Offer Accepted

Candidate experience is one of the few levers you can fully control in hiring.Greg Marsh, Head of Recruiting at Sierra, joins Shannon to share how his team scaled from 25 to 600 employees while building a candidate experience that consistently stands out. He explains how Sierra approaches candidate obsession, why small moments like personalization matter more than big gestures, and how recruiting becomes a true partner to the business during rapid growth.Greg walks through how his team operationalizes these ideas with simple systems, measures impact through candidate feedback, and builds a culture where every interviewer owns the experience. He also shares how AI fits into recruiting today and where human connection still makes the difference.Key takeaways:Candidate experience wins offers: A strong, consistent experience can outperform higher compensation offers.Small details scale impact: Simple personalization creates meaningful candidate connections at scale.Recruiting is a team sport: Interviewers and hiring managers shape the experience as much as recruiters.Invest early in recruiting: Companies that prioritize recruiting early move faster and hire better.Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction(00:15) Meet Greg Marsh(02:18) Why candidate experience matters in a competitive market(04:00) Applying hospitality principles to recruiting(05:30) Personalization through small candidate moments(08:00) Balancing intensity and family in company culture(12:30) Scaling candidate experience with simple systems(16:30) Measuring candidate experience and NPS(18:30) Why great candidates become your best referral source(20:45) Adapting candidate experience across global teams(22:43) Where to connect with Greg

Skills-based hiring only works when teams can consistently define, assess, and develop the right skills.Alessandra Pegnim, Head of Global Talent Acquisition at Udemy, joins Shannon to share how her team built a more practical approach to skills-based hiring. She explains how Udemy validates skills with managers, identifies patterns of top performers, and uses structured interviews to make hiring decisions more predictive.Alessandra also discusses how this work extends beyond hiring. She walks through training interviewers with AI role-play, widens the talent pool beyond traditional backgrounds, and uses onboarding to close skill gaps early so new hires can ramp faster.Key takeaways:Start with top performers: Analyze what your best employees do differently and build hiring criteria from those patterns.Validate skills with data: Combine internal insights with external benchmarks to confirm what actually predicts success.Train for consistency: Use rubrics and practice sessions, so interviewers know what strong answers sound like.Hire for mobility: Track skills beyond hiring to unlock internal moves and reduce the need for external hiring.Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction(00:54) Meet Alessandra Pegnim(02:25) Why skills-based hiring matters right now(04:04) What skills-based hiring actually looks like(04:58) Building job descriptions around validated skills(05:57) Three steps for skills-based hiring(07:57) How to validate skills for hiring(09:48) Turning skills into structured interview rubrics(12:21) Training interviewers with AI role play(16:33) Widening the talent pool through skills-first hiring(18:19) How skills visibility supports internal mobility(19:54) Adding AI proficiency to hiring criteria(21:31) Using onboarding to close skill gaps faster(22:32) Where to connect with Alessandra

Equity can be the difference between losing your best candidates and closing them.Hannah Spellmeyer, Chief People Officer at Slingshot Aerospace, joins Shannon to break down how recruiters can confidently sell equity and compete with larger companies. She shares what most teams get wrong, the key numbers every recruiter should know, and how to position equity based on what candidates actually care about.Hannah walks through how to make equity tangible, from explaining intrinsic value to using real market signals, such as secondary offers. She also explains how to enable teams with simple tools and stories so recruiters can speak with clarity and build trust in every offer conversation. Key takeaways:Know the core numbers: Understand strike price, preferred price, and intrinsic value before every offer conversation.Lead with candidate motives: Tailor equity positioning based on whether a candidate values upside or stability.Make equity tangible: Use calculators and real examples to turn abstract value into something candidates can grasp.Practice builds confidence: Role play and shared examples help recruiters speak clearly without overpromising.Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction(00:52) Meet Hannah Spellmeyer(01:39) Why recruiting teams need to get good at selling equity(04:55) The key inputs recruiters must know to close(06:49) When to share equity details with candidates(08:58) Handling “equity is fake money” objections(11:49) How secondary markets create early liquidity(13:22) Using equity calculators to enable teams(17:52) What great equity selling unlocks for hiring teams(21:09) Advice for recruiters(23:10) Where to connect with Hannah

Hiring is changing quickly as AI tools reshape how teams build products and how companies evaluate talent.Jonathan Durnford-Smith, Head of Talent at Synthesia, joins Shannon to discuss why recruiting teams must become more agile and strategic. He shares lessons from scaling talent functions at high-growth companies and explains how AI tooling is shifting what great engineers look like today. Instead of focusing only on coding execution, his team now prioritizes product sense, customer empathy, and strong problem definition.Jonathan explains how Synthesia redesigned its engineering interview process, resulting in a hiring approach that adapts more quickly while maintaining a high bar for talent.Key takeaways:Redefine engineering excellence: Evaluate engineers on product thinking and customer empathy, not only coding execution.Encourage AI collaboration: Allow candidates to use AI coding tools during interviews to better reflect real work environments.Define roles before hiring: Spend time clarifying the real problem the role must solve before sourcing candidates.Challenge hiring assumptions: Talent teams should question role definitions and push back when something feels misaligned.Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction(00:48) Meet Jonathan Durnford-Smith(01:48) Why agility matters in recruiting during the AI era(05:03) How AI is changing engineering hiring(06:00) Why product sense matters more than coding execution(07:24) Redesigning engineering interviews around real business problems(09:14) Why engineers must be comfortable using AI tools(11:36) The signal great engineers show early in interviews(13:52) The culture principle that enables agility(16:30) Aligning hiring with company strategy and leadership bets(17:29) Why recruiters must push back on hiring decisions(20:25) Why hiring processes should be revisited every six months(24:29) Where to connect with Jonathan

Great hiring outcomes start with great interviewers.Vanessa Paladini, Global Talent Acquisition Director at Nubank, joins Shannon to share how the world’s largest digital bank outside of Asia raised its hiring bar without slowing down growth. She walks through Nubank’s four workstreams, including structured assessments, technical bar raisers, and a data-backed interviewer scorecard.Vanessa broke down how her team measured interviewer assertiveness, linked decisions to 90-day ramp and 12-month performance, and reduced the interviewer pool to improve their skills. Key takeaways:Data builds credibility: Linking interview feedback to long-term performance helps TA influence the business.Use AI thoughtfully: Evaluate how candidates use AI tools during exercises instead of prohibiting them.Measure assertiveness: Track interviewer decisions against ramp time, retention, and performance data.Hiring is collective: Moving accountability beyond recruiters creates stronger business partnership.Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction(01:03) Meet Vanessa Paladini(01:40)   Three pillars of Nubank's Hiring Talent bar(03:15) Four workstreams to raise the talent bar(06:15)  Why companies should invest more on interviewer quality(08:19) Building and measuring interviewer scorecards(11:19) Defining the traits of a good interviewer(14:40)  Who has access to the Scorecards?(17:30)  Additional learnings from the Scorecard program(20:53)  How the Scorecard data is expected to impact conversions(23:44) Where to connect with Vanessa

Offer acceptance rate is the clearest signal of whether your recruiting engine is actually working.Jordan Trott, Talent Lead at Taptap Send, joins Shannon to break down how his team maintains a 93% offer acceptance rate across global hiring. He explains why this metric reflects everything from role clarity to candidate experience, and where most teams lose candidates long before the offer stage.Jordan shares the four practices that changed outcomes for his team, including tighter candidate profiles, culture-first interviewing, rigorous benchmarking, and a partner mindset with candidates. Key takeaways:Clarify both sides of fit: Define not only who you want, but who will genuinely want your job.Interview for values first: Design intentional questions that test cultural alignment.Hunt for bad news early: Actively surface concerns and misalignment before the offer stage.Own the talent bar: Build credibility by pushing back on unrealistic expectations and misaligned budgets.Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction(01:44) Meet Jordan Trott(02:12) Why offer acceptance rate is a high-signal recruiting metric(03:44) The four levers behind a 93% offer acceptance rate(04:54) Building a candidate profile that answers “do they want this job”(07:59) Interviewing for culture over content and why it changes the sell(10:49) Benchmarking compensation at three moments in the hiring cycle(12:31) The pre-close conversation that prevents late-stage surprises(15:08) Treating candidate experience like a partnership, not a transaction(20:03) Hunting for bad news early and using an “anti-sell” to build trust(23:23) How this approach improves retention and reduces churn(26:09) Where to connect with Jordan

