

Talk Talent To Me
Rob Stevenson: Recruiting, Employer Branding, and Career Growth Expert.
Starring recruiting leadership from everywhere under the talent acquisition sun, Talk Talent To Me is a fast-paced rough-and-tumble tour through the strategies, metrics, techniques, and trends shaping the recruitment industry. Brought to you by your pals at LHH.
Episodes
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May 25, 2023 • 43min
Global Head of Talent Sourcing and People Analytics Shally Steckerl
In this episode, Shally tells us about his new position at LTK, how it's changed the way he looks at money, why we need to try to find talent-sourcing tools other than LinkedIn, the importance of balancing application friction, and how to optimize the applications coming in (especially when it's free to apply). He explains why he sees the set-up of an interview to be the first marker of recruitment success, even if the interview never even takes place before he delves into the vast multitude of components that go into hiring. Finally, he tells us how he measures the success of recruitment and why it's not only based on the number of hires. Key Points From This Episode: A warm welcome to today's guest, Shally Steckerl. Shally's role at LTK, how he would up there, and how it differs from his previous roles. The lessons he's learned in his new role at LTK and why he sees money in differently now. Shally explains the challenges with LinkedIn when it comes to recruitment at the moment. The balance we have to achieve in friction for job applications and when to reduce it. How to talk someone out of applying to a job they're not fit for when the application is free. Why he thinks the applicant tracking system is inadequate. Shally tells us what a positive indicator of recruitment quality is: an interview being set up. How recruiters can contribute to the interview process, even in the smallest way. The components responsible for hire and how much responsibility the recruiter takes. Why measuring the success of recruitment only on the number of hires is futile. Tweetables: "As a recruiter, day-to-day, you want all the money to spend on all the tools because you don't know what's going to work." — @shally [0:15:43] "You want to reduce friction so that you're not making it inordinately awkward and difficult to apply but you also don't want to reduce friction to a point where people can indiscriminately apply. There's that fine balance." — @shally [0:16:46] "You can't affect the interview-to-offer ratio when people are for three times what you're willing to pay." — @shally [0:30:23] "I think measuring a recruiting team based on number of hires is absolutely ridiculous." — @shally [0:31:40] Links Mentioned in Today's Episode: Shally Steckerl on LinkedIn Shally Steckerl on Twitter LTK Chat GPT Talk Talent to Me Hired

May 11, 2023 • 25min
Utilizing AI in Recruitment: Activision Blizzard Director of Talent Sourcing Justin Ghio
TT2M Live in NYC. Elsie Rooftop, Midtown. 6PM. REGISTER HERE TT2M Live in SF. Minna Gallery, SoMa. 6PM. REGISTER HERE How can we leverage technology to allow us to do more of what we are best at? Welcome to another episode from the floor of Talent Acquisition Week in San Diego, California. Today, we are speaking to Justin Ghio about AI in the world of talent acquisition. Drawing on his experience in at Activision Blizzard, Justin explains everything he knows about AI in the talent sphere, the reason it is misunderstood, how it can best be used, and why it is time to escape the fear. You will also find out how to understand AI, its limitations, the correct way to view it, and how to make it work for you. If you're still hesitant, Justin gives examples of how AI will make your day easier, open up your schedule, and give you more time to do the parts of your job you like. Tune in to hear why AI will not steal your job but make you better at it! Key Points From This Episode: Justin reflects on his speech at TA Week in San Diego. The current perception of AI in the talent world. How we need to view AI. Examples of how AI is used in talent activities. Justin's opinions on boolean searching and its current relevance. How Activision Blizzard uses AI and skill adjacency in their talent acquisition. How AI can help with decision-making. The technology Activision Blizzard uses and how it works. Realities of AI in the HR industry. The conversations Justin has around AI and its growing popularity. Three questions Justin asks to make sure he is using the correct AI tools. How to get buy-in to use AI within your company. Why AI can only get you 70-80% of the way. The best career advice Justin has received. Tweetables: "AI can't do everything from start to finish for me. What it can do is give me 10 options to look at faster than I can think through one option." — @Just_in_Games [0:02:44] "AI lets you be lazy. Instead of sending a follow-up message, you click a button to automate follow-ups." — @Just_in_Games [0:06:50] "How can we leverage technology to allow us to do more of what we are best at?" — @Just_in_Games [0:13:33] "Just because you're great [at something], doesn't mean you have to do that forever." — @Just_in_Games [0:21:02] Links Mentioned in Today's Episode: Justin Ghio on Twiter Justin Ghio on LinkedIn Activision Blizzard Talent Acquisition Week ChatGPT Talk Talent to Me Hired

Apr 27, 2023 • 32min
Kyndryl CHRO Maryjo Charbonnier
Maryjo Charbonnier isn't afraid of a challenge. In fact, throughout her career, she has sought out difficult problems so that she can be part of the solution. Her passion for change-making has led her to her current position as the Chief HR Officer at Kyndryl, an IBM spin-off which is now the world's largest startup with over 90,000 employees and $19 billion in revenue. In this episode, Maryjo and I do a deep dive into what it takes to cultivate and maintain a thriving company culture. Maryjo is a real expert on cultural processes, and leaders and HR professionals in any field will benefit from the wisdom she shares today! Key Points From This Episode: Maryjo shares the origin story of Kyndryl. The work that Maryjo and her team did to ensure that Kyndrl was a successful spin-off. Three core elements of any company culture. Defining the culture at Kyndryl ("The Kyndryl Way") and the process they have gone through to develop it. Why Maryjo advises HR professionals to seek out difficult problems. What Maryjo loves about being part of business and cultural transformations. Maryjo's thoughts on how culture is created. The role of HR professionals in the development of company culture. Values that Kyndryl aspires to embody. The importance of getting continuous feedback when building a company culture. An overview of Maryjo's career journey to date. Advice for getting the most value out of your career as an HR professional. Tweetables: "When spins happen, they are a chance to both do a big transformation on the business side and also in HR." — Maryjo Charbonnier [0:02:45] "Culture manifests in three different ways; behaviors, systems…and symbols." — Maryjo Charbonnier [0:05:05] "In an HR career, it's important, if you really want to accelerate your career, to seek the heat. Go where the big problems are because those are where everyone has eyes, and if you can make the difference it can really help accelerate your career path." — Maryjo Charbonnier [0:12:26] "I think about [culture] as a garden. It's a garden that needs to be tended and cultivated. Yes, if left to its own devices, it will just grow organically, but that may or may not be what you want." — Maryjo Charbonnier [0:15:19] "One of the most important things HR people do is listen to what isn't said." — Maryjo Charbonnier [0:16:36] Links Mentioned in Today's Episode: Maryjo Charbonnier on LinkedIn Kyndryl Kyndryl on LinkedIn Walking the Talk Talk Talent to Me Hired

Apr 25, 2023 • 46min
Eternal Sunshine of the Recruiting Mind with JCK
Sometimes the best approach to a challenge is to start from scratch! When Jenny Cotie Kangas lost most of her memories as a result of a head injury, she had to undergo a process of extreme relearning. Though the experience came with hardships and frustrations, it turned out to be hugely beneficial to her professional life. During this episode, Jenny shares how learning to explain things in their simplest form, eliminating biases and blindspots, and employing reverse engineering strategies can lead to true organizational change. Key Points From This Episode: The life-changing event that Jenny experienced in 2020. Systems that Jenny has created to enhance her productivity and well-being. Jenny's approach to recovering after her head injury. The difference between an issue and a symptom. Why being able to simplify information is such a valuable skill. How to build optimal processes within an organization. An example of how incorrect assumptions can affect a business. The benefits of reverse engineering. Why Jenny delved into UX research after her head injury. One of the biggest changes that took place in Jenny as a result of her head injury. How to become aware of your blindspots and biases. Tweetables: "When resources are thin and budgets are thin, it's absolutely critical that you build your strategies that are going to mitigate issues, not mitigate symptoms." — @CotieJenny [0:24:27] "In the HR and talent acquisition space, the terms that we use, even within our organizations, they're in our vernacular and we understand them, but we don't always level set the definitions of those." — @CotieJenny [0:25:56] "When you storytell something in a way that makes sense to a 10-year-old – all of a sudden everybody can understand it. Not just the top 10% or the most experienced in your organization, but everybody can. And when you're trying to actually make change happen, your goal is to hit everybody, not just the top 10%." — @CotieJenny [0:28:00] "If you don't know what good looks like, you can't actually reverse engineer good." — @CotieJenny [0:29:39] Links Mentioned in Today's Episode: Jenny Cotie Kangas on LinkedIn PandoLogic Talk Talent to Me Hired

