Recruiting Future with Matt Alder - What's Next For Talent Acquisition, HR & Hiring?

This is a special cross-over episode with The Talent Savvy Podcast hosted by Bas van de Haterd and Marlies Farrill. It was a pleasure to join them for a conversation about the latest thinking in candidate experience, undoubtedly an evergreen topic in talent acquisition.If you've not listened to the Talent Savvy podcast before, I would highly recommend subscribing for a great mix of informed opinion and practical advice.In our conversation, we discuss:Why candidate experience isn't an object to fixAn automated personalized experience at scaleTechnology innovation and unchanging human natureDiffering attitudes to feedback in North America and EuropeDo we have the right tools to provide quality feedback?Consistent and regular communicationMotivation and targeted marketingExamples of employers who are getting things rightListen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts.

I've never known a more disruptive, uncertain and confusing time in talent acquisition. With so much complexity in the market, it can be challenging for TA talent to get a clear picture of what is happening outside of their own organisations.My guest this week is Sven Elbert, Senior Analyst at Fosway Group. Fosway is Europes leading HR industry analyst and has recently published its Talent Acquisition Realities 2022 report, a piece of research that looks at the key challenges, trends and forces TA teams are currently dealing with. This is a must listen for anyone wanting an independent view of what is going on in the market.In the interview, we discuss:Stand out findings from the research.The impacts of uncertainty on hiringQuality of hireWhat TA teams report they are most and least effective atHow is DE&I working in practice?Current market changesAvailability of skillsThe most in demand recruiting technologiesAre tech stacks currently fit for purpose?Conducting the candidate experience orchestraUpskilling recruitersListen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts.

Many employers are focusing hard on diversifying their talent pools at the moment. It has been encouraging to bring so many stories to the podcast about employers working to connect with historically marginalized groups and embracing more open approaches to hiring. However, diverse hiring is pointless without addressing equity and inclusion at a systemic level within organizations.My guests this week are Dr Tina Opie and Dr Beth Livingston, authors of the soon to be published book "Shared Sisterhood". Share Sisterhood embodies a practical methodology that gives employees a starting point with diversity, equity, and inclusion. It inspires employees to explore their personal assumptions, build connections and take collective action.In the interview, we discuss:Shared Sisterhood as a radically optimistic philosophyPower dominant and historically marginalized groupsAddressing equity at a systemic levelBuilding authentic connections with people who are different to youWhere to start with DE&IDig, Bridge and Collective ActionThe difference between equality and equityMetrics and accountabilityAlly versus Accomplise versus Co-ConspiratorListen to this podcast on Apple Podcast.

Effectively attracting, selecting and hiring people from underrepresented and marginalised groups is something that many employers aspire to. Unfortunately, only very few have the right strategies and resources in place to be set up for success. Having the right partners to work with is critical if companies are to truly understand the needs of the communities they want to work with.My guest this week is Roy Baladi, Founder of Jobs for Humanity. Jobs for Humanity works to connect historically underrepresented talent to welcoming employers via training and technology, and Roy has some extremely valuable insights to share. In the interview, we discuss:What is Jobs For Humanity?Advantages of hiring diverse talentDiversifying the TA funnelDesigning a fair hiring processChallenging personal biasOnboarding, inclusivity and safe spacesMaking simple accommodationsRecruiting refugeesBrain diversityWhy DE&I is still at the early adopter stage with employersIntention and actionListen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts.

Round up is the monthly show on The Recruiting Future Podcast channel that highlights episodes you may have missed and gives you my take on some of the key learnings from the guests.Episodes mentioned in this Round Up:Ep 450: Attracting and Retaining AI TalentEp 451: Building Communities Of TalentEp 452: Assessment Innovation 2022Ep 453: Onboarding EvolvedEp 454: Effective Employer Branding StrategiesEp 455: Talent RediscoveryEp 456: Soft SkillsEp 457: Employability and Social MobilityListen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts

After almost three years of constant disruption, the talent market still shows no signs of normalization. Even with rising inflation and layoffs in some parts of the economy, US and UK job openings remain at record highs.So what are the implications for employers recruiting in times of economic instability and a cost of living crisis? How do TA teams need to think, and what are the most successful employers doing to hire and retain the talent they need?My guest this week is Jon Wilson, CEO of Totaljobs, which is part of the Stepstone Group, one of the largest online recruitment companies in the world. This means Jon has access to a vast amount of data and insights into the current hiring market and has some valuable advice to share.In the interview, we discuss:The current state of the marketHigh job openings and fewer job seekersThe impact of high inflationHow demographic factors are driving scarcityWhy the great resignation will to continueIncreasing mobility in the workforceFlexbility and upskillingWhat are the most successful employers doing?Forecasts for the next six to twelve monthsListen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts.

Some of my favourite discussions on this show have been with employers driving diversity, equity, and inclusion, not just because it is the right thing to do but because they are using their DE&I strategies to solve specific business challenges.My guest this week is Graham Briggs, Head of Apprenticeships & Employability Programmes at Greene King, the UK's largest pub retailer and brewer. The hospitality sector has had an extremely challenging few years. Greene King has been running some incredible programmes to reach diverse talent pools and deliver positive outcomes for their business and the communities they work with. In the interview, we discuss:The recruiting challenges in hospitalityChallenging perceptions about career developmentEmployability and social mobilityCommunities and valuesUntapping potentialThe importance of C-Suite supportPartnering with external organisations to reach out to new pools of talentDelivering positive outcomes for young peopleBuilding confidence and focusing on wellbeingWorking with prison leaversSupport, development and retentionBusiness outcomes and resultsWorking with other employers to lobby governmentAdvice to TA leaders looking to build similar programmesPlans for the futureListen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts.

Work and jobs are changing, and the way companies select and hire people needs to keep up with this pace of change. We've always talked a lot about soft skills in talent acquisition, but what are they in the context of modern work, why are they important, and how can they be assessed?My guest this week is Dr Alan Redman, Head of Science and Technology at Clevry. Alan is an expert in the definition, assessment and impact of soft skills and has some very valuable insights to share.In the interview, we discuss:Perspectives on the market and changing world of workUnderstanding what employees want from workWhat are soft skills in the context of modern work, and why are they important?Adapting to changeHow soft skills hiring can solve recruiting challengesSkills portability and job designBeing a soft skills focused organisationHow to assess and measure soft skillsThe future impact of AI on skills and decision makingListen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts.

Reaching out to past applicants about new roles has always been a challenge in talent acquisition. Poor technology, tight timescales and inflexible processes have often limited the effectiveness of talent rediscovery. However, AI is now starting to drive some change, and talent rediscovery is becoming an ever more effective strategy.My guest this week is Mike Watson, Head of Customer Advocacy at Eightfold. Before he joined Eightfold, Mike was a long-time Head of Talent Acquisition, and, in our conversation, he shares his unique insights into the benefits and practical results of AI-driven talent rediscovery.In the interview, we discuss:The current state of the market and the effect on talent acquisition teamsThe threat of losing recruiter intellectual property Warm passive talent versus cold passive talentWhat the ATS can't deliverDriving ROI but reducing time to hireTalent intelligenceCommunication strategies and best practicesWhich employers are doing talent rediscovery wellWhere is the technology taking us next?Listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts.

To say that the talent acquisition market in the tech sector is complex and fast-changing at the moment would perhaps be a bit of an understatement. So how are big tech companies developing employer branding strategies that help them solve their shifting challenges, and what lessons can employers in other sectors learn from them?My guest this week is Ashlee Gerow, Senior Manager, Employer Branding at Hubspot. I've always been a massive fan of Hubspot's sophisticated and innovative approach to talent acquisition and employer branding. Ashley is very open about their recruitment challenges and how a dynamic approach to employer branding is being used to address them.In the interview, we discuss:The current tech hiring market How employer branding is being used to solve recruiting challenges at HubspotDeveloping a highly targeted strategyCutting through the noiseAdvanced persona workIs who you are externally authentic to who you are internallyUnderstanding where you are not converting and adapting accordinglyHow the pandemic changed Hubspot's approachWorking with cross-functional teams and being deeply connected across the businessMaking sure the EVP is consistent throughout the entire candidate journeyUsing employee's stories to show, not tellEmployer Branding as a constant marketing machineThe role of data and technologyMoving quickly to adapt, sprint and changeThe future of employer brandingListen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts.