Talk Talent To Me

In this episode, Hannah offers key insights into the refreshing way Coda does their recruiting, from the initial call which is more like a pitch that overviews all the different product features, to laying out to the candidate how Coda is differentiated from other players in the productivity space. We dive into why it's so incredibly beneficial to have a front-loaded approach like this, and the way that Coda gives the candidate a choice. In Hannah's words "We want you to be thinking as an employee, like an investor." Hear about her career progression and what the questions and factors were that made her realize she wanted to be a part of the Coda team. Sneak a peek into the company value of right versus familiar, and listen to why we should all become far more literate with equity structure. From the flexibility of bouncing through different departments to some really solid parting advice for anyone looking to move, join me in this lively discussion about changing the way we acquire talent. Key Points From This Episode: Introducing Hannah Spiegel; and her multiple roles at Coda. How she likes the flexibility of bouncing around different departments. Being a product of your environment, and the dynamic nature of recruiting. Hannah shares a little of her career progression and how she ended up at Coda. The three questions she asked herself that proved Coda was the right fit for her. Trusting her gut instinct, and the drawcard of being part of a strong team. Hear about the first recruiting call at Coda: refreshing, transparent, and product-focused. The importance of a detailed order of operations for the recruitment process, including who does what. The cutthroat nature of the productivity software, and what differentiates Coda. Hear about the company value of right versus familiar, and giving the candidates a choice. Why their detailed focus on equity is a hugely important part of a compensation package. How everyone should be up-leveling understanding of equity structure. Hannah's excellent parting advice for anyone looking to move or take on a new role. Tweetables: "I think that when you get really deep in recruiting and have a lot of experience, it's not too hard to actually pivot and move into departments and work on roles that you haven't worked on before."— Hannah Spiegel [0:03:02] "Being able to get deep on a product that you're recruiting talent for, you need to have a different level of understanding that comes with that firsthand user experience."— Hannah Spiegel [0:10:43] "Anything we can do to present Coda differently and to show what we're doing is important and why we all kind of stand behind our product in this way, is something I think that will be a key differentiator for us too."— Hannah Spiegel [0:15:45] "We want you to be thinking as an employee like an investor."— Hannah Spiegel [0:19:36] "It's always been about chasing the maximum opportunity. If you can get a really killer role that's going to have the highest title at a company that goes nowhere, it doesn't do anything for you either."— Hannah Spiegel [0:29:28] Links Mentioned in Today's Episode: Hannah Spiegel on LinkedIn Kenny Mendez at Coda Coda Talk Talent to Me

While many people view imposter syndrome as a negative experience, today's guest Sanja Mitar will not accept a job unless she experiences it. After studying child and youth care, she found herself in a job at Shopify where her ability to network and her willingness to be coached led her into HR. She is now the director of talent acquisition at smile.io. We discuss what doing a retrospective on 2021 looks like for her, what metrics she uses to measure her success, the interviews she conducts in the process, and the types of questions she asks. To find out more about the benefits of imposter syndrome, the need for transparency, and Sanja's advice to anyone wanting to improve in their role, tune in today! Key Points From This Episode: How Sanja Mitar is currently catching up on work after unplugging for a vacation. Sanja and Rob's tips for unplugging. Sanja's background in child and youth care and how she got into recruitment. The ability to network, being coachable, and other qualities that helped Sanja get on the talent team despite her lack of experience. How she overcame impostor syndrome when she first joined the recruitment team. Why Sanja doesn't take a job unless she feels imposter syndrome. Insight into Sanja's role at Smile.io. What doing a retrospective on 2021 looks like for Sanja and what metrics she uses to measure her success. The interviews she's conducting as part of her retro on 2021 and the types of questions she asks. Why Sanja believes the responsibility is split 50/50 between the talent representative and the hiring manager in the hiring process. Sanja's advice on how to improve in your role. Tweetables: "I don't take a role unless I feel that impostor syndrome. Because it if I don't get that, that just means that I'm too comfortable and I'm probably not going to be challenged enough." — Sanja Mitar [0:13:46] "I think for anybody listening that might be feeling impostor syndrome, resourcefulness and resiliency, I think are the two main drivers of success. None of those two things require heavy skill-based learning or understanding." — Sanja Mitar [0:16:06] "Get really, really great mentors. Those are so valuable, it'll pay off in spades if you've got great people around you." — Sanja Mitar [0:26:21] "You don't know what you don't know. The only way to find out is to learn. So put in the work, be resourceful. Just seek out that information, and ask questions, build connections, and it will happen." — Sanja Mitar [0:26:32] Links Mentioned in Today's Episode: Sanja Mitar smile.io Man On Cusp Of Having Fun Suddenly Remembers Every Single One Of His Responsibilities Talk Talent to Me Hired