Apr 13, 2023 • 16min
TA Week: Quintrix Founder Krishna Kumar
Today, we are joined by the Founder and Managing Director of Quintrix, Krishna Kumar. Investing in early talent is beginning to become more popular in the industry and we discuss whether it's better to groom in-house talent or source externally, why businesses need to think more about early talent in the long term, why many candidates are falling short of the mark, and how companies can better support their new recruits. We also examine Krishna's game-changing post-deployment framework, before he tells us why he'll always live life by one particular quote from Bill Gates. Key Points From This Episode: Introducing the Founder and Managing Director of Quintrix Solutions, Krishna Kumar. The content that Krishna is enjoying at Talent Acquisition Week. How investing in early talent is gaining more traction in the industry. What Quintrix Solutions does as a company. Whether it makes more sense to groom in-house talent or source externally. How a business's short-term goals may negatively impact its early talent strategy. Krishna's background and why he chose his current line of work. The gaps and discrepancies he sees in the experience and skills of candidates. Looking at the support (or lack thereof) that new employees have in the workplace. Krishna's post-deployment framework, and why it's bound to be a game changer. Assessing who's to blame for a lack of proactivity in the workplace. How to integrate the skill of successfully navigating the workplace into candidate training. The best advice Krishna has ever received: a quote from Bill Gates. Tweetables: "It's really exciting. I'm seeing a lot more attention [being paid] to diversity and early talent. We've never seen this level of interest in these topics in the past, so I'm super pumped about that." — @candid_krishna [0:01:23] "This conference is so exciting because people are now truly starting to think about talent from a long-term, pipeline-building perspective versus a just-in-time, instant-gratification mindset." — @candid_krishna [0:06:34] "Career development, or lack thereof, is the number one reason for people to leave their jobs and explore other opportunities. So, you want to make sure that the candidates are constantly receiving the support, feedback, and career development to be successful." — @candid_krishna [0:11:20] "This post-deployment framework, which I think is very unique to this industry, is going to be a game changer." — @candid_krishna [0:12:29] Links Mentioned in Today's Episode: Krishna Kumar on LinkedIn Krishna Kumar on Twitter Quintrix Solutions Talent Acquisition Week Talk Talent to Me Hired

Apr 11, 2023 • 37min
Calendly Head of Recruiting Kelly Minella
Companies that place people at the center of their business are more likely to make quality hires and maintain a cohesive work environment. Joining me today to explain how her company puts people first, is the Head of Recruiting at Calendly, Kelly Minella. After explaining Calendly's ease of use and how it has helped simplify the lives of everyone who uses it, Kelly tells me about her professional background and how she ended up in her current role. We discuss how she knew that her CEO cared about prioritizing people, the in-house systems and processes that Calendly is focused on improving, the undeniable wonders of stop, start, continue, and how Kelly and her team have implemented this habit. Kelly expressed the importance of a talent team having a shared understanding, how the introduction of interview training has made Calendly better, why you should always be asking for and reviewing candidate feedback, and the plans that she has for the future of her career. Key Points From This Episode: A warm welcome to the Head of Recruiting at Calendly, Kelly Minella. What Calendly is all about, and how it's helped Kelly in her daily work activities. Why Calendly's ease of use has been the key to its success. Kelly's professional background and how she ended up at Calendly. When she first realized that Calendly's CEO really cared about prioritizing people. What's keeping her busy at work these days. The optimization of Calendly's tech stack and improving its hiring partner experience. The insight that Calendly's engineering team gained after its systems were codified. The funnel-vision interviews that are needed for turning candidates into potential hires. Exploring the wonders of stop, start, continue, and how Kelly and her team have implemented this habit. How Kelly and her team go about sourcing content and their plans for a company intranet. Why a recruiting team needs to have a shared understanding. How Kelly introduced interview training to maintain a high level of candidate experience. The importance of reviewing candidate feedback. Kelly's vision for the future of her career. Tweetables: "[Calendly] is such a time saver. I can't even remember what it was like trying to schedule time with candidates without it. It is a wonderful product." — Kelly Minella [02:41] "I applied [to Calendly], and my first conversation was with our CEO, Tope Awotona, and it was fabulous. I remember calling my mom afterwards and being like, 'Mom, that was special'. And the reason why, and why it has remained special, is how much priority he puts on people." — Kelly Minella [06:53] "The other thing we are focusing on is the hiring partner experience. We want to make sure that we are setting our hiring partners up for success." — Kelly Minella [15:10] "Interview training has made a huge impact on our quality of hire and the satisfaction of our hiring partners at Calendly." — Kelly Minella [32:06] Links Mentioned in Today's Episode: Kelly Minella on LinkedIn Calendly Tope Awotona on LinkedIn Talk Talent to Me Hired

Mar 31, 2023 • 19min
TA WEEK: Global TA Leader Chloé Rada
We're live once again from Talent Acquisition Week, and in this episode, we are joined by Chloé Rada, a Global Talent Acquisition Operations and Talent Attraction Leader. Chloé is here to share some nuggets of wisdom about the talent world with us. Tuning in, you'll hear all about the future plans that she has for her career, the responsibility she places on herself in her role and why listening to people is imperative in the talent acquisition space. Our guest is passionate about data, and today, she shares what kind of data you need for hiring, who can help you access that data, and what her process of creating goals around that data entails. Key Points From This Episode: Introducing our guest, Chloé Rada. What's on Chloé's mind currently, and what is next for her in her career. What Chloé believes her role is as a talent acquisition leader. How she goes about coaching people to interview effectively. How Chloé builds rapport with people by showing them all of her professional layers. The importance of listening and gaining an understanding of a business and its people. Why not fitting into a company is a learning opportunity. The questions she likes to ask during interviews to determine whether candidates are a good fit. Why not having access to labor and market data is disadvantageous. The importance of reeducation and training as a talent acquisition leader. Why you have to rely on your partners to help you make use of the right data. How to improve your hiring abilities through benchmarking. Why Chloé always starts with data before creating goals and trying to improve. Chloé leaves us with the best career advice she has ever received. Tweetables: "I think people need to be heard!" — @crada [0:06:17] "I always try to strive and improve and be my best self and bring my best self wherever I go." — @crada [0:08:12] "Some organizations are not necessarily resistant to change but they don't know how to see change through." — @crada [0:08:19] "Always be curious and surround yourself with smart people." — @crada [0:17:23] Links Mentioned in Today's Episode: Chloé Rada on LinkedIn Chloé Rada on Twitter Chloé Rada on Instagram Talk Talent to Me Hired

Mar 28, 2023 • 18min
TA WEEK: Jamf VP Global TA Dana Atherton
Speaking live with us on the floor of TA Week Conference is Dana Atherton, the Global Head of Talent Acquisition at Jamf; a company that has set the standard for managing and securing Apple at businesses, schools, and government organizations through its unique software. Dana has a range of experience in human resources, having worked across various sectors such as tech, marketing, retail, and healthcare industries. She combines her knowledge of global recruitment with a deep understanding to cultivate trusted relationships with strategic partners. In our conversation, we unpack what it means to be a true leader, what employees expect in the current climate, and how to remain positive during difficult times. Hear about her overall conference experience, the ultimate question to ask in an interview, breaking down biases in recruitment, the true definition of a hands-on leader, and much more. Key Points From This Episode: We start by finding out what Dana enjoyed most about the conference. The best ice-breaker question she has ever heard. Her approach to cultivating personal affirmation. Dana recommends a book to help you stay positive. How to get to know somebody without knowing anything about them. Why honesty and integrity are essential during an interview. She shares her experience working at Jamf. The core values at Jamf that attracted Dana to work for the company Learn about her approach to leading a team and communication. Common challenges that she has seen across sectors and businesses. Hear the best career advice that Dana has received. Tweetables: "One of the most important things [we have learned] since the pandemic is leading with vulnerability." — Dana Atherton [0:07:50] "I am the type of leader that is ever going to ask somebody to do something that I am not afraid to do myself too." — Dana Atherton [0:09:44] "Always keep in mind why you do what you do, and that will propel you and drive you towards your passions." — Dana Atherton [0:17:31] Links Mentioned in Today's Episode: Dana Atherton on LinkedIn Jamf Talk Talent to Me Hired

