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Hiring On All Cylinders

Hiring On All Cylinders

By Hiring On All Cylinders

Tune in with Talentful's founder and CEO Chris Abbass each month as he speaks with innovative talent acquisition and tech leaders. Get ready for some powerful conversations from Chris and his guests as they share insights on the recruitment industry, leadership, and successfully scaling businesses.
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Ep 23: How To Become A Strategic Talent Leader With Paddy Lambros

Hiring On All CylindersSep 12, 2023

00:00
31:22
Ep 23: How To Become A Strategic Talent Leader With Paddy Lambros

Ep 23: How To Become A Strategic Talent Leader With Paddy Lambros

The boom times are over. To succeed in a post-pandemic world, talent leaders must move beyond delivery and embrace a more strategic role. In this episode, Chris talks to Paddy Lambros, Talent Director at venture capital firm Atomico, to explore how in-house recruiters can earn their seat in the C-suite. Change is inevitable, argues Paddy, and it’s a sink-or-swim situation. But the best leaders can rise above turbulent waters by demonstrating adaptability, foresight, and a deep understanding of their organization’s goals. Paddy also talks through a strategic hiring process and shows how data-led insights and tactical planning can help manage stakeholder expectations. Finally, the conversation turns towards the future, as Chris and Paddy predict how AI could shape the talent space. Spoiler: its impact will be game-changing – but not in the way we might expect.

Sep 12, 202331:22
Ep 22: Building High-Performance Talent Capability in India with Jeremy Bushaw

Ep 22: Building High-Performance Talent Capability in India with Jeremy Bushaw

For many tech recruiters, India represents both a wellspring of capability and an uncharted territory. In this episode, Chris chats to Jeremy Bushaw, VP of Global Talent Acquisition at Informatica, to learn how he steered the data management firm through the fast-moving Indian recruitment market. Jeremy opens up about the challenges of hiring in an unfamiliar cultural environment and shares first-hand advice to help TA leaders stake their claim in a fiercely competitive space. The conversation also covers the importance of technology in global talent acquisition, as Jeremy explains how he harnessed AI and automation tools to increase reach, bolster DE&I initiatives, and cut time to fill by around 30%. It’s a jam-packed episode that will inspire anyone looking to tap into new territories and new talent.


Aug 24, 202325:27
Ep 21: Embracing Adaptability Quotient In Talent Acquisition with Carla McIntosh

Ep 21: Embracing Adaptability Quotient In Talent Acquisition with Carla McIntosh

In the latest episode of Hiring On All Cylinders, Talentful's CEO and co-founder, Chris Abbass, dives deep with Carla McIntosh, VP of Global Talent Acquisition and Contingent Workforce at Reddit, on the nuances of candidate assessment. Beyond the conventional parameters of IQ and EQ, they explore the significance of Adaptability Quotient “AQ”. Carla, drawing from her unique experiences, including her time in the Air Force, discusses the importance of adaptability in navigating challenges and ensuring success. As talent strategies evolve, so should our approach to recognizing and valuing adaptability.

Aug 14, 202327:21
Ep 20: The Importance Of Advanced Capacity Planning With Alex Marshall

Ep 20: The Importance Of Advanced Capacity Planning With Alex Marshall

In this episode, Talentful CEO and co-founder Chris Abbass dives into one of the most pressing challenges in talent acquisition - capacity planning. Joined by Alex Marshall, CEO at Taltrix, they discuss the impacts of the COVID-19 "boom and bust cycle", the surging demand for recruiters, and the turmoil faced by many TA teams in recent months. As an expert in advanced capacity planning, Alex shares insightful analysis of the various problems troubling the industry. Tune in to this episode to hear Alex's optimistic view on how organizations can use strategic planning to adapt and succeed in any business climate.

Aug 02, 202330:18
Ep 19: The Art of Executive Hiring with Katie Moriarty

Ep 19: The Art of Executive Hiring with Katie Moriarty

As a Talent Acquisition Director at a fast-growing software startup SevenRooms, Katie Moriarty has turned C-suite recruitment into an art form. In this episode, she joins Chris to explain how talent leaders can streamline executive-level hiring and deliver on everyone’s expectations – no matter the size of their organization. Drawing on her extensive TA leadership experience, Katie explores common challenges associated with high-level recruiting and shares practical advice on managing relationships, building trust with CEOs, and delivering engaging candidate experiences. What should TA leaders look for in an external search firm? When is the right time to implement an in-house executive search function? And how should startups approach that all-important first executive hire? Listen now to find out.


Jun 13, 202334:01
Ep 18: Talent Functions As Strategic Partners For Success with Ben Abear

Ep 18: Talent Functions As Strategic Partners For Success with Ben Abear

In this episode, Chris chats to Ben Abear, an experienced recruitment strategist, to explore how data-driven decision-making and strong leadership can transform a hiring function into an indispensable strategic value-add. Drawing from his experiences at Google and Meta, Ben shares tips to help talent leaders become more adaptable, boost their data fluency, and build end-to-end hiring processes that support long-term business goals. Next, the conversation turns to the value of talent mapping, as Ben recommends strategies to track career journeys, improve internal mobility, and predict and prepare for attrition. Finally, Chris and Ben look to the not-too-distant future and ask: has our age of big data and smart AI rendered the résumé obsolete?

May 29, 202329:58
Ep 17: Diversity Hiring As A Strategic Advantage with Arthur Woods

Ep 17: Diversity Hiring As A Strategic Advantage with Arthur Woods

Organizations know the value of hiring for diversity, but in our age of layoffs and post-pandemic flux, few are delivering. In this episode, Chris catches up with Arthur Woods, Partner at Plenty, executive search firm for venture-backed startups, to explore how talent leaders can spearhead change in an ever-changing world. They look at the challenge of unconscious bias in remote interviews, propose strategies to combat persistent pay inequities, and discuss how to sell diversity hiring as a strategic and ongoing process. Next, Arthur shares some quick wins to help companies overhaul their inclusive recruitment processes and measure success. As a bestselling author and DE&I expert, Arthur knows this subject like few others on Earth. If diversity is on the agenda in your organization, consider this a must-listen.

May 16, 202330:38
Ep 16: Mergers, Acquisitions and Internal Mobility with Lehua Stonebraker

Ep 16: Mergers, Acquisitions and Internal Mobility with Lehua Stonebraker

As SVP of People at SmartRecruiters, Lehua Stonebraker doesn’t just advocate for her organization’s products – she uses them every day. In this episode, she joins Chris to discuss how her team’s intimate knowledge of end-user experience has helped bolster product quality, generate sales leads, and improve internal mobility. Their conversation also covers the value of rotational programs, the state of remote work, and the role of effective talent leadership in navigating mergers and acquisitions. Reflecting on her experience at HR software firm Ceridian, Lehua shares actionable advice to help talent leaders add value and reduce friction during an M&A process.

May 04, 202328:05
Ep 15: Hacks For High-Growth Hiring With Chris Marty

Ep 15: Hacks For High-Growth Hiring With Chris Marty

Can startups use size to their advantage when recruiting for growth? In this episode, Chris Marty, Operating Partner at venture capital firm Unusual Ventures, explains how holistic hiring and shrewd planning can help early-stage companies compete in a crowded talent market. Chris starts with a whistle-stop tour of his résumé, from initial roles at Google and Dropbox to success stories with startups like Wealthfront and Fleetsmith. Drawing on these experiences, he shares a wealth of suggestions to help founders and recruiters hire the right people at the right pace. How can startups sell themselves without an established brand? What attributes should you look for in early-stage candidates? And when should growing companies start building an internal talent function? Get all the answers and more in this insightful episode of Hiring On All Cylinders.