Recruiting teams often track hiring metrics but forget to ask the team how it feels to do the work.Will Ducey, Head of Recruiting Operations at Ashby, joins Shannon Ogborn to talk about how internal recruiter surveys create a feedback loop that leads to better tools and processes. Throughout the conversation, Will explains the balance between quantitative and qualitative feedback, sharing real-world examples from Ashby on how they’ve implemented surveys to gauge recruiter satisfaction.He also addresses how small wins, like reducing administrative burdens, can have a huge impact on overall efficiency. Whether you’re a recruiting leader looking to implement your first survey or aiming to refine your current process, this episode offers valuable insights into how recruiters can lead to actionable change and, ultimately, create a more effective and happy recruiting team.Key takeaways:Survey consistency builds trust: Quarterly cadence shows that feedback leads to real changeSmall wins compound: Simple fixes often reduce friction the fastestSentiment data guides priorities: Low survey scores highlight where RecOps should focus nextCollaboration is a solution: Engaging team members in fixing the pain points creates better outcomesTimestamps: (00:00) Introduction(00:43) Meet Will Ducey(02:18) Why traditional metrics don’t reflect recruiter experience(03:13) What makes recruiter surveys so valuable in RecOps(04:14) How Ashby runs quarterly recruiter surveys(06:32) Structuring the survey for actionable feedback(08:44) Understanding time-use with a 1–4 scale(10:37) Why acting on survey data matters more than collecting it(11:59) How Will identifies small process wins(13:22) Organizing teams for long-term improvements(14:15) Building trust and consistency through surveys(16:26) The NPS score that led to a full ATS transformation(19:10) Comparing tools using internal data(20:07) Helping recruiters become more confident with data(21:19) Why alerts are Will’s favorite Ashby feature(23:57) Where to connect with Will

Clarity is the foundation of any effective internal mobility program.Angie Peterson, Talent Operations & Programs Manager at Coursera, joins Shannon to break down how her team turned employee feedback into a durable system for internal career growth. After survey data showed employees didn’t understand how to move internally, Angie partnered with L&D to diagnose the real blockers, conduct listening circles, and reframe internal mobility as a company-wide operating model.She walks through how Coursera moved from one-off efforts to a shared language, accessible tools, and a structure that centers employee agency. Because of this, a scalable system was made that gives people confidence to navigate their careers, and gives the business better retention and planning.Key takeaways:Clarity changes behavior: Most internal mobility issues are due to confusion, not lack of opportunity.Start with shared language: Defining terms company-wide is a low-lift, high-impact first step.Use what you have: Coursera kept 70% of its existing materials but packaged them better.Make internal hiring feel human: Candidate experience doesn’t end after someone joins the company, it only starts there.Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction(00:43) Meet Angie Peterson(02:13) Why internal mobility is often underutilized(03:53) What Coursera learned from its employee engagement survey(06:52) How listening circles revealed the real blockers(10:28) Why internal mobility is an operating model, not a perk(13:42) What Coursera kept, repackaged, and rebuilt from their existing program(15:18) Launching the internal mobility hub and resources(17:50) The unexpected value of a career chatbot(19:58) Addressing mentorship without building a full program(21:16) How Coursera enabled hiring managers and recruiters(24:28) Measuring early signals of program impact(28:01) Making internal mobility a durable business system(30:13) Where to connect with Angie

Many teams want a better candidate experience, yet few build one that reflects the real work and the real product behind it.Tianna Johnson, founder of People Culture Talent and former talent leader at Notion, Lyft, and GitHub, joins Shannon to share how product-infused hiring creates clarity, excitement, and trust for every candidate. She explains how she introduced product touchpoints at each company, from Notion-built takeaways to real-world Lyft problem-solving to GitHub challenges that sparked early community buzz.She walks through the results she has seen across teams, including more substantial alignment, deeper conversations in the final stages, higher acceptance rates, and long-term retention for new hires who know the work they are joining.Key takeaways:Define your north star: Clear guidance on what you want to be known for shapes every hiring decision and keeps teams aligned.Solving real work problems in interviews: Problem-based prompts drawn from actual product challenges reveal creativity, judgment, and long-term fit.Create advocates through experience: Even rejected candidates can become supporters when the process feels human, transparent, and connected to the product.Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction(00:43) Meet Tianna Johnson(02:38) Why product touch points matter in hiring(03:57) Defining your north star for talent decisions(05:00) Mapping the candidate journey for product moments(06:14) How Notion used product-led takeaways(06:26) How GitHub created a challenge to spark interest(10:40) How Lyft built interviews around real product problems(13:52) Turning unsolved challenges into strong conversations(16:04) How product-infused hiring shaped brand advocacy(18:11) How deeper final-stage dialogue improved acceptance(20:34) Why interviewer energy influences candidate trust(21:15) The candidate questions that reveal authentic culture(22:06) Where to connect with Tianna

2025 was a year of real change, not just in tools or trends, but in how recruiting teams showed up.In this special recap episode, host Shannon Ogborn looks back on the conversations that defined Offer Accepted this year. The common thread among the highest-impact teams across all episodes was not the pursuit of the next big thing, but a clarity on fundamental priorities. They achieved success by embracing structure, maintaining transparency with candidates, collaborating closely with the business, and always prioritizing the human element in the hiring process.This is a thank you to every guest who shared their time, a reflection on what this community has made possible, and a reminder that, even with all the change, the heart of recruiting hasn’t changed.Learn more about Ashby, the all-in-one recruiting platform powering Offer Accepted.Timestamps:(00:00) Introduction(01:06) Trend 1: AI Won’t Replace Recruiters, But Recruiters Who Can’t Use AI Will Fall Behind(03:18) Trend 2: The Power of Structured Hiring(04:49) Trend 3: Candidate Experience as a Trust-Building Engine(05:51) Trend 4: Authenticity, Transparency, and Brand Storytelling That’s Real(07:44) Trend 5: Talent’s Strategic Seat at the Table Through Influence(09:50) Trend 6: Data Fluency as a Skillset (12:01) Trend 7: Humanity In Talent(13:38) Closing Reflections for 2025

How do you keep hiring quality high while the company scales globally at speed? In this episode, Shannon sits down with Maggie Landers, VP Talent at Harvey, to walk through the values interview program that keeps a fast-growing AI company aligned. Maggie shares how Harvey turned three simple values, simplicity, decisiveness, and “Job’s Not Finished”, into a global, standardized interview that any people manager can run without adding friction to the process. Discover how her team leveraged tools like ChatGPT and Ashby to accelerate the design of interview questions, scoring rubrics, and enablement from months to mere weeks. Crucially, this efficiency was achieved while prioritizing human judgment, active listening, and an excellent candidate experience.Whether your team is hiring dozens or hundreds of roles, this conversation will help you simplify your values work, prove its impact, and scale it across regions and functions.Key takeaways:Simple values guide hiring: Focusing interviews on a few clear values improves cultural alignment without adding complexity.Train managers as interviewers: Empowering all people managers to conduct values interviews ensures culture ownership and scalable hiring across all teams and regions.Iterative Improvement: Ship, Learn, Refine. Treat values interviews as an evolving product. Quickly update interview questions and rubrics using AI, informed by focused group feedback.Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction(00:24) Meet Maggie Landers(02:08) Why Harvey scaled values interviews for quality(04:39) Turning three simple values into a global hiring lens(07:47) Building scoring rubrics that interviewers actually use(10:29) Designing a low-risk pilot for values interviews(13:33) Getting exec and board support for experimentation(17:35) Standardization, simplicity, and training people leaders at scale(22:59) Using AI to maintain values programs without burning out(27:10) Why great interviewers are listeners, not checkbox operators(30:00) Where to connect with Maggie

Cultural context can make or break your ability to close top talent across regions.Alexandre Corbin, Head of Talent Acquisition at Tabby, joins Shannon Ogborn to share how his team adapted recruiting strategies to local norms while scaling one of the Middle East’s fastest-growing fintech companies. From launching operations in Egypt to navigating hiring compliance in Saudi Arabia, he explains what changes when you hire with cultural awareness.Alexandre shares how hiring local recruiters, shifting communication styles, and focusing on face-to-face interaction improved pass-through rates and candidate experience in high-volume markets. By combining context-aware data with empathy, his team rebuilt trust and engagement across three regions.Key takeaways:Local context changes candidate behavior: Small missteps can derail high-volume hiring in new regionsTrust begins with proximity: In-person recruiting shifts perceptions faster than online touchpointsData reveals gaps, not reasons: You need cultural fluency to understand what metrics missTimestamps: (00:00) Introduction(00:33) Meet Alexandre Corbin(01:46) How culture shapes every part of hiring(04:12) Why Tabby hired local recruiters early(07:58) Understanding employer reputation in the market(08:53) Rebuilding trust and employer brand in new markets(11:27) What changes and what stays the same(13:47) Adapting interviews for cultural expectations(16:44) Using cNPS scores to shape strategy(19:58) What funnel data reveals about cultural mismatch(22:56) The results of changing the candidate journey

Bringing in early career talent is more than a pipeline play; it’s a catalyst for business transformation.Corey Twitty, now at Zillow, joins Shannon Ogborn to unpack how he built Netflix’s first emerging talent program from the ground up. He explains how to challenge deep-rooted hiring habits, build trust with skeptics, and design programs that align with culture and business needs.Corey also shares what makes these programs durable: a clear purpose, flexibility in execution, and a feedback loop that enables daily improvement. Whether you’re building from scratch or refining what exists, Corey’s approach will reshape how you think about early talent.Key takeaways:Strong programs start with empathy: Sit with stakeholders before designing solutions. Learn what the business truly needs.Early career hiring impacts engineering efficiency: Pairing senior staff with interns freed up senior time and sparked new ideas.Hiring culture changes through ownership: Teams won’t adopt new approaches unless they help shape them.Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction(00:46) Meet Corey Twitty(02:07) Why early career hiring matters more than ever(03:18) How early talent supports long-term succession planning(04:57) Changing Netflix’s culture around early career(06:39) Gaining buy-in through co-design and debate(08:49) Tactical steps for launching a program from scratch(11:35) What strong opinions loosely held look like in action(13:32) Advocating for resources during hiring freezes(16:34) Interns vs. new grads: Where to start(19:48) Tracking results and impact over time(23:35) Building a 3-part early talent strategy(26:29) Where to connect with Corey

The candidate experience coordinator role is changing fast, and innovative teams are evolving it before it becomes obsolete.Dan Seifert, Senior Director of Talent Acquisition and Experience at Marqeta, joins Shannon to discuss how to future-proof talent teams without sacrificing quality. He outlines how his team restructured this critical role, introduced monthly feedback loops, and began training team members to transform candidate feedback into strategic insights.Dan shares how he equips his team with AI tools, the simple prompts that surface the most useful trends, and why doing this work well drives business outcomes. He also explains how coordinators can become internal influencers, and how those skills prepare them for bigger roles down the line.Key takeaways:AI as your co-pilot: Leverage AI to automate repetitive tasks, allowing your team to concentrate on crafting your company's narrative.Monthly feedback for consistent growth: Regular feedback fosters a culture of expected and consistent improvement, leading to better team performance.Candidate experience is a shared responsibility: Recruitment staff—coordinators, recruiters, and interviewers—all shape the candidate experience and influence hiring decisions.Upskilling boosts retention: Employee development empowers growth and retention.Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction(00:18) Meet Dan Seifert(01:58) Why AI won’t replace talent teams(03:10) Evolving the recruiting coordinator role(05:19) What changed at Marqeta to spark this shift(06:07) Aligning recruiters and coordinators to the business(07:24) Coordinators as analysts of candidate experience data(08:41) How to hire for strategic CX roles(10:56) Coaching recruiters with monthly CX reports(13:46) Quarterly updates for people business partners(18:38) Upskilling coordinators with LLMs for feedback themes(21:00) Building influence with straightforward data storytelling(23:50) Offer acceptance rates and what’s driving them

Hiring teams often focus on filling roles fast—but what if your employer brand could do the sourcing for you?Jeff Moore, VP of Talent Acquisition, Operations and Workspaces at Toast, joins Shannon to share how his team scaled employer brand into a strategic lever for talent. Jeff explains why recruiters need to act more like researchers, how he has built flexibility into TA organizations, and why hyper-local pipelines are the future of field hiring.He also breaks down how Toast personalizes candidate experiences at scale, what makes a good recruiter today, and how to stay authentic in a noisy hiring market.Key takeaways:Employer brand scales your story: It’s not just marketing, it’s how you reach the right candidates and help the wrong ones self-select out.Flexibility beats structure: Building a TA org that adapts to business needs matters more than perfecting an org chart.Go hyper-local: Creating shallow talent pools at the zip code level helps fill field roles more quickly and effectively.Candidate experience is your moat: Personal touches, such as virtual office tours, make a lasting impression and are harder to replicate.Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction(00:43) Meet Jeff Moore(01:40) Why is employer brand your biggest lever(03:37) Letting the product story do the heavy lifting(05:02) How Toast turns interviews into mutual experiences(06:52) Keeping your org flexible through shifting priorities(09:32) The surge team experiment that worked, until it didn’t(12:24) Helping recruiters adapt to different roles fast(13:06) Why local hiring needs micro-pipelines(15:13) How to actually source at the zip code level(17:05) Why recruiters need deep market knowledge(18:28) The interview insight that made Jeff join Toast(20:20) Employer brand only works when it’s honest(23:06) How does a brand also boost employee pride(25:04) Where to find Jeff online

Hiring is one of the biggest responsibilities founders face in the early stages, and closing the right candidates can make or break your company’s trajectory.Harriet Walker, Head of Talent at SuperSeed VC, joins Shannon to share her Five Cs of Closing framework: Clarity, Credibility, Connection, Continuity, and Commitment. She highlights why closing is a discipline that begins from the first candidate interaction, offering tips on setting expectations, building trust, and making offers an easy “yes.” Harriet also covers the importance of reference calls, compensation check-ins, and how AI amplifies, rather than replaces, recruiters.Key takeaways:Closing starts early: The best hiring outcomes come from embedding candidate closing strategies throughout the entire process, not just at the offer stage.Five Cs of Closing: Clearly defining the role, showing authentic connection and consistency sets the foundation for attracting the right candidates.Partnership approach: Treating hiring as a collaborative effort between candidate and company creates buy-in and smoother offer acceptances.Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction(00:47) Meet Harriet Walker(02:10) Why early-stage founders must learn to close candidates(04:45) The Five Cs of Closing framework(05:16) #1 Clarity: Defining the role and setting expectations(08:26) #2 Credibility: Building a compelling and honest pitch(10:55) #3 Connection: Creating rapport and mission alignment(14:37) #4 Continuity: Delivering a consistent candidate experience(21:17) #5 Commitment: Partnering with candidates on the process(25:52) The importance of reference calls to close candidates(30:20) Why speed and conviction close top candidates

Candidate fraud isn’t just a recruiting problem. It’s a company-wide risk, too.Ari Garcia, Global Recruiting Operations Lead at Quora, joins Shannon to break down how hiring teams can partner with security, leadership, and with tools like Ashby to address fraud without compromising the candidate experience.With nearly six years at Quora, Ari brings a systems-focused lens to solving cross-functional challenges inside a fully remote, global organization. She shares how her team built alignment across departments, trained interviewers to stay focused on signal over suspicion, and developed criteria for identifying fraud, which keeps the process fair and efficient.The conversation also explores the weight of false positives, the risks of moving too fast, and why fraud detection can't sit with recruiting alone.Key takeaways:Candidate fraud is a business issue: Hiring one wrong person can jeopardize trust and security.Partnerships make the process: Aligning with security and leadership ensures stronger prevention.Candidate experience still comes first: Interviews must stay human even when suspicion is present.RecOps drives clarity: Building systems helps teams act with confidence, not guesswork.Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction(00:14) Meet Ari Garcia(03:06) Why candidate fraud is rising across remote companies(05:18) How to build cross-functional buy-in on fraud(07:19) Using tools like Ashby to flag fraud signals(10:46) Protecting candidate experience while preventing false positives(15:35) What Ari would do differently starting from scratch(18:14) Evolving fraud detection with RecOps and security partnerships(22:50) Why hiring fraud hurts business goals and trust(24:14) Final advice for making fraud prevention a priority

Hiring plans rarely survive first contact with reality. So how do you lead when half your headcount is unplanned?Tommy Hansen, Head of Recruiting at Juniper Square, joins Shannon to share how his small team hired over 300 people in a year—despite 40–60% of those roles being unplanned. He explains how redefining “planned” vs. “unplanned” headcount changed how recruiting partnered with the business, earned more resourcing, and helped close the company’s largest deal to date.Tommy also shares how embedding recruiters with the business, strengthening exec partnerships, and prioritizing business acumen helped his team thrive through rapid change.Key takeaways:Redefining headcount unlocks clarity: Creating shared definitions of “planned” vs. “unplanned” headcount revealed the true scope of TA’s work and made invisible efforts visible.Visibility drives resourcing: By tracking unplanned hiring and visualizing it clearly, Tommy’s team earned more budget, tools, and RPO support.Business acumen builds influence: Connecting headcount to company OKRs helped recruiting steer prioritization and secure executive alignment fast.Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction(00:43) Meet Tommy Hansen(03:04) Why unplanned headcount matters more than ever(04:55) Defining planned vs. unplanned headcount at Juniper Square(06:28) How Ashby dashboards helped visualize TA’s real workload(09:06) 40–60% of hiring was unplanned—here’s how leadership reacted(11:10) Driving prioritization with data and OKRs(14:28) Forecasting future headcount through business metrics(16:20) How recruiting helped close a $10M client deal(17:35) Leading a team through constant change(20:04) Retaining team engagement during hypergrowth(22:06) Using business transparency to win over skeptical candidates(24:02) What hiring excellence means to Tommy(26:01) Recruiting hot take: AI is great, but we must develop future TA leaders(29:18) Advice to his early-career self(30:13) Where to connect with Tommy

What shifts when recruiting leaders show up as business leaders first?Adam Ward, Founding Partner at Growth by Design Talent, joins Shannon to explore how recruiting teams can evolve from service providers to trusted advisors. With a background leading talent at Facebook, Qualcomm, and Pinterest through massive growth, Adam shows what stakeholder engagement looks like when done well.He outlines four traits that define a talent advisor and shares how stronger cross-functional relationships lead to better outcomes for both recruiters and candidates.The episode gets into the value of curiosity, the power of shared accountability, and why recruiting needs a seat at the business planning table, not just the hiring one.Key takeaways:Trusted advisors lead with data: Visualized insights, not just metrics, shape real conversations.Shared accountability matters: Hiring goals should belong to leaders and recruiters alike.Respect scales faster than likability: Influence grows when recruiting challenges assumptions with clarity and care.Curiosity signals partnership: The best recruiters understand the business as well as the function they support.Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction(01:00) Meet Adam Ward(02:44) Why stakeholder engagement sets teams apart(04:15) Service provider versus trusted advisor(07:28) The role of shared accountability(09:53) Building relationships as a business leader(12:05) How trusted leadership benefits recruiting teams(15:43) Top challenges facing talent leaders(20:52) Gaining influence by letting go of likability(24:31) Managing your strengths without overcorrecting(26:42) How to adapt your influence style to different stakeholders

Hiring the right people can feel like a guessing game if your process isn’t structured.Heather Doshay, Partner & Head of Talent at SignalFire, joins Shannon to explore the impact of structured interviews on hiring outcomes. She explains how unstructured interviews often lead to bias and why creating a consistent, repeatable process is essential for building high-performing teams.Heather outlines the key components of structured interviewing, how to build interview rubrics, and why taking time upfront leads to more efficient hiring down the line. She also discusses how to influence stakeholders, manage expectations, and tackle common objections from hiring managers.Key takeaways:Structured interviews boost accuracy: Clear criteria help make the right hire every time.Efficiency drives success: Investing time upfront leads to faster, more focused hiring processes.Bias mitigation is crucial: Removing subjectivity levels the playing field for all candidates.Influence is key: Helping hiring managers see the value of structure builds trust and compliance.Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction(00:43) Meet Heather Doshay(03:02) The flaws of the traditional hiring process(06:50) The science behind structured interviews and the research supporting them(12:03) Addressing pushback on structured interviews(18:52) Coaching hiring managers on structured interview adoption(26:00) Navigating the emotional side of saying no to candidates(31:38) Using follow-up questions to improve candidate evaluation(37:05) Training vs. outsourcing interview training

Ashby’s $50M Series D marks a shift in how the company is thinking about product, customers, and the future of recruiting.In this episode, CEO Benji Encz returns to share what led to Ashby’s latest milestone. He and Shannon talk about the strategic timing of the fundraise, the growing role of AI in recruiting, and how to balance tech with a human touch. They also unpack why quality of hire matters more than ever and how teams are linking recruiting data to long-term success. Benji reflects on lessons from building with patience—and why that mindset leads to stronger, more resilient teams.Key Takeaways:AI should solve real problems: The best tools improve workflows already in place.Quality of hire is rising: Executives want to understand impact beyond time to fill.Adaptability is strategy: Recruiting teams need to flex hiring models based on business needs.Culture is compounding: Strong internal practices create better experiences for both customers and candidates.Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction(01:24) Ashby Raises $50M Series D to Power Next Chapter(04:09) How AI Is Moving From Nice to Have to Business Imperative(05:44) Using AI to Surface Talent You’d Normally Miss(06:29) The Rise of Quality of Hire as a Board Level Priority(08:33) Real Customer Wins With Quality of Hire Metrics(10:05) Helping TA Teams Adapt Faster to Market Volatility(12:37) How Ashby’s Hiring Excellence Framework Guides TA Focus(13:18) Making Candidate Experience a Differentiator With AI(15:56) Scaling Customer Success Without Losing the Human Touch(18:18) Why Community Building Is a Strategic Bet at Ashby(20:22) Long-Term Culture Design and Operating Principles in Action(22:40) How Thoughtful Communication Shapes Ashby’s Internal Ops(26:04) How AI Has Reshaped Hiring Excellence in the Last Two Years(27:21) The Product Bet Benji Would Make Again Even If It Failed

How does internal mobility impact employee experience?Dr. Kalifa Oliver, Global Director in Employee Experience (EX) Analytics Strategy at Ford, joins Shannon to discuss how internal mobility influences not just hiring efficiency but long-term culture building. With a background in neuropsychology and people experience at Ford, Dr. Kalifa brings valuable insights into the intersection of talent acquisition and employee development.She highlights the challenges recruiters face in making internal moves feel as seamless as external ones and the impact that transparent, fair mobility systems can have on employee retention. Kalifa also shares her thoughts on the importance of giving employees room to grow within the company and the role that recruiters play in facilitating that growth.Key takeaways:Internal mobility promotes retention: It’s about building long-term career paths.Treat internal candidates as you would externals: Fair treatment is key to employee trust.Mobility systems should be built for scale: Ensure fairness and transparency as companies grow.Recruiters drive the employee experience: Their role goes beyond just hiring.Timestamps: (00:00) The importance of a human-centered mindset(00:17) Introductions(01:54) Guest profile: Dr. Kalifa Oliver(02:38) Why candidate experience is the foundation of employee experience(05:31) Defining internal mobility(09:20) Making internal candidates feel seen: a recruiter's responsibility(11:48) Treating internal candidates with care(15:46) The impact of internal mobility on DEI(17:39) Gen Z, transparency, and the end of silent pay gaps(21:45) Writing job descriptions that actually support mobility(24:58) How fear-based layoffs damage productivity and well-being(31:08) Designing soft exits that strengthen your talent brand(36:09) What hiring excellence means to Dr. Kalifa(37:22) Recruiting hot take: There are no shortcuts

The belief that great candidates don’t apply online still runs deep, but it’s outdated.Jim Miller, VP of People and Talent at Ashby and former recruiting leader at Google and FullStory, sits down with Shannon to unpack what really makes a high-performing hiring strategy today. From his early days building sourcing teams to overseeing millions of inbound applications, Jim shares how experimentation, data, and the right job title can radically shift how your team finds and evaluates talent.He explains why internal mobility should be every team’s first stop, what most recruiters get wrong about job descriptions, and how candidate behavior has changed with the rise of algorithm-driven search. Jim also opens up about testing bold ideas, from limiting applications to transforming online inbound into a strategic advantage, and how recruiting teams can build credibility through experimentation and measurable outcomes.Key takeaways:Candidate behavior has evolved: Inbound isn’t just noise when you get discoverability right.Internal mobility is undervalued: Moving people across roles builds culture and saves time.Job titles matter more than you think: Standardizing language increases visibility and accuracy.Testing is a muscle: Data-driven recruiters can challenge norms and drive lasting improvements.Timestamps:(00:00) Hiring excellence from Jim Miller(00:16) This is Offer Accepted(00:42) Introducing Jim Miller(02:40) The myth that great candidates never apply online(06:20) Using continuous improvement to strengthen inbound strategy(07:17) Why internal mobility should be your starting point(10:12) Turning job descriptions into scalable sourcing tools(12:35) Where resistance to change in recruiting comes from(16:37) Measuring volume, passthrough rates, and when to stop(23:42) How vague job titles quietly ruin your pipeline(29:04) Running experiments to validate and scale recruiting strategy(38:25) Cohort hiring as a more equitable hiring model

The reason your best candidates aren’t getting hired is because your team isn’t aligned.Maria Fernanda, Senior Technical Recruiter, with past experience at Twilio and Brunel, joins Shannon to talk about the hidden costs of misalignment between recruiters and hiring managers. With experience leading global teams and building internal tools, Maria breaks down how trust and clarity change hiring outcomes.She shares how to coach two distinct types of hiring managers and why both need different forms of support. The conversation explores how to set expectations, use internal data, and guide decisions when processes vary across cultures and company sizes.Maria also reflects on the power of being human in high-pressure roles and why weekly syncs need clear goals to stay valuable.Key takeaways:Alignment drives results: Without shared criteria, even top candidates can get passed over.Context is everything: Understanding your hiring manager’s background helps shape better communication and trust.Recruiters are partners: Building influence starts with showing up as an advisor, not a task-runner.Processes need explaining: Success depends on making sure hiring managers understand the why behind every stage.Timestamps: (00:00) What hiring excellence really means(00:09) Introductions(00:35) Guest profile: Maria Fernanda(02:16) Why strong recruiter–hiring manager relationships matter(04:25) Aligning multiple perspectives across a hiring team(07:39) Two types of new hiring managers and how they differ(10:12) Coaching seasoned managers new to the company(13:38) Using real candidate examples to clarify alignment(17:20) Building buy-in for unfamiliar hiring processes(22:42) Helping new managers navigate ATS tools(29:33) Adapting communication style to influence hiring decisions

Building talent programs that actually work requires co-creating with the business.Blair Bennett, SVP of Global Talent Acquisition at PepsiCo, joins Shannon to share how her team approaches large-scale recruiting strategy with intention and collaboration. She walks through the process of building a global interview framework, explains why involving stakeholders early creates better outcomes, and unpacks the balance between structure and flexibility across a company of 320,000 people.You’ll also learn about co-designing with users in mind and the often-overlooked strategic value recruiters bring to the business.Key takeaways:Co-design drives engagement: Bringing hiring managers and internal partners in from the start leads to stronger adoption, more thoughtful feedback, and deeper buy-in across the organization.Start with the problem, not the tool: It’s easy to get distracted by shiny solutions. The real impact comes from solving clear business challenges first, then layering in technology where it fits.Pilot thoughtfully and globally: Testing new frameworks with diverse teams across geographies and hiring levels ensures they hold up at scale and reveal where iteration is needed.Recruiters hold unique value: Talent acquisition bridges internal goals and external insights, giving recruiters a unique perspective that shapes culture and business success.Timestamps: (00:00) Introducing PepsiCo’s approach to candidate experience(01:09) Blair Bennett’s career path and mission in talent acquisition(02:16) Why co designing talent programs is essential(05:38) Starting with business problems, not shiny HR tools(08:13) Prototyping and piloting global interview frameworks(09:20) How pilot groups are selected and engaged(11:21) Structuring project ownership and change management(13:10) Earning credibility with collaborative recruiting changes(17:17) Getting executive support through informed involvement

What if your hiring process worked better because it trusted people more?Mike Joyner, Founding Partner at Growth by Design Talent, sits down with Shannon on the first episode of Offer Accepted Live to discuss what recruiting looks like in an AI-powered, resource-tight environment. With experience building teams at Apple, Facebook, and Pinterest, Mike brings a real-world view on how talent teams need to adapt.He explains how emerging roles like career guides and AI coaches support both hiring managers and candidates.The conversation covers what automation frees up, where trust gets built, and why job seekers might already be ahead of some employers. Mike also shares the habits that help teams stay curious, avoid overwhelm, and create standout experiences, even as things keep changing.Key takeaways:AI lifts load, not purpose: Automating routine work frees recruiters to invest human energy where relationships win offers.Clarity beats fear: Clear policies on data and tool use encourage staff to explore new methods without risking trust.Roles are shifting: Expect teams organized by problem skill and career stage rather than old functional silos.Trust scales impact: Authentic messages, logical processes and real empathy create candidate memories that fuel long-term hiring success.Timestamps: (00:00) Trust at the core of hiring(00:25) Introductions(00:51) Guest profile: Mike Joyner(02:12) Why talent teams must adapt in the AI era(03:04) Lean teams and higher stakes per hire(04:31) Using AI to give every candidate an executive experience(06:32) Making innovation a habit through timeboxing(10:03) Agility and upskilling in hiring(12:08) Future team structures in talent acquisition(22:56) A trust-based model for hiring excellence

What if your recruiting framework actually helped you close more offers?Bryan Power, Chief People Officer at Nextdoor, joins Shannon to unpack the practical strategy behind their AAA approach to recruiting. With over 20 years of experience leading teams at companies like Yahoo and Block, Bryan brings a clear, structured lens to the chaos of hiring.He outlines the AAA framework on how attraction, assessment, and acquisition function as distinct stages, each with its own metrics and challenges. The conversation covers how to track what matters, when to intervene, and why teams often focus on the wrong part of the funnel. Bryan also explains how his team uses a consistent but flexible process to create standout candidate experiences.Key takeaways:Offers accepted is the most important metric: If candidates aren’t joining, the rest of your pipeline doesn’t matter.Three A’s help diagnose issues: Clear metrics at each stage reveal where your process is breaking down.Not all candidates come equal: Referrals, sourced leads, and online applicants need different handling.Consistency supports personalization: Recruiters can deliver a tailored experience when supported by a repeatable system.Timestamps: (00:00) Introductions(02:42) The three As: Attraction, Assessment, Acquisition(06:27) Balancing pipeline recruiter focus(08:40) Evaluating sourcing channel noise(10:17) Data for hiring alignment(12:53) Engineering’s 90% failure rate(16:55) Diagnosing core team issues(19:35) Standardizing key recruiter moments(24:31) Relationships drive offer acceptance(28:20) Recruiters trusted beyond hiring

Can talent leaders establish themselves as essential players in headcount planning? Mario Espindola, Senior Director of Talent Operations at SignalFire, shares his insights with Shannon Ogborn on how talent acquisition can secure a seat at the decision-making table. They discuss how understanding business metrics and collaborating with finance can improve efficiency and drive better outcomes. To learn more about startup headcount planning, you can check out his article on the topic here.Mario explains how talent leaders, once excluded from strategic discussions, are now becoming essential players in today’s tech-driven landscape. By mastering data, talent leaders can participate in key conversations and lead proactive, informed recruiting efforts.Key Takeaways:Data-driven decisions foster credibility: Reliable market data and internal performance metrics position talent leaders as indispensable in planning processes.Eliminating silos enhances focus: Aligning talent strategy with business goals increases precision in role definitions and prioritizes impactful hiring.Real-time feedback refines clarity: Regular updates based on performance and market shifts support adaptive strategies that meet current business needs.Team integration builds successful outcomes: Collaboration across functions turns hiring into a comprehensive exercise, ensuring all voices are considered in the journey to recruiting success.Timestamps: (00:00) Redefining Hiring Excellence: Structured Hiring and Role Intakes(02:41) Why Talent Leaders Were Historically Absent from Headcount Planning(04:38) Downstream Effects of Excluding Talent from Strategic Conversations(09:03) Transforming Recruiters into True Talent Partners(11:15) Mastering Market Data to Influence Headcount Planning(13:10) How Talent Leaders Gain Credibility and a Seat at the Table(17:46) Data Talent Leaders Should Always Have Ready(22:11) Preparing for Leadership Meetings on Headcount Strategy(25:38) Defining Hiring Excellence: Structured Process and Team Collaboration(28:30) Recruiting Hot Take: The Inefficiency of Evergreen Catch-All Job Requisitions

What if hiring projects could actually improve the candidate experience?Hebba Youssef, CPO at Workweek and Creator of I Hate It Here, is known for her sharp takes on modern HR, and this conversation is no exception. With Shannon, she discusses how thoughtful, well-structured projects can lead to better hiring outcomes, more equitable processes, and clearer expectations for both candidates and hiring managers.They explore what makes a project fair (hint: it’s all about time, relevance, and rubrics), when to introduce it in the process, and why relying on interviews alone just doesn’t cut it. Hebba also shares how her team uses candidate feedback to refine the experience and why transparency at every stage is key.Key takeaways:Projects lead to better hiring decisions: Well-designed take-home assignments reveal real capabilities and reduce the risk of hiring based on personality or surface-level impressions.Rubrics support fair evaluation: Clear, role-specific scoring criteria help teams assess consistently, reduce bias, and stay focused on what actually matters for the job.Early projects save time later: Introducing assessments earlier in the process helps filter candidates efficiently and avoids wasting time on final rounds with poor fits.Transparency improves experience: Setting expectations from the start builds trust with candidates and ensures they understand what the job entails before they accept.Timestamps: (00:00) Introductions(06:08) Preference for clear, objective project guidelines  (08:30) Evaluating talk vs. action  (12:18) Balancing skills vs. cultural fit  (14:44) Calibrating performance reviews  (19:10) Intense hiring kickoff strategy  (22:40) Embrace iterative improvement  (23:56) AI in project completion: a balance  (27:03) Interview privilege and honesty  (30:01) Projects enhance candidate clarity  (34:40) Interview process: staying efficient

What should a newly-hired talent leader focus on in their first 100 days?Jeff Winter, VP of Talent Acquisition at Grammarly, has spent decades helping companies scale. As the first recruiter at Chime, he helped grow the team from 100 to 1,500 employees—experience that shaped his approach to stepping into leadership roles with impact.In this conversation with Shannon, Jeff shares how new TA leaders can build trust, assess existing hiring processes, and make meaningful changes without disrupting what works. He explains why listening is the most valuable skill in those first months, how to align with finance and engineering leaders, and why hiring excellence starts with clarity, not speed.Key Takeaways: Listening builds trust faster than action: The best leaders don’t walk in with a rigid playbook. They start by learning the history, understanding challenges, and earning credibility.Finance and engineering are key partners in hiring success: Aligning with finance helps ensure responsible headcount planning, while strong engineering partnerships make recruiting more effective.Not every process needs to be rebuilt: Before changing systems or workflows, leaders should assess what’s working and where there are opportunities to improve efficiency.Treating recruiting as a strategic advantage: The best hiring teams don’t just move candidates through a pipeline. They help shape the company’s culture and long-term success.Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction(02:20) The importance of a listening tour in leadership transitions(03:52) Why new TA leaders need a 100-day plan(07:42) Building trust and credibility across an organization(12:18) Evaluating existing recruiting systems and tools(15:08) The hidden costs of unused hiring tools(24:08) How hiring processes need to evolve with changing workforces

What if you could hire faster and make better hiring decisions?Anna Hall, Lead GTM Recruiter at Ashby, has spent over a decade in talent acquisition, refining data-driven hiring strategies that help teams scale efficiently. At Ashby, she’s built a structured approach that enables hiring managers to make faster, more confident decisions—without sacrificing candidate experience.In this conversation with Shannon, Anna breaks down why cohort hiring works, how it reduces time to fill, and why it’s not just for entry-level roles. She also shares actionable insights on setting up the process for success, using data to improve hiring outcomes, and creating a smooth experience for both candidates and teams.Key Takeaways: Structured hiring leads to better decisions: When hiring managers assess talent as a group rather than in isolation, they can compare candidates more effectively and make stronger, more confident decisions.Efficiency doesn’t mean rushing: Cohort hiring requires more planning upfront, but that extra preparation pays off with reduced time-to-fill and smoother collaboration between recruiters and hiring teams.Data is your best friend: Understanding application ratios, pass-through rates, and pipeline health is critical to making cohort hiring successful. The right data helps predict hiring needs and avoids last-minute scrambling.Predictability benefits everyone: Candidates appreciate knowing where they stand in the process, while recruiters and hiring managers gain clarity on timelines, workload, and hiring goals.Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction(02:08) Understanding cohort hiring and how it works(03:56) Common misconceptions about cohort hiring(06:02) Key benefits of the cohort model for efficiency and equity(10:21) Potential pitfalls and how to avoid them(17:03) Using data to optimize the hiring pipeline(19:44) Results and impact of cohort hiring on time to fill(24:50) The role of feedback in recruiting

How is AI reshaping recruiting, and where does the human element fit in?Jan Tegze, Director of Talent Acquisition and a multi-time published author, shares his insights on the evolving world of talent acquisition in the age of AI. With over 20 years of experience, Jan shares how AI tools boost recruiting efficiency while preserving the human touch essential for long-term success.In this conversation with Shannon, you’ll learn about the shift from transactional to strategic recruiting and the importance of upskilling in AI and leveraging technology responsibly. He also highlights the critical role of human connection, trust, and empathy in a field increasingly shaped by automation.Key Takeaways: Upskilling is non-negotiable: AI proficiency is becoming as fundamental as email and sourcing skills. Learning to craft prompts and use AI tools effectively will help you maintain an advantage in the recruiting market.Balance human and AI elements: AI can streamline repetitive tasks and boost efficiency. Building relationships and making judgment calls, however, are still distinctly human responsibilities no robot should take over.Embrace experimentation: Test and compare AI tools to find what works best for your team. A thoughtful approach to implementation ensures better results and smarter workflows.Prioritize trust and respect: Recruiting isn’t just about filling positions. Building meaningful, long-term relationships with candidates can strengthen your reputation and create a lasting impact.Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction(01:57) How AI is transforming recruiting(03:21) Why upskilling in AI is crucial for recruiters(05:33) Using AI to improve productivity and quality of life(07:28) Learning AI tools through experimentation(13:34) Security considerations when using AI in recruiting(17:25) The balance between human and AI in hiring(23:22) The future of recruiting in the AI era(29:11) Achieving hiring excellence through relationships

A strong EVP is the cornerstone of hiring success and retention.In this episode, Cara Brennan Allamano, Co-founder of PeopleTech Partners, shares how to craft an EVP that not only attracts the right talent but also aligns your team around a shared vision. She shares a data-driven approach—asking employees why they joined, why they stay, and what keeps them motivated—to build an EVP that reflects your true strengths. You’ll also learn why stakeholder alignment is critical and how to make sure you maintain it beyond initial creation.Listen to learn how to turn your EVP into a practical tool that helps hiring managers, recruiters, and leaders build authentic, consistent connections with candidates.Key Takeaways: Build with intention: Start by asking employees why they joined, why they stay, and what keeps them motivated. This three-question approach creates a foundation for an EVP that reflects your company’s strengths and values.Keep it practical: Your EVP should guide decision-making, help hiring teams communicate consistently, and ensure alignment across the organization.Evolve as you grow: Check in with your EVP at regular intervals or during key milestones. This ensures it continues to reflect your company’s priorities and resonates with employees and candidates alike.Align early and often: Stakeholder alignment isn’t a one-time exercise. Your EVP should be deeply connected to your business strategy, with buy-in from leadership, recruiters, and hiring managers. A misaligned EVP leads to misaligned hires—and, ultimately, higher attrition.Evolve with data: Your EVP isn’t static. Revisit it at least twice a year and at key company milestones. Use data-driven discovery—listen to candidates, survey top performers, and track what actually keeps people engaged—to keep your EVP relevant and effective.Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction(01:16) Defining an EVP and its role in hiring success(03:39) Who owns the EVP and its connection to business strategy(05:35) Steps to build an authentic EVP internally(07:56) Key questions for EVP discovery: Why employees join and stay(13:21) Structuring an EVP for internal and external use(19:47) Stakeholder alignment and testing your EVP(24:52) Improving time to hire and offer acceptance rates(31:11) Hot take: Trusting recruiters to drive decision-making

Every touchpoint with a candidate, even a rejection, is an opportunity to foster engagement and connection.In this conversation with Shannon, Selcan Sengul, Senior Director of Talent & People Operations at Taxfix, shares how her team revamped their approach to candidate communication. She talks about human-centered recruiting, from personalized rejection templates to aligning with DEI goals. You’ll also learn about the role of transparency, consistency, and feedback loops in creating a memorable candidate experience that reflects a company’s values.Key Takeaways: Turn rejection into a thoughtful experience: Every "no" is an opportunity to leave a lasting impression. Craft templates that offer actionable feedback, direct candidates to valuable resources, and infuse a personal touch to show you care about their journey—even when it doesn't lead to your team.Streamline without sacrificing empathy: Automation is your ally for repetitive tasks like scheduling and rejections. But don’t let efficiency dull your humanity. Smart tools paired with compassionate messaging ensure candidates feel respected at every step.Set the stage for success from day one: A solid kickoff is the backbone of a great hiring process. Align with your team on clear job descriptions, panel roles, and process expectations to keep everyone marching toward the same goal. The result? A smoother, more rewarding hiring journey for all.Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction(02:05) Defining candidate experience and its impact on trust(05:16) Kickoffs and job descriptions as foundational steps(08:22) Leveraging templates to enhance candidate experience(12:07) Implementing rejection templates to improve efficiency(15:06) Balancing automation and personalization in messaging(20:23) Measuring success: NPS scores and brand perception(24:52) Achieving hiring excellence through alignment and fairness(30:07) Viewing the job search as a marketing exercise

How do you balance data-driven recruiting with a deeply human approach to hiring?José Benitez Cong, CPO at Humane, shares his perspective on balancing the art and science of recruiting, showcasing how the right mix of data, AI, and personal connection can transform hiring into a long-term strategic advantage.In this conversation with Shannon, José discusses moving beyond transactional recruiting to build trust with candidates and teams. He also explores the critical distinction between quality of hire—an early assessment of a candidate’s potential—and impact of hire, which validates long-term contributions. You’ll learn how companies can measure and optimize both metrics to build teams that drive lasting value.Key Takeaways: Rethink the hiring lifecycle: Success isn’t just about hiring the best candidate—it’s about supporting their entire journey, from onboarding to offboarding, to maximize their impact.Leverage AI to enhance, not replace: Tools like GPTs can supercharge efficiency by automating repetitive tasks. It frees up recruiters to focus on building meaningful connections with candidates and hiring managers.Prioritize human connection: Recruiting is not a numbers game. Building trust and understanding candidates’ potential ensures stronger cultural fit and long-term success for both the company and the hire.Connect quality of hire with impact of hire: Quality of hire is just the starting line, but the real win is in the impact they make over time. To connect the two, keep the feedback flowing, measure what matters, and invest in helping your hires grow. It’s about setting them up for success so they can make a real difference, not just for now, but for the long haul.Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction(02:37) Transitioning from transactional to strategic recruiting(04:57) Redefining the hiring lifecycle: Onboarding to offboarding(09:18) The importance of re-recruiting and retaining top talent(14:38) Leveraging AI to streamline hiring processes(16:51) Building trust with candidates through personalized experiences(22:04) The balance of human connection and data in recruiting(26:29) The future of recruiting in the AI era(33:22) Achieving hiring excellence through strategy and empathy

How can transparency in hiring transform your talent acquisition strategy and build trust across your organization?Leah Knobler, VP of People at Help Scout, joins host Shannon Ogborn to share how her team reimagined recruiting through hiring summaries. It’s an approach that breaks down how decisions are made, celebrates wins, and uncovers areas for growth.Leah discusses how intentional practices have strengthened team collaboration, sped up hiring timelines, and reinforced Help Scout’s remote-first values. She also shares the case for compensating candidates, gathering feedback, and reflecting on both successes and challenges to continuously improve the hiring process.Key Takeaways: Transparency creates better outcomes: Sharing hiring summaries within your organization helps teams understand the "how" and "why" behind decisions. It builds trust and shows the effort recruiters put into finding the right fit.Learning from missed opportunities strengthens your process: When offers are declined, capturing feedback and analyzing the reasons opens the door to improvements. Regularly collecting candidate feedback gives insight into their experience and provides a foundation for refining your hiring approach.Paying candidates for their time shows respect: If you're asking candidates to do significant work during the hiring process, compensating them sends a clear message: their time and effort are valued.Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction(03:04) Challenges faced by recruiters in a shifting hiring market(06:44) Implementing hiring summaries and their structure(08:49) The benefits of hiring summaries for remote and in-office teams(11:54) Using data to identify bottlenecks in hiring timelines(12:54) Streamlining engineering hiring processes with tools (14:05) Automating hiring summaries with Ashby dashboards(15:21) Expanding recruiter roles during intentional hiring slowdowns(21:46) Collecting candidate feedback to refine recruiting practices(22:36) Advice on achieving hiring excellence(25:37) The importance of compensating candidates for their time

