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 …

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,…

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 giv…

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 ag…

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…

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…

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 luck…

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 dr…

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 th…

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 t…

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 pro…

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 m…

I was delighted to hear two of my regular guests on Recruiting Future were writing a book together. “Talent Acquisition Excellence” by Kevin Wheeler and Bas Van De Haterd is now available, whether you get your books, and it is brilliant to welcome them both back to the podcast to talk about it. Kevin is the founder of The Future of Talent Institute…

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 591: Is AI Changing Jobseeker Behaviour? Ep 592: Understanding Skills Ep 593: The Career Forward Mindset Ep 594: Recruiting Dat…

It is almost four years since the first pandemic lockdowns, and even now, it doesn't seem long enough to get a proper perspective on how much the pandemic has changed things. It is already pretty clear that expectations of and attitudes to work have shifted considerably, with significant implications for recruiting and retention. My Guest this week…

These are turbulent times for talent acquisition, particularly for those teams operating in the technology sector. Despite the continuing demand for technology skills, layoffs are still happening, with many TA teams now considerably downsized from where they were a couple of years ago. Proving TA's strategic and monetary value has never been more c…

With the development and adoption of AI accelerating at an unprecedented pace, the demand for data scientists and data skills in general is snowballing. To recruit successfully in this competitive talent market, TA teams must understand the specific data skills their organisation needs and the intrinsic career motivations of the data professionals …

Work and jobs are changing, and the speed of change continues to accelerate. Whether you are in the fourth decade of your working life or looking for your first job, managing a career against this background of disruptive, often unpredictable change is a challenge for everyone. Things are also being made worse by continuing pay inequality and workp…

The shelf life of skills is getting ever shorter, which has significant implications for talent acquisition. It is essential that TA leaders take an active role in developing the overall skills strategy for their business. If employers want to be effective skills-based organizations, it is clear that talent acquisition, talent management, L&D and s…

Conversations about AI's impact on recruiting tend to focus entirely on the employer and recruiter viewpoint. However, it may well be that the most potent force of change for talent acquisition comes from AI-facilitated shifts in jobseeker behaviour. Employers are already seeing a rise in applications they suspect are being driven by AI tools that …

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 584: Talent-Centered Design Ep 585: Embracing Automation Ep 586: Removing Silos to Improve Hiring and Retention Ep 587: Getting…

The last few years have taught us that no one can predict the future. However, you can develop the insight necessary to make accurate forecasts with the right combination of trend analysis and strategic thinking. We are currently in a period of accelerated change in talent acquisition, and it is essential to understand the direction of travel even …

As the debates about the future of talent acquisition rumble on, it's important to focus intensely on the critical value effective hiring brings to the organization. Talent remains a key differentiator that drives competitive advantage for a company, and this will be even more true in the future. My guest this week is Simon Taylor, Head of Organiza…

Background checking is an area we've never really covered on the podcast. In the past, it has just felt like a necessary but very functional part of the hiring process. However, with the explosion in our digital footprints and the power of AI, that has now changed. So, how can background checks now help prevent workplace misconduct and improve the …

With so much focus on potentially AI-driven disruptive change and debate about the future, it is sometimes easy to forget that many employers are still struggling to develop and leverage their culture, and some still lack basic standardized processes for talent acquisition and other aspects of the people function. Looking at what is happening in st…

The ever-shortening shelf life of skills, fast-changing business priorities, ageing populations, and changing attitudes to work means that retaining the right talent is not only more difficult than ever, it is also likely to remain so for years to come. It's not surprising, then, that Talent Leaders are starting to think differently about the struc…

As I've said before, automation is inevitable in talent acquisition. Automation can bring essential efficiencies and a vastly improved and personalized experience for everyone when done correctly. The question shouldn't be, do we automate; instead, TA and HR leaders need to ask what we automate and how we do it. My guest this week is Brigette McInn…

There is a growing consensus that 2024 will see the start of some fundamental changes in Talent Acquisition. The adoption of Skills-based hiring and the rapid development of AI are the catalysts here, but to truly understand what is happening, we must take a step back and understand the forces driving this potential revolution. Work is changing fas…

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 573: The Power Of Employee Value Propositions Ep 579: The Value Of Employer Branding Ep 582: Employer Branding With Gen AI Ep 5…

It's been a brutal year for many in talent acquisition, with a lot of layoffs and a very tough job market, making it challenging to find other roles. This removal of certainty and stability has been mirrored in many different talent markets and looks like becoming the norm moving forward. Traditionally, switching careers and industries has been cha…

Most of the conversation around generative AI in 2023 has focused on its potential and future long-term strategic impact. However, many talent acquisition teams have been doing some hands-on experimentation with the tools to see what is achievable right now. My guests this week are Bryan Peereboom, Head of Recruitment at Wortell, and Friso Visser, …

Despite massive advances in technology and I/O psychology over the last 20 years, the recruiting process has stubbornly stuck with norms established nearly 100 years ago. There is a massive body of scientific evidence that debunks the effectiveness of resume-based screening. At the same time, narrow definitions of talent and inflexible thinking mak…

One of the things that I love about our industry is the sense of community. Wherever talent acquisition professionals gather, whether online or face-to-face, at industry events, there is always a strong emphasis on peer-to-peer learning and support. My guest this week is Krista Tan. Krista is a TA leader and the founder of Talent Collective, a non-…

Previously, In Episode 573, we explored the power of Employee Value Propositions; I want to follow up by having a similar conversation about employer branding. As companies re-invent their employee experience post-pandemic or look to rebuild their reputation post-layoffs, employer branding has never been more critical, particularly for employers re…

It does feel like 2024 could be the inflection point where we can push away the hype and start to see what impact AI is really going to have on talent acquisition. Continuing my end-of-year theme of trying to find the signal in all the noise around generative AI, I wanted to get the perspective of a TA technology innovation practitioner to help us …

Despite the recent increases in applications that some sectors are experiencing, there are still many talent markets with acute skills shortages where hiring is a considerable challenge. So, what long-term strategies are employers using to ensure they are recruiting effectively when talent is in short supply? My guest this week is Ellie Harte, Head…

It's been a year since Generative AI burst onto the scene and took over the entire TA conversation for 2023. Some of the predictions made back then about its immediate impact on the world of work were out there, even for something that clearly has so much disruptive potential. So, one year on, where have we got to? What are the genuine use cases, w…

One of the key themes from my conversations with TA practitioners on the podcast this year has been the importance of flexibility and agility. This isn't surprising, as we seem to be bouncing between panic mass hiring and panic mass layoffs faster than ever when it comes to in-house recruiting teams. This situation can't be sustainable! However, op…

The rapidly increasing speed of change in talent acquisition means the skills, strategy and types of thinking needed to build, retain and develop a successful TA function are also evolving quickly. So what does a high-performing TA function now look like, and what do TA leaders need to make sure they have in place? My guest this week is Melissa Gra…

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 564: Recruiting In AI Ep 565: Building A Strategic TA Function Ep 566: Skills, AI And The Future Of Hiring Ep 567: The Strategi…

Employer Value Propositions are potent tools that attract talent, retain talent, and shape the future of organizations. However, we don't talk about EVPS enough, and they are regularly confused with Employer Brands when they are discussed. So, what are the benefits of an effective EVP, and do you define one? My guest this week is Vicki Saunders, Fo…

AI is a game changer for talent acquisition, and as we start to move from the hype phase to the doing phase, its potential capabilities and current limitations are becoming more apparent. So what can and can't AI do for talent acquisition right now, and how will things develop in the future? My guest this week is Mona Khalil, Senior Manager Data Sc…

As we come to the end of another interesting year, I know that many of you will be looking towards 2024 and planning for the new year ahead. One of the best things about 2023 for me has been the opportunity to get back on stage and start presenting again. I've spoken at prominent industry events, including The HR Technology Conference in the US and…

The overhiring in the technology sector at the end of the pandemic, the resulting layoffs, and the knock-on effects on talent acquisition have been well-documented this year. However, big tech isn't the only area where this has happened. Other talent markets have also been through a similar journey. So how can employers hire more sustainably, and w…

Whenever I ask people questions about the future on the podcast, I always caveat the question by saying that no one can predict the future. However, you can develop tools, knowledge and techniques to give you strategic foresight to plan for the future. Once you start properly planning for the future, you actually begin to influence and shape what t…

Three and a half years on from the first pandemic lockdowns, the debate about returning to the office still rages on. However, despite all the noise this year, as some large well-known companies tried yet again to force their employees back to the office, many employers have embraced the reality of remote and hybrid and are working hard to adjust a…

The last 18 months have seen colossal talent market disruption in the tech industry, with large-scale layoffs continuing as the companies attempt to rebalance after a post-pandemic hiring frenzy. So how has this ongoing disruption affected start-up and scale-up businesses in the tech sector, and what lessons could the wider talent acquisition commu…

Transforming TA into a strategic function that can prove its long-term value to the business has been a critical topic on the show this year. AI, uneven talent markets and challenging economic factors continue to cause widespread market disruption, and TA leaders need to drive their function in a more strategic direction. As we race towards 2024, I…

The rapid development of AI and the increasing sophistication of skills-based hiring methodologies are two potent forces shaping the future of talent acquisition. So what kind of future can we look forward to, and will we see the increase in talent mobility and the decrease in bias that we need to make hiring more equitable and ensure employers hav…

Talent Acquisition is in a state of fast-accelerating disruption, and it has never been more critical for TA leaders to demonstrate the strategic value of their function. However, in the current volatile environment, many organisations are still struggling to get the essential elements of recruiting right. So what should TA teams be focusing on to …