Sign up to save your podcasts
Or
Share Time to Hire
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Or
Time to Hire
Time to Hire episodes
- Ep 42 Why Joe Cote Champions RPO As A Stabilizing Force In A Volatile Tech Market
A handful of $500 million-plus Series A rounds in AI highlight capital concentrating into a small set of hyperscale bets. Tech hiring pipelines expand at unnatural speed as AI-focused candidates flood postings, creating a volume shock that overwhelms screening systems. Recruiters confront shifting skill demands, hyper-competitive compensation dynamics, and application pools engineered by AI tools rather than genuine qualifications. Only a low single-digit share of applicants, on average, reaches true alignment with role requirements, exposing a widening gap that erodes capability, accuracy, and workforce readiness
Managing this volatility requires organizations to redesign recruiting architectures that withstand rapid market swings. In this episode of the Time to Hire podcast, host Lamees Abourahma speaks with Joe Cote, Managing Director at ZRG, to clarify how technology companies construct scalable, resilient hiring engines amid AI-driven disruption. Together, they analyze how RPO models, outbound sourcing strategies, and skills-based assessment frameworks generate sharper decisions, stronger funnels, and more sustainable long-term talent outcomes.
Join the RPO Association today to stay ahead of the latest trends and best practices in talent acquisition, achieve your professional goals, and benefit from improved business performance.
Contact the RPO Association at [email protected]
Follow Joe Cote on LinkedInFollow Lamees Abourahma on LinkedIn
Follow the RPOA on LinkedIn
Go here for more information about ZRG
Go here for more information about the RPOAAbout the Podcast
Time to Hire is produced by the Recruitment Process Outsourcing Association (RPOA), the leading authority on recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) foresight and innovation, and the trusted convener for the global RPO community. Through conversations with industry leaders, the podcast explores the trends, insights, and innovations shaping the future of talent acquisition.
Learn more about RPOA and join the community at: https://www.rpoassociation.org.
Follow the host, Lamees Abourahma, on LinkedIn.
27 min - Ep 41 Heather Taylor of MAU: How to Build a Resilient Talent Pipeline Without Over-Hiring in a Downturn
A majority of talent acquisition (TA) leaders lack hiring strategies ready for market fluctuations. This data expose how quickly teams lose traction when demand drops. Today’s talent acquisition teams face shrinking req loads, rising pressure to prove value, and unpredictable workforce needs, a combination driving a widening performance gap. Only a small fraction leverages data-driven workforce planning to convert this slowdown into strategic momentum, leaving most employers vulnerable to escalating costs, weakened pipelines, and missed growth windows.
Solving this uncertainty requires rethinking the entire recruiting engine—so what should TA leaders do to build resilience in a soft market? In this episode of the Time to Hire podcast, host Lamees Abourahma speaks with Heather Taylor, Director of RPO Solutions at MAU Workforce Solutions, to examine how RPO partnerships, analytics, and smarter processes strengthen quality of hire, reduce cost, and future-proof talent strategies across shifting labor conditions.
Join the RPO Association today to stay ahead of the latest trends and best practices in talent acquisition, achieve your professional goals, and benefit from improved business performance.
Contact the RPO Association at [email protected]
Follow Heather Taylor on LinkedInFollow Lamees Abourahma on LinkedIn
Follow the RPOA on LinkedIn
Go here for more information about MAU
Go here for more information about the RPOAAbout the Podcast
Time to Hire is produced by the Recruitment Process Outsourcing Association (RPOA), the leading authority on recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) foresight and innovation, and the trusted convener for the global RPO community. Through conversations with industry leaders, the podcast explores the trends, insights, and innovations shaping the future of talent acquisition.
Learn more about RPOA and join the community at: https://www.rpoassociation.org.
Follow the host, Lamees Abourahma, on LinkedIn.
16 min - Ep 40 Why RPO partnerships fail (and what ZRG and Symbotic did differently)
In high-growth technology sectors, talent acquisition leaders face an unprecedented scaling challenge: how can organizations rapidly deploy recruiting capacity while maintaining quality and cultural fit? The RPOA's 2025 RPO Trends Report shows that relationship quality ranks as the top factor in RPO partnership success. Technology companies scaling warehouse automation and robotics operations struggle to build recruiting teams fast enough to support 30+ site deployments across multiple states simultaneously. According to a McKinsey report, only strategic embedded RPO partnerships that integrate seamlessly with internal teams can deliver flexibility and expertise to achieve rapid, scalable workforce growth aligned with business goals.
Solving this capacity-quality paradox requires rethinking traditional vendor relationships. In this episode of the Time to Hire podcast, host Lamees Abourahma speaks with Matt Corbett, President at ZRG Embedded Recruiting, alongside his clients Martha Bradley and Alex McGrane of Symbotic, to explore how RPO partnerships evolve from transactional services into strategic talent engines. They reveal the communication practices, flexibility frameworks, and integration strategies that transformed Symbotic's recruiting operations during their IPO and explosive growth phase.
Join the RPO Association today to stay ahead of the latest trends and best practices in talent acquisition, achieve your professional goals, and benefit from improved business performance.
Contact the RPO Association at [email protected]
Follow Matt Corbett on LinkedInFollow Martha Bradley on LinkedIn
Follow Alex McGrane on LinkedIn
Follow Lamees Abourahma on LinkedIn
Follow the RPOA on LinkedIn
Go here for more information about ZRG
Go here for more information about the RPOAAbout the Podcast
Time to Hire is produced by the Recruitment Process Outsourcing Association (RPOA), the leading authority on recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) foresight and innovation, and the trusted convener for the global RPO community. Through conversations with industry leaders, the podcast explores the trends, insights, and innovations shaping the future of talent acquisition.
Learn more about RPOA and join the community at: https://www.rpoassociation.org.
Follow the host, Lamees Abourahma, on LinkedIn.
35 min - Ep 39 Diana Doro of Orion Talent: Why Employer Brand Matters More Than Ever (And What to Do About It)
Research shows referred candidates get hired at a rate of 30% compared to just 7% for applicants sourced through traditional job boards.
Today's employers face an unprecedented challenge: quality candidates no longer fill the top of the funnel the way they once did, rendering traditional job board strategies obsolete. Candidates have stopped downloading job board apps and browsing corporate career sites. Instead, they rely on trust, transparency, and referrals from their professional networks. In an era of Glassdoor and rapid Gen Z information sharing, employer reputation spreads faster than ever, demanding authenticity at every touchpoint. Companies that ignore online conversations or misalign their employer brand with actual employee experience risk losing top talent before interviews begin.In this episode of the Time to Hire podcast, host Lamees Abourahma speaks with Diana Doro, VP of Business Development at Orion Talent and RPO Association founding member, to explore how organizations can build authentic employer brands that resonate across diverse talent pools. The conversation focuses on military and veteran candidates, the second-largest unique talent pool in the workforce, while demonstrating measurable effects on business through retention, time-to-fill, and quality of hire metrics.
Join the RPO Association today to stay ahead of the latest trends and best practices in talent acquisition, achieve your professional goals, and benefit from improved business performance.
Contact the RPO Association at [email protected]
Follow Diana Doro on LinkedInFollow Lamees Abourahma on LinkedIn
Follow the RPOA on LinkedIn
Go here for more information about Orion Talent
Go here for more information about the RPOAKey statistics referenced:
30% of new hires come from employee referrals compared to just 7% for applicants sourced through traditional job boards. - ERIN
About the Podcast
Time to Hire is produced by the Recruitment Process Outsourcing Association (RPOA), the leading authority on recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) foresight and innovation, and the trusted convener for the global RPO community. Through conversations with industry leaders, the podcast explores the trends, insights, and innovations shaping the future of talent acquisition.
Learn more about RPOA and join the community at: https://www.rpoassociation.org.
Follow the host, Lamees Abourahma, on LinkedIn.
33 min - Ep 38 Elaine Nicol of AgileOne on How to Build a Magnetic Employer Brand Without a Massive Budget
Your Employer Brand Bleeds Talent—And You Don't Even Know It
According to Lighthouse Research & Advisory, 83% of candidates distrust employer brand authenticity—a crisis that costs organizations their best talent before interviews even begin. Talent acquisition leaders confront a stark reality: while 72% of professionals refuse to apply to companies with negative reputations (even when unemployed), most organizations treat employer branding as an afterthought rather than a strategic imperative. Companies that fail to build magnetic employer brands will find themselves locked out of increasingly competitive talent markets, watching top candidates flow toward competitors who've mastered authentic storytelling and cultural alignment.
How can organizations rebuild candidate trust and transform their employer brands into talent magnets? In this episode of the Time to Hire podcast from the Recruitment Process Outsourcing Association, host Lamees Abourahma interviews Elaine Nicol, Senior Director of RPO Customer Experience at Agile One, to explore how talent leaders can assess and strengthen their employer brands using a comprehensive eight-dimension framework. Nicol shares actionable strategies for minimizing unconscious bias, leveraging employee advocacy, and progressing through the employer branding maturity model to create authentic brands that attract and retain exceptional talent.
This episode features Elaine Nicol's presentation from an RPOA webinar on employer branding. Throughout the conversation, Elaine references her slides and framework materials. Access the webinar on the RPOA website here.Join the RPO Association today to stay ahead of the latest trends and best practices in talent acquisition, achieve your professional goals, and benefit from improved business performance.
Contact the RPO Association at [email protected]
Follow Elaine Nicol on LinkedInFollow Lamees Abourahma on LinkedIn
Follow the RPOA on LinkedIn
Go here for more information about AgileOne
Go here for more information about the RPOAKey statistics referenced:
- 83% of candidates distrust employer brand authenticity
- 72% of professionals won't apply to companies with negative reputations
- 77% of job seekers research company culture before applying
- Companies with strong employer brands are 58% more likely to attract top talent
About the Podcast
Time to Hire is produced by the Recruitment Process Outsourcing Association (RPOA), the leading authority on recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) foresight and innovation, and the trusted convener for the global RPO community. Through conversations with industry leaders, the podcast explores the trends, insights, and innovations shaping the future of talent acquisition.
Learn more about RPOA and join the community at: https://www.rpoassociation.org.
Follow the host, Lamees Abourahma, on LinkedIn.
59 min - Ep 37 Hillary Jarman of Hueman People Solutions: How to Build Strong Healthcare Employer Branding Without Slowing Down Hiring
According to Deloitte, companies that effectively activate their employer value proposition can improve retention by up to 69%, yet healthcare systems face unprecedented talent shortages. The American Healthcare Association reports healthcare organizations expect a deficit of nearly 100,000 critical workers by 2028 while battling post-COVID financial pressures. To make matters worse, Lighthouse Research & Advisory shows only 17% of candidates trust employer brand claims, creating a credibility gap that forces leaders to choose between authentic branding and rapid hiring.Solving this crisis requires answering how healthcare employers can integrate operational efficiency with genuine employer branding without sacrificing either priority. In this episode of the Time to Hire podcast, Lamees Abourahma speaks with Hilary Jarman, Vice President of Talent Marketing and Product Strategy at Hueman People Solutions—a leading RPO provider and Gold member of the RPO Association—to explore how healthcare organizations can use authentic storytelling and streamlined processes to attract committed frontline talent.
Join the RPO Association today to stay ahead of the latest trends and best practices in talent acquisition, achieve your professional goals, and benefit from improved business performance.
Contact the RPO Association at [email protected]
Follow Hilary Jarman on LinkedInFollow Lamees Abourahma on LinkedIn
Follow the RPOA on LinkedIn
Go here for more information about Hueman RPO
Go here for more information about the RPOASources:
An employer value proposition effectively activated can improve retention by up to 69%,
Healthcare organizations expect to lose nearly 100,000 critical workers by 2028,
Only 17% of candidates trust employers' brand claims.
About the Podcast
Time to Hire is produced by the Recruitment Process Outsourcing Association (RPOA), the leading authority on recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) foresight and innovation, and the trusted convener for the global RPO community. Through conversations with industry leaders, the podcast explores the trends, insights, and innovations shaping the future of talent acquisition.
Learn more about RPOA and join the community at: https://www.rpoassociation.org.
Follow the host, Lamees Abourahma, on LinkedIn.
35 min - Ep 36 Emily Gordon & Zack Flippo of Randall Reilly on Brand Marketing for Transportation Companies
With an 80% average turnover rate plaguing the trucking industry, transportation organizations struggle to fill critical positions while facing an unprecedented driver shortage. The trucking sector needs 1.2 million new drivers over the next decade, yet current recruitment strategies continue to fail at scale. Only 17% of candidates believe employers are honest about their employer brand, creating a crisis of trust that compounds talent acquisition challenges. This shortage threatens the backbone of American commerce, forcing companies to rethink their entire approach to talent attraction and retention.
Solving this talent crisis requires more than traditional recruitment tactics—it demands authentic employer branding that prioritizes mindshare over market share. In this episode of the Time to Hire podcast, host Lamees Abourahma speaks with Emily Gordon, and Zack Flippo of Randall Reilly, to explore how transportation firms can build genuine employee value propositions that attract drivers and create lasting competitive advantage. This is a conversation you won't want to miss.
Join us in Chicago for the 2025 RPOA Annual Conference.
Connect with RPO leaders and TA innovators as we explore powerful stories shaping strategic talent acquisition.
September 28–30 | LondonHouse Chicago
Learn more and register now!
Join the RPO Association today to stay ahead of the latest trends and best practices in talent acquisition, achieve your professional goals, and benefit from improved business performance.
About the guests:
Emily Gordon, Senior Vice President of Talent Acquisition at Randall Reilly
Zack Flippo, Director of Sales Enablement at Randall Reilly
Contact the RPO Association at [email protected]
Follow Emily Gordon on LinkedInFollow Zack Flippo on LinkedIn
Follow Lamees Abourahma on LinkedIn
Follow the RPOA on LinkedIn
Go here for more information about Randall Reilly
Go here for more information about the RPOAAbout the Podcast
Time to Hire is produced by the Recruitment Process Outsourcing Association (RPOA), the leading authority on recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) foresight and innovation, and the trusted convener for the global RPO community. Through conversations with industry leaders, the podcast explores the trends, insights, and innovations shaping the future of talent acquisition.
Learn more about RPOA and join the community at: https://www.rpoassociation.org.
Follow the host, Lamees Abourahma, on LinkedIn.
35 min - Ep 35: Michelle Krier of Advanced RPO: How to Fill Food and Beverage Jobs Without Losing Day-One Hires
The Food and Beverage industry and other high-volume-hiring industries face a critical employer branding crisis costing organizations qualified candidates and revenue daily. Production, quality control, and engineering roles now require what industry experts call "radical transparency over sugar-coating" - candidates demand honest conversations about workplace culture and conditions. Organizations deploying generic "people-first" messaging watch candidates abandon the process for competitors offering videos of authentic day-in-the-life experiences during the hiring process.
In this episode of Time to Hire from the Recruitment Process Outsourcing Association, host Lamees Abourahma welcomes Michelle Krier from Advanced RPO to discuass why talent acquisition leaders must abandon bland, undifferentiated employer brands that mirror every competitor. Krier exposes the disconnect between company brands and employer brands, explaining how recruiters can balance high-volume hiring speed with meaningful candidate experiences. Learn practical strategies for eliminating friction points that cause day-one departures, measuring employer brand effectiveness through candidate Net Promoter Scores, and creating transparent communications that attract right-fit candidates while reducing costly turnover cycles in this demanding industry. This is a conversation you won't want to miss.
Join us in Chicago for the 2025 RPOA Annual Conference!
Connect with RPO leaders and TA innovators as we explore powerful stories shaping strategic talent acquisition.
September 28–30 | LondonHouse Chicago
Learn more and register now!
Join the RPO Association today to stay ahead of the latest trends and best practices in talent acquisition, achieve your professional goals, and benefit from improved business performance.
About the guest:
Michelle Krier, Senior Vice President at Advanced RPO
Contact the RPO Association at [email protected]
Follow Michelle Krier on LinkedIn
Follow Lamees Abourahma on LinkedIn
Follow the RPOA on LinkedIn
Go here for more information about Advanced RPO
Go here for more information about the RPOAAbout the Podcast
Time to Hire is produced by the Recruitment Process Outsourcing Association (RPOA), the leading authority on recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) foresight and innovation, and the trusted convener for the global RPO community. Through conversations with industry leaders, the podcast explores the trends, insights, and innovations shaping the future of talent acquisition.
Learn more about RPOA and join the community at: https://www.rpoassociation.org.
Follow the host, Lamees Abourahma, on LinkedIn.
22 min - EP 34 Jamie Minier of NXTThing RPO: For Talent Leaders Tired of Losing Candidates to Slow Hiring
High-volume hiring faces a critical speed-to-hire crisis costing organizations top talent daily. Frontline positions now require what industry experts call "drive-through hiring" - candidates expect job offers as quickly as they receive fast-food orders. Organizations deploying lengthy applications and password-protected portals watch qualified candidates abandon the process for competitors offering streamlined, mobile-friendly experiences completable in 60 seconds or less.
In this episode of Time to Hire from the Recruitment Process Outsourcing Association, host Lamees Abourahma welcomes Jamie Minier, President at NXTThing and RPOA member, who brings over 25 years of RPO expertise to discuss the explosive growth of Project RPO solutions and strategic approaches to frontline hiring challenges. This is a conversation you won't want to miss.
Join us in Chicago for the 2025 RPOA Annual Conference!Connect with RPO leaders and TA innovators as we explore powerful stories shaping strategic talent acquisition.
September 28–30 | LondonHouse Chicago
Learn more and register now!
Join the RPO Association today to stay ahead of the latest trends and best practices in talent acquisition, achieve your professional goals, and benefit from improved business performance.
About the guest:
Jamie Minier, President at NXTThing
Contact the RPO Association at [email protected]
Follow Jamie Minier on LinkedIn
Follow Lamees Abourahma on LinkedIn
Follow the RPOA on LinkedIn
Go here for more information about NXTThing RPO
Go here for more information about the RPOAAbout the Podcast
Time to Hire is produced by the Recruitment Process Outsourcing Association (RPOA), the leading authority on recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) foresight and innovation, and the trusted convener for the global RPO community. Through conversations with industry leaders, the podcast explores the trends, insights, and innovations shaping the future of talent acquisition.
Learn more about RPOA and join the community at: https://www.rpoassociation.org.
Follow the host, Lamees Abourahma, on LinkedIn.
21 min - Ep 33 The Future of Workforce Intelligence: Raleen Gagnon on Building Predictive Hiring Strategies
Raleen Gagnon joins Lamees Abourahma to discuss how global workforce intelligence transforms talent acquisition strategy, why traditional outsourcing assumptions no longer work, and how predictive data gives companies a competitive edge in today's rapidly changing market. Learn how Raleen solved the frustrating challenge of using 30+ different tools by building TalentEdge—a unified platform that consolidates global workforce data and provides 3-6 month market forecasting.
What talent acquisition leaders will discover:
- Why India and the Philippines don't always make the right outsourcing destinations anymore
- How to use workforce intelligence to maximize margins and speed up hiring
- The hidden costs of employment that go far beyond salary in global markets
- How predictive analytics inform your workforce planning and budgeting decisions
- Why startups and mid-size companies now need global workforce strategies, not just enterprises
- Real-world applications: from margin optimization to sales pipeline development
This conversation you won't want to miss.
Join us in Chicago for the 2025 RPOA Annual Conference!
Connect with RPO leaders and TA innovators as we explore powerful stories shaping strategic talent acquisition.
September 28–30 | LondonHouse Chicago
Learn more and register now!
Join the RPO Association today to stay ahead of the latest trends and best practices in talent acquisition, achieve your professional goals, and benefit from improved business performance.
About the guest:
Raleen Gagnon, CEO of TalentEdgeAI
Contact the RPO Association at [email protected]
Follow Raleen Gagnon on LinkedIn
Follow Lamees Abourahma on LinkedIn
Follow the RPOA on LinkedIn
Go here for more information about TalentEdgeAI
Go here for more information about the RPOAAbout the Podcast
Time to Hire is produced by the Recruitment Process Outsourcing Association (RPOA), the leading authority on recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) foresight and innovation, and the trusted convener for the global RPO community. Through conversations with industry leaders, the podcast explores the trends, insights, and innovations shaping the future of talent acquisition.
Learn more about RPOA and join the community at: https://www.rpoassociation.org.
Follow the host, Lamees Abourahma, on LinkedIn.
23 min
About Time to Hire
From the publisher's feed
Welcome to "Time to Hire," a dynamic and insightful podcast created by the Recruitment Process Outsourcing Association (RPOA) specifically for talent acquisition professionals to keep them…
well-informed about the latest industry trends and best practices.
In each episode, RPOA Executive Director, Lamees Abourahma, hosts prodigious talent leaders to share talent market intelligence and innovative recruitment approaches. Tune in to the podcast to help you enhance your hiring processes, strengthen your employer brand, and innovate your talent strategy.
In each episode, RPOA Executive Director, Lamees Abourahma, hosts prodigious talent leaders to share talent market intelligence and innovative recruitment approaches. Tune in to the podcast to help you enhance your hiring processes, strengthen your employer brand, and innovate your talent strategy.
Whether you're a seasoned talent acquisition professional or just starting in the field, "Time to Hire" provides an invaluable platform to expand your knowledge, learn from industry leaders, and stay up-to-date with the rapidly changing world of recruitment.