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

Earlier in the summer, I collaborated with the SmartRecruiters team to interview four fantastic practitioners who spoke on The Hiring Without Boundaries stage at RecFest in London. We recorded the conversations backstage at the event, and this is the second of three podcast episodes where I will be sharing them.It's an unprecedented time of disruption in talent acquisition. Economics, demographics, and technology are driving seismic shifts in how companies think about hiring. With the pace of change continuing to increase, the most successful TA functions will be the ones that adapt the quickest.My second RecFest guests are Lindsey Stone, Group Head of Talent Attraction & Resourcing at Greene King, and Eric Houwen, Head of Talent Acquisition & Employer Branding at Deloitte in The Netherlands. Although they work for two very different types of business, there are a lot of interesting commonalities in Eric and Lindsey's approach to TA transformation.In the interview, we discuss:The forces driving change in TAEmployability and Social MobilityShifting workforcesEvolving talent acquisitionWhat skills does a TA team now need?Developing a consultative approachPositioning TA to drive value for the businessThe role of technologyHow do you take your people with you?What will the role of the recruiter be in 10 years?Listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts.

Earlier in the summer, I collaborated with the SmartRecruiters team to interview four fantastic practitioners who spoke on The Hiring Without Boundaries stage at RecFest in London. We recorded the conversations backstage at the event, and this is the first of three podcast episodes where I will be sharing them.Hiring for frontline retail positions has always been a challenge, but since the pandemic, it is a challenge that has increased exponentially. So how does an expanding retail group fill 30,000 roles a year at pace while ensuring a high-quality candidate experience that reflects the fact that their candidates are literally their customers?My first RecFest guest is Adam Reynolds, Head of Talent at Frasers Group. Frasers Group is a multi-brand international retail chain, and Adam and his team have used technology to transform their TA strategy to meet the needs of the business in a very tough talent market.In the interview, we discuss:Recruiting challengesGrowing hiring exponentiallyUrgency, pace, and velocityGetting stakeholder buy-inQuality communication at scaleAutomation without being roboticStorytellingThe fundamental role of technologyRatios and dataTalent pooling silver medallistsHow will the role of the recruiter evolve in an AI-driven future?Listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts.

Being a Global Head of TA in 2023 is highly challenging. Dealing with disrupted talent markets and global hiring nuances while building a consistent approach to candidate experience and stakeholder relations and keeping on top of emerging technology trends is complex, to say the least. My guest this week is Chet Ritchie, VP of Global Talent Acquisition at Manulife. Chet is driving a TA strategy based on transparent relationship management and a core, common, and custom approach to the critical elements of recruiting and employer branding. In the interview, we discuss:Demographic shifts and talent market dynamicsThe importance of hiring manager and stakeholder relationsA personalized and engaging candidate experienceProviding feedback throughout the processStructuring a global teamCore, Common, and CustomThe role of technologyShowing humanity through the recruiting processLeveraging data for talent intelligence and process optimizationWhat does the future of TA look likeListen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts.

The skills-based organization and skills-based hiring have been talked about for several years now. Despite this, many employers are yet to start a shift towards skills or are still at a very early stage of the process.So why is being skilled-based so important, and what are the implications for companies that haven't yet started a transition towards skills-based hiring and talent management? Is this another HR fad or a critical re-imagining of how we think about talent in a world of continued disruptive change?My guest this week is David Blake, CEO of Degreed, a skills-based learning and development technology platform. David is a passionate advocate for the advantages that skills-based organizations will have in our AI-driven future of work.In the interview, we discuss:Why is a skilled-based approach so important, and how does it translate into business success?Job titles are not the same as skills.Getting the best out of peopleJailbreaking the college degree.Skills versus qualifications and experienceEvolving the recruiting process to hire for skillsReskilling and upskillingWhy the skills gap will continue to get bigger and biggerIn demand skillsThinking differently about talentHow will AI define the future of work?Listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts.

A few short months ago, many commentators predicted that AI would be a revolutionary force in recruitment marketing that would drive automation, efficiency, and engagement. So how does the hype live up to the reality, and what have we learned about how AI and humans need to work together to create effective recruitment marketing?My guest this week is Kat Kibben, CEO and Founder of Three Ears Media. Kat is a recruitment marketing expert with a focus on job postings. They have some valuable insights and informed opinions on the relationship between recruiters, AI and recruitment marketing.In the interview, we discuss:How has recruitment marketing evolved since the pandemicWhat is holding AI backWhy marketing and recruitment marketing are not the same jobsWhat happens when everyone has access to the same toolsTelling the truth, being unique, and standing outTraining recruiters to be consultative.Driving a faster hiring processWhat makes a great job postingAre mandatory requirements really mandatory?Employer branding as an acceleratorAdvice for TA leaders on the future of recruitment marketingListen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts.

