

The Breakthrough Hiring Show: Recruiting and Talent Acquisition Conversations
James Mackey: Recruiting, Talent Acquisition, Hiring, SaaS, Tech, Startups, growth-stage, RPO, James Mackey, Diversity and Inclusion, HR, Human Resources, business, Retention Strategies, Onboarding Process, Recruitment Metrics, Job Boards, Social Media Re
Welcome to The Breakthrough Hiring Show! We are on a mission to help leaders make hiring a competitive advantage. Join our host, James Mackey, and guests as they discuss various topics, with episodes ranging from high-level thought leadership to the tactical implementation of process and technology. You will learn how to:- Shift your team’s culture to a talent-first organization.- Develop a step-by-step guide to hiring and empowering top talent.- Leverage data, process, and technology to achieve hiring success.Thank you to our sponsor, SecureVision, for making this show possible!
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jul 27, 2023 • 38min
EP 105: Insights on efficiency, robust succession planning, and ROI of a people-first culture.
Prepare for a lively discussion between our host James Mackey and Colleen Ferrell, the Chief People Officer for North America at BCW Global, about the importance of investing in the right systems, harnessing the power of data and analytics, and crafting a robust succession plan. Their conversation takes an intriguing turn as they dive into the world of talent assessment and succession planning. Colleen shares her insights on performance reviews, the nine-box tool, and talent mapping. She gives us a fresh perspective on how to remove bias from the performance review process, fostering a people-first culture.James and Colleen talk about attracting and retaining exceptional people, demonstrating ROI, and budgeting for a people-first culture. Finally, we take a sneak peek at the thrilling partnerships on the horizon with leading companies. All of these and more in this episode that's sure to jumpstart your journey in building and engaging top-notch teams. Don't miss it! 0:31 Colleen Ferrell's background 1:33 High-level thought leadership on best practices for building and engaging great teams13:27 Talent assessment and succession planning25:44 Employee Satisfaction and ROI in HR30:33 Budgeting and proving value to employee Thank you to our sponsor, SecureVision, for making this show possible! Our host James Mackey Follow us:https://www.linkedin.com/company/82436841/#1 Rated Embedded Recruitment Firm on G2!https://www.g2.com/products/securevision/reviewsThanks for listening!

Jul 25, 2023 • 43min
EP 104: HR Excellence with Laura Giangiuli: Fostering a people-first culture. Diversity and mental health.
Join us in this captivating episode as our host James Mackey and guest Laura Giangiuli, SVP & CHRO at CALIBRE Systems, dive deeper into the intricate world of talent acquisition, HR strategy, and employee well-being. The conversation provides a holistic perspective on the importance of aligning business objectives with human resources and the pivotal role played by leaders in driving organizational success.Discover the key factors that contribute to successful recruitment, including the importance of branding, positioning, and high-level metrics.From talent acquisition to HR, the focus lies on recognizing the value of every individual and understanding that their commitment to the company renews each day. By fostering consistent, fair treatment, providing tailored benefits, and engaging with employees, the organization ensures that each team member actively chooses to return to work daily. They explore how companies can better support their employees' well-being by providing access to mental health first aid and establishing employee resource groups dedicated to mental health support. 0:38 Laura Giangiuli's background 3:15 Transition from HR to all-encompassing talent acquisition 8:41 Optimizing talent acquisition and recruiting17:50 People-first culture and employee engagement26:16 Diversity and mental health strategies39:40 Exciting news and future plans Thank you to our sponsor, SecureVision, for making this show possible! Our host James Mackey Follow us:https://www.linkedin.com/company/82436841/#1 Rated Embedded Recruitment Firm on G2!https://www.g2.com/products/securevision/reviewsThanks for listening!

Jul 20, 2023 • 50min
EP 103: Evolving hiring practices and retention strategies for a competitive advantage.
Have you ever wondered about the secret sauce that keeps top talent loyal to a company? Join host James Mackey and guest Britt Harris, Head of People at Hasura, as they explore the power of retention strategies and their impact on the success of your organization. In this episode, they go beyond monetary compensation and delve into the intricacies of creating a comprehensive talent package. They share insights on balancing employee experience with adaptability, aligning personal growth paths with job roles, and fostering open conversations about long-term career goals. Find out how understanding an individual's objectives and aligning them with the company's can create a harmonious and effective work environment.Lastly, they dive into how the interview process has evolved and how companies can stay competitive by making effective hiring decisions. 0:30 Britt's Harris background 3:10 Retention and employee engagement strategies 6:31 Compensation and growth in startup culture13:57 Match jobs to personal growth paths24:40 Conversations about long-term career goals31:56 Interview process shift41:06 Insights on effective hiring decisions Thank you to our sponsor, SecureVision, for making this show possible! Our host James Mackey Follow us:https://www.linkedin.com/company/82436841/#1 Rated Embedded Recruitment Firm on G2!https://www.g2.com/products/securevision/reviewsThanks for listening!

