This week on TRF we welcome Irene Santos VP Global Talent Acquisition with TD Bank.

• A true testimony of internal mobility, Irene brings a depth of business acumen to reflect the incredible career path of being part of TD Bank. 

• Self described as a Recruiter at Heart, Irene shares the intrinsic rewards of her longevity and commitment to the profession.

• Using the tools at hand, Irene created and led the most innovative thinking we’ve ever heard of. 

• Credit goes to the cross pollination of her team and breaking the traditional mold of where TA works best. 

• Irene shares the game changer for TD Bank’s approach to candidate experience - just brilliant!

• The magic wand, Irene paints the picture of what a global TA executive dreams of!

This week on TRF we welcome Rachel Liem-Smith AVP Talent Acquisition with Canadian Western Bank

• By way of Moose Jaw SK and now in PEI, Rachel is the up & coming TA thought leader to watch!

• In a short 7.5 years and the 3rd person hired in the TA team, Rachel now takes the steering wheel of a nation wide team.

• An early adopter of TA technology and master of Employer Brand (check out their branding!) Rachel reminds us the banking industry has one of the best examples of technology in our every day lives.

• A unique team structure and philosophy, prepare to be inspired

• Rachel share which metrics really matter

A heart warming shout out to Rachel’s valued partnership with HVI and Leah Sobering.

TRF feat Yaz Dalal Chief Growth Officer with JOVEO

Yaz is based in London and has lived all over the world working for the worlds largest and most prestigious firm with all things TA. With his heart on his sleeve, he shares the reason he joined JOVEO 

• Breaking it down into logical and bite size nuggets, Yaz covers:

• Top 5 reasons to take a serious look at how you get your job ads out

• The industries who benefit the most from speed and quality

• How the are the guardrails are constructed to ensure the system does its best work

• Humans could never do or will never want to do what programmatic systems will do

This week on TRF we welcome Tim Morson Canadian Immigration Expert

• An amazing path brought Tim to the accidental career as an Immigration expert, His dedication and commitment to public service to joining the circus!

• Tim shares current trends in Canadian immigration and set the record straight on some common misinformation floating around on the internet

• Student work permits are a hot topic and the puppy mills from scammers who got into the International student game

• Skipping the line, the common practice of flagpoling has come to an end

• The 3 programs employers need to understand

• Impact of technology or lack of technology could be an intentional move

• If both the role of government and industry focused on the labour market, we could see a better future. 

This week on TRF:

• Tidal wave of flight cancellations when WestJet mechanics strike for 1 day, exposing our tender underbelly of having only 2 airlines to choose from in Canada. 

• Mardi-Gras with horses and cowboys, also known as the Calgary Stampede. The whole city dressed up in costume for 10 days leads to a spike in divorce rates and a baby boom. 

IN THE NEWS

• CareerBuilder & Monster mashed up into one. The once mighty rivals have now joined forces to what some call the Brangelina marriage of job boards. 

• UKG took a sword to their middle management and laid off over 2,000 people, the day before America’s favorite holiday, the 4th of July!

• Patagonia didn't seem like themselves when they asked 90 remote customer service employees to move closer to the office or leave. 

TIP OF THE WEEK

• Recruiting the right type of Leader for your organization means focusing on their future potential. Pro Tip: watch if their eyes light up when they talk about the success of someone else

RECRUITING INSIGHTS

• Ghost Jobs CBS news reports 40% of companies admit to posting fake jobs in 2023. Their logic is this somehow tricks current employees into thinking the business is growing. Sounds like a half-baked idea to us. 

• Interview tech like Pillar means the theory about gender difference during the interview process are no longer theory. What should be done with the information remains hotly debated between us. 

• Who’s winning in the AI boom?  Its the same companies who cashed in on the .com boom and Y2K.

In this episode of The Recruitment Flex, Shelley and Serge welcome back Terry Baker, the influential CEO of Daxtra

• Terry recounts his career path, including his significant role in the growth of PandoLogic and its transformation from RealMatch.

• We explain the shift to programmatic job advertising, the use of predictive analytics, and the competition with companies like Appcast and Rectuitics

• An overview of Daxtra's capabilities, including parsing resumes, semantic search, and recruiter automation.

• We discuss the rationale behind acquiring PivotCX and how it enhances Daxtra's offering by adding a human touch to candidate engagement.

• Insights into the different types of AI, the importance of data accuracy, and how TA leaders should evaluate AI tools.

• Terry shares valuable advice for entrepreneurs looking to scale their businesses, emphasizing the importance of strategic planning and metrics.

• Time to hire, cost of hire, and quality of hire are identified as crucial metrics for evaluating the effectiveness of talent acquisition processes.

• Daxtra's growth strategy, including expanding from the staffing marketplace to the enterprise market and enhancing internal mobility for clients.

This week on TRF we cover:

• Summer in Calgary was on June 26. Driving with the windows down & the music loud!

• Stupid stuff we have to suffer through. 

• Labour tensions continue for Canada’s 2nd largest airline, mechanics reject the 23% wage increase offer, strike and lockout by Westjet is throwing cold water on Canada Day long weekend travelers.

IN THE NEWS

• Which job types are taking a hit as we see Canada’s job vacancies drop. Along with better news is the job with the biggest wage gains. 

• US jobless claims from a 10 month highs as unemployment remains low at 4%

• Canada levels the playing field by axing an unfair practice for work permit renewals

TIP OF THE WEEK

• Just say no. Then explain why we don't leave jobs posted to see what’s out there or ‘test the waters’. 

RECRUITING INSIGHTS

• GenZ’s golden ticket to the world of work with employers who use skills-based hiring, they could hit a brick wall as HR just isnt ready for  it. 

• Ex-Nvidia recruiter Stefanie Fackrell shares her pet peeves about candidates who show up for interviews unprepared. 

• LinkedIn’s new AI tool answers the call to what recruiters just don't have the time to do - write a tailored message to each candidate.

This week we interview Recruitics CEO Adam Stafford in front of live audience at TATech. We cover a lot!

• Adam Stafford shares his diverse background, including roles as a product manager, restaurateur, and DOD supply chain specialist.

• Recruitics is known for pioneering programmatic job advertising.

• Launch of AI-powered conversational analytics tool Brion.

• Recruitics Brion helps non-technical users access recruitment data insights quickly.

• Discussion on the future of recruitment tech involving more AI and predictive analytics.

• The industry current challenges include fraud and the volume of AI-generated applicants.

• Emphasis on meeting candidates where they are and improving matching processes.

This week on TRF:

• Mastering the art of the 5 minute shower. Calgary is under a local state of emergency as the main water line is damaged. 

• It's the summer of discontent. WestJet Airline mechanics were poised to take strike action and disrupt the summer travel plans. Just weeks after Canada Border Services Agents narrowing avoided strike action. 

IN THE NEWS

• Apple Intelligence. Did they just appropriate the term AI? Serge breaks it down for us and gives us hope that Siri will be upgraded.

• Bullhorn acquires TextKernel and how the staffing industry will get smarter & even more efficient with this union. 

TIP OF THE WEEK

• Start now. Standardize your hiring process with consensus of who will be involved in the interviews before you introduce candidates. The benefits will improve everyone’s experience. 

RECRUITING INSIGHTS

• Beware the STAR method of interviewing. Studies prove it has a low predictive validity for job performance - like .32

• If 91% of employers use some form of social media to create awareness, where does TikTok fit in?  Tips on how to leverage this powerful platform, provided it doesnt get banned!

• 2 sides of the argument. AI will create jobs or will it reduce the workforce as we know it today. 

In this episode of The Recruitment Flex, Serge chats with Tiffany Bliley, Director of Talent Acquisition at EQ Bank. Tiffany shares her experiences at EQ Bank, a challenger bank in Canada, detailing how they differentiate themselves from traditional banks with their digital presence and innovative approach.

Key Highlights:

• The significance of networking and maintaining professional connections.

• An inside look at EQ Bank's operations and their unique culture as a digital-first, challenger bank.

• The impact of EQ Bank’s marketing strategies, including their notable Super Bowl commercial featuring Eugene and Dan Levy.

• The differences in running a talent acquisition team at a traditional bank versus a challenger bank.

• How EQ Bank’s talent acquisition team is structured and their integrated use of technology.

• Key talent acquisition metrics that matter to EQ Bank’s executives.

• Tiffany’s thoughts on automation in recruitment and the benefits of using tools like Lever and Rectext.

Connect with Tiffany Bliley:

• LinkedIn: Tiffany Bliley
• Explore career opportunities at EQ Bank: EQBank.ca

Stay Connected:

• Follow The Recruitment Flex on LinkedIn for updates on upcoming episodes.
• Visit our website: The Recruitment Flex for more insights and resources in the talent acquisition space.

This week on TRF:

• After a whirlwind travel schedule, our final stop at TA Tech turns out to be the best ever!

• Feeling smarter. The knowledge drops just kept coming for 2 full days. Ben Eubanks Chief Research Officer with Lighthouse Research & Advisory stole the show! The great topics and top notch speakers were on fire, our friends Richard Collins, Guru Sethupathy and Allyn Bailey blew us away. 

• A special surprise for Shelley that she didn't see coming!

IN THE NEWS

• Canada’s job numbers from May

• US jobs report from May

TIP OF THE WEEK

• AI wont fix your employer brand. Tips on what can.

RECRUITING INSIGHTS

• What’s going on with LinkedIN? Content providers are bummed out about their audience traffic or have they been chasing vanity metrics the whole time.

• 25% of GenZ bring mom or dad with them to the interview. This could be a click bait. We dig in to figure out what grain of truth could exist in this report. 

• More click bait or self serving research. You decide if Phenom has fudge the numbers to pump their own tires. 

This week we welcome the OG HR Famous Tim Sackett. Tim has come up with a great follow up book to the Talent Fix by releasing volume 2

After 5,000 blog posts, at what point do you just write a few books?  

With his latest book, Tim brings the wit and humour we all need after a long day in TA. 

Fun fact, he is one of the few people who can honestly say they were born to be in this profession.

Our favourite takes from his new book:

• Money fixes everything

• Hiring Managers are mad because they see us as HR

• Laughable metrics in TA

• Talent Streaming

• Referral to Interview ratio - aim for 90-100%  

The Talent Fix Volume 2 is out now!

This week on TRF:

• TATech success! Two full days of soaking up the knowledge of the TA industry’s top thought leaders. We will deep dive next week.

In The News

• Youth unemployment hits a frightful level in Toronto

• Closer to home, the Oil & Gas industry seems puzzled as to why new talent is avoiding them

• Women under 30 in the US have closed the gender pay gap

Tip of the Week

• Help recruiters help you. Adding a descriptive sentence of each company you’ve worked for helps give context to your experience. 

Recruiting Insights

• Last year, 36% of senior managers left their jobs because of mandated RTO policies, leaving a gaping hole in the succession plan.

• Jobs that pay over $250K a year don't come with remote or hybrid work options this year - last year it was 10% now its 4%.

• Plan for boomerang employees, let people leave for better experience and keep their seat warm as you keep the door open.

This week we welcome Lindsey Zuloaga, Chief Data Scientist at HireVue

• Transitioned from academia to industry, driven by frustrations with the hiring process.

• Developed and improved HireVue AI-driven video interview analysis, moving from facial analysis to focusing on language and context.

• Lindsey explains HireVue processes to ensure fairness and reduce bias in AI tools.

• Optimistic view of AI’s role in creating more job opportunities and better job matches by understanding skills comprehensively.

• Emphasized the need for continuous adaptation and agility in the workforce as technology advances.

• We discuss HireVue mention in the book "The Algorithm"

TRF for Friday May 31 2024

• TRF celebrates 4 years of podcasting

• Kids say the darndest things

• Thank god for Ring cameras

• TA Tech is June 4-6 

In The News

• CBSA voted in favor of striking, not the best time to travel

• Nvidia stock does a 10:1 split and Jensen Huang is now the world’s 17th richest person.

• Time to fill number are out

Tip of the week

Read Tim Sackett’s new book, The Talent Fix Volume 2. Just advertise the hell out of your jobs!  See page 145

Recruiting Insights

• Talent density is the hottest topic in TA. The 5 recommendations for hiring.

• Advising job seekers to game their resume and beat the ATS is the hair in our sandwich

• Special feature:  Masterclass in Programmatic Job Advertising. Hung Lee, host of Recruiting Brainfood Live On Air, breaks it down for us like we are 11 years old on what programmatic advertising is. The real star of the show is Yaz Dalal 

 This week on TRF we welcome Daniel Shalinsky CEO & CoFounder of Withe

• A Canadian tech startup who took a page from the online shopping world when retailers were struggling in the Covid lock downs. 

• Using virtual appointments to shop for clothes, the pivot over to on line job fairs was not much of a stretch. 

• Some big wins with high volume hiring, imagine doing 200 interviews in one hiring event. 

• Shout out to Taco-Fino as the birth place for business solutions. 

This week on TRF we cover:

• Shelley enters the exclusive club, 60 is the new 50!

• Countdown to TATech June 4-6 in Washington DC. 

In the News

• ChatGPT4o has some impressive upgrades. Check out the Tutor function

• ZipRecruiter has bad news and good news, earnings are down but free cash flow is healthy.

• The backlash was swift when Shopper’s Drug Mart posted a job ad looking for volunteers to stock shelves - unpaid! 

• SeekOut lays off 30% of its workforce to reduce costs after spending $2 to make $1. 

• HireEZ launches their Sourcing Hub as a one-stop-shop for Sourcers that will leverage job board partners.

Tip of the Week

• Your company career page is a window into your organization and its time to clean the windows. Its part of the candidate journey and pretty important to keep fresh.

Recruiting Insights

• Bias against Entrepreneurs; former business owners were 35% less likely to get an interview. 

• Dell takes a sharp turn from supporting work flexibility to color-coded rating based on your attendance under the veiled threat of getting on the lay off list. 

• Plus is GenZ responsible for return to office mandates

The SCOOP! Plum is launching Thrive & Flourish

Knowing that 68% of hard skills wont exist in the next few years, TA and Talent Management need tools to ensure their people are in the right job.

• Jason reveals what PLUM scientists have been hard at work on 

• PLUM Flourish the free assessment for job seekers will now offer career mapping

• For the ELT with vision to lead their company, PLUM Thrive introduces Culture Mapping

• To address the culture gap, Talent Management now has the technology to align hard skills and soft skills in just over 8 minutes!  

• 230% growth in 2 years - PLUM is the overnight success that took 12 years to build!

This week on TRF we cover:

• Coming to you from Silicon Valley where we were greeted by the CEO of Linked In, Ryan Roslansky.

• Serge killed it on the pickle ball court!

• Tune in May 24 at 2 pm ET as we discuss the agenda for TATech - the speakers and who is the ideal person to attend - hosted by our friend Stephen O'Donnell

IN THE NEWS

• Indeed lays off 1,000 staff

• Canada’s job number for April stay steady

• Foreign student fiasco with 800,000 business students when what we need is healthcare and trades 

TIP OF THE WEEK

• Creative thinking for recruiters that want to get off the merry-go round and find work in high demand career paths

RECRUITING INSIGHTS

• When and why is makes sense to Direct Source using an MSP

• Talent acquisition metrics that matter to the CFO

• Hung Lee knowledge drops the most profound explanation of the global talent shortage - our heads nearly explode!

Welcome to a special edition of The Recruitment Flex recorded live from the Unleash America conference. In this episode, we dive deep into the future of HR technology and talent management in 2 separate interviews Mike Ehrle and Angela Hood.

Join us as we explore their innovative approaches to onboarding, retention, and leveraging AI in the HR space.

Interview 1: Mike Ehrle, Click Boarding

Mike Ehrle returns to discuss the latest developments at Click Boarding, focusing on enhancing employee engagement from pre-boarding through retention. Mike shares insights into integrating new retention products, the benefits of partnering with Alight, and the challenges of selling standalone HR solutions in a saturated market.

Key Points:

• Click Boarding's Core Products: Transition from traditional onboarding to include cross-boarding, off-boarding, and retention solutions.
• New Retention Initiatives: Insights from their ongoing market traction and the need for embedded solutions rather than standalone products.
• Partnership with Alight: Discussion on the strategic alliance with Alight to streamline benefits enrollment and enhance the onboarding experience.
• Future Plans: Upcoming developments, including integration with Microsoft Teams, aiming to simplify corporate software ecosystems.

Interview 2: Angela Hood, This Way Global

Angela Hood, CEO of This Way Global, discusses her company's role at the forefront of AI implementation in HR tech, their approach to removing bias in recruitment processes, and the launch of the Sully Sandbox platform. Angela also reflects on her recognition in the business world and shares her vision for the future of HR technology.

Key Points:

• This Way Global's Mission: Leveraging AI to enhance fairness and efficiency in hiring across various sectors.
• Sully Sandbox: A new initiative to help businesses utilize AI and data effectively without needing in-house expertise.
• Partnership with IBM Watson: Ongoing collaboration and its impact on This Way Global’s operations and market reach.
• Personal Insights: Angela's reflections on her career, the impact of age in the professional world, and her recognition as a top female founder.