HR Interviews Playlist

Allison King, VP of People Operations at Sound Physicians, shares her experience and insights on job searching and personal branding on LinkedIn. She emphasizes the importance of creating a strong LinkedIn profile and being active on the platform to build a professional network and showcase your skills and interests.

Allison also discusses her approach to job applications, including reaching out to connections for support and leveraging LinkedIn Jobs. She highlights the value of being strategic in your outreach and making specific requests for assistance. Additionally, Alison shares her thoughts on job boards and the application process, recommending a focus on LinkedIn for professionals and entry level jobs, new grads alike.

Chapters

00:00 - Introduction and Welcome

02:56 - Allison's Journey and Background

06:49 - Using ChatGPT for Resume and LinkedIn

09:57 - The Power of LinkedIn and Green Banner

12:41 - Content Creation and Networking on LinkedIn

15:36 - Navigating the Job Search Process

19:58 - ATS and Technology in Job Applications

24:10 - Job Boards and LinkedIn for Job Search

26:30 - Advice for New Grads and Early Career Professionals

28:21 - Conclusion and Contact Information

Keywords

job search, personal branding, LinkedIn, networking, job boards, application process, new grands, entry level jobs, job search tips, indeed jobs, ziprecruiter job search, LinkedIn tips, LinkedIn Green Banner, Open to Work

With labor markets still undergoing unprecedented shifts and volatility, employers are increasingly strengthening their focus on retention and internal mobility. However, the shrinking life span of skills, changing attitudes to work, and the rise of AI are complicating factors here. So, how can employers ensure they support their employees' future development and drive internal mobility at a time of significant change that renders traditional career pathing irrelevant?

My guest this week is JC Townend, CEO at LHH for the UK and Ireland. JC is a strong advocate of Career Activism, giving employees the tools they need to advance their careers in the way that makes the most sense for them. This can drive retention, supercharge internal mobility, and help ensure employers have the right skills available at the right time.

In the interview, we discuss:

• Labor market trends

• Why HR should be building for the future for right now

• What is Career Activism

• The end of linear career paths

• Giving employees the tools to advance their own careers

• Switching disciplines and industries

• A mindset shift

• Gig assignments

• Building brand and reputation

• Hidden jobs markets

• Skilling for retention

• What are the benefits for employers?

• The impact of AI on jobs and careers

• What will work and careers look like in 3 years time?

Follow this podcast on Apple Podcasts.

*Film Room* is a podcast series under the *Talent Chasing* show, hosted by Brian Johnson, a former Major League Baseball player, and Chad Sowash, a recruitment industry veteran. In this episode, the hosts break down key moments from their interview with Angela Taylor, a former WNBA executive and two-time national champion at Stanford University.

The discussion revolves around Angela’s experience helping to establish the WNBA and navigating the early challenges of building a new professional sports league. She reflects on the differences between the NBA and WNBA, emphasizing how the women’s league had to carve out its unique identity rather than mimic the NBA. The conversation also touches on leadership, with Angela sharing insights about the unrelenting leadership of NBA Commissioner David Stern, who was instrumental in the early development of the WNBA. The hosts highlight how Stern’s approach of holding people accountable while fostering long-term vision contributed to the league's success.

In addition to sports, the episode draws parallels with business, exploring themes such as the importance of long-term planning, mentorship, and the role of companies in supporting local communities and developing talent. The hosts emphasize that both sports teams and businesses must balance analytics and human capital, ensuring that leaders cultivate and retain talent from within their communities while adapting to broader market demands.

Overall, the episode showcases the intersections of leadership, team dynamics, and strategic foresight, drawing valuable lessons from Angela Taylor's experiences in the WNBA and beyond.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Talent Chasing

01:02 Angela Taylor's Journey in Sports

06:09 Lessons from David Stern's Leadership

12:16 Community Engagement and Talent Development

17:10 The Balance of Analytics and Human Capital

In this conversation, Joel and Chad interview Stacey Gordon, founder and principal consultant at Rework Work, about unconscious inclusion, skills-based hiring, and the politicization of DEI.

Stacey emphasizes the importance of actively working towards unconscious inclusion. She discusses the need for dialogue and open conversations to bridge the gap between different perspectives. Stacey also addresses the challenges of changing mindsets and the role of education in DEI.

She highlights the benefits of skills-based hiring for diversity and inclusion and the need for ongoing training and implementation. The conversation concludes with a discussion on the politicization of DEI and the importance of shifting mindsets in the workplace.

Takeaways

Chapters

00:00 - Introduction and Welcome

03:01 - Unconscious Inclusion: The Goal of DEI

08:11 - The Politicization of DEI: Challenges and Opportunities

11:21 - Changing Mindsets: The Key to Progress in DEI

18:45 - Bridging the Gap: Open Conversations and Different Perspectives

24:14 -The Power of Skills-Based Hiring for Diversity and Inclusion

27:26 - DEI Beyond Race and Gender: Embracing All Aspects of Identity

30:00 - Conclusion and Call to Action

Keywords

unconscious inclusion, skills-based hiring, DEI, politicization, diversity, inclusion, mindsets, education

Most conversations about AI in talent acquisition focus on efficiencies and automating repetitive tasks. However, we are missing the point if we don't start talking about how AI could help reshape recruiting entirely, making it more efficient but also more effective. Why stop at recruiting? AI could revolutionize work and the whole way we think about careers.

The current limitations of our thinking were really brought home to me when I attended the SmartRecruiters Hiring Success conference last week in Amsterdam. An overarching theme was that automation is a given with AI, and we should think much bigger.

So, what does this mean for TA strategies, and how can TA Leaders ensure they proactively shape the future direction of recruiting?

My guest this week is Brian Solis, Head of Global Innovation at ServiceNow. He is also an internationally renowned digital anthropologist and award-winning author. Brian gave the opening keynote at Hiring Success, and I caught up with him after he left the stage to get his thoughts on the current state of the AI revolution and the future of talent acquisition. 

In the interview, we discuss

• Where is the Gen AI revolution?

• New behaviors, skills, and expectations

• How are companies responding? 

• Empowering people with augmented intelligence

• How can we think differently?

• AI-enabled job seekers

• Using an empathetic lens to identify quick wins

• Differentiated use cases and transformational initiatives 

• The importance of the human touch

• Three things TA leaders should be doing right now

• What should recruiting look like in five years?

Follow this podcast on Apple Podcasts.

Angela Taylor, former VP and GM of the Washington Mystics and Atlanta Dream, discusses her journey from being a walk-on at Stanford to her successful career in the WNBA and women's sports. She highlights the importance of sports in her life and the challenges she faced as a woman in the industry. Taylor also discusses the growth of women's sports, the progress made in the WNBA, and the need for continued support and push for equality. Angela Taylor, former WNBA executive, discusses her role in player personnel and the growth of the league. Taylor shares insights on leadership, creating a winning culture, and managing talent in the WNBA.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background of Angela Taylor

03:01 From Walk-On to Stanford and the Importance of Sports

08:37 Growing Up in Mountain Home, Idaho

11:31 Military Life and the Impact on Angela's Family

16:17 The Early Days of the WNBA and the Current State of Women's Sports

24:43 The Push for Equality and Recognition in Women's Sports

30:25 Building the WNBA: From Single Entity to Team Ownership

35:24 Shifting Focus: From Wins to Community Engagement

43:35 Transitioning from Single Entity to Team Ownership

48:38 NBA Players' Support of the WNBA

51:34 Creating an Environment of Retention

54:49 Culture, Puzzle Pieces, and Jersey Sales

57:30 Leadership and Creating a Winning Culture

01:00:12 Managing Talent in the WNBA: Vision, Culture, and Roster Construction

Keywords

Angela Taylor, WNBA, women's sports, Stanford, walk-on, basketball, sports industry, equity, growth, Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, WNBA, player personnel, single entity, team ownership, recruiting, relationships, community engagement, sports culture, corporate America, leadership, winning culture, talent management

Angela Taylor, former VP and GM of the Washington Mystics and Atlanta Dream, discusses her journey from being a walk-on at Stanford to her successful career in the WNBA and women's sports. She highlights the importance of sports in her life and the challenges she faced as a woman in the industry. Taylor also discusses the growth of women's sports, the progress made in the WNBA, and the need for continued support and push for equality. Angela Taylor, former WNBA executive, discusses her role in player personnel and the growth of the league. Taylor shares insights on leadership, creating a winning culture, and managing talent in the WNBA.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background of Angela Taylor