Jul 18, 2023 • 49min
EP 102: How to build profitable businesses at scale. Unit economics. With Sam Jacob's, CEO of Pavilion and WSJ best selling author.
Join us on this captivating episode as our host James Mackey, dive into the world of scaling profitable businesses with Sam Jacobs, the esteemed CEO of Pavilion.They explore the importance of leverage, the role of top performers, and how every team contributes to revenue generation beyond just sales. Gain a deep understanding of product-market fit and unit economics, two critical factors that can make or break a business in today's competitive landscape.Discover the four key variables that drive successful customer acquisition efforts and learn how to adapt and adjust your strategies for optimum results. They also tackle the challenges that come with adjusting strategies, from altering pricing for existing customers to making the hard decision of layoffs, and the power of data-driven decision-making.Sam's book: Kind Folks Finish First 0:34 Sam Jacob's background10:44 Product market fit and unit economics15:37 Adjusting strategy and pricing experiment26:58 Transitioning and analyzing medium size data30:22 Exploring alternative sales strategies35:44 Partnership and remote work Thank you to our sponsor, SecureVision, for making this show possible! Our host James Mackey Follow us:https://www.linkedin.com/company/82436841/#1 Rated Embedded Recruitment Firm on G2!https://www.g2.com/products/securevision/reviewsThanks for listening!

Jul 13, 2023 • 53min
EP 101: Building an effective startup culture, hiring, and retention strategies. The power of social media for employee engagement.
In this episode, our host James Mackey and his guest Ayelet Shapiro, VP of Human Resources at insoundz, explore the essential elements of building a strong and thriving culture within startups.They highlight the importance of core values, agility, and fast decision-making in the early stages. Discover the traits to look for when hiring, effective talent development strategies, and overcoming challenges in retaining employees.Furthermore, James and Ayelet dive into the power of employee engagement in building a strong employer brand. They discuss leveraging social media platforms and LinkedIn activities to get the team actively involved in promoting the company's culture and reveal an exciting program designed to increase engagement.01:32 Ayelet Shapiro's background 04:20 Building startup culture and effective hiring18:56 Interview strategies and retention techniques25:31 Junior engineer retention and development strategies42:45 Maximizing employee engagement through social media Thank you to our sponsor, SecureVision, for making this show possible! Our host James Mackey Follow us:https://www.linkedin.com/company/82436841/#1 Rated Embedded Recruitment Firm on G2!https://www.g2.com/products/securevision/reviewsThanks for listening!

Jul 11, 2023 • 49min
EP 100: Shauna Geraghty, SVP & Global Head of People & Talent at Talkdesk. Masterclass: quality of hire, predictive algorithms, the magic number to measure success.
We are thrilled to announce that we are celebrating a monumental milestone: the 100th episode of our podcast! To commemorate this special occasion, we have invited a distinguished guest to join us for this celebratory episode! As the first U.S. employee at Talkdesk, Shauna initially helped scale Talkdesk’s Marketing team, infrastructure, and activities from the ground up. In 2016 she was tapped to build Talkdesk’s Talent Acquisition function and since then has helped to scale Talkdesk to over 1,500 employees in 20 countries globally and to achieve a $10B+ valuation. Shauna shares how her background in Marketing, doctorate in Clinical Psychology, and her Strategic Advisory role with Stanford’s School of Medicine, has influenced her development on People and Talent theory and execution.You don’t want to miss this one. 0:46 Shauna Geraghty's background 7:04 Quality over quantity in hiring 8:27 Optimizing quality of hire13:30 How to coach hiring managers16:59 Ideal candidate profile comparison to ideal customer profile22:45 Predictive validity of the algorithm26:03 Performance measurement and alignment in hiring31:25 Improve hiring and performance reviews33:02 V2M2: vision, value, methods, and metrics39:22 The magic number metric: candidate quality score multiply it by candidate difficulty score Thank you to our sponsor, SecureVision, for making this show possible! Our host James Mackey Follow us:https://www.linkedin.com/company/82436841/#1 Rated Embedded Recruitment Firm on G2!https://www.g2.com/products/securevision/reviewsThanks for listening!

