You Should Know

Most people spend years trying to find the perfect career fit. Sarabeth Bickerton thinks that’s the wrong goal. The real problem isn’t fit. It’s belonging. People don’t want to be squeezed into someone else’s box. They want to be seen, known, and valued for who they actually are. The workforce is obsessed with skills and titles while people are searching for identity. Career belonging, professional identity, personal branding, workforce development, career growth, leadership. This conversation explores what happens when people stop defining themselves by their job descriptions. In this episode… Sarabeth explains why career belonging matters more than career fit, how professional identity evolves throughout life, and why hybrid professionals are becoming one of the most overlooked talent groups in the workforce. Sharp discussion on personal branding, career transitions, identity, leadership, and the future of work. Key Takeaways : • Sarabeth argues people want to be “seen, known, and valued,” not simply matched to a job opening • Many employees feel invisible at work because they are viewed only through their job title instead of their broader capabilities • She believes career belonging is becoming more important than traditional notions of career fit • Sarabeth identifies three professional identity types: singularity (experts), multiplicity (generalists), and hybridity (people who combine multiple disciplines) • Hybrid professionals often create value by connecting skills and perspectives that normally exist in separate functions • Many organizations still hire using binary expert-versus-generalist thinking while overlooking hybrid talent • Companies are increasingly hiring for adaptability, agility, and the ability to navigate ambiguity because jobs are changing faster than ever • A highly skilled employee can still fail in the wrong role if their professional identity does not align with the work environment • Professional identity is fluid and evolves throughout a person’s life rather than remaining fixed forever • Losing a job, losing a loved one, and going through a divorce are three of the biggest triggers of identity crises • Many career transition programs focus on resumes and job applications before helping people understand who they are becoming • Sarabeth encourages people to map dozens of professional identities instead of reducing themselves to a single title • One of her most powerful exercises involves asking others how they perceive your impact beyond your job description • She uses “First, Best, and Only” career moments to uncover patterns of unique strengths and identity traits • Personal branding is not about marketing yourself. It starts with understanding your identity first • The biggest career breakthroughs often happen when people finally find language that accurately describes who they have been all along Guest : Sarabeth Bickerton Founder of More Than My Title, author, researcher, and career strategist helping professionals understand their professional identity, build career belonging, and move beyond the limits of job titles and traditional career paths. LinkedIN : https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarabethberk/ Connect with Us : William Tincup LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tincup/ Ryan Leary LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanleary/ WRKdefined : Site: http://www.wrkdefined.com TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wrkdefined LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wrkdefined Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WRKdefined/ Twitter (X): https://twitter.com/WRKdefined Substack: https://wrkdefined.substack.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Most companies say they hire for skill. Carlton Gates says that’s nonsense. From AI screening tools to culture-fit traps, this episode breaks down why recruiting is still more gut instinct than science.Only 10 candidates get reviewed out of 1,000 applicants. AI is filtering your future before a human ever sees your name. Skills-based hiring, recruiting tech, candidate fraud, soft skills, hiring velocity, and workplace culture all collide here.In this episode…Carlton breaks down what companies still get wrong about hiring. We get into AI recruiting tools, fake candidates, interview fatigue, soft skills, diversity in hiring, and why speed plus precision separates top performers from everyone else. Sharp takes. No HR fluff.Key Takeaways• Most recruiters cannot realistically review 2,000 applicants manually across 10 open reqs• Some job posts now pull 200 applicants within a single hour• “Culture fit” often becomes an unspoken filter around age, gender, geography, or background• Diverse teams consistently produce better business outcomes and decision-making• AI recruiting tools like Humanly help surface stronger candidates faster through keyword analysis• Candidate experience matters more than companies think. Slow scheduling kills momentum fast• Interview fatigue is crushing engineering teams during technical hiring cycles• Tools like CoderPad reduce candidate fraud through live testing and timed assessments• Soft skills dominate roles involving sales, recruiting, HR, and leadership• Self-motivation becomes the deciding factor in independent technical roles like UX and engineering• A resume is still a marketing document. Bad grammar and weak structure eliminate candidates instantly• Top performers move fast, stay accurate, and execute under pressure without losing focusConnect with Us : William Tincup LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tincup/Ryan Leary LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanleary/WRKdefined : Site: http://www.wrkdefined.comTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wrkdefinedLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wrkdefinedFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/WRKdefined/Twitter (X): https://twitter.com/WRKdefinedSubstack: https://wrkdefined.substack.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The AI shift isn’t coming. It already hit payroll, hiring, benefits, and every broken HR process companies ignored for years. Most teams still think they have time. They don’t. 85% of companies say they’re adapting. Most are just playing with ChatGPT while the talent market, employee expectations, and AI adoption sprint past them. A sharp conversation with Amy Mosher on what HR leaders are getting wrong, what smart companies are quietly doing right, and why “best practice” now expires every 90 days. A few truths that hit hard: • 65% of HR leaders say power is shifting back to employers • 62% admit the talent crisis is self-inflicted • 72% say benefits enrollment is still stressful for employees • Nearly 50% claim there’s no major skills gap. That number might be the wildest stat in the whole report In this episode, Amy breaks down why hiring speed alone is dead, how AI is reshaping workforce strategy, why candidate experience now behaves like Instagram attention spans, and what companies need to do before their people strategy becomes obsolete. Key Takeaways : • HR trends aren’t new problems. They’re old problems wearing new technology • Candidate attention now works like social media. Miss the moment and they disappear • 65% of HR leaders believe leverage is shifting back toward employers • 62% say today’s talent crisis is self-inflicted through outdated hiring practices • “Best practice” now has an expiration date measured in months, not years • AI adoption without employee enablement is mostly theater • Companies winning with AI rarely talk publicly because it’s now a competitive advantage • Payroll fraud prevention has become an AI arms race • 72% of HR professionals say benefits enrollment is still stressful for employees • Skills gaps are permanent now because work changes faster than organizations can stabilize • HR teams need AI hackathons, not more boring training sessions • The most valuable skill today is the ability to learn, adapt, and keep moving Guest : Amy Mosher Chief People Officer isolved One of the clearest voices in HR on AI adoption, workforce agility, payroll innovation, and why most companies still underestimate how fast work is changing. LinkedIN : https://www.linkedin.com/in/amy-m-mosher Connect with Us : William Tincup LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tincup/ Ryan Leary LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanleary/ WRKdefined : Site: http://www.wrkdefined.com TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wrkdefined LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wrkdefined Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WRKdefined/ Twitter (X): https://twitter.com/WRKdefined Substack: https://wrkdefined.substack.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if the candidate with the “messy” résumé is actually the one who ramps fastest? Rebecca Kehoe from Cornell University breaks down what HR gets wrong about job hopping, why onboarding matters more than most teams realize, and how performance, culture fit, and career transitions are more connected than we think. In this episode, Rebecca Kehoe shares research on how job hoppers often come up to speed faster, adapt to organizational norms more efficiently, and can show measurable impact within just a few months. The conversation explores onboarding, the role of “unlearning” during career transitions, post-COVID hiring patterns, internal mobility, and what this research means for how organizations evaluate talent. Guest Rebecca Kehoe is an Associate Professor at Cornell University’s ILR School where her research focuses on human capital, employee mobility, performance, and how organizations develop talent over time. Her work helps HR leaders better understand hiring outcomes, onboarding effectiveness, and the long-term impact of workforce mobility. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebecca-kehoe-a94b871/Cornell ILR School: https://www.ilr.cornell.edu/people/rebecca-kehoe Key Takeaways Employees who have moved between roles or organizations frequently ramp faster because they’ve already built the muscle of entering new environments, learning systems quickly, and adapting to unfamiliar cultural norms. The speed at which new hires succeed is heavily influenced by onboarding. Organizations with structured onboarding programs help employees translate prior experience into performance far more quickly than those that treat onboarding as an afterthought. Career transitions require a period of “unlearning.” Employees must let go of habits, assumptions, and processes from previous workplaces before they can fully align with the expectations and workflows of a new organization. Performance impact can emerge sooner than many companies assume. Research discussed in the episode suggests meaningful differences in ramp time and contribution can appear within roughly the first five months. Internal mobility can deliver many of the same benefits associated with external job changes. When organizations intentionally design pathways for employees to move between roles, they build adaptability and development while retaining institutional knowledge. Connect with Us William Tincup LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tincup/Ryan Leary LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanleary/ Connect with WRKdefined on your favorite social network Site: http://www.wrkdefined.com TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wrkdefined LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wrkdefined Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WRKdefined/ Twitter (X): https://twitter.com/WRKdefined Substack: https://wrkdefined.substack.com/ Cornell's ILR School offers exceptional HR master's programs that combine rigorous academics with practical application. We offer programs designed for professionals with 2-5 years of experience and for executives with 8+ years of HR experience. Engage with world-renowned faculty, connect with HR executives, and become part of Cornell's prestigious alumni network. Take your career and organization to the next level with a Master’s from Cornell. Learn more about ILR’s Graduate Degree Programs Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Internal mobility is one of the most misunderstood dynamics in modern organizations. JR Keller brings the empirical lens that most leaders never get. His research at Cornell University’s ILR School unpacks how hiring decisions are made, how managers balance team performance with talent development, and why employees often misinterpret the signals around opportunity. This episode moves past slogans and gets into the real mechanics: incentives, culture, language, and the behavioral patterns that shape who advances and who doesn’t. In this episode we talk about internal mobility, talent development, hiring decisions, HR management, employee advancement, organizational culture, AI in HR, career progression, talent acquisition, leadership. Key Takeaways JR’s research shows that mobility isn’t blocked by a lack of roles. It’s blocked by the human calculus managers make when deciding whether to release talent. Managers optimize for stability and predictability, and the system often rewards that behavior. Until incentives align with mobility, even the best programs stall. Lateral moves carry more long-term value than most organizations acknowledge. JR’s empirical work reveals that sideways transitions often generate broader skill acquisition, better visibility, and stronger future promotion velocity. Companies that treat lateral movement as legitimate progression see healthier internal pipelines and more resilient talent. AI has a role, but not the one most leaders assume. JR frames it as a mechanism to surface overlooked skills, reduce noise in matching, and create visibility into internal pathways. Technology can correct informational gaps, but it cannot override psychological safety or managerial trust. Culture decides whether mobility sticks. Employees and organizations share responsibility for mobility outcomes. JR emphasizes that employees must actively navigate their own careers while organizations must remove structural friction. When both sides commit to transparency, aligned incentives, and meaningful development pathways, internal mobility becomes a strategic advantage instead of a persistent frustration. Chapters: 00:00 J.R. Keller, Faculty Director, Executive Master of Human Resource Management (EMHRM) 03:00 Research Focus: Internal Mobility and Hiring Decisions 05:52 Challenges in Internal Mobility: The Role of Managers 08:37 Talent Hoarding: Understanding Managerial Behavior 11:56 The Value Proposition of Promoting Talent 14:51 Incentivizing Managers to Promote Talent 17:46 Cultural Shifts for Internal Mobility 20:48 The Future of Talent Mobility and AI's Role 24:21 Empowering Employees Through Technology 25:21 The Role of AI in Job Matching 27:03 Balancing Skills and Development 28:03 Ownership of Internal Mobility 29:34 The Disconnect in Talent Acquisition 32:17 The Importance of Onboarding for Internal Hires 34:23 Lateral Moves as Career Advancement 38:46 Redefining Promotions and Career Growth Featured Guest JR Keller, Faculty Director, Executive Master of Human Resource Management (EMHRM) LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jrkeller/ Cornell ILR EMHRM: https://www.ilr.cornell.edu/ Cornell ILR Latest Research: https://www.ilr.cornell.edu/faculty-and-research Hosts William Tincup, Co-founder , WRKdefined LinkedIn: https:// linkedin.com/in/tincup Ryan Leary, Co-founder, WRKdefined LinkedIn:htps://linkedin.com/in/ryanleary Connect with Us Site: http://www.wrkdefined.comTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wrkdefinedLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wrkdefinedFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/WRKdefined/Twitter (X): https://twitter.com/WRKdefinedSubstack: https://wrkdefined.substack.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

