Tech Connects

Hello, and welcome to Tech Connects, Dice's podcast where we dig into the topics on tech hiring, recruiting and careers that matter to you. I'm your host, Nick Kolakowski, and today we're going to be talking about the current state of the recruiting and talent acquisition market with Carmen Hudson, an author and recruiting expert.

Carmen has led corporate recruiting teams, built recruiting software, co-founded a tech recruiting conference, and trained recruiters. She’s also the author of the new book, “The Corporate Recruiter’s Playbook: Strategies for Hiring Top Talent,” which offers essential advice to recruiters and corporate leaders about how to attract and retain talent. As you’ll hear, we’ll chat about how recruiters and talent acquisition specialists can use their communication skills and other tools to refine and improve their hiring processes, even when things at a company get chaotic. We’re also inevitably going to talk about AI, as well.

Here are some key takeaways for you as you proceed along your own recruiting and hiring journey:

First, to truly understand the specific skills and behaviors required for a role, go beyond surface-level discussions with hiring managers. Collaborate closely with them to create accurate and detailed job descriptions that clearly define both technical and behavioral requirements. This ensures that candidates are well-aligned with the role's needs.

Second, prioritize quality over quantity in your recruitment efforts. Resist the pressure to fill positions quickly at the expense of finding the right candidates. Implement a more thoughtful and deliberate sourcing and screening process that focuses on identifying high-quality individuals who align with the role's specific requirements.

Third, leverage AI strategically to streamline certain tasks, but recognize its limitations. Combine AI with human judgment to ensure a comprehensive assessment of candidates. Stay updated on emerging AI technologies and their potential applications in recruiting to optimize your processes.

Fourth, invest in continuous learning to stay informed about industry trends, emerging technologies, and best practices in recruiting. Develop a deep understanding of the technical aspects of the roles you're recruiting for to effectively assess candidates' qualifications. Seek opportunities for professional development and upskilling to enhance your recruiting expertise.

We hope this episode has helped you with some new insights into recruiting, especially in the context of tech. We'll see you next time-and remember, we are your best resource to find the tech talent you need to fill your open roles, and for technologists, the best place to grow your tech career.

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Hello, and welcome to Tech Connects, Dice's podcast where we dig into the topics on tech hiring, recruiting and careers that matter to you. I'm your host, Nick Kolakowski.

Our latest guest has been on the show before: Katrina Collier, a recruiting expert who’s an author, speaker, mentor, and facilitator specializing in the human side of talent acquisition. Her passion is ensuring that recruiters and companies deliver a great candidate experience. Her latest book is titled “Reboot Hiring,” and it focuses on the ways that executives, managers, and other business leaders can effectively reboot a hiring process that’s only gotten more complicated and expensive in recent years. 

As you’ll hear during our discussion, Katrina thinks that AI isn’t solving every issue confronting talent acquisition experts and recruiters right now. Instead, companies seeking to hire the best tech talent need to concentrate more than ever on the human side of things. 

Here are some key takeaways from our chat:

First, the talent acquisition landscape has undergone significant changes due to the pandemic, economic fluctuations, and the rise of AI. Companies have over-hired and laid off staff multiple times, leading to a chaotic and uncertain environment. It may take some time for this situation to sort itself out, but it also creates opportunities for recruiters and companies who are willing to approach their hiring challenges with emotional intelligence. 

Second, while AI offers potential benefits in TA, it can also introduce biases and challenges. It is important to use AI strategically and ethically, focusing on areas where it can add value, such as automation and data analysis. However, relying solely on AI can lead to suboptimal outcomes, especially when human judgment and emotional intelligence are crucial.

Third, despite the advancements in AI, human interaction remains essential for successful talent acquisition. Managers need to develop strong relationships with their TA teams, listen to their expertise, and collaborate effectively. By prioritizing human connection and understanding, companies can create a more engaging and effective hiring process.

Fourth, emotional intelligence is crucial for navigating the complex challenges of modern TA. Leaders must be willing to be vulnerable, admit their limitations, and seek guidance from their teams. By fostering a culture of collaboration and trust, leaders can create a more positive and productive work environment.

We’ve covered quite a bit in this episode, so give it another listen if there was anything you missed. We’ll see you next time, and remember—Dice is your best resource to find the tech talent you need to fill your open roles, and for tech professionals, the best place to grow your tech career.