How can recruiters keep up in an AI-driven hiring world where technical interviews face challenges like cheating using ChatGPT?Aline Lerner, Founder & CEO of interviewing.io, and Michael Mroczka, Software Engineer and Dedicated Coaching Interviewer, explore the evolving world of recruiting and the surprising implications of AI tools like ChatGPT on technical hiring.In this conversation with Shannon, Aline and Michael share insights from their groundbreaking study on cheating in interviews, the systemic flaws that encourage it, and why rethinking your interview questions is critical to safeguarding hiring integrity. They also share actionable strategies to create fair, efficient processes that work for both candidates and hiring managers.Key Takeaways: Adapt interview processes: With tools like ChatGPT making it easier for candidates to cheat, traditional technical interview questions are becoming less effective. Shifting to customized, real-world problems gives you a more accurate assessment of skills and also reduces the ability of a candidate to misuse AI.Prioritize fairness and transparency: Candidates often feel disenchanted by outdated or unfair processes. Thoughtful, well-designed interview questions not only improve hiring outcomes but also help build trust and create a better candidate experience.Custom questions drive better hiring decisions: Verbatim questions from resources like LeetCode are more susceptible to AI-assisted cheating. Instead, tailor your questions to be rooted in actual work challenges so you get stronger signals about the candidate’s capabilities.Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction(01:03) Overview of interviewing.io(03:12) Challenges in talent acquisition(04:26) AI in interviews and its implications for technical hiring(07:10) How technical interviews have become an arms race of memorization(10:13) Designing a study to test the effectiveness of ChatGPT in technical interviews(12:07) Verbatim vs. modified vs. custom questions(16:27) The tools making cheating easier (19:29) Rethinking interview questions to reduce AI vulnerability(23:58) Real-world questions for candidates and hiring teams(28:06) How often teams should refresh their questions and make them scalable(32:01) Engaging interviewers with custom questions(33:31) Incentivizing interviewers and making hiring collaborative(39:00) Balancing fairness, empathy, and efficiency in modern recruiting(42:36) Advice on achieving hiring excellence

How can recruiters make hiring feel seamless and human—especially when resources are stretched thin?Mike Peditto, Director of Talent at Teal, discusses rehumanizing recruiting by putting candidates first—even in a resource-strapped hiring landscape. In this conversation with Shannon, Mike explains why providing interview questions upfront is a game-changer for candidate experience, creating trust, transparency, and a smoother hiring process. He also shares practical ways to balance efficiency with empathy, showing how even small adjustments can elevate your hiring strategy and foster team morale.Key Takeaways: Empower candidates through transparency: Sharing interview questions upfront sets candidates up for success, reduces anxiety, and fosters a more genuine, productive conversation. It’s a simple step that builds trust and encourages top talent to engage fully.Rehumanize recruiting to elevate candidate experience: Candidates are people, not just resumes. Taking time to personalize interactions and maintain a human touch—even in a high-volume environment—improves candidate satisfaction and strengthens your employer brand.Make recruiting a team sport: Aligning with hiring managers and securing leadership buy-in for transparent practices, like sharing interview questions, creates a smoother, more efficient hiring process. When everyone is on board, the entire team benefits.Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction(05:46) Common challenges in talent acquisition (10:20) The importance of humanizing recruiting(14:02) Why transparency in the hiring process matters(18:30) Balancing efficiency and human touch in recruiting(22:15) The pros and cons of sending interview questions in advance(27:48) Implementing paid work trials for better candidate fit(31:55) How to handle pushback from hiring managers(36:20) Building strong candidate relationships for long-term success(40:15) Why the hiring process is misunderstood(44:50) Advice on achieving hiring excellence

How do you align hiring expectations in a competitive market? Nate Wylie, Recruitment Leader formerly at Lyft, shares his insights on how to balance pursuing A+ candidates while maintaining practical recruiting strategies. In his conversation with Shanon, Nate emphasizes the importance of screening candidates in rather than out. This means focusing on the value they bring instead of finding reasons to reject them. Nate also touches on the unrealistic expectations many founders have for candidates and offers practical advice for building a successful recruiting process that reflects the realities of today’s market.Key Takeaways: Align hiring expectations with market reality: Not every hire is going to be 100% perfect. Help leadership understand the reality of the talent market and have an open mind rather than holding out for the perfect hire.Screen for potential, not perfection: Focus on a candidate’s potential and contributions instead of reasons to reject them. This mindset helps avoid delays and makes everything more enjoyable and efficient.Tailor your recruitment processes: Hiring isn’t one size fits all. Customize your hiring process based on specific industry needs, market conditions, and the role's requirements to ensure a better candidate fit.Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction(03:05) Common recruitment pain points in startups(05:16) Aligning founders’ expectations with market realities(08:11) Screening in vs. screening out(10:30) What is screening in?(14:46) The importance of forecasting in recruiting(20:44) Managing founder expectations and candidate budgets(25:12) The value of screening in candidates(30:09) Defining hiring excellence

How can you maintain hiring momentum when demand fluctuates?Becky McCullough, VP of Talent Acquisition and Mobility at HubSpot, shares her approach to building proactive talent pools that keep hiring agile and responsive.In her conversation with Shannon, Becky explains how creating “talent-ready” pools enables her team to reduce time-to-fill for high-demand roles, even when immediate openings aren’t available. She discusses the importance of strategic, data-informed planning and offers actionable advice for aligning recruiting efforts with business goals, all while staying true to HubSpot’s commitment to transparency and candidate experience.Key Takeaways: Build proactive talent pools to stay ready: A strong recruitment process means preparing for future needs before they arise. Having a pre-qualified pool of candidates helps you stay agile and reduces time-to-fill. Balance data with intuition: Data is essential, but don’t overlook the value of intuition. Becky emphasizes the importance of combining metrics with a recruiter’s experience to make well-rounded hiring decisions that align with long-term goals.Prioritize transparency with candidates: Candidates crave clarity, especially in uncertain markets. By being transparent about the process, timeline, and expectations, you build trust and create a positive candidate experience, even for those who may not be hired immediately.Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction(03:00) Challenges in today’s talent acquisition landscape(07:21) Shifting from reactive to proactive hiring (11:00) Building momentum in hiring, even in times of uncertainty(14:43) How to achieve candidate transparency (18:18) Getting hiring managers on board with a collaborative approach(22:05) The importance of thinking local while aligning with global goals(26:33) How continuous improvement drives hiring success(30:42) Nurturing candidates for faster placements(35:16) Becky’s take on hiring excellence (39:47) Shifting from attracting all talent to filtering for the right talent(44:20) Creating a streamlined, human-centered hiring process

Craft a hiring strategy that prioritizes fit over sheer talent.Henry Ward, CEO and Co-Founder of Carta, shares his unconventional approach to hiring that challenges traditional recruitment methods.In his conversation with Shannon, he explains how Carta narrows their talent search by focusing on specific skills and passions, ensuring a better fit for both the role and company culture. He also dives into the balance of hiring for strengths vs. avoiding weaknesses, and how transparency in recruitment helps candidates self-select, saving time and ensuring the right cultural fit.Key Takeaways: Align hiring with your company culture: Narrow your focus to candidates who fit both the skills and culture you need. This speeds up hiring and ensures a better long-term fit.Build an intentional hiring playbook: Define your company’s hiring principles early. It keeps everyone aligned as you grow and makes recruiting more consistent.Know when to hire for strength vs. avoiding weakness: Tailor your approach—hire for specific strengths in some roles and avoid weaknesses in others to bring in the right talent efficiently.Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction(02:23) Early hiring challenges at Carta(03:44) Hiring for specific skills(08:12) Why transparency in hiring helps candidates self-select(10:51) Principles vs. heuristics in Carta's hiring process(13:25) The importance of flexibility in hiring across different teams(16:05) Hiring for strength vs. avoiding weakness(18:07) The role of founders and CEOs in shaping early-stage hiring

How can recruiting enablement transform your talent acquisition strategy?Stephanie Baysinger, Recruiting + Enablement leader at Anthropic, joins host Shannon Ogborn to discuss how recruiting enablement is vital in creating efficient and impactful talent acquisition teams. Stephanie shares her insights on streamlining processes, fostering team growth, and maintaining the human touch in a tech-driven recruitment world. From discussing the importance of daily habits in achieving hiring excellence to balancing automation with personalization, you’ll get a fresh perspective on building teams that can thrive in today’s fast-changing landscape.Key Takeaways:Efficiency without losing the human touch: While automation improves processes, creating space for recruiters to build authentic, personalized connections is crucial to maintaining candidate satisfaction.Borrowing from sales and marketing: Techniques like pipeline management and customer personas can enhance recruiting efficiency and candidate experience.Training vs. enablement: Not everything needs formal training. True enablement empowers teams with the tools and systems they need to succeed and self-serve.Timestamps:(00:00) Introduction(01:28) Stephanie’s journey in recruiting enablement(03:46) What recruiting enablement looks like in practice(06:22) Streamlining processes and reducing friction for recruiters(08:54) Balancing automation and the human element (12:03) The importance of daily habits in driving hiring excellence(16:10) Borrowing ideas from sales and marketing (18:36) Distinguishing between training and enablement(21:22) Creating self-motivated, empowered recruiting teams(25:10) Building a champion team through enablement and support(28:05) The future of recruiting and the role of enablement

How do you build a successful hiring process that goes beyond simply filling roles?Abhik Pramanik, Co-Founder and VP of Engineering at Ashby, shares his experience in shaping a recruiting approach that prioritizes quality over volume, ensuring that each hire is a perfect match for the team.In his conversation with Shannon, Abhik shares how they moved away from traditional hiring practices. One example is that instead of posting dry, boring job descriptions, he wrote them like he was talking to a friend. You’ll learn how his candid and transparent approach to communication across the board made a difference in developing a recruitment process everyone could get behind. Key Takeaways: Prioritize quality over volume: Focusing on quality rather than the sheer number of candidates allows you to attract top talent that aligns with your company’s culture and is around for the long term.Be transparent with candidates: Clear communication and public documentation about your company’s culture, expectations, and compensation from the start ensures candidates are well-informed, helping to streamline the hiring process and reduce mismatches.Get creative with job descriptions: Job descriptions that resonate with the company’s culture and values are more likely to attract well-aligned candidates and efficiently filter out those who might not fit. Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction(03:57) Challenges in early hiring at Ashby(06:22) Frustration with traditional recruiting methods(08:25) Rethinking the hiring approach(09:57) The importance of candidate experience(13:09) Improving top-of-funnel recruitment(17:34) Thoughtful communications and job descriptions(22:41) Improved job descriptions results(25:23) Defining hiring excellence(27:59) The importance of early compensation discussions

Forecasting and capacity planning are cornerstones of making recruiting a true strategic partner within any business. JT Haskell, a talent acquisition veteran with over 15 years of experience at high-growth tech startups like AirWatch, PinDrop, Zapier, Kraken, and Reddit, joins to share his insights. You’ll learn how forecasting and capacity planning help effectively scale a recruiting system that works for your organization.In his conversation with host Shannon Ogborn, JT shares how being proactive in forecasting not only helps in meeting hiring goals but also positions recruiting teams as essential strategic advisors to the business. Key Takeaways: Incorporate time off: When creating your capacity models, include time off, holidays, and events in your capacity models to keep recruiting forecasts realistic and avoid bottlenecks and hiring delays.Over-deliver on hiring goals: A well-structured capacity model allows you to accurately predict and meet your hiring goals, enabling your team to over-deliver and enhancing your reputation as a reliable and strategic partner within the business.Integrate project work to reduce burnout: Integrating project work into your capacity model reduces burnout and keeps your team motivated, leading to a more engaged, productive, and innovative recruiting team.Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction(04:00) Capacity planning and forecasting (06:00) How to build a capacity model(10:00) Prioritizing hiring needs in large companies(12:00) Scaling down goals to achieve better outcomes(15:00) The benefits of integrating project work into capacity models(16:00) Considering time off and holidays in capacity planning(21:00) How forecasting can help with business strategy(23:00) JT’s hot take on automation in recruiting(25:00) TA automation tools to check out 

How do you create a world-class candidate experience?Lyndsey French, Director of Talent Acquisition at 1Password, shares her evolution in the tech industry, her leadership experience, and how she helped create a new hiring process to support the  impressive growth —from 300 to 1,200 employees at 1Password.Achieving this growth wasn't easy. In her conversation with host, Shannon Ogborn, she’ll share how their success stems from a commitment to interview excellence. Key Takeaways: Invest in effective training for hiring teams: Her approach includes diversity training, structured interview preparation, and the evolution of training courses, leading to better prepared hiring teams and a more consistent, unbiased evaluation process.Build a structured and fair interview process: Establishing a formalized and structured interview process ensures fairness and consistency in candidate evaluation. Practices like scorecarding and focusing on "culture add" rather than "culture fit" help create an inclusive and equitable hiring environment, enhancing the quality of hires and aligning the experience with company values and goals.Embrace AI and continuous improvement: The future of talent acquisition involves embracing AI and automation to enhance efficiency. Talent professionals can then focus on tasks that require a human touch and not get bogged down with things that slow down productivity. For 1Password, adapting to new technologies and embracing a continuous improvement mindset have helped them maintain a competitive edge in recruitment.Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction(03:00) The evolution of talent acquisition(05:00) Why vulnerability matters in the interview process(07:00) The impact of candidate experience on brand(10:00) Understanding how to use training programs for hiring teams(17:00) Interviewing with diversity and fairness(19:00) Shifting from “culture fit” to “culture add” (26:00) What it means to have hiring excellence(28:00) Embracing AI in talent acquisition

In this episode of Offer Accepted, host Shannon Ogborn welcomes NaKeisha Martinez, a seasoned talent acquisition expert with 18 years of experience and former Head of Talent at Branch. NaKeisha shares her journey and the importance of professional development in the TA space. She emphasizes the role of managers in fostering growth and success within their teams, advocating for a strong focus on individual goals and aspirations.NaKeisha discusses the significance of one-on-one meetings in understanding team members' personal and professional goals. She highlights how these meetings can drive motivation and reduce turnover by aligning personal aspirations with business objectives. NaKeisha also introduces the concept of "teach-backs," where team members share their learning experiences, enhancing knowledge retention and application.The conversation concludes with a discussion on the candidate experience, stressing the need for respect and timely communication. NaKeisha underscores the importance of transparency and continuous learning to achieve hiring excellence. This episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to enhance their TA strategies and create a supportive, growth-oriented work environment. 

In this episode of Offer Accepted, host Shannon Ogborn interviews Melissa Grabiner of OneDigital. Melissa shares insights from her extensive career in HR and talent acquisition, focusing on her experiences as a talent leader in the biotech and pharmaceutical industries. She walks through her management philosophy, which includes a commitment to work-life balance and mental health, ensuring her team members feel valued and supported. One way she does this is through having a streamlined PTO plan for her team. Melissa also highlights the need for companies to streamline their hiring processes and foster strong partnerships between recruiters and hiring managers. She emphasizes the importance of the candidate experience in the recruitment process, noting the impact of treating candidates with respect and providing timely feedback.Tune in to hear Melissa's strategies for maintaining high employee satisfaction and effective team management, along with her thoughts on the future of recruiting in a shifting job market.

In this episode of Offer Accepted, host Shannon Ogborn welcomes Aline Lerner, CEO of interviewing.io, and Michael Mroczka, a Software Engineer and Dedicated Coaching Interviewer. They dive into the evolving landscape of technical interviews where Aline shares insights from her nine years at interviewing.io, emphasizing the platform's mission to democratize hiring by valuing skills over resumes. Michael, a seasoned mentor and ex-Google software engineer, discusses the benefits of real interview practice over mere theoretical preparation.The conversation shifts to current challenges in technical recruiting, notably the impact of AI on hiring practices. Aline cites a significant increase in interview cheating facilitated by tools like ChatGPT. They explore how these changes necessitate adaptations in interview processes to maintain integrity. Michael highlights the effectiveness of traditional technical interviews and the potential risks AI poses in enabling dishonesty among candidates.The episode wraps with a discussion on potential solutions to counteract cheating in interviews. Both guests agree on the need for more innovative and rigorous interviewing techniques that can withstand the ingenuity of AI-assisted cheating. They advocate for a balance between leveraging technology and upholding rigorous standards to accurately assess candidate capabilities.Cheating experiment blog: https://interviewing.io/blog/how-hard-is-it-to-cheat-with-chatgpt-in-technical-interviewsRecruiters: share this link with your candidates and they'll get access to the best system design guide on the market AND a free mock interview: https://interviewing.io/guides/system-design-interview

In this episode of Offer Accepted, host Shannon Ogborn welcomes Kristi Kennebrew, a passionate advocate for job seekers from underrepresented groups in the tech industry. Kristi shares her approach to recruitment, emphasizing the importance of representing and actively reaching out to underrepresented communities. She discusses the sourcing limitations of traditional online platforms like LinkedIn and the significant benefits of engaging with potential candidates through in-person events such as conferences and networking gatherings.Kristi highlights the necessity of recruiters stepping outside of conventional methods to uncover untapped talent pools. She suggests that personal interactions at events allow for a more genuine connection with candidates, which online platforms can sometimes lack. The discussion also touches on the role of recruiters as brand ambassadors who can attract talent by representing their companies authentically.The conversation concludes with practical tips for both recruiters and job seekers on maximizing the benefits of networking events. Kristi advises on the importance of having a clear goal, collecting valuable candidate data efficiently, and maintaining follow-up communications to build a strong employer brand and foster long-term professional relationships.

In this episode of Offer Accepted, host Shannon Ogborn speaks with Jeremy Lyons of RecOps Collective about the subtleties of recruiting operations. They discuss the critical role of cultural acknowledgement in recruitment processes and the challenges of creating effective strategies that respect diverse cultural values. Jeremy brings to light the challenges recruiters face in designing processes that are both efficient and inclusive.The conversation also covers the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in recruitment. Jeremy highlights the importance of AI literacy, pointing out the potential biases that can arise when using AI tools. He emphasizes the necessity for recruitment professionals to understand and control these technologies to ensure they support rather than compromise recruitment efforts.Throughout the episode, Shannon and Jeremy share insights that are crucial for anyone looking to deepen their understanding of the evolving landscape of recruiting operations. Their exchange sheds light on the complexities of integrating technology with human-centric approaches to recruitment.