In this episode we talk about skills, healthcare talent, community hiring, psychometrics, and workforce equity. A major health system needed a new way to hire in a Chicago neighborhood where life expectancy was thirty years below the national average. Instead of waiting for candidates to come to them, they built Project Equinox and took Plum’s assessment tech straight into the community. What started as a college and early career idea turned into a pathway for people who never pictured themselves working in healthcare to find real, durable roles where they actually thrive.

Key Takeaways

Plum opened the door for people who never saw themselves as healthcare workers

Durable skills like communication, innovation, and execution predicted success better than degrees

The health system used Plum outside the ATS to engage people before they ever applied

Project Equinox targeted a Chicago community with a thirty year life expectancy gap

A mobile recruitment van equipped with Plum and VR met people where they already were

Candidates could explore roles through VR without entering a hospital
Over 200 community members were assessed in the first year across two major events

Many hires came from people who weren’t looking and didn’t think they were qualified

Plum gave candidates personal insight and validation about where they naturally thrive

Retention improved because hires were matched on behavior and potential, not resumes

Psychometric data helped build trust in a community that historically mistrusted healthcare systems

Companies underestimate how many people can succeed in non degree roles when matched well

Chapters

00:00 Who is Plum?
01:50 Advocate Health overview
03:10 The life expectancy crisis in Chicago
04:45 Project Equinox is born
06:00 How Melissa and Caitlin met
08:55 Early career idea turns into community hiring strategy
10:00 Why durable skills matter
12:00 Opening the aperture beyond resumes
13:40 Moving Plum outside the ATS
15:30 Matching talent before they apply
17:00 Lessons from Scotiabank
18:40 Opening doors in low income communities
20:20 Building trust and confidence in new roles
21:15 The recruitment van and VR
23:10 Why traditional job fairs fail
24:00 Plum’s candidate owned data model
26:00 On ramps, potential, and future hiring
29:00 Matching behavior to job success
31:00 Real stories from Project Equinox
33:00 The impact of 200 new candidates

Guest Info

Melissa Le, VP Talent Acquisition, Advocate Health
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissa-le-3495a516/

Caitlin MacGregor, CEO and Co Founder, Plum
Website: https://www.plum.io
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caitlinmacgregor/

Connect with us

William Tincup LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tincup/
Ryan Leary LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanleary/

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