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Our next ‘Tech Connects’ guest is Seth Robinson, who’s vice president of industry research at CompTIA, the Computing Technology Industry Association. CompTIA offers education, training, certifications, and monthly research. If you read Dice’s articles and e-books, you know we cite their research pretty constantly, including their monthly analysis of the tech unemployment rate and job trends.

I wanted to talk to Seth because he recently wrote a whitepaper on how organizations are developing AI strategies, including what AI could mean for tech professionals both in the near- and long-term. Let’s listen to his key insights into AI and how it might impact your own journey through the tech industry.

There’s a lot of chatter right now about all things AI-related, so it’s great to step back and take a broader view on the technology and the industries it impacts. Here are some additional takeaways from our conversation:

• First, the AI hype train is slowing down. It's essential to recognize that while AI has the potential to revolutionize industries, it's not a magic solution. Instead, it's a tool that can augment existing workflows and processes. Understanding this distinction is crucial for setting realistic expectations and avoiding overhyped promises.

• Second, effective AI implementation hinges on robust data management. Companies need to prioritize data cleaning, organization, and analysis to maximize the value of AI tools. Additionally, core skills in areas like software programming, cybersecurity, and data analysis remain essential. AI is often integrated into existing tools and platforms, so proficiency in these areas is vital.

• Third, as AI becomes more prevalent, the ability to critically evaluate AI outputs will be increasingly important. Professionals need to develop skills to assess the reliability and accuracy of AI-generated information. This includes understanding the limitations of AI algorithms and the potential for errors.

• Fourth, successful AI integration requires collaboration across different departments and roles. Technology and business teams must work together to define goals, identify challenges, and allocate resources effectively. A holistic approach that considers the interplay of people, processes, and technology is essential for maximizing the benefits of AI.

Keeping these points in mind will help you and your company use AI more effectively. We’ve covered quite a bit in this episode, so give it another listen if there was anything you missed. We’ll see you next time, and remember—Dice is your best resource to find the tech talent you need to fill your open roles, and for tech professionals, the best place to grow your tech career.

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Our next guest on ‘Tech Connects’ has been on the show a few times before: Art Zeile, CEO of DHI Group, the parent company of Dice. It’s always great to talk with him about the evolution of the tech market. Art’s been publishing an article per week on LinkedIn in which he digs deeply in the future of work and how it’ll be impacted by the current revolution in artificial intelligence.

Here are some quick takeaways from this discussion with Art:

First, embracing AI isn’t really optional. The rapid evolution of AI demands immediate action from businesses. Similar to the impact of the PC or the internet, AI is fundamentally altering business models. Companies that fail to integrate AI risk losing market share to competitors who are already leveraging its capabilities.

Second, you can’t really wait to embrace AI. Technology professionals are already adopting AI tools at a rapid pace, and surveys indicate there’s already widespread use of AI, particularly in code generation and completion. To remain competitive, tech professionals must understand how generative AI can enhance their careers. Those who fail to adapt will find themselves at a significant disadvantage.

Third, upskilling is absolutely essential for anyone who wants to succeed in this new, AI-driven environment. The demand for AI talent far exceeds supply, and so companies are increasingly focusing on upskilling their existing workforce to meet AI demands rather than hiring externally. Learning Python and data engineering can provide a strong foundation for an AI career. Additionally, platforms like AWS offer numerous resources for upskilling in AI.

Fourth, as AI adoption grows, so do concerns about data privacy and security. Companies must establish strict policies regarding AI usage to protect sensitive information. Preventing data leaks to large language models is crucial. Furthermore, developing tools to monitor AI usage within organizations will become increasingly important to safeguard proprietary information.

More columns will roll out over the next few months, highlighting how AI will continue to impact the job market in massive and subtle ways for decades to come.

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Our next guest on “Tech Connects” is Steve Levy, who’s the principal talent advisor at DHI Group, Dice’s parent company. As you’ll see during our conversation, he’s very dedicated to the idea of hiring talent in the most human-centric way possible, and he also has great insights into how companies can effectively integrate artificial intelligence into their hiring practices. Just as an aside, he also has great recommendations for books and newsletters you can peruse as part of your AI learning journey.

Here are some key takeaways from our discussion that you can apply to your own AI journey, particularly if you’re trying to figure out how to use AI to fulfill your talent acquisition needs:

First, educate yourself about AI and its limitations: There's a lack of education and a rush to adopt AI at some companies, leading to potential biases and a lack of understanding of how AI works. It's important to be aware of the limitations of AI and to use it as a tool alongside human expertise, not as a replacement.

Second, be skeptical and question how AI decisions are made: AI can perpetuate biases if the data it's trained on is biased. Tech professionals should be critical of AI outputs and ask questions about the reasoning behind them. Don't blindly trust AI for decisions, especially concerning hiring.

Third, start playing with AI tools: There are free resources available online that allow you to experiment with different AI language models. Learning about prompt engineering will help you ask AI the right questions and get the most useful outputs.

Fourth, collaboration is key. Discuss AI with your team and learn from each other: Get your team involved in exploring AI tools and discussing their potential applications. Sharing knowledge and experiences will help you navigate the ethical and practical considerations of AI in the workplace.

We'll see you next time—and remember, we are your best resource to find the tech talent you need to fill your open roles, and for technologists, the best place to grow your tech career.

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Our guest for this chat is Torsten Staab, who’s principal technical fellow at Nightwing, which has probably the coolest company name I’ve ever heard. Nightwing is a spinoff of defense giant Raytheon, and it’s focused on cybersecurity and intelligence solutions for government agencies and private companies. In other words, if you want to get a good idea of the issues surrounding AI and cloud security, as well as the ways companies can prevent data leakage and train employees to identify AI attacks, he’s a great person to talk to.

Here are some key takeaways:

First, the recent advancements in generative AI have introduced a double-edged sword. While it presents exciting opportunities to increase efficiency and improve customer service, it also opens doors for malicious actors to exploit vulnerabilities. This has ignited an "AI arms race" where both defenders and attackers are employing AI for their advantage. New threats like deepfakes and data poisoning necessitate companies to re-evaluate their cybersecurity strategies and incorporate measures to address these AI-driven attacks.

Second, to mitigate the cybersecurity risks of generative AI, a layered approach is recommended. Companies should establish clear policies and usage guidelines to restrict access to sensitive information. Additionally, engineered controls such as data screening tools can be implemented to monitor data flow and identify potential leaks or misuse. As the AI threat landscape continues to evolve, it's crucial to keep these controls updated. Furthermore, cybersecurity awareness training for employees is essential to equip them with the skills to recognize and report suspicious AI activity.

Third, looking towards the future, we can expect to see the development of specialized AI models designed to tackle specific tasks. Additionally, AI will become increasingly embedded within various devices and systems, posing new security challenges. As distributed intelligence becomes the norm, concerns regarding data privacy and control will likely intensify. It will be interesting to see how these trends unfold and how the cybersecurity landscape adapts to this ever-changing environment.

We hope this episode has helped you to better understand a little more about AI and cybersecurity, and how those might impact your company and job. We'll see you next time… and remember, we are your best resource to find the tech talent you need to fill your open roles, and for tech pros, the best place to grow your tech career.

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Our latest “Tech Connects” guest is Laura Baldwin, who’s the president of O’Reilly Media. If you’ve worked in tech, you’re well aware of O’Reilly’s training offerings, which include a massive online learning platform. I wanted to talk with Laura because of her insight into how companies are upskilling their workers for AI, the ethical implications of AI, and much more.

Here are some key takeaways from the discussion:

• First, if you’re a manager or executive at most companies—by which I mean a company that doesn’t have tens of millions to spend on AI talent and infrastructure—consider focusing your efforts on upskilling your existing workforce to work with AI tools, rather than hiring expensive AI specialists.

• Second, develop an AI strategy before training your employees to ensure they learn the most relevant skills.

• Third, use AI responsibly and transparently, ensuring proper attribution of content and human oversight to prevent errors. This is especially crucial when you consider how businesses run on trust; if your AI efforts can’t be trusted, you’re going to be in big trouble.

• Fourth, provide ongoing training opportunities and encourage experimentation with new AI tools, as the field is constantly evolving.

We hope this episode has helped you to better understand the impact of AI on the job market. AI is a powerful tool that can be used to transform businesses, but it's important to use it wisely.

We covered a whole lot of other topics during the episode, of course, so give it a re-listen if there was something you missed. We’ll see you next time—and remember, Dice is your best resource to find the tech talent you need to fill your open roles, and for technologists, the best place to grow your tech career. 

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Our next 'Tech Connects' guest is Steve Ramey, who’s CEO of IronGate Cybersecurity, a digital forensics and incident response company. I wanted to talk to Steve because he has some unique insights into the current cybersecurity market, including ways to address the current cybersecurity job gaps and train the next generation of cybersecurity pros. Let’s listen in!

I love talking to Steve because of his ability to break down something as complex as the current cybersecurity landscape. Here are some takeaways from our discussion that could help your own thinking:

First, businesses are facing a growing number of cyber attacks, but many are not prepared. They need expertise to respond to these threats, which means allocating a long-term budget and commitment to bulking up cyber-defenses. Cybersecurity is an ongoing process, not a one-time fix, and businesses need to prioritize it to stay secure.

Second, individuals with transferable skills and a willingness to learn can break into cybersecurity careers. There are online courses, communities, and free training platforms to help you gain the necessary skills. Highlighting leadership qualities and initiative on your resume will also make you stand out to potential employers.

Third, the future of cybersecurity is uncertain. Emerging technologies like quantum computing will create new security challenges. The industry is working on solutions, but continuous learning and adaptation will be essential for cybersecurity professionals.

We covered a whole lot of other topics during the episode, of course, so give it a re-listen if there was something you missed. We’ll see you next time—and remember, Dice is your best resource to find the tech talent you need to fill your open roles, and for technologists, the best place to grow your tech career. 

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Our latest ‘Tech Connects’ guest is someone we’ve had on the show before: Tigran Sloyan, who’s the co-founder and CEO of CodeSignal, a startup that’s trying to improve technical hiring at every stage of the process. CodeSignal’s products aim to present candidates and hiring managers with questions relevant to real-world scenarios, backed by research.

During our last discussion, we chatted about the need to apply A.I. to training and education. Since then, generative A.I. has evolved even further, so I wanted to sit down with him again to chat about everything from internal skills training to the best ways to build a chatbot to how artificial intelligence could fundamentally impact education. Let’s jump in!

Any discussion that takes us from an examination of the Prussian educational system to the frontiers of A.I. is a good one in my book. Here are some additional takeaways from our discussion:

First, while generative A.I. is a revolutionary tool, people have mixed feelings about it, and there’s still some misunderstanding about the nature and capability of A.I. and large language models. Organizations everywhere need to consider educating their employees about the scope of this tech, as well as what it can and can’t do. 

Second, even with generative A.I. changing how we work, tech professionals everywhere still need to understand the fundamentals of what they do, and why code works. If you’re writing programming-related prompts, you need to understand exactly what you’re asking for and how it’ll be incorporated into a larger project.

Third, generative A.I. may have a huge impact on training and education in future years. Pay attention to the rise of chatbots as tutors. If you’re a student or a junior technologist, this technology could radically change the ways you learn and keep your skills up-to-date.

We covered a whole lot of other topics during the episode, of course, so give it a re-listen if there was something you missed. We’ll see you next time—and remember, Dice is your best resource to find the tech talent you need to fill your open roles, and for technologists, the best place to grow your tech career. 

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Our next guest is Adam Seligman, who’s VP of developer experience at Amazon Web Services, or AWS. In that role, he’s been relentlessly focused on making software more accessible to everyone, no matter what their level of development experience. I wanted to chat with him for a couple of reasons:  

First, AWS is launching a portfolio of A.I.-powered helpers and tools for developers, which could fundamentally change how thousands of people build the software of tomorrow.  

Second, there’s a whole new generation of tech professionals who are scoring their first roles as interns, junior developers, and more. Meanwhile, the tech industry is changing rapidly thanks to the evolution of A.I. and other technologies. Adam has some interesting insight into how these new techies can use A.I. to accelerate their problem-solving and early careers. 

Here are some additional takeaways from our discussion: 

First, generative AI is being used by a wide range of people, from skilled data scientists to early career interns. Whether you’re an experienced tech professional who wants to speed up their coding, or an intern still trying to figure out how to use the building blocks of technology, A.I. can make things a little easier by automating tasks and suggesting improvements. 

Second, if you’re running a team or project, consider allowing your interns, junior developers, and other tech professionals just starting out to use A.I. It could allow them to solve some challenges faster.  

Third, A.I. as a technology is here to stay. It’s helpful at this point to figure out how it’ll best integrate into your current workflow, whether that’s designing solutions, writing code, or debugging.  

We covered a whole lot of other topics during the episode, of course, so give it a re-listen if there was something you missed. We’ll see you next time—and remember, Dice is your best resource to find the tech talent you need to fill your open roles, and for technologists, the best place to grow your tech career. 

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