Joining us today is Nick Cromydas, CEO of HR tech company, Hunt Club. Nick offers insight on the HR Tech industry as a whole, where talent lies in the priority list of most companies, and how he would think about offering a recruiting skillset to the market in an ever changing world. Key Points From This Episode: Nick Cromydas shares his background and oddly non-linear path to HR tech. The insights that led to the creation of Hunt Club. How Hunt Club differs from the standard agency or RPO model. The power of a trusted introduction. What's causing CEOs and investors to realize the value in investing in HR tech and talent leaders. Nick predicts that the great people officers of today will be the CEOs of tomorrow. Why there has been a change in behavior and the importance of talent is being recognized. What has caused the talent pool to thin out. The growing trend of remote work and contract work and how it's predicted to alter behaviors. Examples of successful serial entrepreneurs joining companies not out of necessity, but because they believe in the mission of the business. How the shifting need for talent and approach to finding talent will affect recruiters. The benefits of working with one team rather than working alone on multiple contract gigs. What makes a great recruiter and how recruiters should adapt in the new remote work era. The long-term vision for Hunt Club. The impossibility of automating human interaction and trusted relationships. The value of network and relationships as part of the recruiting skillset. How to identify your personal commodities. Using the centralized recruitment model in an increasingly decentralized world. Tweetables: "By decentralizing the network and decoupling it from just one recruiter when you're working with a traditional firm to a network of leaders across the country, you get amazing talent with a trusted introduction." — @NickCromydas [0:07:24] "In a universe where you can hire anyone anywhere and not just the person in your backyard, the only way that you're actually going to get them to acknowledge something in your inbox or in your LinkedIn, is through a trusted introduction." — @NickCromydas [0:07:37] "Every company will be a tech company down the road in some form or fashion and it's what's making the market really challenging right now, given the limited amount of opportunities and the large amount of companies hiring and limited amount of candidates." — @NickCromydas [0:13:53] "I think there is always going to be a time and place for where being a part of one team is more exciting than working on your own in multiple gigs." — @NickCromydas [0:22:04] Links Mentioned in Today's Episode: Nick Cromydas on LinkedIn Nick Cromydas on Twitter Hunt Club Hunt Club on Twitter Matt Hughes on LinkedIn The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell Talk Talent to Me Hired

Joining us today on Talk Talent To Me is lead recruiter at Auth0, Lisa Semerdijan. Lisa, herself, was a career changer; moving from the advertising world to that of recruitment and career coaching. We discuss what it is that causes people to change careers and what to consider should you be looking to make a change. Lisa shares what she finds compelling about career changers and why she considers them to be wise hiring choices. Lisa touches on the importance of noting your priorities when looking to change jobs and how to conduct your own research to investigate the company in question. Key Points From This Episode: Lisa Semerdijan's background and how she wound up in the role of lead recruiter at Auth0. What Auth0 does and Lisa's role within the company. What she finds compelling about career changers; the benefits of hiring them. How to decide whether to change careers. How mastery breeds complacency, thus changing careers or companies isn't negative. The importance of being critical about the areas in which you are deficient. How Lisa got into career coaching on the side and what aspects she finds rewarding. How her recruiting insights help her to help her clients better formulate their resumes. The various forms of guidance clients come to her for. How COVID has caused people to be more deliberate and selective. How COVID has resulted in the notion of bringing one's whole self to work. The importance of noting your priorities and doing research when looking to change jobs. How to investigate your current or prospective company. The efficacy of referrals and the benefits of back-channeling and utilizing contacts. What job candidates can consider asking for before making their decision. Why it's important for recruiters to remain candid throughout the recruitment process. Tweetables: "I really like career changers because . . . it's really easy to just collect a pay-check, cruise through your job, and just have a job that you're not necessarily thrilled about or you don't enjoy anymore. These people have to be resilient." — @LisaSemerdijan [0:05:51] "Mastery makes you feel skilled and valuable, but it also breeds complacency." — @robstersays [0:11:00] "It's so important to be critical about the areas in which you are deficient, as you get better in your career." — @robstersays [0:13:02] "We are in probably the most interesting market that I think anyone's ever seen, regardless of how long someone's been in talent acquisition . . . People are very selective, and they should be." — @LisaSemerdijan [0:20:42] "Remember that these people are probably happy where they are. You're asking them to quit their job and come work for you. So what's in it for them? That hat has to stay on the entire time." — @LisaSemerdijan [0:27:28] Links Mentioned in Today's Episode: Talk Talent to Me Lisa Semerdjian on LinkedIn Lisa Semerdjian on Twitter Rob Stevenson on Twitter Hired

Today, we have another fantastic guest on the show: VP of Talent and Culture at CallRail, Whitney Bennett! In this episode, Whitney shares her wisdom and expertise regarding the current power shift in favor of the candidate and how companies can and should be responding to new expectations of safety, communication, and psychological support. We cover some interesting tools and strategies that can accumulate data in this area, and Whitney outlines the ways in which we can empower managers to have these conversations. Listeners hear about the changing landscape of HR, the new scope of mental health issues and societal injustices that fall under the responsibilities of HR, and just how they can do this: with grace and a human-based approach. We also touch on transparency, willingness, ensuing action, and a whole lot more! Key Points From This Episode: We learn a little bit about Whitney and how she transitioned early on from sales to HR. Whitney talks about the importance of a first hire being a recruiter. Discussing scaling when hiring many new employees, especially those working remotely. How candidates' expectations have changed and how employee resource groups can support these needs. Why the great resignation isn't about money; it's more about company culture. Being honest with yourself about what you really need from a role, especially in tech spaces. Communicating with your manager if you want something more or different. Ways in which companies have to be more open and flexible. How creating a company culture of transparency and action also creates safety to speak up. Whitney asserts that empowering managers to have these conversations is crucial. Using other tools such as surveys to gather data on employees satisfaction. How Whitney sees the landscape of HR has changed; and where it still needs to. Using and giving grace to acknowledge the recent social injustices that are impacting an employee's mental health. How HR is transitioning and needs to provide more emotional support than ever before. How certifications and training in those softer skills are catching up too. Tweetables: "Especially in tech, you don't have to just take any job. There [are] a ton of jobs out there. That's why the great resignation is a thing. Don't compromise on what you want." — Whitney Bennet [0:12:28] "Employees and candidates have much more power now than they ever did before. Not necessarily power to get all the money in the land, even though that is currently a thing, [but] power to hold their employers accountable to do the things they say they're going to do." — Whitney Bennet [0:05:36] Links Mentioned in Today's Episode: Whitney Bennett on LinkedIn CallRail Talk Talent to Me

Simone is the insightful and knowledgeable Global Head of TA for Whip Media and, in this extra-special edition alongside guest host, Talk Talent to Me founding member, and Executive Director at Hunt Club, Matt Hughes, she dives into what the current candidate's market means for recruitment, flexible and holistic incentivization techniques that can align you with the right intake, as well as dealing with candidates that have multiple job offers. This episode also breaks down the double-edged sword of working remotely, where Simone and Matt skillfully navigate all the aspects of the all-too-familiar phenomenon of burnout, how to take it into account, where it comes from, as well as whether full-time job offerings in the booming freelance economy are losing viability. We expound on ways in which leadership and hiring managers can (and need to) incorporate consideration of mental health into the workplace package. From recruiter follow-through and labor shortages to the 30-hour workweek and the effects of day-care costs, we cover everything you need to know about the post-pandemic recruitment arena Key Points From This Episode: An introduction to Simone Press, the wise and tenacious Global Head of TA for Whip Media. Easily transferring her rapport skills as a celebrity reporter into the field of talent acquisition. How to work with, not against, the current great resignation trend. How she talks to hiring managers about flexibility and current candidate motivations. Giving perspective on interviewing processes and requirements, particularly at mid/low level. Simone shares some fascinating insights regarding how assessments can be more efficient. We discuss her number one pet peeve when it comes to recruiters: follow-through. Evaluating and responding to a candidate with multiple job offers on the table. The importance of personalization and hiring managers reaching out first. We talk about the freelance economy and increased compensation bands. Projecting the future of hiring and the persistence of the labor shortage. The concept of the huge expense of day-care contributing to people quitting their jobs. Factoring industry-specific privilege into the conversation, unemployment benefits, and more! Simone chats about incentivization, remote working, and creating a baseline of mental health. Discussing burnout causes, its cascading problems, and possible cost-effective solutions. Simone advises leadership to take the initiative to mitigate burnout before it starts. We break down the double-edged sword of remote working, and finding work-life balance. How Simone educates her stakeholders internally before a high-volume intake of employees. Talking location, mandates of coming into work, and working remotely as a strategic lever for diversity. Tweetables: "A big cornerstone of our job as recruiters is to build a rapport, build a connection [with] a candidate."— @simonepress [0:08:49] "A tenet of any good recruiter is to listen, listen, listen."— @simonepress [0:12:32] "You want [your] hiring team to be inclusive, to be diverse, and also to be very prescriptive in terms of what the opportunity is, and ask those tough questions."— @simonepress [0:15:43] "You really need to think about how can you incentivize people to be interested in opportunities right now, because it is incredibly difficult to hire."— @simonepress [0:42:57] Links Mentioned in Today's Episode: Simone Press on LinkedIn Simone Press on Twitter Whip Media Hunt Club

