You Should Know

Skills vs. Potential: What Really Matters When Hiring with Randi Seran, VP of People, workrise


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How do you spot and support high-potential talent before they burn out or walk out? Randi Seran, VP of People at workrise

talks about the often-missed signals of employee appreciation, why recognition isn't one-size-fits-all, and how resilience is quietly replacing potential as the new hiring metric.


We unpack her hiring playbook and explain why top performers aren’t always your future leaders.


Key Takeaways


➡ High potential employees often feel invisible—despite outsized contributions

➡ Not all top performers are high potentials, and that distinction matters

➡ Recognition must be personalized—some want the spotlight, others want quiet acknowledgment

➡ Many high potentials don’t self-identify, making them easy to miss without career promoters

➡ Hiring for potential means looking for passion, curiosity, and discipline—not just a résumé

➡ Resilience is becoming the most valuable trait in today’s talent landscape

➡ Communication is the foundation of trust, especially during change

➡ Feeling undervalued can derail even your most committed employees

➡ Behavioral interview questions reveal more than credentials ever will

➡ A clear, consistent hiring process helps uncover what resumes can't


Chapters

00:00 — Who is Randi Seran, VP of People at workrise

03:13 — Understanding High Potential Employees

05:54 — The Impact of Recognition and Appreciation

08:57 — Differentiating High Performers and High Potentials

12:09 — Hiring for Potential vs. Skills

15:00 — The Importance of Resilience in the Workplace

17:58 — Building Trust Through Communication

20:57 — Personal Experiences of Feeling Undervalued

23:56 — Randi's Ideal Hiring Process


Connect with our guest:

Randi Seran, VP of People at workrise: https://www.linkedin.com/in/randi-seran-sphr-4239682


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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