Mar 16, 2023 • 35min
OpenComp Founder & Salesforce's First VP of HR Nancy Connery
Today, we speak to Nancy Connery, the very first VP of HR at Salesforce, where she spearheaded strategic investments in human capital and fueled the company's remarkable growth by building its industry-leading HR infrastructure. After seven years, she left Salesforce to build her boutique human capital consultancy Connery Consulting. From this sprung her latest venture, compensational intelligence company OpenComp, where, in addition to being co-founder, Nancy is the co-host of the OpenComp podcast, High Growth Matters. In this episode of Talk Talent to Me, Nancy sheds some light on the early days of Salesforce and her critical role in recruiting (and retaining) the best talent as the company grew. We also look at her decision to leave her comfortable position as VP to pursue her own path in the industry and gain some insight into her belief that talent retention and upskilling are just as important as hiring, plus so much more. Tune in for a fascinating conversation and some thought-provoking advice from someone with a litany of experience in the human capital space! Key Points From This Episode: How Connery Consulting helped Nancy realize the opportunity for OpenComp. A look at the core offering of OpenComp: charting your organization's compensation path. Insight into Nancy's career journey, starting with her role as VP of HR at Salesforce. The benefits of investing in human capital early on. Why recruiting and retaining the best talent is important as you build a company. The constant evolution of an organization's talent needs. Why retention is equally as important as recruitment and onboarding. The value of offering development opportunities and helping your people upskill. Nancy's decision to leave Salesforce after seven years to start her own consultancy. Advice for making the leap from something comfortable into the unknown. Themes that Nancy has recognized when it comes to client challenges. Why a high headcount isn't always a positive thing for team leads. How the attitude to talent has changed over the past five years. Tips for weathering the storm of tech sector layoffs as a leader in the field. What to expect if you tune into the High Growth Matters Podcast. Tweetables: "As people think about the evolution of their careers, [it's important] to think about [the fact that] you don't need to run everything. What are the core areas where you really shine and can help get the company to the next level?" — Nancy Connery [0:09:22] "You need to think about employees [in the same manner as customers] as you grow the company, not only recruiting them but also how do you develop them? How do you retain them? Can they grow with the lifecycles and stages of the company?" — Nancy Connery [0:13:34] "To me, [retention] is equally as important as the recruitment and onboarding piece for companies." — Nancy Connery [0:13:50] "There's a lot of self-satisfaction and pride in the fact that I made that leap from something that was extremely comfortable to the unknown." — Nancy Connery [0:25:09] Links Mentioned in Today's Episode: Nancy Connery on LinkedIn Connery Consulting OpenComp High Growth Matters Podcast Talk Talent to Me Hired

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Mar 14, 2023 • 17min
TA WEEK: Sr. Global D&I Technical Sourcer Jacob Rivas
We are live at Talent Acquisition Week with another incredible guest, Jacob Rivas. Jacob is a Senior D&I Talent Sourcer and is here to share his knowledge about recruitment with us today. In this episode, you will hear all about his talks at Talent Acquisition Week, the response he is getting, how he got into D&I, what makes him different from other talent recruiters, how he communicates with candidates, and how to approach subject lines. Jacob also explains how things have changed for him since leaving Box. Finally, he shares the most amazing career advice he has ever received with us. So to hear all about D&I recruitment and why you should not be afraid to fail, tune in now! Key Points From This Episode: Welcoming today's guest, Jacob Rivas. Jacob tells us about his talks at Talent Acquisition Week and how he felt during them. What people are asking for from Jacob in terms of training. How Jacob learned about and became interested in D&I. Why you have to stand out from the crowd when it comes to engaging with candidates. How Jacob approaches candidates and why that sets him apart from other talent recruiters. The importance of asking what a candidate needs before giving them too much information. How Jacob's approach changed when he left Vox. How to handle subject lines when communicating with talent. Jacob shares the best career advice he's ever received with us. Tweetables: "Diversity is really the new area to go and if you're intentional, you can make a big impact." — Jacob Rivas [0:04:27] "Candidates are people not products." — Jacob Rivas [0:05:57] "Fail fast, fail hard, learn from those mistakes, and don't be afraid to make a mistake." — Jacob Rivas [0:15:31] Links Mentioned in Today's Episode: Jacob Rivas on LinkedIn Talk Talent to Me Hired