The amount of technology available to TA teams has exploded, and innovation is moving so rapidly that it is almost impossible to keep up. In a world driven by shiny objects syndrome taking a long-term strategic view when it comes to TA technologies is crucial. However, the challenges around this are considerable and are not just about the amount of choice. TA leaders need access to specialist skills to help them make the right decisions and, simultaneously, need to ensure their voice is heard within the business around tech procurement.My guest this week is Rob Cohen, TA Ecosystem Manager at Philip Morris International. Rob has the kind of role I can see becoming more common in TA Teams in the future. He is a genuine technology expert who sits outside the IT function and is responsible for all the technology that touches candidates and helps recruiters do their job. Rob has some fascinating insights on technology strategy, TA tech stacks, and the AI-driven future, making this an absolute must-listen interview.In the interview, we discuss:The importance of Talent Acquisition owning its own techSkills and stakeholdersTranslating business needs into tech requirements.Being strategic with technology, not tacticalDealing knowledgeably with vendorsOpen AIsUsing systems for what they are designed forPlatforms versus point solutionsThe complexities of operating globallyIs there such a thing as a perfect TA tech stack?The current and future role of AIPersonalized recruiting automationThe future role of the TA teamListen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts.

Over the last few years, TikTok has driven a revolution in short-form video content, racking up billions of views and forcing its competitors to adopt similar formats. Recent data, ironically released by Google, has also highlighted that a significant percentage of young people prefer to do their research on TikTok and Instagram instead of using Google. However, while a few employers are doing a great job in this area, overall, there is still very little recruitment marketing or employer branding content on these platforms.So what do employers need to do to connect with the millions of people consuming short-form views effectively, and what part should this type of content play in recruitment marketing and employer branding strategies?My guest this week is Omar Khateeb, Founder and CEO at JobPixel. JobPixel is helping many employers to embrace short-form video content, and Omar has expert insights to share on what works and how to build effective workflows for this type of content.In the interview, we discuss:The current state of the market and the consequences of overhiringHow employer branding is evolving to meet the current challengesThe critical importance of creating authentic video contentShowcasing the good, the bad and the ugly.The evolution of Day in the Life videosHow does short-form video fit in strategically?Many people research companies after they have applied, not beforeWhat makes great contentHaving the right tooling and process to capture videoThe impact of AI on content creationWhat is the future of video for recruitment marketing and employer branding?Listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts.

One of the key themes I've observed emerging over the last few years is the need for employers to think about talent holistically. To achieve this, progressive organizations are already breaking down the barriers between talent acquisition, talent management, and L&D. The central tenet is Strategic Workforce Planning (SWP).So what does effective SWP look like, how is AI changing thought processes, and what role does Talent Acquisition need to play?My guest this week is Sadhana Bhide, Strategic Workforce Planning Subject Matter Expert at Faethm by Pearson. Sadhana has expert insights to share on the current state and future development of SWP, and this is a must-listen for TA leaders everywhere.In the interview, we discuss:What is SWP, and why is it so important?Unique strategic advantagesEngaged workforcesThe 6 Bs that underpin SWPThe impact of AI on jobsWhat role should Talent Acquisition play in SWP?Common roadblocks and challengesBest practices to measure successEstablishing a learning mindset and a culture of change readinessWhat does the future of HR look like?Subscribe 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 534: AI & Executive SearchEp 535: Hiring EnablementEp 536: AI -Benefits, Risks, and PotentialSubscribe to this podcast in Apple Podcasts

I'm on holiday at the moment, but I want to make sure you've got plenty of Recruiting Future content to listen to until I'm back. So for the next four weeks, I'm going to supplement the new interviews being published in July by republishing some of my favourite episodes with conversations you may have missed the first time around.The final replay for July is a discussion about The Body Shop's open hiring program with Nykeba King, their Global Head of Inclusion and Belonging. Not only is this an important look at diversity and inclusion it also shows what happens when you challenge some of the established thinking organizations have about talent, assessment, and hiring.In the interview, we discuss:Recruiting challenges at The Body ShopWhat is Open Hiring, and how does it work?No background checks, no screening, no education requirementsHow Open Hiring is helping The Body Shop in the current talent marketsMaking recruiting more purposeful with "Targeted Recruitment."Replacing scrutiny with trustRemoving barriers and removing biasImplementation challengesThe danger of second-guessing someone's ability to do a jobWrap-around support to build an inclusive workplaceTime to hire, performance, and retentionWhat's next for Open HiringListen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts.