Is loyalty dead in the job market—or are candidates just hugging their jobs out of fear?

In this episode of Talent Titans, Suky sits down with Tracey Both, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at the Mirillion Group (and Suky's best friend!), to decode what's actually happening in today's hiring landscape. From the rise of AI in recruitment to the return-to-office push, Tracey shares honest, data-driven insights on how both candidates and companies can thrive in a shifting economy.

This episode covers the new rules of talent attraction and retention, including the rise of "job hugging," the death of outdated job search habits, and what candidates truly value beyond salary. Whether you're a hiring manager looking to stand out in a tight market or a job seeker navigating a changing landscape, this episode delivers the roadmap for you.

• AI's impact on hiring and candidate experience

• Job hugging vs. job hopping: a post-pandemic shift

• Why "loyalty" looks different in 2025

• The top 3 non-negotiables for today's candidates

• What's next: AI-to-AI hiring and the need for human oversight

Favorite Quote:

"Low personalization equals low impact. In today's job market, clarity, authenticity, and human connection win, every time."

• Tracey

A seasoned recruitment professional, Tracey chose to leave the large, global recruitment firms behind to build a forward-thinking, people-first firm that believes that relations comes first. Thoughtful, yet direct, Tracey brings transparency, responsiveness and a little bit of humour to her client and candidate relationships.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/traceyboth/

Email: [email protected]

I'm Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.

With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous "recession" cycles.

Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the "people business". For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.

LinkedIn

Canadian Staffing Industry Summit

www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com

What happens when an engineer trades blueprints for building talent?

In this episode of Talent Titans, Suky sits down with Elaine Daniels, founder of Oakdale Consulting, whose journey from project coordinator on major infrastructure builds to talent strategist and entrepreneur is anything but linear. Elaine shares how she discovered that behind every successful project is a deeper story, one about people, purpose, and the power of asking better questions.

Elaine tells us how her logical, engineering-trained mindset clashed (and eventually evolved) within the unpredictable world of recruitment and HR. She reveals how storytelling became her most effective hiring tool, why internal teams often struggle with time-to-fill, and how she transitioned into building a sourcing-focused agency rooted in deep industry understanding. Whether you're in talent acquisition, leading a team, or thinking of going out on your own, this conversation offers real conversation into how values, not just strategy, drive long-term success in recruitment.

• Elaine's three career pivots: engineering to HR to staffing entrepreneur

• How project experience shaped her understanding of talent needs

• Misalignment between internal hiring processes and actual talent goals

• Common gaps in hiring strategy and candidate communication

• Entrepreneurship lessons: structure, planning, and self-leadership

Favorite Quote:

"Projects need people and people want to work on projects, so how do I bring all that together?"

• Elaine

Elaine Daniels is the Founder and Managing Principal of Oakdale Consulting, specializing in executive sourcing and recruitment strategies for the engineering and infrastructure sectors. With more than 30 years of experience across construction, project management, human resources, and recruitment, Elaine brings a rare 360° perspective to building high-performing teams in the consulting engineering industry.

Her career has evolved through three major shifts in response to changing economic landscapes. She began in construction and project management, supporting large commercial and heavy industrial projects as a project administrator and coordinator. In 1999, she transitioned into human resources, where she advanced from recruitment specialist to HR manager and ended her corporate career leading a North American talent acquisition team. This journey gave her a deep understanding of employee relations, workforce planning, and the critical link between talent strategy and business performance.

In 2017, Elaine retired from Hatch, launching Oakdale Consulting in 2018. Today, she partners with construction and consulting engineering firms to deliver executive sourcing solutions that help organizations identify, engage, and secure the leadership talent needed to drive growth and deliver on complex projects.

Elaine is also deeply committed to advancing globally diverse talent. She has collaborated with organizations such as the Ontario Society of Professional Engineers, the Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council, and ACCES, facilitating workshops for internationally educated professionals. She believes their diverse experiences bring innovation, resilience, and new perspectives that strengthen Canada's workforce.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elainedaniels/

Email: [email protected]

I'm Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.

With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous "recession" cycles.

Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the "people business". For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.

LinkedIn

Canadian Staffing Industry Summit

www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com

What happens when a top-tier recruitment leader leaves a legacy company to build his own? Gillon from Penta Search Group shares the raw truth behind scaling a global niche firm, building real trust, and why integrity always wins.

In this episode of Talent Titans, Suki sits down with Gillon, founder of Penta Search Group, to explore his journey from recruitment leader to successful entrepreneur in the supply chain and manufacturing space. With over two decades of experience, Gillon opens up about the real challenges of launching a firm just before the pandemic, how deep sector expertise gave his company a competitive edge, and why trust-based leadership and deliberate hiring are core to his company's success.

From working remotely to global expansion plans, this episode is packed with lessons for agency owners, recruiters, and business builders alike.

• Why deep functional and sectoral expertise matters in recruitment

• Building a credible brand from scratch

• Trust and long-term client relationships in a niche market

• Hiring experienced professionals in a remote-first world

• Creating a culture of autonomy, accountability, and performance

• Predictions on AI's impact in supply chain recruitment

Favorite Quote:

"You can't just parachute a supply chain director from one company into another and expect it to work. True expertise comes from understanding both the function and the industry nuances."

• Gillon

Gillon Tadman is President & Managing Partner of Penta Search Group Inc. and has over 20 years executive recruiting experience gained in European, Canadian, US and LATAM markets.

Gillon is recognized as a subject matter expert in this field and has worked for both big name recruitment brands and smaller specialist executive search companies, enabling him to bring a best of breed approach to the market.

Gillon has also held several senior leadership and board-level positions within recruitment and executive search organizations and has led complex specialist search teams across multiple countries and locations.

As President & Managing Partner of Penta Search Group, Gillon has responsibility for the strategic direction and overall growth of the business, as well as taking a lead role in client engagement and business development.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gillontadman/

I'm Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.

With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous "recession" cycles.

Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the "people business". For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.

LinkedIn

Canadian Staffing Industry Summit

www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com

Is your offshore team a ticking time bomb? With 70% of offshore projects failing, serial entrepreneur Luis Derechin says it's not just about hiring cheaper talent...it's about avoiding the offshore team death trap.

In this bold episode of Talent Titans, Suky sits down with Luis Derechin, founder of NIR-YU and creator of the Remote Intelligence Framework, to challenge everything you think you know about offshoring.

From unsustainable pricing models and cultural blind spots to the looming disruption of AI, Luis lays out why so many global hiring strategies backfire and what smart companies can do differently. They break down the flawed obsession with "fast and cheap," how BPO margins create hidden costs, and why onboarding with transparency is non-negotiable. Whether you're scaling a startup or running a staffing firm, this is a must-listen if you're hiring across borders.

• Why 70% of offshore projects fail

• The 7 signs of offshore failure

• What the "offshore team death trap" really means

• The danger of fast-and-cheap hiring

• Transparency vs. traditional pricing models

• AI's disruption of offshore and BPO roles

Favorite Quote:

"If you're optimizing for fast and cheap, you're not building for success. You're building for failure on a delayed timeline."

• Luis

Luis Derechin is a serial entrepreneur, global talent strategist, and author of "The Nearshore‬ Edge: How Smart Companies Scale With Latin American Talent. As the founder and CEO of‬ Nir-Yu, Luis created the REMOTE Intelligence framework, helping ambitious startups and‬ mid-market enterprises access top talent while cutting costs by up to 70%.‬

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/luisderechin/

I'm Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.

With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous "recession" cycles.

Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the "people business". For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.

LinkedIn

Canadian Staffing Industry Summit

www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com

In this episode of Talent Titans, Suky welcomes Maria Arvanites, Vice President at Robertson & Company RPO, for an in-depth conversation into the realities and misconceptions of Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO).

Wondering what truly sets RPO apart from traditional staffing? Curious how RPO slashes costs by up to 50%, elevates candidate experience, or how it's not just for the Fortune 500? This conversation covers it all, from the core model differences and tech integration to the emerging rise of Contingent RPO.

Maria unpacks the scalable structure RPO offers, how it embeds with internal TA teams, and why mid-size companies may benefit even more than the enterprise players. If you're navigating hiring challenges or simply want to future-proof your talent strategy, this episode is your blueprint.

• - What is RPO, really?

• - Why RPO isn't just for large enterprises

• - The measurable ROI: cost-per-hire, retention, and time-to-fill

• - The role of AI, automation, and modern tech stacks

• - Data as a driver for smarter hiring decisions

Favorite Quote:

"Most companies don't have time to build a scalable recruitment process. That's what RPO delivers: structure, speed, and strategy without the internal lift."

• Maria

Where recruitment meets tech, agility, and real human connection.

Maria helps companies build smarter hiring engines—because real growth comes from people. Through every tech revolutions, economic upturns and downturns, one thing remains consistent, the human element is behind why all companies win: in dollars, culture, and market leadership. Building programs to access your future talent is what Maria does.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariaarvanites/

I'm Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.

With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous "recession" cycles.

Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the "people business". For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.

LinkedIn

Canadian Staffing Industry Summit

www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com

What happens when a top-performing recruiter burns out after 12 years in the corporate world?

In this powerful episode of Talent Titans, Suky sits down with Harmeen Johal, founder of Talencia, to unpack her journey from burnout and self-doubt to launching a thriving solo recruitment business. Harmeen shares how walking into a staffing agency by chance led to a successful career at Randstad, and why hitting a wall in 2023 became the turning point for her business and life.

You'll hear how Harmeen overcame professional burnout, rediscovered her confidence, and built a six-figure business in just months, entirely on her own terms. She reveals the mindset shifts, revenue models, and personal boundaries that helped her break free from the corporate mold. If you're in staffing, considering going solo, navigating burnout, or self-employed, this episode will hit home.

• Navigating burnout in the staffing industry

• Transitioning from corporate recruitment to solopreneurship

• Managing guilt and boundaries as a working mom

• Personal branding and LinkedIn as a lead funnel

• Revenue planning and workback models

• Lessons in confidence and trusting yourself

Favorite Quote:

"The burnout is what led me to where I am today. It was the wake-up call I needed to take control, define my own worth, and finally bet on myself."

• Harmeen

With close to 15 years of experience in staffing and recruitment, Harmeen is a seasoned and results-driven professional specializing in permanent placements across Quebec, with particular expertise in accounting and finance, administrative, and human resources roles. She is the founder of Talencia, a recruitment firm committed to providing tailored, high-quality service and fostering long-term partnerships between clients and top-tier talent.

Harmeen brings a strategic and human-centric approach to recruitment, grounded in a deep understanding of both employer needs and candidate potential. Her ability to deliver efficient, thoughtful hiring solutions has earned her a strong reputation among organizations seeking to build high-performing teams.

A dedicated working mother of two young children, Harmeen exemplifies the balance between professional ambition and personal fulfillment. She is guided by the principles of discipline, consistency, and a belief in creating opportunities through intentional action.

Before launching her career in recruitment, Harmeen worked as a travel agent and explored the world extensively. That global perspective continues to shape her human approach to business today. She is bilingual (French and English) and holds a Human Resources Management certificate from Concordia University.

Beyond her professional pursuits, Harmeen is passionate about health and wellness. She maintains an active lifestyle through daily fitness and hot yoga, believing that resilience, focus, and personal growth are essential in both life and business.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/harmeen-johal-3059377/

I'm Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.

With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous "recession" cycles.

Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the "people business". For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.

LinkedIn

Canadian Staffing Industry Summit

www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com

www.professionalselection.com

In this episode of Talent Titans, we explore the power of niche recruiting and specialization. If you've ever worried that narrowing your focus will limit your opportunities, think again. You'll discover why carving out your niche, whether it's placing DevOps engineers in FinTech or bilingual legal assistants, can skyrocket your credibility, attract top talent, and allow you to command premium fees that generalist recruiters can only dream of.

We break down how becoming a specialist recruiter turns you from a vendor into a strategic partner, why clients are eager to work with experts who speak their language, and how to build a self-sustaining pipeline of loyal candidates. Plus, learn how to choose the right niche, mitigate risks, and evolve your expertise as the market shifts. Ready to move from general recruiter to true Talent Titan? Don't miss this episode.

• Defining what a niche means in recruitment

• Overcoming the fear of specialization and losing opportunities

• Escaping the high-volume, low-margin competition of generalist recruiting

• Becoming a magnet for passive, high-caliber talent

• Mitigating the risks of putting all your eggs in one niche

• Choosing the right niche based on demand, interest, and growth potential

Favorite Quote:

"Stop trying to be all things to all clients. Find that intersection where your passion and the market meet, and become the disruptor expert in your field."

• Suky

I'm Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.

With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous "recession" cycles.

Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the "people business". For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.

LinkedIn

Canadian Staffing Industry Summit

www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com

www.professionalselection.com

In this episode of Talent Titans, we explore a paradox that plagues recruitment agencies everywhere: while they champion exceptional candidate experiences for their clients, their own hiring processes often fall embarrassingly short. From ghosting qualified applicants to inconsistent communication, the gap between what agencies preach and what they practice damages their credibility, employer brand, and ability to attract top talent.

We dive into hard-hitting statistics revealing just how widespread these issues are, for example, 40% of candidates are ghosted after multiple interviews, and over 70% share their negative experiences publicly. You'll learn why internal hiring gets neglected, how bias creeps in, and most importantly, actionable solutions to transform candidate experience from an afterthought into a competitive advantage. Whether you're a recruitment professional or a job seeker curious about what goes on behind the scenes, this episode will challenge assumptions and inspire change.

• The irony of recruitment agencies failing at candidate experience

• Statistics on ghosting and poor communication

• The impact on employer brand and talent pipeline

• Why internal hiring often gets deprioritized

• How to build transparent and timely communication practices

• Using technology and feedback loops to improve candidate care

• The ROI of positive candidate experiences

Favorite Quote:

"The recruitment industry is built on connections, but to truly excel, agencies have to embody the principles of excellent candidate experience in every single interaction."