03:01 From Walk-On to Stanford and the Importance of Sports

08:37 Growing Up in Mountain Home, Idaho

11:31 Military Life and the Impact on Angela's Family

16:17 The Early Days of the WNBA and the Current State of Women's Sports

24:43 The Push for Equality and Recognition in Women's Sports

30:25 Building the WNBA: From Single Entity to Team Ownership

35:24 Shifting Focus: From Wins to Community Engagement

43:35 Transitioning from Single Entity to Team Ownership

48:38 NBA Players' Support of the WNBA

51:34 Creating an Environment of Retention

54:49 Culture, Puzzle Pieces, and Jersey Sales

57:30 Leadership and Creating a Winning Culture

01:00:12 Managing Talent in the WNBA: Vision, Culture, and Roster Construction

Keywords

Angela Taylor, WNBA, women's sports, Stanford, walk-on, basketball, sports industry, equity, growth, Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, WNBA, player personnel, single entity, team ownership, recruiting, relationships, community engagement, sports culture, corporate America, leadership, winning culture, talent management

In this snark-filled episode, Chad and Joel bring back SEO guru Alexander Chukovski to dissect Google’s latest core update, which has job boards like Indeed sweating bullets. Google’s now favoring ATS results and niche job sites, leaving generic job boards in the dust. The crew speculates whether Google is intentionally ghosting Indeed, especially after their pricey partnership with OpenAI.

As usual, Chad and Joel throw take shots at job board giants and predict the future of job search.

Best Line: "Indeed who? Never heard of 'em.” 

In this episode, Joel and Chad interview Gareth Marlow, an executive coach and consultant at EQ Systems. They discuss various topics including Gareth's background, the differences between Cambridge and Oxford, their favorite sci-fi movies, and Gareth's work with startups. Gareth explains his role in helping organizations scale and achieve product-market fit.

They also touch on the common problem of startups creating solutions for non-existent problems and the importance of customer orientation and research. In this conversation, Gareth Marlow discusses the challenges and strategies for companies looking to expand internationally, specifically between the UK and the US.

He emphasizes the importance of understanding the cultural differences and nuances in each market, as well as the need for localized go-to-market strategies. Gareth also highlights the significance of working with local experts and building strong relationships to navigate the fundraising process. The conversation concludes with a discussion on the rapid advancements in technology and the potential for democratizing waves in AI and low-code development.

Chapters

00:00 - Introduction and Small Talk

02:57 - Differences Between Cambridge and Oxford

09:29 - Gareth's Role in Scaling Organizations

11:49 - Challenges of Scaling and Going Beyond 500 Employees

13:14 - Startups Creating Solutions for Non-Existent Problems

15:03 - Importance of Customer Orientation and Research

15:09 - Introduction and the Problem Space

16:00 - Expanding in America and Europe: Different Approaches

18:20 - Building Footholds and Organic Growth

20:40 - One Size Does Not Fit All

22:41 - Go-to-Market Strategies and Team Dynamics

26:50 -Red Flags and Warning Signs for Startups

28:25 -Fundraising Tips and Differences in Investment

31:11 -The Potential of Technology Advancements

Keywords

Gareth Marlow, executive coach, consultant, EQ Systems, Cambridge, Oxford, sci-fi movies, startups, product-market fit, customer orientation, research, international expansion, UK, US, cultural differences, go-to-market strategies, fundraising, technology advancements, AI, low-code development

If you've listened to the last few episodes of the podcast, you'll know that TA Transformation is the current big theme on the show. We've focused a lot on the future, but what about the practicalities of the present?

Today's talent acquisition leaders face an ever-growing list of priorities on top of their already demanding roles. From enhancing candidate experience to integrating AI and from improving diversity and inclusion metrics to establishing more agile operating models, the pressures are immense. 

So what progress are TA teams making, and how do they benchmark against each other?

My guest this week is Rachel Dalboth, Director of the TA Centre of Excellence at The Talent Labs. Based on Talent Labs research, Rachel offers insights into how TA teams are dealing with their current challenges. She also shares her thoughts on the skills for future TA Teams and the vital importance of investing in development.

In the interview, we discuss:

• Current priorities in talent acquisition

• Trends and issues with operating models

• What is holding TA back from being seen as more strategic?

• Connecting the dots across the talent function

• What is the unique value of TA?

• How are measurements and metrics evolving?

• The impact of AI

• Fear, nervousness, and reticence

• Prioritising experience over process

• Skills development and career paths

• What does the next 12 months look like?

Follow this podcast on Apple Podcasts.