Apr 20, 202331:43
Ep 14: TA Leadership In A Remote-First World With Elena Stefanopol

Ep 14: TA Leadership In A Remote-First World With Elena Stefanopol

In this episode, Chris is joined by Elena Stefanopol, Director of Recruiting at Labelbox, to discuss how Talent Acquisition leaders can thrive in a fully remote work environment. Elena takes us through her fast-paced career progression amid the COVID-19 pandemic and explains how she was able to adapt and embrace the opportunities of digital transformation. She stresses the importance of establishing clear goals, listening to feedback from team members, and keeping an open mind as we learn to collaborate and communicate in a remote-first world. Finally, Chris and Elena look ahead to the future of recruitment and reflect on the ever-evolving role of talent acquisition as a valued strategic business function. This episode is a must-listen for Talent Acquisition managers who need help navigating the complexities of post-pandemic hiring.


Visit Talentful.com/resources page for more.

Apr 06, 202329:55
Unscripted: Moving Fast To Avoid Catastrophe With Silicon Valley Bank

Unscripted: Moving Fast To Avoid Catastrophe With Silicon Valley Bank

In this episode of Unscripted, Talentful founders Chris and Phil discuss the unlikely situation they found themselves in, having to act fast to avoid company funds disappearing as Silicon Valley Bank imploded. It gives an insight into crisis management as a leader, whilst also covering Chris and Phil’s thoughts on what the news meant for the tech industry and the future of business.

Mar 28, 202336:41
Unscripted: The Remote Work Divide, Transferable Skills & Recession-Proof Hiring

Unscripted: The Remote Work Divide, Transferable Skills & Recession-Proof Hiring

Join Talentful co-founders Chris and Phil as they talk about the latest talent acquisition news and trends. In this Unscripted episode, our hosts discuss the growing divide between employer and employee expectations for remote work. Drawing from their own experiences, they reflect on the challenge of managing and onboarding remote staff and propose practical models for the future of hybrid working. They also look at ways to build robust internal TA teams and protect recruitment jobs in the face of recession, touching on the importance of hiring exceptional talent leaders and harnessing transferable skills among staff. Tune in now for another jam-packed episode of insight, analysis, and chat.

Mar 14, 202333:50
Ep 13: The Evolution of Talent Acquisition with David Moore

Ep 13: The Evolution of Talent Acquisition with David Moore

In this episode, Chris sits down with David Moore, VP of Talent Acquisition at Box, to explore how lessons from the past can help shape a more flexible future for talent acquisition. From the impact of emerging technologies like AI to the challenges faced by talent teams in the tech sector post-COVID, David draws on his experiences at Google, Apple, and Microsoft to unpick these unknowns and sheds light on what could be next for TA. Are downswings inevitable? Can we safeguard against them? And how can internal talent teams harness external support without compromising on quality? This episode is an inspiring listen for any TA professional who wants an expert view of the road ahead.

Mar 09, 202334:40
Unscripted: Bold Moves, Big Visions & Expanding Into New Territories

Unscripted: Bold Moves, Big Visions & Expanding Into New Territories

Join Talentful co-founders Phil and Chris as they dive into a wide range of topics for another Unscripted episode. Tune in to hear about the launch of their new global talent acquisition community, HIGHER, and the response they've received since acquiring DBR. They move on to discuss the differences between American and European business culture and mindset, touching on the importance of celebrating successes. Drawing from their own experiences, they end the episode sharing valuable lessons learned from expanding Talentful in the US and the importance of having a solid business mission and a long-term vision for your company that guides every decision when scaling globally.

Mar 02, 202340:04
Ep 12: Navigating Recruitment In A High-Growth Environment with Danny Karageorgis

Ep 12: Navigating Recruitment In A High-Growth Environment with Danny Karageorgis

How can fast-growing companies attract top talent at scale? In this episode, Chris Abbass chats to Danny Karageorgis, who has extensive experience as a recruiter and is currently the Head of Talent at OneStudyTeam. Danny shares his valuable insights and tips on fast-paced hiring, including optimizing the interview process, gaining support from senior stakeholders, and taking strategic risks. If you’re a recruiter with big ambitions or you’re currently building a world-class talent acquisition team to support your growth targets, then this episode is for you.

