Innovation Talent Acquisition

Everyone in Silicon Valley is hiring. Very few are hiring well. Every day on Instagram, I get DMs from candidates frustrated by how broken the job market feels. And on LinkedIn? Recruiters are just as overwhelmed. So over the last three weeks, I’ve been meeting with recruiters and marketers in my network to understand where things are actually breaking down. The takeaway: it’s not a talent shortage - it’s signal overload. If you’re a recruiter drowning in resumes, intro calls, and “on paper they looked great,” here are three ways to make your life easier and attract better talent:  1. 𝗛𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰: Not a generic “We’re hiring a Marketing Lead - apply here.”I mean showing the process. Post a video explaining what you’re actually looking for. Share anonymized examples of what moves candidates forward (and what doesn’t). Talk about the good, the bad, and the messy. It creates social buzz, builds trust, and teaches candidates how to stand out before they apply.  2. 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗮 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗲𝗿-𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗽: Instead of endless intro calls, give candidates a short, async exercise tied to the real job - a Loom walkthrough, mini case, or 30-minute prompt. High-intent candidates lean in, low-intent ones opt out. You get a real signal before the first call. Candidates save time, and interviews become conversations, not auditions. I’ve been exploring tools like The Aurora Co. (www.theauroraco.com) which let recruiters create role-specific, AI-scored case exercises with structured feedback and analytics.  3. 𝗣𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗮 “𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗪𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗛𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗝𝗼𝗯” 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁: Instead of overselling the role, be radically honest. Share what’s messy, what’s unclear, and what kind of person will struggle in this job. Is it scrappy? Under-resourced? Fast-changing? Say that. The wrong candidates will self-select out immediately, and the right ones will lean in harder. Recruiters waste less time on misaligned interviews, and candidates walk in with eyes wide open - which makes every conversation higher quality.

Business leaders are grappling with skills shortages and a lack of candidates with relevant experience for in-demand roles. The problem is clear - but fortunately so is the solution: applied learning (or on-the-job training) through reskilling, upskilling, and early career talent programs. The current misalignment between the supply of skilled talent and the demand of employers is at the heart of my latest piece in Fast Company. Co-authored with Opportunity@Work founder & CEO Byron Auguste, we explore the critical opportunity to provide, "huge boosts to business productivity and to the wider economy through pathways that are built for all workers at all stages in their career and educational journey." In this piece, you can learn more about: - The 30 million STARs (workers Skilled Through Alternative Routes, rather than bachelor’s degrees) in the US who already have the skills for roles with at least 50% higher salaries than their current jobs, if employers #TearThePaperCeiling.  - How, according to Multiverse research with The Burning Glass Institute, apprenticeships could move 830,000 people in the US into higher-wage roles, resulting in $28.5 billion more in annual earnings.  - The emerging in-demand roles, including cybersecurity and data analysis, that are increasingly being filled through apprenticeship pathways. This piece underscores the need for the private and public sectors to collaborate and scale these programs - and with skills-based hiring increasingly prominent and various states offering tax credits for workforce training, we are already making strides. As the US economy looks for innovative ways to build new industries, let’s ensure we also build effective pathways to success for workers of all backgrounds, all ages, and all career stages. #FutureOfWork #SkillsGap #TalentDevelopment

As jobseekers head into the Autumn with renewed energy in a competitive market, employers have a chance to do things differently. Traditional hiring practices are leaving too much talent on the table. LinkedIn’s Economic Graph research shows that when companies lead with skills — not just degrees or job titles — they find more diverse, qualified candidates. 🏢 Small and medium companies are leading the move towards skills-based searches in the EU. Ireland is leading the way with a 46% drop in degree-first hiring filters by SMEs, followed by France at 29% and Germany at 26%. 🧑💻 And in emerging areas like AI, we’ve found that companies can expand their AI talent pool 8 times over when they remove degree requirements. 💎 And for jobseekers, adding just 10 relevant skills to your profile can shorten unemployment gaps by nearly a month. In a fast-changing economy with rising talent shortages, skills-first hiring isn’t just a nice-to-have. It’s essential.

Top talent will NEVER join a company with a mediocre recruiting process. They assume the rest of your company matches that experience. Yet most leaders treat their recruiters like transactional rubber stampers — then wonder why they can't hire A-players. The reality: how you treat your recruiters gets reflected in your recruiting process. Treat them like cogs in a machine? That's EXACTLY how they'll treat your candidates. Here are 8 ways treating recruiters as strategic partners transforms your hiring: 1. Give them a seat at leadership meetings A biz recruiter pitched "we need an implementation specialist" for months. Candidates weren’t biting. Then she learned this hire would unlock a $2M contract. Changed her pitch to "we need this role to hit Q3 revenue." Filled in 2 weeks. 2. Make recruiting metrics visible company-wide When engineering managers check recruiting dashboards daily, magic happens. One team went from "where's my hire?" to "I see 3 strong candidates entering final rounds." Transparency turns recruiting from blame game to team sport. 3. Let them push back on unrealistic demands A recruiter shared w/ me why she quit her last role: "I was tired of smiling when they wanted senior engineers for junior salaries." Smart companies empower recruiters to say, "that's unrealistic." The rest lose their best recruiters. 4. Include them in offer strategy, not delivery Watched a startup land their dream candidate in 48 hours — beating higher cash offers — because their recruiter could negotiate on the spot. Most make recruiters deliver pre-baked offers like pizza. 5. Invest in their tools like engineering Teams tracking candidates in Google Sheets wonder why they can't compete. Companies investing in real recruiting tools see 4x productivity gains. Your engineers get the latest MacBooks. Why make recruiters work in spreadsheets? 6. Give them time to build relationships One Gem customer filled 70% of roles in 3 weeks. How? They maintained relationships with past candidates for YEARS. Most measure recruiters on this month’s roles they need to fill. So they spam everyone and start from zero next quarter. 7. Empower them with data "Trust me, the market's tough" doesn't move executives. "Your salary range is 25th percentile — here's the data" does. Give recruiters access to data and industry benchmarks. Watch them become business partners overnight. 8. Celebrate their wins like revenue That top 1% engineer who chose you over FAANG only happened thanks to your recruiter — celebrate them like AEs winning deals. Ring the gong. Most companies only notice recruiters when hiring stops. TAKEAWAY In this market — 2.7x more applications, 90% unqualified — the difference isn't headcount. It's whether you treat recruiters as strategic partners or paper pushers. Your recruiters are interviewing for new jobs right now. Still think they're just order-takers?

As the talent landscape changes with skills shortages, rising demand for flexibility, and evolving employee expectations, the traditional job model is showing its limits. Instead of fitting people into rigid roles, progressive companies are now breaking jobs into tasks and connecting those tasks to people’s skills in real time.   This is the foundation of the skills-based organization, a concept championed by Mercer. It’s about letting talent flow to work dynamically, flexibly, and based on what people can actually do, not just what their job title says. By using data and AI to uncover hidden capabilities, companies are discovering that employees often have three to four times more skills than they self-report. One organization even saw a 600% boost in digital talent productivity after adopting this approach. It’s a complete mindset shift. Work becomes more agile, talent becomes more visible, and diversity and inclusion move from occasional initiatives to everyday reality.

The rapid evolution of technology and the growing influence of AI in the workplace have intensified competition for top talent. Organizations are under increasing pressure to rethink their hiring strategies, and skills-based hiring is gaining significant momentum. Yet many companies remain anchored to outdated degree requirements when sourcing candidates — a practice that not only limits their talent pool but actively undermines their ability to compete. A recent study by the Burning Glass Institute highlights the scale of this missed opportunity: workers with non-degree credentials represent 58% of the workforce, yet they are routinely overlooked and systematically screened out during the hiring process. The same study points to a growing number of forward-thinking firms that are doing things differently. Companies like LinkedIn, Nordic Global, and Procore Technologies consistently incorporate credentials into their job postings and hiring decisions — linking specific certifications to business-critical skills. HubSpot, for instance, prioritizes Inbound Marketing certification, while Infosys values AWS Architect credentials. This approach allows them to hire with greater precision and access talent their competitors miss. The benefits extend well beyond organizational performance. Credential-based hiring creates meaningful economic opportunity, particularly for historically underrepresented groups. Research shows that women gain an average of $1,600 in annual wages through credentialing, while men see gains of $916 — making it a powerful tool for companies committed to advancing equity in hiring. The bottom line is straightforward: in an era where technical skills can become obsolete in months, companies need smarter, more dynamic ways to assess capability. Organizations that develop “credential fluency” — the ability to identify, validate, and hire based on quality credentials — will consistently access talent that others overlook.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗿𝘂𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 When you're an entrepreneur starting out, you often don't have the luxury of a big, recognisable brand. So, what makes talented individuals want to join your venture? It's the story you tell. Early in my career, I noticed a common mistake: presenting job opportunities in a clinical, uninspiring manner. Typical job specs go something like this: "Here's the job description, this is your position, and here’s your salary." But that's not how you ignite passion or excitement in potential recruits. People are drawn to stories that they can believe in and be excited about. They want to go home and tell their loved ones, "I met this amazing team, and they're doing incredible things!" This realisation led me to transform our approach. We needed to share our vision, our journey, and how each new team member would play a vital role in our success. I started by crafting our narrative with more vibrancy and detail. I asked myself: Where is the company headed? How will we achieve our goals? What challenges will we overcome together? And crucially, what part will the new recruit play in this journey? By giving our story a clear beginning, middle, and an inspiring end, we were able to captivate potential employees. They weren't just accepting a job; they were becoming part of an exciting adventure. Effective storytelling in recruiting isn't just a nice-to-have; it's a powerful tool that can set your company apart. It's about creating an emotional connection and painting a vivid picture of the future you’re building together. #Recruiting #Storytelling #Business #Entrepreneurship #AttractingTalent

Should HR people and especially #recruiters have long history of specific experience or they may have transferable skills from other industries that may help them to support business needs? Sometimes I was asked why I decided to turn from Marketing to #People. And in some conversations I do feel that people have some doubts... But in reality my marketing background really helps me to attract right people, especially to #startups and #scaleups where there is no market visibility of a company, no long history, risks, etc. How? 1. Understanding Branding: #recruiters need to represent their company effectively to potential candidates. A marketing background can help to understand branding principles and how to convey the company's culture, values, and mission in a compelling way. 2. Targeted Candidate Attraction: Marketers are skilled at identifying and targeting specific demographics and audiences. This knowledge can be applied to recruitment efforts to attract candidates with the right skills and cultural fit for the organisation. 3. Effective Job Descriptions: Marketing professionals know how to craft persuasive and engaging content. It helps to create job descriptions that are not only informative but also enticing, making them more likely to attract talent. 4. Use of Social Media: Social media is a powerful tool for both marketing and HR, it helps to connect with potential candidates, build relationships through social media. 5. Data Analytics: Marketing often involves data-driven decision-making. Understanding #dataanalytics can be beneficial for HR managers, recruiters in tracking the effectiveness of their strategies and making data-driven improvements. 6. Content Creation: #hr can use the skills to create informative and engaging content that educates candidates about the company and the job opportunities. 7. Communication Skills: Marketing professionals are typically strong communicators. Effective communication is essential in both marketing and recruitment that helps to convey information clearly to candidates and engage in meaningful conversations during the hiring process. 8. Competitive Analysis: Marketers often conduct competitive analysis to understand their competitors' strategies. Similarly, HR managers can benefit from understanding what other companies are doing in terms of recruitment, benefits, and employer branding to stay competitive. 9. Customer-Centric Approach: Marketing is all about understanding and meeting the needs of customers. In recruitment, candidates are essentially customers, and a customer-centric approach can help to create a positive candidate experience. 10. Adaptability and Innovation: HR managers and recruiters with marketing backgrounds may be more adaptable and innovative in their recruitment strategies and tools. Diversity in skills and perspectives within a recruitment team can lead to well-rounded and effective talent acquisition strategies. #peoplestrategy #talentacquisition #talentsolutions