AI is moving quickly from experimentation to everyday use inside large organizations, especially when it comes to employee experience. Adoption alone is no longer the headline. What matters is whether people trust the technology, understand how it is being used, and can see real outcomes tied to that usage. At scale, those questions carry more weight and more risk. In this episode, the focus is on how AI is shaping employee experience at ADP, what widespread adoption actually looks like, and why client trust and transparency are non-negotiable. The conversation centers on technology adoption, proof of value, and why the next year will be critical for separating AI that works from AI that only sounds good. What We Cover AI adoption and employee experience at scale Why trust is foundational to AI use Transparency as a driver of confidence What high usage rates really signal Why proof of impact now matters Key Takeaways: AI adoption is already widespread inside ADP, with 67 percent of the employee base actively using AI tools. That level of usage signals comfort and familiarity, but it also raises expectations around outcomes and accountability. ADP’s scale matters. Paying one in six people in the United States creates a responsibility to deploy AI carefully, consistently, and in ways that protect trust across employees and clients. Client trust is a prerequisite for AI adoption. Without transparency into how AI is used and why decisions are made, confidence erodes quickly, even when the technology performs well. The coming year is a proving ground for AI in HR. Clients are no longer satisfied with potential. They want evidence, success stories, and clear demonstrations that AI is improving the employee experience. Guest: Naomi Lariviere Chief Product Officer, VP Product Management at ADPLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/naomilariviere/ Hosts: William Tincup LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tincup/ Ryan Leary LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanleary/ Connect with Us: Site: http://www.wrkdefined.comTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wrkdefinedLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/WRKdefinedFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/WRKdefinedTwitter (X): https://twitter.com/WRKdefinedSubstack: https://wrkdefined.substack.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why does the job search feel broken, and can AI actually fix it? In this episode of WRKdefined, William Tincup and Ryan Leary sit down with David Lane, VP of Product Management at Indeed, to pull back the curtain on how the world’s largest job site is using AI to fight "hiring anxiety" and ghosting. The Shift to Career Scout: How Indeed is moving from a static job board to an AI-guided career assistant. What You’ll Learn About the Future of Hiring: The "Quiet" Labor Market: Why quit rates are down and what "hiring hesitation" means for your 2026 talent strategy. AI Career Scout & Talent Scout: A deep dive into Indeed’s new tools for interview prep, job discovery, and smarter matching. Ending the Ghosting Epidemic: How AI is being used to bridge the communication gap between candidates and employers. Data Privacy vs. Personalization: Why trust is the new prerequisite for AI-driven job matching. This episode is sponsored by Indeed and features a conversation around Career Scout and Talent Scout, two tools designed to support job seekers and employers through smarter matching, interview preparation, and a more efficient hiring process. Learn more Talent Scout here: http://indeed.com/talentscout Learn more about Career Scout here: http://indeed.com/careerscout Timestamps00:00 Why job seekers feel stuck right now02:48 Slower hiring and rising caution05:54 How AI is changing job opportunities09:03 Career Scout and practical tools for job seekers11:53 What’s coming next in job search technology18:46 How job seeking is evolving20:26 Data privacy and candidate preferences22:33 Voice and conversational job applications24:37 Reintroducing human connection in hiring27:36 Using AI to improve candidate experience30:01 Addressing the communication gap33:15 Simplifying the application experience34:52 How job matching continues to change Guest InformationDavid Lane, VP of Product Management, IndeedWebsite: https://www.indeed.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-lane-a37778/ Host and Network LinksWilliam Tincup LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tincup/Ryan Leary LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanleary/ Want more insights on the Future of Work? Join 1M+ listeners and subscribe to the WRKdefined Newsletter for weekly executive briefings: https://wrkdefined.substack.