on time to fill(24:50) The role of feedback in recruiting

How is AI reshaping recruiting, and where does the human element fit in?Jan Tegze, Director of Talent Acquisition and a multi-time published author, shares his insights on the evolving world of talent acquisition in the age of AI. With over 20 years of experience, Jan shares how AI tools boost recruiting efficiency while preserving the human touch essential for long-term success.In this conversation with Shannon, you’ll learn about the shift from transactional to strategic recruiting and the importance of upskilling in AI and leveraging technology responsibly. He also highlights the critical role of human connection, trust, and empathy in a field increasingly shaped by automation.Key Takeaways: Upskilling is non-negotiable: AI proficiency is becoming as fundamental as email and sourcing skills. Learning to craft prompts and use AI tools effectively will help you maintain an advantage in the recruiting market.Balance human and AI elements: AI can streamline repetitive tasks and boost efficiency. Building relationships and making judgment calls, however, are still distinctly human responsibilities no robot should take over.Embrace experimentation: Test and compare AI tools to find what works best for your team. A thoughtful approach to implementation ensures better results and smarter workflows.Prioritize trust and respect: Recruiting isn’t just about filling positions. Building meaningful, long-term relationships with candidates can strengthen your reputation and create a lasting impact.Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction(01:57) How AI is transforming recruiting(03:21) Why upskilling in AI is crucial for recruiters(05:33) Using AI to improve productivity and quality of life(07:28) Learning AI tools through experimentation(13:34) Security considerations when using AI in recruiting(17:25) The balance between human and AI in hiring(23:22) The future of recruiting in the AI era(29:11) Achieving hiring excellence through relationships