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 Wiz Karen Arnold , Global VP of Talent at Automattic Tracy St....
Jul 03, 2025•33 min•Season 3Ep. 3
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-focuse...
Jun 17, 2025•38 min•Season 3Ep. 1
Duolingo is famous for its TikTok presence — but can it become just as iconic as an employer brand? On this episode of Hiring on All Cylinders , Jocelyn S. Lai, Global Head of Talent Brand at Duolingo, shares how she’s building the Talent Brand function from the ground up with bold ambition. From reporting into Marketing and leading with a lean team, to attracting top-tier tech talent in Pittsburgh and reimagining what “LinkedIn fame” really means, Jocelyn delivers both practical advice and fres...
Jun 03, 2025•35 min•Season 3Ep. 1
Get an exclusive sneak peek into how Duolingo built its iconic employer brand with insights from Jocelyn S. Lai, Global Head of Talent. In this trailer, discover the bold strategies, creative risks, and data-driven decisions behind one of the most recognized talent brands in the world. Full episode drops tomorrow 👀 3rd June 2025
Jun 02, 2025•41 sec•Season 3Ep. 1
Join Chris Abbass on Hiring in All Cylinders as he discusses the future of recruitment with Charles Henrich, CTPO at Talentverse. Discover how Talentverse transforms hiring with a talent-first model, sophisticated matching algorithms, and a streamlined application process. Learn about the challenges of hiring in today's market and how Talentverse aims to solve them. Whether you're an engineer seeking a new opportunity or a hiring manager looking for top talent, this episode offers valuable insig...
Jan 14, 2025•29 min•Season 1Ep. 51
Get ready to rev up your end-of-year reflections with the ultimate highlight reel from Hiring on All Cylinders! In this milestone 50th episode, we’re diving into the most impactful conversations of the year—where talent strategy meets innovation, and leadership transforms the future of work. From mastering quality hires to embracing AI, from authentic leadership to building unstoppable teams, these expert insights will leave you inspired, informed, and ready to take your talent game to the next ...
Dec 17, 2024•40 min•Season 1Ep. 50
Join host Chris Abbass and guest Christine Ng , Head of People at Quantum Motion , as they delve into the intricacies of hiring for niche and deep tech talent. In this episode, Christine shares her insights from working with various technical environments, including her current role in quantum computing. She discusses the challenges of sourcing specialized talent, building targeted sourcing strategies, and the importance of authenticity in recruitment. Whether you're in deep tech or interested i...
Nov 18, 2024•36 min•Season 1Ep. 49
Join us on Hiring on All Cylinders as we sit down with Allison Allen , co-founder at Leadership Rewired and strategic advisor at Texni, to discuss the paradigm shift in Talent Acquisition leadership. Allison shares her insights on how the role of TA Leaders is transforming in response to recent challenges like the Great Resignation, the move towards skills-based hiring, and the integration of AI in recruiting. Discover strategies to future-proof your TA function and demonstrate the true value of...
Nov 04, 2024•32 min•Season 1Ep. 48
Join Chris Abbass as he explores the evolving recruitment industry with Dominic Joyce. From the importance of feedback and human-centric methods to the groundbreaking role of AI, we delve deep into modern challenges and solutions in talent acquisition. Discover how empathy, transparency, and technology can transform candidate experiences and boost hiring outcomes. Tune in for actionable insights on leveraging AI, improving feedback practices, and achieving a balanced and effective TA strategy. T...
Oct 21, 2024•35 min•Season 1Ep. 48
In this episode of Hiring on All Cylinders, Chris Abbass sits down with Alexa Lane from Placements IO to dive deep into building recruiting operations from the ground up. Alexa shares her personal experience in creating a foundational recruiting framework, partnering with company founders, prioritizing hiring needs, and implementing key tools like ATS systems. We also discuss the critical importance of a streamlined interview process, candidate experience surveys, and leveraging AI to enhance ef...
Sep 23, 2024•32 min•Season 1Ep. 46
In this episode of 'Hiring at All Cylinders,' Chris Abbass sits down with Jessie Zwaan , COO of Talentful and best-selling author, to delve into the importance of commerciality in Talent Acquisition leadership. They discuss Jessie's career journey, the significance of financial literacy in TA roles, and how to think and act more commercially. Jessie shares insights on the challenges faced by TA leaders, the impact of strategic goal alignment, and the future of TA in an ever-evolving industry. Tu...
Aug 29, 2024•45 min•Season 1Ep. 45
Quality of hire (QoH) is the metric of the moment – but it’s notoriously difficult to define. In this episode, Chris sits down with Ben Sesser, CEO of BrightHire, to talk about the evolving importance of this metric and explore how businesses can unpack its potential. Ben recommends proven strategies for defining, capturing, and measuring QoH so it can be exploited to support organizational goals. They also discuss how talent intelligence platforms like BrightHire can improve QoH by driving exce...
Aug 13, 2024•32 min•Season 1Ep. 44
Teams are changing. The notion of a core, centralized workforce is losing ground to a brave new world of contractors, skills mapping, and distributed hiring. In this episode, Chris sits down with Joao Martires , COO of YunoJuno , to dig deep into the trend and explore its implications for teams and talent leaders. Drawing on his first-hand experience, Joao explains how organizations are harnessing flexible talent strategies to drive innovation, improve diversity, and become more adaptable and co...
Jul 30, 2024•32 min•Season 1Ep. 43
Are leaders doing enough to address the emotional impact of their decisions? In this episode, fractional HR advisor Brian Evje joins Chris to unpack the problem of invisible change. While change is an external force, Brian explains, invisible change is an internal struggle – and if it’s ignored or mismanaged, its aftershocks can damage team dynamics for many months to come. However, by engaging with team members, validating their emotions, and accepting that your role is more about stewardship t...
Jul 16, 2024•39 min•Season 1Ep. 42
In this episode, host Chris Abbass is joined by Benji Encz , CEO and co-founder of Ashby , to explore the theme of 'doing more with less' in Talent Acquisition (TA). They discuss trends in TA, the evolution of technology and tools, and how AI and automation are reshaping the hiring landscape. Benji shares deep insights and practical advice on driving productivity in today's competitive market. Whether you're a TA leader or simply interested in the future of recruitment, this conversation is pack...
Jul 02, 2024•30 min•Season 1Ep. 41
In this episode of Hiring in All Cylinders, host Chris Abbass welcomes Jim Turbek , Head of Global Recruiting at Box , for a discussion on the journey to recruiting leadership. Jim shares his rich experience and insights on transitioning into people leadership. The conversation delves into the motivations behind wanting to lead, the importance of responsibility-centric versus reward-centric leadership, and the significance of introspection for aspiring leaders. You will gain invaluable advice on...
Jun 18, 2024•34 min•Season 1Ep. 40
After so many booms, busts, hires, and layoffs, is it any wonder that CEOs are hesitant to invest in talent acquisition? In this episode, Chris sits down with Beth Armstrong , Talent Acquisition Lead at media group VaynerX , to explore how TA leaders can adapt, improvise, and succeed when resources are limited. Drawing on her extensive experience leading lean teams, Beth emphasizes the importance of hiring adaptable recruiters, managing stakeholder expectations, and embracing small failures to s...
Jun 03, 2024•26 min•Season 1Ep. 39
In this episode of the Hiring on All Cylinders podcast, Chris is joined by James Hudson, Talent Acquisition expert with a background at global brands like Nike and Levi's. Together, they delve into the post-pandemic shift happening in talent acquisition. James explores how the pandemic prompted a reevaluation of work norms and career trajectories, urging companies to adapt their strategies to retain talent effectively. The discussion delves into the transformative potential of AI in talent acqui...
May 21, 2024•34 min•Season 1Ep. 38
What is a team? In this episode, leadership advisor and award-winning author AJ Thomas joins Chris to explain why traditional definitions don’t cut it anymore. If we reframe teams as any group of people collaborating together, she argues, we can transcend scoreboard anxiety and mobilize the shared connections and curiosities that help us win. For AJ, the key is to focus on the journey, not the jump shots. By celebrating the small successes behind every victory, we enable genuine engagement and c...
May 07, 2024•37 min•Season 1Ep. 37
In this Hiring in All Cylinders episode, host Chris Abbass sits down with Siadhal Magos , CEO and co-founder of Metaview. They delve into the innovative application of AI in the interview process and talent acquisition. With backgrounds as hiring managers, Siadhal and his team approach recruitment from a unique perspective, emphasizing the critical role of interviews in decision-making and data collection. Metaview's AI-driven note-taking streamlines time-consuming interview documentation, allow...
Apr 23, 2024•32 min•Season 1Ep. 37
In our new podcast episode, host Chris Abbass sits down with Steve Bartel , co-founder of Gem, to explore the dynamic intersection of technology, sales, and recruiting. Steve delves into the transformative power of AI in recruitment, drawing parallels with cutting-edge tools like Gong and Loom. Together, they navigate the evolving landscape of talent acquisition technology, stressing the significance of innovation, scalability, and vendor reliability. Steve sheds light on Gem's dedication to sup...
