My First Job hosted by Mike Wood

Steven McGrath, Product Experience Manager at Poetry, kicks off his recruiting story far from the tech world—scrubbing bathrooms at 13 and cycling uphill to wash dishes and walk dogs in rural Scotland. From Canada’s hot tub scene to oil and gas recruitment back home, Steve shares how his unconventional path gave him an empathy-first view of hiring.

In this episode, he tells Mike how he went from paper résumés to revolutionizing recruiter productivity with Poetry. Along the way, Steve opens up about staying human in an AI-powered world, why recruiters deserve better tools, and how being “too nice” can actually be your greatest strength.

Highlights Include:

📍 Connect with Steven on LinkedIn and visit poetryhr.com to learn more.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Before launching Fama, one of the most innovative companies in talent screening, Ben Mones was hustling on the Nordstrom sales floor selling women’s shoes. In this episode, Ben joins host Mike Wood to reflect on lessons from retail, grilling whole hogs, and the early mistakes that inspired him to build a company around online behavioral screening.

Ben opens up about his entrepreneurial roots, the experience that made him realize social media should be part of background checks, and how Fama helps companies hire smarter while staying compliant. He also dishes on AI’s impact on hiring, Gen Z’s digital footprint, and why good judgment still beats a great résumé.

Key Moments:

📍 Learn more at Fama.io or find Ben on LinkedIn.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of My First Job, host Mike Wood talks with Tom Horne, Director of Partnerships at Hari, about his initial foray into the working world: landscaping for a tough neighbor. Tom shares how that challenging first job, along with a subsequent lifeguarding role, instilled crucial lessons in efficiency, hard work, communication, and taking responsibility, which have shaped his career path. The conversation moves to Tom's current role in HR tech, the current state of the job market dynamic, and the potential impact of AI, highlighting how prioritizing skills and using AI to offload tasks can free up time for professional growth.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join host Mike Wood as he chats with Ariana Hillis about her diverse and entrepreneurial career path on "My First Job." Ariana shares how her actual first job, starting at age 15 as an Administrative Assistant for the Berkeley Chamber of Commerce (a role she took to save for her first car!), ignited a passion for the business world. Follow her journey from that early office experience and a surprisingly lucrative tanning salon gig, through building a successful real estate career, founding multiple companies including an event planning business and an e-commerce venture, to her current role. Today, inspired by her own experiences, Ariana is the founder of Shoshana's Daughter, providing crucial coaching and consulting to support parents and employers navigating the complexities of parental leave and reintegration into the workforce.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of "My First Job", host Mike Wood speaks with T. Tara Turk-Haynes, the founder and consultant for Equity Activations. Turk-Haynes shares the unconventional story of her very first job counting money for her father’s business, which was not your typical job but certainly taught her valuable skills. She recounts how this early experience, along with her journey through nonprofit theater, PBS, and corporate roles, ultimately led her to her current position in helping companies embed equitable actions into their operations for a stronger future.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of My First Job, host Mike Wood sits down with Daniel Chait, the CEO of Greenhouse, to discuss his career journey, starting with his first job as a programmer at a small software company right after engineering school. Daniel shares how his early entrepreneurial experiences and technical background shaped his understanding of business and the critical importance of hiring. The conversation delves into the origins of Greenhouse, born from the insight that many companies struggle with hiring despite it being a top priority. Daniel explains Greenhouse's mission to help companies become great at hiring by implementing proven best practices and improving the job seeker experience, particularly in today's challenging and often overwhelming job market.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of My First Job, host Mike Wood speaks with Ben Hanna, the founder of Custom Camps, about his winding career path. Ben recounts his very first job making ice cream at the age of 14 and how that early experience shaped his work ethic and people skills. From scooping ice cream, Ben's journey led him through travels around the world with couchsurfing.com and into the tech startup scene before he ultimately created Custom Camps, a company dedicated to bringing corporate teams together through unique, nature-based experiences. Ben discusses the importance of in-person connections and experiential learning in today's tech-driven world, highlighting how Custom Camps provides a refreshing and engaging alternative to traditional corporate events and online engagement platforms.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of My First Job, host Mike Wood interviews Jocelyn King, CEO and founder of Virtual HR. Jocelyn recounts her eventful first job in HR at a large retail company, where she navigated high-risk employee relations issues and learned crucial leadership and communication skills. This foundational experience, coupled with her later roles in tech HR, ultimately led her to establish Virtual HR, a company revolutionizing employment and labor law compliance with technology. Tune in to hear Jocelyn's insightful journey and her perspective on the evolving landscape of HR and recruitment.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of “My First Job,” host Mike Wood chats with Kevin Grossman about his very first job: a paper route. Kevin shares humorous and insightful anecdotes about the challenges and surprising lessons he learned as a young paperboy, from navigating tricky bike routes with a heavy bag to the daunting task of collecting payments from customers. He reflects on how this early experience, though sometimes scary and uncomfortable, shaped his resilience and ability to handle difficult situations, skills that have undoubtedly served him well in his extensive career in HR and candidate experience.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of "My First Job," host Mike Wood welcomes Michael O'Sullivan to discuss his career journey, starting with his surprisingly enduring first job as a baseball umpire, which he began at the age of 10 and continues to this day. Michael shares how umpiring taught him invaluable skills in decision-making, people management, and time management, and how he initially monetized his love for baseball. He recounts his experiences moving from warehouse work to sales roles at companies like Tribune and Career Builder, and ultimately landing in his current role as Director of Strategic Partnerships at Disability Solutions. Michael passionately discusses his work in promoting disability inclusion, driven by his own personal experiences and a desire to break down barriers for individuals with disabilities in the workforce.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices