DiscoverRecruiting Future with Matt Alder
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Inclusive hiring is vital to building inclusive organizations, and the benefits of getting it right are considerable, both at a human and a business level. Recognizing bias, standardizing hiring manager behavior, and analyzing data are just some of the things employers need to consider to be more inclusive in their hiring.
My guest this week is Sarah Harnett, Senior Director of People Business Partners at Greenhouse Software. In our conversation, Sarah talks us through the steps that Greenhouse has taken to build an inclusive culture through inclusive hiring practices.
In the interview, we discuss:
What does it take to build a diverse workforce?
Understanding your employee's experience
Hiring as a starting point for building an inclusive culture
ERGs as a vehicle to empower people
Dealing with systemic bias
Inclusive hiring manager behaviors
Structured hiring processes
Connecting DE&I strategy to corporate strategy
The implications of AI on inclusive hiring
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The pace of change in recruiting technology continues to accelerate, and with it come opportunities to improve hiring outcomes, streamline operational efficiency, and make much-needed improvements to the candidate experience. When you add in increasing volumes of applications driven by candidate use of AI and the differing wants and needs of a new generation entering the workforce, it becomes evident that we are on the brink of a profound transformation in recruiting processes.
So, what are the most forward-thinking companies already doing? My guest this week is Hollie Powell, Recruitment Business Partner at EDF. EDF is reinventing its recruiting process for early careers and improving the candidate experience by carefully balancing technology and automation with high-quality human interaction.
In the interview, we discuss:
The early careers strategy at EDF
Increasing volumes of applications through candidate use of AI
How EDF is evolving its recruiting process
The enormous benefits of effective video interviewing
Speeding up the process to improve the candidate experience
Ensuring high quality human interaction during the process
Using an organization wide strengths-based framework
Keeping up with changing candidate wants and needs
Planning for the skills shortages of the future
Consumer brand versus employer brand
How will early careers evolve in the coming years?
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As I've said many times before, automation in recruiting and HR is inevitable. This means that every TA and HR leader should be thinking strategically about automation, its implications, and, most importantly, the value that it will add right now.
So what are the benefits of automation, and where and how should talent functions be automated?
My guest this week is Brandon Sammut, Chief People Officer at Zapier. Automation is in Zapiers corporate DNA, and they are successfully using it to drive their talent density strategy through automation in recruiting, onboarding, and skills development.
In the interview, we discuss:
What Talent Density means at Zapier and how they built it
Focusing on what is uniquely human
Being transparent about a remote-only employee experience
T shaped talent
Automated Onboarding
Using automation to solve hard problems and make things more personal at scale.
Experience design and empathy
Understand where to apply automation and where not to apply it.
Developing AI skills across the business
What will the future look like?
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It is becoming clear that job seekers' use of AI tools in the application process has profound implications for talent acquisition. Many employers report a significant increase in application volume, and there is a potential technology arms race as employers and job boards attempt to use AI to identify AI.
While this may help in the short term, it won't work in the long term, and is job seeker AI use even a bad thing?
My guest this week is expert job board consultant Alexander Chukovski. Alexander has been doing a deep dive into how job seekers use AI and its implications for recruiting. He has valuable insights about job seeker verification and its potential to create win-win situations for candidates, job boards, and employers.
In the interview, we discuss:
The implications of a new generation of AI-savvy job seekers
The different ways job seekers are using AI include
ATS integration
The drawbacks and risks for candidates using AI tools
A pointless tech "arms race."
Why is it difficult to spot the use of AI in CVs and applications?
How should the industry respond?
The rise of verification technology
What can be verified now and what might be possible in the future
The importance of job seekers owning their data
What does the future look like?
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Many aspects of how companies hire talent have been set in stone and unquestioned for decades. Even if Talent Acquisition wants to drive change, the power of accepted wisdom among hiring managers and the C-Suite is difficult to challenge. So what happens when the CEO of a business champions a completely different way of doing things?
My guest this week is Jeff Dewing, Group CEO at Cloudfm. Jeff's story is amazing, and his approach to business is encapsulated in the title of his book, "Doing The Opposite." When it comes to hiring, Jeff has challenged conventional wisdom around interviews and skills head-on with some spectacular results. I loved this conversation, and it is an absolute must-listen for everyone.
In the interview, we discuss:
Jeff's rollercoaster journey to get where he is today
Where everyone needs autonomy, mastery, and purpose
Why Cloudfm no longer use interviews in their hiring process and what they do instead of
Removing the risk in hiring
Achieving a 95% recruitment retention rate
Individual career plans and ups killing
Giving people autonomy about how and where they work.
The office as a creative, problem-solving collaboration space
The impact AI will have on the future.
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Round Up is the monthly show on The Recruiting Future Podcast channel that highlights episodes you may have missed and gives my take on some of the key learnings from the guests.
Episodes mentioned in this Round Up:
Ep 604: Building Talent Pipelines With Internships
Ep 605: Can AI Be Biased? Legal Implications for Hiring
Ep 606: Empowering Gen Z & Building A Social Brand
Ep 607: AI Powered Talent Acquisition
Ep 608: Transforming HR
Ep 609: Building A Neuro-Inclusive Hiring Process
Ep 610: Future Skills
Scottish Meet Ups
AI Whitepaper
Recruiting Future YouTube channel
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It's becoming evident that we are at a critical pivot point for talent acquisition. While the debates around AI are sucking up most of the attention, massive shifts are happening in terms of the shelf life of skills, ongoing challenges with skills acquisition, and upskilling people for a very different future world of work.
So, how should employers think about skills, and how can talent acquisition gain the future focus it needs to drive organizational value?
My guest this week is Lisa Monteith, Head of Talent Acquisition and onboarding for HSBC UK. In our wide-ranging conversation, we talk about the skills challenges facing organizations and the importance of taking a long-term view.
In the interview, we discuss:
Current talent acquisition challenges
Selling work as a product
The shortening lifespan of skills
Providing easy access to learning
Total talent thinking
Learning agility, curiosity, and other skills for the future
Failing education systems and disappearing entry-level jobs
Individual responsibility for learning
Neuroinclusion in the recruiting process and the danger of homogenization
How does talent acquisition need to re-invent itself for the future?
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A full transcript will appear here shortly.
Somewhere between 15% and 20% of the population is neurodivergent. The majority have yet to receive a formal diagnosis, and a significant number of those with a diagnosis choose not to share it publically. Over the last few years, we've seen a growing number of employers taking steps to be more neuro-inclusive, which is great to see. However, there is still a long way to go with recruiting, as most hiring processes contain significant barriers for neurodiverse people. There is also a danger that the move to AI-driven recruiting may make things worse if neuro-inclusion isn't proactively prioritized.
So, what steps can employers take to embed neuro-inclusion in their recruiting processes effectively?
My guest this week is Tania Martin, a neuro-inclusion consultant who was previously Head of EY's Neuro-Diverse Centre of Excellence in the UK and Ireland. In our conversation, Tania discusses the shortcomings of the traditional recruiting process and how we can rethink it to be better for everyone.
In the interview, we discuss:
Harnessing neurodiversity in the workforce
How EY's Neuro-Diverse Centre of Excellence was set up
Why can making recruiting processes more neuro-inclusive be good for everyone?
Accessing untapped pools of talent
Intimidating job specs
Assessment and spiky profiles
Helping people to show their best selves during the interview process
Educating hiring managers
The role of technology
What will neuro-inclusion look like for future generations in the workforce?
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Economic challenges, technology innovations, changing attitudes to how and where we work, and a new, very different generation entering the workplace. These are just some of the forces driving change across the whole of the people function.
In this second compilation episode of interviews I recorded at Transform earlier in the year, I speak to two of the most innovative HR Executives out there about the changing Talent landscape.
My first guest, Donald Knight, Chief People Officer at Greenhouse, shares his insights on the current challenges for CPOs, the importance of developing curiosity, and the need to eliminate the laggard approach that has categorized HR for so long.
My second conversation is with John Baldino, President of Humareso. This was the final interview I recorded at the conference, and we reflect on the event, our key learnings from it, and the future of HR in an AI-driven world.
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It's been nearly 18 months since ChatGPT launched and sparked a lively debate about the future of Talent Acquisition. While it's important to consider the long-term implications, a crucial part of building a strategy is embracing the potential of current technology through experimentation and skill development.
My guest this week is Andy Headworth, Deputy Director of Talent Acquisition at HMRC. Over the last few months, Andy's team has gone from lunchtime AI experimentation sessions to rolling out the platform they created across their organization. This has driven radical improvements to their hiring process, improving its quality while simultaneously saving many hours of hiring manager and recruiter time. Andy shares its impact, the lessons they have learned, and his advice for TA leaders on building strategies for an AI-driven future.
In the interview, we discuss:
The recruiting challenges at HMRC
Experimentation, learning, and being brave with your thinking
Understanding the problem you are trying to solve
Revolutionizing the hiring manager experience
Building platforms using publically available tools and data
Implications for TA and HR software vendors
The use of AI by candidates
Advice to TA leaders
What does the future look like?
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A full transcript will appear here shortly.
A few weeks ago, I spent a couple of days recording at the excellent Transform conference in Las Vegas, and this is the first of two episodes with a compilation of some of the conversations I had.
My first guest is Danielle Farage, a renowned Gen Z Futurist, Educator, and Community Builder. Danielle shares her perspective on why it's crucial to give Gen Z a voice and discusses the current employee experience for the newest generation in the workforce.
My second conversation is with Recruiter and Creator Joel Lalgee. Joel talks about his journey to reaching an incredible 600,000 followers across various social media platforms. He shares his insights on how recruiters and employers should use a combination of short-form video and face-to-face experiences to build an influential brand.
Topics we cover:
The disconnect between the C-Suite and early career talent
Including younger voices in the conversations defining the future of work
Advice on building the workforce of the future
Helping Gen Z develop their careers is an appropriate way for the times we live in
What will work look like in five years?
Producing high-quality content for TikTok and Instagram
Why TA is missing a massive opportunity
Being Omnichannel and building relationships and trust
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Talent Acquisition stands on the edge of revolution, with AI tools promising to make recruiting faster and more effective. But will it make hiring fairer? Recruiting and HR are already a key focus for governments as they develop legislation for AI, and employers are already at risk of breaking existing laws if they use AI tools that discriminate against protected groups of people.
My guest this week is Commissioner Keith Sonderling of the EEOC. In our conversation, we talk about the benefits and risks of using AI in hiring, what employers need to know to ensure compliance with existing laws, and the new regulations many countries will implement shortly.
In the interview, we discuss:
Background context of The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)
Bridging the gap between policy-making and HR practice
What advantages does AI bring to talent acquisition?
The potential for technology to make clearer, more transparent hiring decisions than humans
The dangers AI poses if incorrectly implemented
How AI is used in hiring already falls under existing employer equality legislation.
Who is liable, the employer or the AI vendor?
The EU AI Act and New York City Law 144
Are there common themes in new AI legislation being developed around the world?
Reskilling, upskilling and changing dynamics in the workforce
What does the future look like?
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Many employers regularly offer internships, but the role of these internships in long-term hiring strategies can be pretty tenuous. So what happens when a company puts internships at the centre of its hiring strategy and proactively leverages this to build long-term pipelines of valuable talent?
My guest this week is Leah Bourdon, Vice President of Talent at staffing and consulting firm ALKU. For several years, ALKU has made internships the heart of its resourcing strategy. In our conversation, Leah shares precisely how they do this and the considerable benefits and value it drives.
In the interview, we discuss:
The market for recruiting recruiters
Having a unique focus on entry-level talent
The employer brand of a career in recruiting
Training interns during the school year
Faster ramp-ups and higher retention rates
Talent spotting
How are the skills needed to be a recruiter changing
Training interns in the same way as full-time employees
How will recruiting change over the next five years
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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 597: Talent Acquisition Excellence
Ep 598: Building Exec Search In House
Ep 599: Data Sophistication
Ep 600: Did We Predict The Future?
Ep 601: Quiet Hiring
Ep 602: The Skills Mismatch In Hiring
Ep 603: Talent Lessons From Elite Sport
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Companies can learn a massive amount from elite sports in terms of spotting and nurturing the talent required to build highly effective teams. Having an adaptable, flexible, and self-aware mindset is critical in these disruptive times, and professional sports have coaching models that can help leaders develop this mindset in their teams.
I was lucky enough to speak to former England Cricket Captain Sir Andrew Strauss at the recent Transform conference in Las Vegas. After his playing career finished, Andrew ran elite cricket in the UK for four years. He is now the co-founder of Mindflick, a high-performance coaching business that uses psychology and technology to make the lessons from elite sports accessible to companies.
In the interview, we discuss:
What can elite sports teach business about leadership?
Learning how to be adaptable in dynamic environments
The importance of self-awareness
Understanding how teams react under pressure
What makes top talent
Understanding and accepting weaknesses
The role of technology
Getting buy-in and building an emotional connection with a group vision
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Skills-based hiring is a hot topic as many employers seek to better understand the skills they need in their businesses both now and in the future. With the shelf life of hard skills shortening by the day, companies need to bridge the gap between talent acquisition and talent management to ensure that they are hiring for the skills that actually drive value for the business.
My guest this week is Jason Putnam, CRO at Plum. Jason has tremendous experience in the industry and is continually talking to senior corporate leaders about their skills strategies. He has some interesting and unique insights to share, and this is a must-listen for everyone trying to make sense of skills-based hiring.
In the interview, we discuss:
The current market challenges
Are companies prioritizing talent management over talent acquisition?
How is the relationship between the talent management and talent acquisition function evolving?
The shortening shelf life of hard skills and the importance of soft skills
The mismatch between the skills employers hire for and the skills they actually value in their organizations
Skills and productivity
Are mapping skills within the organization necessary or even possible?
How job seekers' use of AI will change talent acquisition.
What does the future look like
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Skills shortages, shortening skills lifespans, digital transformation, the AI revolution, hiring freezes and layoffs. These are just some of the factors currently reshaping how companies think about talent. It's clear that this level of disruption is now the new normal rather than a short-term trend.
So, how do TA teams respond, and what role do they have in helping employers redefine their thinking about talent, skills, and hiring?
My guest this week is Rich Wilson, CEO and Co-Founder of Gigged.Ai. Before he became a founder, Rich had a successful career as a recruiter and spent time as a Gartner analyst specialising in digital transformation and the future of work. In our conversation, we discuss skills-focused strategies to reinvent hiring and the part TA teams have to play in this critical transformation.
In the interview, we discuss:
Skill shortages and layoffs
The shortening lifespan of skills
Switching from cap-ex to op-ex
Future of work trends
How AI is creating new workforce opportunities
Internal mobility, upskilling, reskilling and contingent hiring
New ways of getting skills into the business
Talent sharing and open innovation
How does TA need to think differently about talent?
What will the talent space look like in five years?
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I launched Recruiting Future nine years ago to attempt to understand the future of talent acquisition. Back then, social media was the biggest driver of change, and we were starting to realize how much new technologies would change the world.
Predicting the future is always risky; however, if you approach things correctly, you can spot the trends that will stick and get a sense of what is likely to happen.
I'm actually launching a short digital course next month to teach you some tools and techniques to do this. You can join the VIP waitlist for early access and a discount by going to mattalder.me/course
Back to the 600th episode. To celebrate this landmark, I invited my long-time collaborator and co-author, Mervyn Dinnen, to a studio in London to explore just how accurate some of the predictions we made in a whitepaper back in 2016 about the future of work were and to discuss what we think will happen over the next decade. There is also a video version of this podcast that you can find by following the link in the show notes.
In the interview, we discuss:
When I first told Mervyn I was launching Recruiting future
Tasks, not jobs, in a skills-based future
How the pandemic accelerated trends that were already there
Is "return to the office" HR's version of the culture wars
Why we thought recruiting would be "Tinderized."
The long-predicted demise of the resume
Talent Marketplaces
What does the next ten years look like
Total Talent Thinking
Where is the humanity in the AI-driven future of work?
What is going to happen over the next 12 months
Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube
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We live in a world of work where understanding, interpreting and telling stories with data has never been more critical. Although Talent Acquisition has become more data-centric in recent years, many TA functions rely on summary statistics that don't provide a sophisticated enough platform to use data to inform and influence their organizations properly.
So, what can TA leaders do to make their data strategies more effective?
My guest this week is Ben Porr, Chief Customer Officer at Harver. In our conversation, Ben offered some highly actionable advice TA leaders can follow to level up and tell compelling stories with data.
In the interview, we discuss:
Why data is so essential in TA
Answering questions with data rather than with opinions or assumptions
What organizations are missing out on if they only use summary statistics
What are the innovative organizations doing?
AI and automation
What are the most critical data sources?
Pivot table versus data visualization
Human in the loop
Using data to shift strategies
How AI will empower decision-making based on smaller sets of data
What will the future look like?
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Executive Search is often considered so specialized that it should always remain the preserve of Exec Search agencies. However, an ever-increasing number of large employers are now choosing to build in-house executive search functions. So what are the advantages of doing this, how do you do this, and what is the ongoing impact from tighter talent markets and innovations in technology
My guest this week is Katie Howard, Global Talent Acquisition Luxury and Lifestyle Lead at IHG. Katie made the switch from Search Agency to in-house just over a year ago and has been helping set IHG up for success in a highly competitive market for senior talent.
In the interview, we discuss:
The difference between agency and in-house
The current challenges in the senior talent market within luxury hospitality
How IHG differentiates itself
Approaching and engaging with global talent pools
Non-linear careers and talent mobility
Managing stakeholders in large matrix organizations
Making the candidate experience match the luxury guest experience
DE&I
Rethinking onboarding
Advice for anyone setting up an in-house function
The role of AI in executive hiring
What does the future look like?
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