Visit www.talentful.com/resources for more information and resources.

Feb 23, 202334:06
Unscripted: Remote vs Office, Tech Salaries & Sustainable Growth
Feb 14, 202334:43
 Ep11: 2023 Talent Acquisition Predictions With Hung Lee

Ep11: 2023 Talent Acquisition Predictions With Hung Lee

In this episode, Chris catches up with Hung Lee, Curator at Recruiting Brainfood and the go-to voice in Talent in the UK. They reflect on the implications of a turbulent year for global businesses and politics and what ‘hostile deglobalisation’ means for recruitment, covering whether or not they feel mass layoffs in the tech sector were inevitable.

Looking ahead to 2023, Chris and Hung discuss predictions around AI and Chat GPT, the role of community building in talent acquisition and why ‘recruitment influencers’ could be a growing trend. Tune in to hear their reflections, predictions and advice to current TA leaders.

Visit www.talentful.com for more information and resources.

Feb 09, 202336:16
Unscripted: Layoffs, ChatGPT & Economic Volatility with Phil Blaydes and Chris Abbass

Unscripted: Layoffs, ChatGPT & Economic Volatility with Phil Blaydes and Chris Abbass

Join Talentful co-founders Chris Abbass and Phil Blaydes as they bring you the latest in talent acquisition news and trends for the Hiring On All Cylinders’ "Unscripted" episode. This week, they tackle the news of widespread tech layoffs and the influence of cutting-edge technology like ChatGPT on recruiting processes. With years of experience and a unique approach to hiring, Chris and Phil offer their expert insights on the challenges facing talent acquisition professionals today.

Jan 31, 202331:22
Ep 10: Soft Skills Are The Most Important Factor In Your Recruitment Career With Danielle Colanto
Jan 19, 202332:27
Ep 9: How To Make Immediate Impact As A Talent Acquisition Leader With Samantha Perlman
Jan 05, 202330:03
Ep 8: Building High-Performing Talent Teams Today with Kan Ta

Ep 8: Building High-Performing Talent Teams Today with Kan Ta

In this episode, Kan Ta, Talent Acquisition Leader at Robinhood, shares his thoughts on what makes a high performing talent acquisition team. He delves into his extensive experience, having been a Partner at his own recruitment company Binc Search (later acquired by Robinhood), to deliver thought-provoking advice on how to set your TA team up for success. Think high-volume hiring or filling the top of funnel with candidates is always the answer? Think again.

Dec 21, 202230:53
Ep 7: The Cornerstones Of Large-Scale Business Transformation with Garry Fielding

Ep 7: The Cornerstones Of Large-Scale Business Transformation with Garry Fielding

Without transformation, you can risk becoming irrelevant in today's fast-changing landscape, but what are the cornerstones of business transformation? In this week’s episode, Chris sits down with Garry Fielding, Private Equity Executive at Francisco Partners Consulting, a leading global investment firm that specialises in tech. They discuss the foundations of large-scale business transformation and chart Garry’s career from working as an assistant analyst at Deloitte to his transition into private equity. Curious about his advice to the world’s fastest-growing companies? Garry shares his expert insight on the most common challenges companies are facing right now, from retention to the importance of creating pipelines of talent. Tune in to learn more!

Dec 09, 202234:28
Ep 6: Developing An Efficient Talent Acquisition Engine In A Scale-up With Tony Le

Ep 6: Developing An Efficient Talent Acquisition Engine In A Scale-up With Tony Le

Recruiters are always trying to hire quickly and more efficiently, but what are the best practices to scale globally? In this week’s episode of Hiring on all Cylinders, Tony Le, Senior Director of Global Recruiting Operations and Enablement at Contentful, joins Chris to discuss developing an efficient talent acquisition engine within a scale-up. The conversation covers Tony’s journey at Contentful, the API-first composable content platform, and how he has prioritised operational excellence when setting Contentful’s talent acquisition team up for success. He talks us through the importance of partnering effectively with hiring managers. Wondering how talent acquisition should respond to global recruitment shifts? Tune in as Tony shares his advice on how to recruit strategically through turbulent times.