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode we talk about frontline work, safety, AI agents, employee experience, and the tech strategy behind keeping 100,000 workers informed, supported, and confident on the job. Trilok Manchanila from ABM breaks down how AI is changing everything from PTO visibility to multilingual policies to safety alerts that actually prevent incidents. This is real-world AI. Practical. High stakes. And already moving the needle. We discussed: Frontline employees need instant answers, not call-center delays. ABM supports 100,000 workers who serve clients onsite every day. AI agents remove friction by giving PTO, policy, and benefits info instantly. Safety alerts are personalized and triggered by real-world conditions. Standardization is the quiet power move. Every worker gets the same info, same time. Multilingual capabilities eliminate translation delays and increase trust. Retention improves when workers feel supported, not confused. AI reduces ambiguity for workers who represent ABM inside client spaces. Orchestrated AI agents provide the biggest value so far. Choosing the wrong SI partner creates long-term mistrust and slows innovation. Employee confidence and client satisfaction both improve with better guidance. Safety is the next frontier where AI will rewrite the entire playbook. This episode was recorded live at ⁠Oracle AI World 2025⁠ as part of a leadership series defining the world of work and AI Chapters: 00:18 Live at Oracle AI World 00:32 Getting an MBA in AI this week 01:16 Technology and business strategy aligning in real time 02:17 AI evolution outpacing traditional adoption cycles 03:03 People are here to actually learn 04:02 Everyone is talking about AI, not the conference 05:00 Why people feel personally invested in AI problems 05:27 Trilok introduces himself and ABM 06:10 Aligning tech strategy with business strategy 06:35 How fast AI expectations are shifting 07:12 Choosing between LLMs, custom builds, and agents 07:54 Finding the right partner (and what happens if you pick wrong) 09:32 The failure modes companies overlook 10:24 Why mistrust ruins future innovation 11:12 How Oracle’s leadership builds confidence 12:48 ABM’s frontline workforce and mission 13:28 AI for safety guidance and situational alerts 14:26 2 percent of workers calling about PTO equals call-center chaos 15:05 Policy clarity and standardized answers across locations 16:18 How AI changes the employee-client conversation 17:57 Real numbers: retention is improving 18:54 Translation used to take weeks. Now it’s instant. 19:52 Why equality of information builds employee confidence 20:53 Early signs of frontline empowerment 22:12 Safety improvements and future opportunities 24:06 Where AI will drive the biggest gains in the next two years Guest Info Trilok Manchanila, VP Enterprise Architecture and Data, ABM Industries LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trilok-manchinila-54b3244/ Connect with us William Tincup Linked://www.linkedin.com/in/tincup/ Ryan Leary LinkedIn://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanleary/ Connect with WRKdefined Site: http://www.wrkdefined.com TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wrkdefined LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wrkdefined Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WRKdefined/ Twitter (X): https://twitter.com/WRKdefined Substack: https://wrkdefined.substack.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode we talk about HR tech, automation, employee experience, sentiment, and workflow design. We sat down with Hubert from Quest Diagnostics live at Oracle AI World and got into the guts of what 56,000 employees really need from HR systems today. This one hits everything from AI-powered scheduling to performance reviews to the messy, very human side of employee sentiment. It’s practical, honest, and grounded in what real teams face every day. Here's what we covered: AI is finally giving HR a chance to get ahead instead of catching up. Employees aren’t reading PDFs anymore. They’re asking questions and expecting answers instantly. Quest’s 56,000 employees create huge pressure on ticketing, sentiment, and service quality. Performance reviews suffer from human bias and memory. AI fixes that. Scheduling at scale is broken without automation and rules-based fairness. Frontline teams need systems that respect their time and availability. Employee surveys every quarter will reveal the real impact of automation next year. Change management matters more in HR than almost any other function. Healthcare adds a deeper mission layer that shapes how tech gets adopted. Sentiment analysis during support conversations is an untapped opportunity. Managers with 30 direct reports need automation so they can actually lead. AI is becoming a second brain for service centers, not a replacement. This episode was recorded live at Oracle AI World 2025 as part of a leadership series defining the world of work and AI Chapters:00:24 Live at Oracle AI World01:01 Event energy and why this crowd feels different01:35 Hubert talks about why AI feels like a turning point02:15 Why HR is finally ready for real change02:56 What Hubert does at Quest03:28 Rolling out new HR modules and AI tools04:26 The shift from PDFs to conversational