• Suky

I'm Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.

With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous "recession" cycles.

Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the "people business". For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.

LinkedIn

Canadian Staffing Industry Summit

www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com

www.professionalselection.com

In this episode of Talent Titans, Suky sits down with Janelle, Head of US for Akkodis Tech, to dissect why so many change management initiatives fail, even in well-established staffing companies. From communication breakdowns and cultural misalignment to the hidden influence of middle management, this honest conversation exposes the hard truth about why companies lose top talent and clients during times of change.

Janelle shares experiences from her own extensive leadership experience across major staffing firms, explaining why "intentional" planning is the make-or-break factor in successful change. You'll hear real-life examples about creating safe zones for employees, avoiding rushed decisions, and the power of transparent communication. Whether you're navigating a merger, a reorganization, or a sales transformation, this episode offers a roadmap to drive lasting change without destroying culture and morale.

• Common mistakes and misconceptions in executing change initiatives

• The risks of relying on special teams or consultants instead of frontline managers

• The danger of expecting instant results without proper planning

• Painting a clear vision of the "why" so employees understand and embrace change

• Identifying early, mid, and late adopters to guide the rollout strategy

Favorite Quote:

"Effective change only happens when you're intentional about every detail and create a safe zone where people feel it's okay to learn, be vulnerable, and make mistakes."

• Janelle

Janelle Bieler is President of Akkodis US a division of The Adecco Group, a global staffing company. Ms. Bieler has comprehensive experience in Leadership, Strategy, Sales, Operations, Marketing, and Financial Management. Her areas of expertise include turnaround endeavors, building new markets and revenue streams, P&L management as well as leading, driving, and developing high-performing teams.

Ms. Bieler has over a decade of leadership experience in the staffing industry. Prior to Akkodis, she most recently served as President of the Western Division at Employbridge where she led a total business transformation and market leading results.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janellebieler/

I'm Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.

With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous "recession" cycles.

Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the "people business". For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.

LinkedIn

Canadian Staffing Industry Summit

www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com

www.professionalselection.com

In this episode of Talent Titans, Suky sits down with Tracy Schreifels, Executive Director of the Ellison Center and licensed marriage and family therapist. Tracy shares how early childhood trauma, global crises, and everyday stressors influence our mindset and leadership behavior, especially in high-pressure environments like recruiting and staffing. Discover how to replace "self-care" with self-responsibility, and why setting boundaries and naming emotions can transform not just your day, but your entire career.

We dig into practical strategies for identifying triggers, creating pause moments, and integrating mental and physical health approaches into work, beyond buzzwords. Tracy explains how leaders can encourage emotional awareness in their teams and lend real support without crossing into micromanagement. Plus, learn how to address resistance when someone labels mental health as their reason for poor performance and why how you respond matters more than what you decide.

• The intersection of mental health and leadership in high-stress industries

• Why traditional "self-care" falls short—and the case for self-responsibility

• How unprocessed trauma, including from COVID, affects workplace behavior

• The role of self-awareness and accountability in employee performance

• How early experiences shape stress responses in adult professional life

Favorite Quote:

"It takes more energy to suppress emotions than it does to experience them and process them."

• Tracy

Tracy Schreifels, MS, LMFT, IMH-E®, is the Executive Director and Co-Founder of Ellison Center, a Minnesota-based nonprofit focused on mental health and well-being for families. As an Infant Mental Health Clinical Mentor, Tracy brings over two decades of experience supporting children and their caregivers through therapy, reflective consultation, and clinical supervision and mentorship to mental health professionals.

Her background includes teaching as an adjunct instructor at several colleges, providing trainings internationally, and serving in leadership roles to expand the field of Infant Mental Health. Tracy also serves as on the Board and as a Co-Chair of the Minnesota Association for Children's Mental Health Infant and Early Childhood Division. She is passionate about supporting caregivers and professionals with practical tools to navigate mental health, challenging behaviors, and overall well-being in both family and workplace settings.

Website: www.ellisoncenter.org

I'm Suky an adrenaline junkie who celebrates every single win. I believe we must celebrate and collect all our wins along the way as it fuels forward momentum to ensure we exceed our goals. When we fuel forward momentum, complacency simply can not settle in.

With over 25 years of experience working in the staffing industry, 16 of those working with global recruitment companies, I bring the knowledge and experience of working in 18 countries and successfully navigating through numerous "recession" cycles.

Companies often get so focused on the bottom line that they forget that we are in the "people business". For me, the magic happens when my clients recognize the best way to create a truly sustainable high-performance sales culture is to align both.

LinkedIn

Canadian Staffing Industry Summit

www.eliteglobalrecruiters.com

www.professionalselection.com