Today's guest is the inimitable Kara Riley, Global VP of People, Culture and Belonging at Elite Model World, here to talk to us about her work and achieving workplace equity. In this episode, we dive deeply into what makes Kara Riley tick, how she has risen through the ranks to where she is today, and some extremely valuable and hard-won advice for those wishing to follow a similar path. We dive right in with tackling topics of high-level representation, how organizations can show up better globally, and what specific questions companies need to be asking themselves to keep honest and ensure change happens at the right levels. Kara also gives us her personal tips for other under-estimated individuals walking their projected career path with pragmatism, an eye for growth, and an awareness of which organizations will help you thrive. Lastly, we dive into the creation of psychological safety, and how it's paramount that leadership have the awareness and education to foster safe spaces. Key Points From This Episode: Getting to know Kara Riley and her rise through the ranks from humble beginnings. Questions of what your time is worth, and always having a number in your head. High-level representation, visibility, and aspirational feedback Kara got in her Netflix role. Flipping the verbiage 'under-represented groups' to a more accurate 'underestimated groups'. Kara shares her hard-won advice for dealing with career obstacles of prejudice. Tackling gender double standards around existing as a woman in the workspace. Kara describes her pragmatic approach to new job opportunities, and keeping aligned with your projected career vision. Creating a five-year plan, asking for what you want, and owning your progress at work. Doing things, asking questions later, and leaving if you're made to feel unsafe to be proactive. Leadership's responsibility of psychological safety, starting with communication. Kara explains the most important questions an organization needs to ask itself. Describing a multi-prong approach to create safety and leadership responsibility for employees from underestimated groups. How to conduct a listening tour without putting the burden on the individuals being assessed. Navigating being a trailblazer, and what companies need to be doing to define the process. Tweetables: "Be aspirational, look at those job descriptions, your roles that you want to be in, or those individuals on LinkedIn and see what types of other organizations that they've gone through, their path to get to where they want to be." — Kara Riley [0:12:53] "You have to ask. Closed mouths don't get fed." — Kara Riley [0:14:35] "I like to get in good trouble, doing things and asking questions later, or asking forgiveness later. You can't be afraid. If your organization does not give you that psychological security to not be afraid, then I would reassess, "Is this the right organization for me?" — Kara Riley [0:15:23] "How do we want to show up in this global community? That's the big question. Then, how are we going to hold ourselves accountable to it?" — Kara Riley [0:17:39] "Do not expect the underestimated groups to tell you what the company needs to do better and what the company is doing wrong. It is not their job to fix it." — Kara Riley [0:18:47] Links Mentioned in Today's Episode: Kara Riley on LinkedIn Elite Model World My Unorthodox Life Talk Talent to Me

Today I'm joined by Renee Davis, Duolingo's Director of Recruiting. In this episode, we address the issues with the old method of targeting a specific subset of students, and how to stay up to date with each new generation. We dive into how to improve the graduation numbers of underrepresented student populations, and debate the merits of recruiting through TikTok! Renee's belief that a recruitment program is about what the students can gain from it has already proven its worth, with seven out of eight interns accepting their offers to come back to work, and she takes me through how she managed this impressive feat. From virtual yoga to why three-year recruitment plans are ideal, join me in a lively discussion about changing the way we find talent. Key Points From This Episode: An introduction to Renee Davis, the driving force behind Duolingo's modern recruiting operation. Why recruiting is about more than just meeting hiring goals. Tackling problems in university recruiting to impact students' lives. The challenges and rewards of going virtual. Using virtual events to improve outreach. What platforms you can use to improve your recruitment programs. How to ensure there is value for the students and not just the recruiters. The Duolingo Thrive Program: building a sense of belonging in underrepresented students. Tweetables: "Whoever you're talking to, it's all about making sure there's value for them." — Renee Davis [0:14:32] "We are only as good as the students who are in the programs and are graduating with the degrees." — Renee Davis [0:17:30] "The long view is getting the problem at root and trying to solve it over time versus constantly trying to build a solution at top of funnel for just in time hiring." — Renee Davis [0:24:02] Links Mentioned in Today's Episode: Renee Davis on LinkedIn Gather Town Talk Talent to Me