📢 To everyone in the job market: You’re more than a resume. Searching for jobs is exhausting. The waiting, the rejections, the self-doubt… it can wear you down. But I want to remind you that your value is not measured by how many interviews you land. You bring experience, creativity, resilience, and a unique perspective that no job posting can fully capture. If you feel stuck in your job search, consider stepping outside the traditional apply-and-wait approach. Here are some out-of-the-box, creative ways to stand out: 🔷 Show, Don’t Just Tell  Instead of just listing skills, create something to showcase your expertise. A case study, a mock strategy, a personal website, or even a short video introduction can leave a lasting impression. Visual storytelling is powerful. 🔷 Engage, Don’t Just Apply  Comment on industry leaders’ posts, share insights on LinkedIn, or write about trends in your field. Thoughtful engagement can get you noticed before you apply. 🔷 Pitch Yourself Differently  Consider an interactive presentation, a short project proposal, or a creative storytelling approach that aligns with the company’s mission. Don’t just rely on a traditional cover letter. 🔷 Network Beyond the Obvious  Attend niche virtual meetups, contribute to industry online groups, or start your own professional roundtable discussions. Many opportunities arise from conversations, not job boards. 🔷 Reverse-Engineer Opportunities Identify companies you admire, research their challenges, and reach out with tailored ideas on how you can add value. Use design thinking and product management principles. Initiative speaks volumes, and you don’t have to wait for job postings. 🔷 Reverse Mentorship Offer to mentor someone within your target company, in an area where you have unique expertise. It builds relationships and positions you as a valuable contributor before you're even hired. 🔷 Personalized Impact Reports Instead of just a resume, create a short report outlining the impact you could have on a company based on your skills and research. Quantify your potential contributions. 🔷 Tell an Impactful Story You are not just looking for a job. You are looking for your next opportunity to create impact. Use the STAR method to tell your story about your great work and impact with a clear format about the Situation, Task, Action, and Result. Most importantly, keep going. With this intentional approach beyond what's on your resume, you're expanding your surface area of possibilities. New places, new people, an expanded network, a stronger brand about your work ethic and growth mindset... they all increase the likelihood of opportunities. And you’re more likely to find the right role where your skills, passions, and purpose align. What unique strategies have helped you stand out in your career journey? Share below and with someone in your network who is in the job market.

The Future of Hiring: Skills > Degrees? Google, IBM, and Tesla are rewriting hiring rules. They're not looking at where you learned. They're looking at what you can do. Let me share a personal truth: When I landed in Australia, my years of experience felt weightless against that dreaded "local experience" requirement. A 4-year career gap as my mum's carer added another layer of complexity. But something exciting is happening in the hiring world... Google, IBM, Tesla, and many big companies are shifting focus. They're looking at what you can do, rather than where you learned to do it. The data backs this up powerfully: Organisations embracing skills-based hiring are: - 107% more likely to place talent effectively - 52% more likely to innovate - 57% more likely to adapt to change Why does that matter? 1- Talent has no borders. Your degree might be from another country, but your problem-solving abilities? Your leadership skills? They translate in any language. 2- Life skills are work skills. Those years I spent as a caregiver? They taught me more about crisis management, resilience and emotional intelligence than any formal training. 3- Fresh perspectives drive innovation. Different paths bring unique insights. That community volunteer managing projects? Possibly your next amazing team leader. 4- Community connections. When organizations value diverse skills, they build stronger relationships with the communities they serve. Trust grows. Top talent emerges from unexpected places. The reality check is: - Fair skill assessment - Balancing technical abilities with cultural fit - Developing effective training programs. Dear hiring managers, - That gap in the resume? A story of resilience waiting to be heard. - That unusual career path? Fresh perspectives ready to bloom. - The talent shortage isn't about lack of capable people. It's about recognising potential in unexpected places. - It's not just about skills vs. degrees- it's about opening doors to talent from all walks of life. It's about building teams that truly represent our communities. As an HR professional, I see the potential benefits, but also the challenges. It's about finding the sweet spot where skills complement the overall vision of a company. The real question is: Are we ready to embrace this shift? Could skills-based hiring be the answer to creating a more equitable workforce? I believe it’s worth a shot. What are your views? Would love to hear your experiences. #LinkedInnewsAustralia #SkillsBasedHiring #FutureOfWork #Inclusion #Leadership #HR