Hiring On All Cylinders

Episodet

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  From Buyer to Builder: Why TA Leaders Are Coding Their Own Tools with Hope Weatherford (VP of Talent Acquisition at Camunda) 30.07.2026 43min

  Hope Weatherford, VP of Talent Acquisition at Camunda, is doing what most TA leaders are still evaluating: building. In this episode, she sits down with Matt Staney to unpack how she vibe-coded her own interview question generator and JD tool with zero engineering background, why "change leadership is the job now," and how Camunda's process orchestration mindset is reshaping how her team hires. We get into over-engineering vs. first principles, the deepfake and fake-candidate problem, and the near-future where AI agents are extensions of us; applying for jobs, splitting revenue, and forcing a rethink of what "capability" even means. If you're a TA leader wondering where to start, Hope's answer is simple: just do it.
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  Hiring Without a Benchmark: Moving From Enterprise Scale to Scale-Up with Ben Baillie-Lane (Head of Talent Acquisition at Mollie) 16.07.2026 36min

  How do you build a high-performance hiring bar when you're expanding into a brand-new country with zero historical data, zero benchmarks, and limited local brand awareness?Ben Baillie-Lane knows the playbook inside out. Having scaled teams from 2,000 to 13,000 at Revolut before taking the reins at Mollie, Ben joins us to discuss the art of market expansion. He reveals why the biggest mistake TA leaders make when hiring for pioneering roles is over-indexing on technical skill sets, and how reversing the engineering of performance data holds the key to quality.
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  The New Era of Commercial Talent Leadership with Frankie Greenwell (Early Stage Talent Lead at EQT Group) 06.07.2026 43min

  The days of Talent Acquisition operating as a reactive, order-taking engine are officially over. In today’s hyper-competitive tech landscape, headcount is no longer a vanity metric for success—quality of hire is everything.In this episode of Hiring on All Cylinders, we sit down with Frankie Greenwell, Early Stage Talent Lead at EQT Group (one of the world's largest private equity and venture firms), to break down the profound evolution of the talent leader role. Drawing from his experience advising 50+ early-stage portfolio companies, Frankie pulls back the curtain on what venture-backed founders are actually looking for in a TA partner today.If you are a talent acquisition executive looking to transcend traditional recruiting boundaries, bridge the credibility gap with the C-suite, and build a world-class hiring infrastructure from seed to pre-IPO, this masterclass is for you.
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  Employer Brand in the Age of LLMs with Duarte Mendonca (Director, Talent Acquisition at PayPal) 28.05.2026 53min

  Candidates aren't clicking on your carefully curated career site anymore. Instead, they’re asking ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude what it’s really like to work at your company—and the answers might surprise you.In this episode of Hiring On All Cylinders, host Matt Staney sits down with Duarte Mendonça, Director of Global Talent Systems and Operational Enablement at PayPal, to unpack a massive behavioral shift: the transition from Search Engine Optimization (SEO) to AI Optimization (AIO).Duarte shares startling data on how LLMs source employer data, why third-party sites like Reddit control 40% of the narrative, and how TA leaders can structurally adjust their infrastructure to fight back.
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  Why Human Judgment Still Rules the Recruiting Process with Mary Price (VP TA at OneTrust) 02.04.2026 46min

  Efficiency in recruiting isn’t just about working faster; it’s about working smarter by knowing where to let the machines take over and where to double down on human connection. In this episode, Mary Price, an enterprise talent leader with experience at LinkedIn and Apple, reveals how her teams are leveraging AI to reduce administrative burnout while driving a 32% decrease in attrition through better candidate-to-role matching.
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  Beyond Hiring: The Evolution of Talent Acquisition with Barbara Gaillard 12.03.2026 37min

  When a company scales from 5,000 to 17,000 employees overnight, the traditional HR playbook doesn't just need an update—it needs a total transformation. Barbara Gaillard shares how she moved TA from a purely transactional function to a "People as a Product" model that balances rapid execution with deep long-term strategy.
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  Scaling the White-Glove Experience: High-Touch Hiring for Every Role with Neil Crumpton (TransUnion) 19.02.2026 42min

  How can corporate talent acquisition teams replicate the high-stakes, "white-glove" service of executive search for every role in an organization? Join host Matt Staney and Neil Crumpton, Senior Director of Talent Acquisition at TransUnion, as they discuss transforming recruitment from a reactive function into a strategic partnership powered by human judgment and AI efficiency.In this episode, Neil shares his journey from executive recruiting to corporate leadership, revealing how to build high-touch experiences for candidates and hiring managers alike.
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  The Best of Hiring on All Cylinders 2025 18.12.2025 16min

  The holiday season is here, and we're taking a look back at some of our favorite podcast moments of the year.We hear from some of the TA leaders who have joined us in 2025: James Lafferty, Manjuri Sinha, James Footman, Jocelyn S. Lai, Lars Schmidt, Kobi Ampoma, Jonathan Beaney, Jamie Edwards, Tracy St. Dic, Jerome Leclerq, Tommy Hansen, Samantha Perlman, Karen Arnold and Anastasia Pshegodskaya.Discussion topics include:Human connections in hiringAuthenticity in employer brandingDefining quality of hireWhat makes a 5-star recruiter?We've got so many great guests lined up for the podcast next year. Make sure to subscribe so you don't miss out!
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  Global Expansion Secrets: Lessons from 5,000 Global Hires with Kathrin Holzfurtner 11.12.2025 27min

  Hosted by Kathryne Friend, VP Community at HIGHER, this episode of Hiring on All Cylinders features Kathrin Holzfurtner, a 3× Regional and Global Head of Talent who has led hiring at Google, Microsoft, and Ideals.With more than 5,000 hires across 40+ countries and new-market launches on three continents, Kathrin reveals why global hiring breaks when companies treat it like copy-paste recruiting — and what high-growth teams should do instead.Together, Kathryne and Kathrin unpack the pillars of successful international scaling: how to use talent intelligence to shape location strategy, how to choose the right operating model when entering new markets, how to build TA capacity and enablement ahead of demand, and how to avoid the common pitfalls that derail global growth.Required listening for any TA leader driving global expansion in 2026 and beyond.
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  How Fruitist Used AI Storytelling to Win Over Tech Talent 24.11.2025 49min

  Join host Matt Staney, (VP Community, HIGHER) on Hiring on All Cylinders as he sits down with Lars Schmidt, the innovative Head of Talent at Fruitist, to unpack one of the most creative employer brand campaigns of the year. Lars shares the origin story behind The Quest for Fruitist—a wildly inventive, AI-generated video series starring Barry, a blueberry-obsessed Bigfoot—built on a production budget of under $500.In this episode, Matt and Lars dive into how generative AI is transforming employer branding, why humor and storytelling win candidates’ attention, and how TA leaders can leverage creativity and personal brand to elevate their impact across the business. A must-listen for talent leaders looking to break the mold and build awareness in bold new ways.
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  How Revolut Made 10k Hires in Just Two Years — Jonathan Beaney (Revolut) 30.10.2025 44min

  How do you scale from 3,000 to 13,000 employees — and raise the bar on quality while doing it?In this episode of Hiring on All Cylinders, host Kathryne Friend (VP of Community, EMEA) speaks with Jonathan Beaney, Global Head of Talent Acquisition at Revolut, about how the company built a high-performance hiring engine designed for hyperscale.Jonathan shares how Revolut developed its own ATS, embedded Quality of Hire as a measurable, operational metric, and built a data-driven model that balances speed, precision, and excellence.Tune in for practical insights on redefining TA efficiency, elevating hiring quality, and designing systems that scale without compromise.
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  Inside Jennifer Kaufman’s Playbook for Modern, Data-Led Talent Acquisition 09.10.2025 34min

  Host Matt Staney, VP Community at HIGHER, sits down with Jennifer Anker Kaufman, VP of Talent Acquisition at Illumio, for a rich, honest conversation about how recruiting becomes a trusted business partner. Jennifer shares her unexpected start as a dolphin trainer, how she built credibility across hyper-growth tech companies, and why she believes in “talent partners,” not “order takers.”They discuss Illumio’s shift to Ashby, how data reshapes executive conversations, and the future of AI and capacity planning in TA. Along the way, Jennifer reveals her NICE framework and the leadership lessons that turn small wins into lasting impact.
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  Redefining Global TA: From Order-Takers to Strategic Partners with James Lafferty of Epicor 24.09.2025 37min

  In this episode of Hiring on All Cylinders, Matt Staney talks to James Lafferty, VP of Global Talent Acquisition and Mobility at Epicor. James shares how he’s built a global TA function that makes 1,200+ hires a year across 32 countries—while staying consistent, human, and adaptable.They discuss what it really takes to lead modern TA: building systems that scale, earning trust across cultures, and finding the right balance between tech and the human touch.Highlights:Building a global TA model that works across time zones and teamsWhy recruiters need to be partners, not just process ownersHow AI is changing the role—but not replacing itLeading through acquisitions without losing what makes teams great
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  Scaling Talent Without the Debt: Balancing Speed & Sustainability with Jerome Leclercq of Wise 12.09.2025 39min

  How do you hire fast without creating long-term problems? In this episode of Hiring on All Cylinders, Jerome Leclercq, Global Head of Talent at Wise, shares his playbook for scaling talent teams sustainably — avoiding “talent debt” while still moving at the pace the business demands.We cover:Why short-term fixes create long-term challenges in hiringHow to balance speed with thoughtful, strategic decision-makingUsing data to improve both quality and efficiency in recruitmentDesigning talent teams that can scale up or down with business demandEmbedding a “hiring is a team sport” mindset across the businessWhether you’re leading a talent team, managing rapid growth, or rethinking your hiring strategy, this episode offers practical insights on smarter, sustainable scaling.This episode is sponsored by  Talentful - Subscription talent solutions for the world’s most innovative companies.
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  From Product to People: A New Blueprint for Talent Acquisition with Jamie Edwards of Deliveroo 26.08.2025 35min

  In this episode, Jamie Edwards—VP Talent & Org Development at Deliveroo and former tech founder—shares how applying product principles to Talent Acquisition can transform hiring.Hosted by Kathryne Friend, we explore Jamie’s journey from engineer and founder to TA leader, and unpack a practical roadmap for building a user-centric hiring function: one that designs with candidates in mind, redefines success beyond offers, and applies AI only after rethinking the process itself.What you’ll learn:- How product thinking can reshape recruiting-- Why hiring should start with candidate research- Key product maxims for TA (nail it then scale it, don’t automate until it hurts)- Shifting culture: from “candidates should feel lucky” to “we’re selling them”- Actionable advice for TA leaders to start small and scale impactIf you’re in Talent Acquisition, HR, or People Ops and want a fresh blueprint for the future of hiring, this conversation is packed with insights you can put into practice today.This episode is sponsored by  Talentful - Subscription talent solutions for the world’s most innovative companies.
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  Redefining TA: From Process Pushers to Revenue Drivers with Tommy Hansen of Juniper Square 14.08.2025 27min

  In this episode of Hiring on All Cylinders, host Matt Staney is joined by Tommy Hansen, Head of Recruiting at Juniper Square, to explore how Talent Acquisition can move from a support function to a true driver of business growth.Tommy shares how his team is embedded directly into Juniper Square’s core operations — from participating in weekly revenue forecasting to earning recognition at the President’s Club. He also breaks down the org design changes, skill-building strategies, and AI readiness plans that are helping his team stay deeply strategic and business-focused.Topics covered include:Embedding recruiting teams into core business functionsThe vision and pillars behind the “Associate Recruiter” roleBuilding trust and influence as strategic advisorsNavigating AI’s risks while leveraging its biggest opportunitiesActionable advice for TA leaders aiming to align with revenue goalsWhether you’re leading a TA function, managing a recruiting team, or rethinking your talent strategy, this conversation offers a clear blueprint for positioning TA at the heart of the business.This episode is sponsored by Talentful - Subscription talent solutions for the world’s most innovative companies.
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  Building a Modern, Tech-Enabled Talent Function 29.07.2025 35min

  In this episode of Hiring on All Cylinders, we’re live from San Francisco with a powerhouse guest: Manjuri Sinha, VP HR and Global Head of GTM Org Success & People Partner at Miro.Together with host Kathryn, Manjuri unpacks what it really means to build a modern, tech-enabled talent function—from rethinking your TA operating model and integrating tools strategically, to enabling recruiter skill growth in an AI-powered future.💡 Topics covered include:Redesigning the TA function around technology—not just layering it onDriving genuine adoption of recruiting tools and platformsFuture-proofing recruiter roles as AI reshapes decision-makingMaintaining human-centric principles in tech-forward orgsWhether you’re a TA leader, HR pro, or just passionate about the future of hiring, this conversation is packed with practical insights and bold ideas.
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  Elevating TA’s Impact: Samantha Perlman on Building Strategic Foundations at OneSignal 15.07.2025 38min

  In this episode of Hiring on All Cylinders, host Matt Staney sits down with Samantha Perlman, Head of People at OneSignal, for a powerful conversation on how Talent Acquisition can — and must — operate as a strategic business driver.From her early days scaling teams at Airbnb and Fastly to now leading both TA and People strategy at OneSignal, Samantha shares what it takes to build a strong talent foundation that unlocks long-term growth. Together, they explore:How the definition of “strategic TA” has evolved from 2023 to 2025Why investing in foundational systems is essential for scaleHow AI is reshaping TA tech — and what smart adoption really looks likeThe leadership mindsets and capabilities TA leaders need todayWhat’s next for the future of Talent AcquisitionWhether you’re a talent leader, people ops pro, or simply curious about the evolving role of TA in business success, this episode delivers actionable insight and bold ideas from someone who’s helping redefine the field.🔊 Powered by the HIGHER community — real conversations, fresh perspectives, and practical strategies for building exceptional teams.
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  Special Episode: LIVE from the HIGHER Altitude Summit, San Francisco 03.07.2025 32min

  Recorded live in San Francisco at the HIGHER Altitude Summit, this special episode of Hiring on Cylinders brings the summit’s biggest themes to life — from tech-enabled TA and global delivery to AI fluency and what it really takes to be a next-gen TA leader.Hosts Kathryne Friend (VP Community, EMEA @ HIGHER) and Matt Staney (VP Community, USA @ HIGHER) are joined by four world-class TA leaders:James Footman, Recruiting Leader at WizKaren Arnold, Global VP of Talent at AutomatticTracy St.Dic, Global Head of Talent at ZapierAnastasia Pshegodskaya, Director of TA at RemoteTogether, they reflect on how talent leaders are adapting to scale, speed, and complexity—sharing practical insights on distributed hiring, tech implementation, and evolving the role of TA as a true business driver. Missed the summit or want a front-row recap? This episode offers a glimpse into the day’s most impactful conversations and themes.
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  Brewing Better Teams: Inclusive Hiring Beyond the Label 17.06.2025 37min

  Inclusive hiring isn’t just a buzzword — it’s the future of building high-performing teams.On this episode of Hiring on All Cylinders, Kobi Ampoma, Head of Talent Acquisition at Heineken Netherlands joins Kathryne Friend and shares how he’s rethinking talent strategies across industries — from fashion and tech to FMCG.With two decades of experience at companies like Nike, ASICS, PVH, and Getir, plus his work as a LinkedIn Top Voice and board advisor at OMEK, Kobi brings a fresh, future-focused lens to what inclusive hiring can really look like.From challenging outdated practices to designing practical, scalable solutions, Kobi offers a clear blueprint for talent leaders looking to future-proof their hiring approach.