Apr 09, 2024•35 min•Season 1Ep. 35
In this episode of "Hiring in All Cylinders," Andrew Trout , Head of Talent at FalconX, discusses the challenge of creating a flawless hiring process. He stresses the importance of aligning organizational goals and addressing biases while balancing speed, quality, diversity, AND candidate experience. Andrew explores the potential of AI tools to revolutionize recruitment tasks, envisioning a future where automation streamlines processes, allowing focus on judgement assessment and relationship-bui...
Mar 27, 2024•36 min•Season 1Ep. 34
If you haven’t already heard of Joel Lalgee , consider this your introduction to The Realest Recruiter. With over 200,000 followers on LinkedIn, Joel knows a thing or two about building a personal brand within the recruitment space. In this episode, Joel and Chris explore the ample opportunity that exists within recruitment content creation, how you can get started, and why content alone isn’t the most effective way to build your audience. They discuss the value of in-person events and cover str...
Feb 27, 2024•36 min•Season 1Ep. 33
Transform’s annual conference has become a must-attend event for people-first leaders and WorkTech innovators everywhere. In this episode, Chris talks to event organizer and company co-founder Samara Jaffe to learn the secrets of its success and discover what’s in store for Transform 2024. Samara shares how she grew Transform from an HR-focused, two-day conference into a three-day extravaganza that’s expected to attract more than 3,000 executives from a broad range of people-driven disciplines. ...
Feb 15, 2024•29 min•Season 1Ep. 32
Episode description I’m sure we’ve all seen the explosion in personal brand building on Linkedin, some good, some bad. This podcast will help you stand out in a sea of noise. Sean Anderson is one of the pioneers of brand building on Linkedin, having honed his skills as a top billing recruiter then seven years building Hoxo Media. No time for personal brand? Nonsense. With discipline and focus you can achieve demonstrable results in a few weeks with just 1.5 hours a week. Listen in to find out ho...
Jan 23, 2024•32 min•Season 1Ep. 31
Wondering what it’s like to hire at the cutting edge of Web3? This episode features Matt Schwinden , Head of Talent at The Graph, an indexing protocol for organizing blockchain data. He joins Chris to discuss why recruiting talent for Web3 doesn’t always follow established processes, how The Graph have adapted their hiring approach to address this, and what the key skill sets are to look out for. Tune in to discover Matt’s thoughts on the role TA plays in uncovering the right talent for the next...
Dec 19, 2023•32 min•Season 1Ep. 30
Most of us are probably familiar with the Agile framework when it comes to product and tech teams, but what happens when you apply it to your recruitment function? In this episode, Chris catches up with James Mantle , VP Talent at Mews to pose that very question. James has implemented the Agile approach to his TA setup at Mews and talks through the benefits, how it has enabled them to move away from reactive recruiting and how they have gone about implementing the approach within the team. Liste...
Dec 11, 2023•31 min•Season 1Ep. 29
Could skills-based hiring be the key to unlocking future success for your TA team, and across the wider business? In this episode, Matthias Schmeisser of EMnify joins Chris to discuss the positive effect of moving to a skills-based hiring system on their business. He explains why a focus on skills over behaviours is important, why you should prioritise a select number of skills you are looking for, and why the resume isn’t always an effective way of assessing a candidate. Listen to the full epis...
Nov 27, 2023•31 min•Season 1Ep. 28
In the latest episode of Hiring On All Cylinders, Talentful's CEO and co-founder, Chris Abbass , dives deep with Carla McIntosh , VP of Global Talent Acquisition and Contingent Workforce at Reddit , on the nuances of candidate assessment. Beyond the conventional parameters of IQ and EQ, they explore the significance of Adaptability Quotient “AQ”. Carla, drawing from her unique experiences, including her time in the Air Force, discusses the importance of adaptability in navigating challenges and ...
Nov 27, 2023•27 min•Season 1Ep. 21
As Senior Director of Talent at venture capital firm SignalFire, Mario Espindola has the science of headcount planning down to art. In this insight-packed episode, he joins Chris to discuss how talent leaders can help drive a more cost-effective, strategic, and data-driven headcount planning process. They begin by stressing the importance of risk management in the current economic climate, with Mario offering advice for assessing resources and project readiness. As the conversation continues, Ch...
Nov 16, 2023•40 min•Season 1Ep. 27
