Closing Talent in a Tough Market w/ Tonci Hockmann | Let's Table That

In this episode of Let’s Table That, Jazzy and Glaze sit down with Tonci, a seasoned recruiter who’s built teams across startups, scale-ups, and enterprise companies like Instacart, RBC, and now, Rootly.They break down what’s really happening in today’s tech talent market, from the rise of AI in hiring to why recruiting at scale is less about heroics and more about building repeatable processes. Tonci shares practical insights on closing candidates, scaling teams, and what actually separates great hiring from average hiring.You’ll hear:-What “recruiting at scale” really means-How AI is changing hiring (and what actually matters)-Culture fit vs. culture add-How to close top engineering talent-What’s shifting in the North American tech marketPlus, stay tuned for the Under the Table segment, where things get a little more honest (and a little more spicy).--Key Moments:0:00 – Intro & Meet TCI1:00 – TCI's Career Journey6:30 – AI Roles & Screening for AI Skills11:00 – What Recruiting at Scale Actually Means16:00 – Building a Recruiting Function from Scratch21:00 – Culture Add vs. Culture Fit27:00 – Shifts in the Tech Market33:00 – Closing Senior Engineering Candidates38:00 – Startup Comp vs. Big Tech48:00 – Rethinking Pedigree in Hiring51:30 – 🌶️ Under the Table-- Keep the conversation going: Follow Borderless AI on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/hireborderlessConnect with Tonci: linkedin.com/in/toncihockmannConnect with Glaze: linkedin.com/in/glazemartillano Connect with Jazzy: linkedin.com/in/jazmineparrisInterested in diving deeper? Check out our Media Lab: https://www.hireborderless.com/media-lab