Recruiting Future with Matt Alder Evergreen Podcasts

During May, Recruiting Future combined forces with The Chad and Cheese Podcast to run two face-to-face TA leader meet-ups in Edinburgh and Glasgow.

TA is on the brink of a revolution, and people expect significant changes in the coming months and years. While there was some anxiety about potential future scenarios, there was genuine excitement around the potential of AI, skills-based thinking, and a more integrated approach to talent, making recruiting better for everyone.

This episode features eight industry leaders talking about the practicalities of the revolution ahead:


Danny Caines - HR Project Manager International Talent Acquisition at Babcock


George Dobbin - Global Head of Talent Acquisition and Development at Sabio


Susan McRoberts - Independent HR Consultant 


Nicki Paterson - Chief Growth Officer at Solutions Driven


Euan Cameron - CEO at Willo


Nicolle Sinclair - Talent Engagement Leader at Diageo


Euan McNair - Talent Acquisition, Inclusion, and Brand Director at Aegon


Jo Grant - Employer Brand Manager UK and Ireland.

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Currently, there are only four LGBTQ+ CEOs in the Fortune 500 and none in the FTSE 100. This really illustrates the hidden challenges and differences in professional opportunities for LGBTQ+ people, especially when it comes to promotion and recruitment into senior roles.

Many employers publically say that improving diversity and inclusion in their workforce is a significant priority, but this will only truly happen with appropriate representation at the top of the organization.

My guest this week is Layla McCay, Director of Policy at the NHS Confederation and author of a new book called "Breaking The Rainbow Ceiling." Layla shines a light on the challenges that LGBTQ+ people face at work and offers advice on how companies can recognize and address the barriers and build a more inclusive workplace where everyone can thrive and succeed.

In the interview, we discuss:

Why she wrote the book

The barriers that prevent LGBTQ+ people from being hired or promoted into senior roles

Roles models and self-esteem

Conscious and unconscious bias

Managers reinforcing imposter syndrome.

Understanding different experiences

Allowing people to do their best work

Intersectionality

Equity in talent management

Advice to employers on inclusive hiring

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Skills-based hiring is not just a passing trend; it's a significant shift in the recruiting landscape. Many employers are eager to unlock its advantages in terms of flexibility, diversity, economic efficiency, and dealing with talent shortages. But is there a gap between theory and practice regarding understanding and implementation?

Over the last few months, experienced TA leader Adrian Thomas and myself have partnered with Neil Kelly at Vector on some research to uncover the realities and practicalities of skills-based hiring within large global employers.

Neil and Adrian join me on this episode to discuss the findings, some of which are quite surprising, and to look at what employers need to do to advance with skills-based hiring. 

In the interview, we discuss:

Why and how we did the research

Motivations for being skills-based

Some surprising findings

The problems with skills taxonomies

Talent Acquisition and Talent Management 

Training Hiring Managers

The way forward for skills-based hiring

Download our report " Skills-Based Hiring, The Gap Between Theory and Practice”

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Podcasting at events and conferences is one of my favorite things to do. I love the joy of seeing people face to face, and you get the opportunity to access a broad range of views and expertise around the topics shaping the industry.

At the beginning of May, Recruiting Future was an official media partner of The HR Technology Conference Europe in Amsterdam, the first time the event had been held outside of the US.  

AI was a central theme in the discussions, and I was eager to gather insights on the current use cases of AI tools, as well as the potential future implications.

The first voice you will hear is Rebecca Carr, CPO and acting CEO of SmartRecruiters, talking about AI as a co-pilot and its potential to enhance the very human aspects of recruiting.

Next up after Rebecca is my friend and co-author, the ever-present Mervyn Dinnen, talking about his concerns about the impact of AI on employee experience and creativity

Finally, I spoke to Norwegian entrepreneur Eivind Arnsten about the AI employer lawyer his company is building and the potential for widespread automation throughout HR processes and activities.

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Inclusive hiring is vital to building inclusive organizations, and the benefits of getting it right are considerable, both at a human and a business level. Recognizing bias, standardizing hiring manager behavior, and analyzing data are just some of the things employers need to consider to be more inclusive in their hiring.

My guest this week is Sarah Harnett, Senior Director of People Business Partners at Greenhouse Software. In our conversation, Sarah talks us through the steps that Greenhouse has taken to build an inclusive culture through inclusive hiring practices.

In the interview, we discuss:

What does it take to build a diverse workforce?

Understanding your employee's experience

Hiring as a starting point for building an inclusive culture

ERGs as a vehicle to empower people

Dealing with systemic bias

Inclusive hiring manager behaviors

Structured hiring processes

Connecting DE&I strategy to corporate strategy

The implications of AI on inclusive hiring

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The pace of change in recruiting technology continues to accelerate, and with it come opportunities to improve hiring outcomes, streamline operational efficiency, and make much-needed improvements to the candidate experience. When you add in increasing volumes of applications driven by candidate use of AI and the differing wants and needs of a new generation entering the workforce, it becomes evident that we are on the brink of a profound transformation in recruiting processes.

So, what are the most forward-thinking companies already doing? My guest this week is Hollie Powell, Recruitment Business Partner at EDF. EDF is reinventing its recruiting process for early careers and improving the candidate experience by carefully balancing technology and automation with high-quality human interaction.

In the interview, we discuss:

The early careers strategy at EDF

Increasing volumes of applications through candidate use of AI

How EDF is evolving its recruiting process

The enormous benefits of effective video interviewing

Speeding up the process to improve the candidate experience

Ensuring high quality human interaction during the process

Using an organization wide strengths-based framework

Keeping up with changing candidate wants and needs

Planning for the skills shortages of the future

Consumer brand versus employer brand

How will early careers evolve in the coming years?

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