Jul 6, 2023 • 47min
EP 99: How to leverage behavioral assessments for effective hiring. Employee engagement and retention. Early growth-stage focus.
Join host James Mackey and guest Erick Gydesen, COO at GG Homes, as they explore a revolutionary approach to talent acquisition and its impact on hiring success. Discover the power of behavioral assessments and how they achieved an impressive 90% success rate. Gain practical insights into transforming your hiring process and learn about the concept of evergreen mechanics for long-term employee engagement. Uncover a unique program that rewards high-performing team members with discounted home purchases, fostering loyalty and motivation. They explore leadership challenges like decision-making under pressure and the value of a strong referral program. With a focus on culture, James and Erick discuss the perils of a bad hire and how to avoid them.This episode is a must-listen for startup founders, HR executives, and aspiring leaders seeking to build a thriving and efficient team. 0:39 Erick Gydesen's background 2:38 Leveraging behavioral assessments for effective hiring11:58 Designing evergreen mechanics for long-term engagement20:56 Hiring and maintaining company culture challenges31:48 Decision-Making and the blind faith challenge36:45 Referral program building Thank you to our sponsor, SecureVision, for making this show possible! Our host James Mackey Follow us:https://www.linkedin.com/company/82436841/#1 Rated Embedded Recruitment Firm on G2!https://www.g2.com/products/securevision/reviewsThanks for listening!

Jul 4, 2023 • 56min
EP 98: Navigating ROI, performance management, and Gen Z recruiting strategies with Anthony Onesto, CPO of Suzy.
Join host James Mackey and his guest Anthony Onesto, Chief People Officer at Suzy, and gain valuable insights into measuring return on investment and understanding opportunity costs. Dive into the innovative concept of viewing budgets as products and learn how this perspective can revolutionize your approach to resource allocation.Furthermore, James and Anthony discuss the much-debated topic of performance management and share views on the problems with performance improvement plans.Then, they steer the conversation towards the concept of 'learners vs guides' and why a balanced team, equipped with both learners and guides, can propel your organization toward its goals. Finally, they are pulling back the curtain on recruiting strategies for Gen Z, examining the necessity of diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives to attract these candidates. Anthony's Book: The New Employee Contract - How to Find, Keep and Elevate Gen Z Talent 0:59 Anthony's Onesto background11:33 Maximizing ROI and addressing objections22:31 Rethinking performance reviews 28:16 The problems with performance improvement plans36:24 Learners vs Guides42:42 Recruiting strategies for Gen Z Thank you to our sponsor, SecureVision, for making this show possible! Our host James Mackey Follow us:https://www.linkedin.com/company/82436841/#1 Rated Embedded Recruitment Firm on G2!https://www.g2.com/products/securevision/reviewsThanks for listening!

Jun 30, 2023 • 21min
EP 97: Hiring as a team sport. Aligning hiring strategies with the company's North Star metrics.
In this episode, our host James Mackey discusses the importance of a people-first culture and how it can be achieved through a team-oriented approach to hiring. While data and evidence are crucial, he emphasizes the need for executive buy-in and the ability to prove ROI when implementing people initiatives.Next, he explores the misconception that an employer market makes recruiting easier, particularly in the tech industry, and underscores the importance of maintaining a structured interview process, as well as the need for a clear outbound recruitment strategy. Learn how to identify the right candidates, streamline approval processes, and leverage strategic thinking for successful hires. 3:07 Hiring as a team sport 5:20 Structured interview process and outbound recruitment strategy11:26 The approval process should have several steps13:33 The qualities to look for in recruiters Thank you to our sponsor, SecureVision, for making this show possible! Our host James Mackey Follow us:https://www.linkedin.com/company/82436841/#1 Rated Embedded Recruitment Firm on G2!https://www.g2.com/products/securevision/reviewsThanks for listening!

Jun 28, 2023 • 50min
EP 96: Hiring a VP of People early on is a game changer. The best People Ops execs are strong operators and are analytical. Neuroplasticity. Culture at scale.
Join host James Mackey and guests Austin Ogilvie, Founder at Thoropass, and Joe Bast, VP, of People & Operations at Thoropass. They dive into the impact of hiring an early-stage VP of People, operational excellence, and process improvement, uncovering the strategies and insights that can unlock growth and propel startups toward success.Our guests share insights on predicting leadership effectiveness, measuring cognitive flexibility, and testing neuroplasticity in interviews. They also explore the significance of cultivating a positive culture and the impact it has on employee satisfaction and overall success. Discover the pitfalls to avoid when scaling a company, the value of employee surveys and feedback, and why treating employees as customers is vital for long-term growth. 0:42 Austin Ogilvie & Joe Bast introduction 7:54 How to test neuroplasticity in an interview12:18 The impact of hiring experienced leaders early-stage 21:50 Culture is important31:03 Importance of conducting employee surveys and gathering feedback37:10 Adopting the mindset of treating employees as customers Thank you to our sponsor, SecureVision, for making this show possible! Our host James Mackey Follow us:https://www.linkedin.com/company/82436841/#1 Rated Embedded Recruitment Firm on G2!https://www.g2.com/products/securevision/reviewsThanks for listening!