Visit www.talentful.com for more information and resources.

Nov 25, 202236:44
Ep 5: Talent Acquisition As A Flexible Partner With Shirin Parineh.

Ep 5: Talent Acquisition As A Flexible Partner With Shirin Parineh.

In this episode, Fastly’s Head of Global Talent Acquisition, Shirin Parineh, joins Chris to discuss the role of Talent Acquisition in sustainable growth. Their conversation covers what good leadership looks like, upskilling team members and how to be an effective partner to the wider business. Shirin also touches on Fastly’s growth through uncertain times and how a conservative approach to scale can pay off in the long term. This episode is a great listen for aspiring talent leaders who want to build an established career in the Talent Acquisition space.

Visit www.talentful.com for more information and resources.

Oct 14, 202232:08
Ep 4: Hiring The Right People For Your Company With Holly May

Ep 4: Hiring The Right People For Your Company With Holly May

When is it right to hire for potential? And when should you rely on experience and expertise? Holly May, Chief People Officer at Datavant, sits down with Chris to discuss how onboarding high-growth potential talent has helped increase the size of the company (by 10x) in four years. She covers the importance of defining culture at an early stage and argues that a lean team of top performers can easily outstrip a much larger team of mid-level performers when it comes to impact and value. Noting that there’s no singular approach to scale that suits all businesses, Holly shares tips on identifying what will work for your organization.

Visit www.talentful.com for more information and resources.

Sep 14, 202240:22
Ep 3: The Candidate Is The Real Customer With Kelly Cartwright

Ep 3: The Candidate Is The Real Customer With Kelly Cartwright

What can you learn from a breadth of experience across different roles and in different leadership positions? In this episode, Kelly Cartwright, VP of Global Talent Acquisition at Splunk, tells us how her wide-ranging experience has taught her the importance of data in TA leadership decision-making. She discusses how data can be used to drive real business impact through strategic headcount planning and argues that we should reframe who the real ‘customer’ is when thinking about team growth.

Visit www.talentful.com for more information and resources.

Sep 01, 202241:58
Ep 2: The Importance Of Storytelling In Talent Acquisition With Jocelyn Lai

Ep 2: The Importance Of Storytelling In Talent Acquisition With Jocelyn Lai

In times of great organizational transformation, storytelling can be a leader’s most powerful communication tool. In this episode, Jocelyn Lai, Global Head of Talent Acquisition at Duolingo, joins Chris to talk about the power of storytelling in talent acquisition to spark action and inspire people to join a mission. Jocelyn shares her own examples of storytelling when conveying expectations and explains how to set people up for success by communicating with passion and enthusiasm. Whether your business is experiencing a culture change, appointing a new leader, going through a team restructure, or about to hyper-scale, listen to this episode for top tips on communicating your message and being truly heard and engaged with.

Visit www.talentful.com for more information and resources.

Jul 25, 202236:07
Ep 1: Building Strong And Diverse Teams With Becky McCullough

Ep 1: Building Strong And Diverse Teams With Becky McCullough

Welcome to our first episode of the Hiring On All Cylinders podcast. Meet our first guest, Becky McCullough, VP of Global Recruiting at HubSpot, the #1 CRM platform for scaling businesses. Starting her career in Finance, Becky speaks about her move into the People and Talent space during a tenuous time in the market after the Great Recession in 2008. Becky discusses how to be a strong people leader and drive organizational change in small and bold ways during uncertain times. Tune into this episode to hear Becky's experience and tips on building strong talent teams, getting buy-in from senior leaders during times of change, and measuring success when scaling rapidly.

Visit www.talentful.com for more information and resources.

Jul 12, 202234:34