At This Time

At This Time, Cristina De La Cruz drops a masterclass in modern recruiting, unpacking her 20-year journey from publishing sales to a game-changing embedded recruitment model at ISG Partners. She explains how today’s hiring leaders are ditching traditional RPOs in favor of flexible, month-to-month recruiters who feel like internal teammates. From legal staffing trenches to startup growth sprints, Cristina shares real talk on what’s working in a chaotic job market—and why your network is still your best tool. If you’re scaling a team or job hunting in this AI-infused talent landscape, this convo is gold.

Host: Eric DeSobe; add him on LinkedIn

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At This Time … we’re tracing Theo Smith’s journey from high school math teacher to talent leader and fractional executive matchmaker. From learning the ropes of recruitment under a TFA alum legend to proving his nonprofit chops translate in the for-profit world, Theo breaks down how he leveled up his skill set—without losing his passion for professional development. Now at VChief, he’s helping leaders do less… so they can lead more. And yes, he’s got strong opinions about consultants who can’t woo on Zoom.

Host: Eric DeSobe; IG: / edesobe

At This Time ... we're diving into the billion-dollar shakeup happening in college sports with former D1 basketball coach and NetChasers host, Brian Rosario. After 26 years on the sidelines, Brian’s now helping programs rethink how they fund, recruit, and retain talent in the wild world of NIL and revenue sharing. From managing locker room culture to navigating crazy parents, Brian reveals how today’s coaches are more like GMs than ever. If you thought hiring a math teacher was tough, try recruiting a 17-year-old with a brand deal.

Host: Eric DeSobe; add him on LinkedIn 

Guest: Brian Rosario; add him on LinkedIn 

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At This Time... Dave Bress joins us to talk talent, rubrics, and why AI might just be the best assistant recruiter you never hired. From classroom teacher to education staffing pro, Dave has interviewed thousands (yes, thousands!) of candidates—and he’s come full circle on what really matters in hiring: the human connection. We dig into why rigid checklists are out, curiosity is key in salary talks, and how LinkedIn has become less about job hunting and more about meaningful networking. Whether you’re job-hugging or hiring, this one’s full of gems.

Host: Eric DeSobe; add him on LinkedIn

Guest: Dave Bress; add him on LinkedIn or email him here

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At This Time ... Erin Keller pulls back the curtain on elite-level recruiting, sharing how she helped sift thousands of applications for the prestigious Broad Residency and what she’s doing differently now that the talent game has changed. From ditching video interviews to emphasizing leadership’s ripple effect on hiring culture, Erin serves up sharp insights with zero fluff. Oh, and if you’re “deeply drawn” to a job, she has a bone to pick with your cover letter. 

Host: Eric DeSobe; IG: / edesobe

Guest: Erin Keller; add her on LinkedIn

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At This Time, we're talking with Kevin Bryant of GoodCitizen about why executive searches aren't just about resumes—they're about relationships. From hundreds of interviews to countless boardroom decisions, Kevin shares why compassion, clarity, and community matter more than ever in today’s weird, wobbly talent market. He’s placing transformative leaders, not just filling seats—and he’s got the data (and the receipts) to back it up. If you’ve ever wondered how search firms should work, this one’s for you.

Host: Eric DeSobe; add him on LinkedIn

Guest: Kevin Bryant; add him on LinkedIn

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At This Time … we’re diving into the trenches of charter school hiring with Robert Crayton, founder of Ed Pursuit. Robert built a tool that automates those tedious AB 2534 reference checks—because calling five principals for every candidate just isn’t scalable. He shares how he taught himself to code, navigates the AI arms race in hiring, and why being a niche startup beats being another forgotten line in a giant vendor contract. Whether you're drowning in EdTech pitches or just want to hire smarter, this one's for you.

Host: Eric DeSobe; add him on LinkedIn

Guest: Robert Crayton; add him on LinkedIn

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At This Time... we’re cutting through the noise of bloated resumes, sketchy inbox applications, and outdated hiring rituals with James Lord, reference-checking aficionado and North American trailblazer for RefApp. James dishes on why references aren’t dead, how to get real insight (not fluff), and why a “pass/fail” background check just doesn’t cut it in today’s talent game. Whether you're still cold-calling former bosses or knee-deep in ATS integrations, this episode is your permission slip to rethink references—for good.

Host: Eric DeSobe; add him on LinkedIn

Guest: James Lord; add him on LinkedIn

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Fajxnqy8dfk

At This Time … Kara Maguire is making moves—and not the small kind. After 20 years in the education talent world, including a Chief of Staff role at Ednovate, Kara’s stepping out of the school system and into consulting. She joins Eric to talk about what it means to start fresh, why systems matter more than superheroes, and how she’s using AI to roleplay her way into new client convos. If you’ve ever dreamed of trading structure for stretch goals, this one's your permission slip.

Host: Eric DeSobe; IG: / edesobe

Guest: Kara Maguire; add her on LinkedIn

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Tgvu6cFQE3I

At This Time … Dylan Gruver from Friendship Public Charter Schools shares what it takes to keep nearly 5,000 students learning and hundreds of staff thriving. From rethinking teacher roles and flexible work setups to leading with empathy (and knowing everyone’s name), Dylan breaks down the real levers of retention in education. He also dives into why AI might be better for boosting student rigor than HR efficiency, and why “big enough to matter, small enough to care” is his secret sauce.

Host: Eric DeSobe; IG: / edesobe

Guest: Dylan Gruver; add him on LinkedIn

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