Today I'm joined by Dessalen Wood, Chief People Officer at Thoughtexchange. Dessalen has used the Thoughtexchange product to gather deep insights about employee motivations, and has used the data to determine the gap between what employees report is most important in a role, as opposed to which factors actually lead to increased retention and job satisfaction. Key Points From This Episode: Dessalen explains what the purpose of ThoughtExchange is. The transformational first experience that Dessalen had using ThoughtExchange. How Dessalen came to work at ThoughtExchange. What Dessalen learned from doing a ThoughtExchange asking people what would prevent them from quitting their job. Reasons that people want more out of their job now than they did in the past. Four themes that Dessalen ended up with when she ran an internal ThoughtExchange on what employees want more of. The value of being transparent as a company. How the most attractive elements of a job have changed over time. Why being a leader now is more challenging than ever. An explanation of what Dessalen calls the "from-for" balance. Dessalen shares an example of what it means to be transparent as a leader. Self-awareness isn't enough, you have to be able to self-manage too. What Dessalen learns about a person from asking them about decisions they made that they regret. Tweetables: "If you're using ThoughtExchange early in the decision-making process, you're actually getting ideas and you're actually improving the decision that you're going to make by iterating with a large population." — @dessalen [0:03:47] "We are a purpose-driven company. What we're doing is really important in the world by bringing a way to have an unbiased and diverse conversation inside large organizations.." — @dessalen [0:10:59] "Actual happiness often is linked to autonomy and unhappiness is linked to feeling controlled." — @dessalen [0:21:58] "Self-awareness without any self-management is irresponsible. Self-awareness with the ability to manage what you're aware of, that's actually a tremendous strength." — @dessalen [0:31:25] Links Mentioned in Today's Episode: Dessalen Wood on LinkedIn ThoughtExchange Talk Talent to Me Hired

Today I'm lucky to have on the show the Chief People Officer at Wayfair, Kate Gulliver. Informed by her career across many different parts of the company, Kate shares her vision and strategies on consistency and support for the hugely varying needs within the company. From the evergreen people principles at Wayfair, to the importance of collaborative cohesion and always assuming the best of your co-workers integrity, we learn what it means to be part of the network of employees that are touched and supported by the talent division. She also shares with us her strategies for creating umbrella support across the business while providing equity of opportunity for every team member at Wayfair. We then dissect the interviewing process, the intricacies of internal mobility, and developing a system of internal mobility hires within senior and junior levels. Key Points From This Episode: Some background on Kate's journey to becoming the Chief People Officer at Wayfair. How Kate's moves through the company have each allowed her access and insight into all the facets of the business. Running the IPO process and what that taught her regarding competitive advantages. Talent allowing deeper understanding and high expectations of consistent support, all the way from the warehouse to the VP head of Storefront Engineering. "People principles" and how individuals show up to that work. These people principles being the guiding principles for cohesive planning that serves every member of the Wayfair team. Evergreen nature of the people principles, communicated across the board to allow for effective collaboration. Kate's favourite people principles including effective collaboration, respect others, assume integrity of your co-workers, build the best team (and the importance of equitable opportunities). OKRs include equitable opportunities and representation for underrepresented groups, encompassing internal and external recruitment at all levels. The wayfair jungle gym - talent opportunities interweaving career development (internal mobility) and talent acquisition recruiting. Different ways this is done according to seniority level. Complicated factors to consider regarding communication around changing roles internally. The importance of consistency with the people principles across all these processes, right from hiring to performance review to coaching. The different components in the Wayfair interviewing process. What to do if you aspire to wind up in people leadership at Wayfair. Tweetables: "It starts with how we define what it means to be a team member at Wayfair and that's through our people principles, which is how we characterized how we want people to show that work and how we hope and expect the people operate with each other." — [0:05:24] "Collaboration is core to our success, to work effectively you have to know how to work across multiple teams, get the alignment that you need and be transparent." — [0:07:30] "We have different hot jobs that we highlight each week so that people know what is out there and then provide examples of people that have been successful in internal mobility." — [0:15:27] "Helping to build other teams throughout Wayfair benefits Wayfair, and that means that you as a manager are great at developing talent." — [0:18:08] "You know, all employees, team members really want to know, "How do I perform at my best? What is expected of me?" — [0:22:04] Links Mentioned in Today's Episode: Talk Talent to Me Kate Gulliver on LinkedIn Wayfair