workflows05:10 How employees actually search for answers now06:24 Paystub agents, call centers, and reducing support load07:24 Tracking sentiment and service quality08:30 Help desk automation and ticket summaries10:07 The performance review problem11:04 How AI can remove bias and jog managers’ memory12:30 Oracle scheduling rollout and why it matters13:54 Shift fairness and hourly worker expectations16:20 Engagement, surveys, and 2025 expectations17:56 Culture, values, and healthcare’s mission19:06 Why speed and accuracy matter in patient-facing work19:55 Wrapping with humor and German honesty Connect with us William Tincup LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tincup/ Ryan Leary LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanleary/ Connect with WRKdefined on your favorite social network Site: http://www.wrkdefined.com TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wrkdefined LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wrkdefined Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WRKdefined/ Twitter (X): https://twitter.com/WRKdefined Substack: https://wrkdefined.substack.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

AI is shifting from assistant to operator. Which means the future of work is less about tasks and more about flow. Talent flow. Data flow. Decision flow. We sit down with Steve O’Brien to unpack what happens when intelligence becomes active in the workplace, and why the next evolution of leadership comes down to trust, clarity, and the courage to let AI run where it wins. In this episode we talk about agentic AI, workforce design, and what it really takes to evolve from managing people to orchestrating humans plus intelligent systems. We explore how CIOs and CHROs are finally colliding around data and workflow decisions, why adoption will lag hype, and why human oversight will stay central even as AI output gets scary good. If you want a clear view into the next chapter of talent and technology, this one hits. Key themes we dig into Why AI output can surpass human creativity when humans steer it Talent leaders moving from headcount management to agent oversight Trust as the make-or-break variable for AI adoption Where CIO and CHRO priorities merge in real time Why data flow is the real battlefield in modern HR tech Managing intelligent systems like team members, not tools Human creativity as the spark, not the full fire Why adoption will be slower, smarter, and people-sensitive The new leadership edge: seeing the system, not just the role Guest Info Steve O'Brien, SVP, People Solutions & Workforce Analytics, Global HR Connect with Steve on LinkedIn here. Connect with us William Tincup LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tincup/ Ryan Leary LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanleary/ Connect with WRKdefined on your favorite social network Site: ⁠http://www.wrkdefined.com⁠ TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@wrkdefined⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/wrkdefined⁠ Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/WRKdefined/⁠ Twitter (X): ⁠https://twitter.com/WRKdefined⁠ Substack: ⁠https://wrkdefined.substack.com/⁠ This episode is sponsored by Rival. Hiring today requires you to do more than just post and pray. Teams need outbound muscle, a tech stack that supports teams, not slows them down, and a great experience from offer to day one productivity. From helping you find talent, launching them quickly, to supporting their development, Rival makes work flow. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Job seekers aren’t playing games in 2025. Between AI, inflation, and ghosted applications, candidates are demanding better. We sat down with Stephanie Manzelli to unpack the latest Job Seeker Nation Report and why it’s more than just stats—it’s a warning sign. From broken trust to burnout, this conversation dives deep into how recruitment is being redefined. In this episode we talk about how AI is changing the hiring experience, why transparency isn’t optional anymore, and what employers can do to rebuild trust before talent walks out the door. Key Takeaways ➡ 57% of job seekers expect to hear back within 3 days of applying—slow comms kill trust. ➡ Only 28% of candidates think salaries are keeping up with inflation. ➡ 77% are fine being recorded during interviews—privacy concerns are shifting. ➡ 85% are open to leaving even if they’re “happy.” Retention isn’t just about satisfaction. ➡ Loyalty is no longer a given—workers are prioritizing self-preservation. ➡ Compensation transparency is table stakes, not a perk. ➡ Burnout is fueling job searches even more than bad bosses. ➡ AI is becoming an accepted tool—especially when it improves fairness. ➡ Candidates would rather hear bad news than be ghosted. ➡ Employer branding means nothing without follow-through and clarity. ➡ Re-engaging past candidates isn’t just smart—it’s expected now. ➡ Technology is fine, but without a human element, it still falls flat. Chapters 00:00 – Who is Stephanie Manzelli? 04:57 – Candidate Expectations and the Role of Technology 08:04 – Compensation Trends and Perceptions 11:06 – The Impact of Inflation on Salary Expectations 14:07 – The Role of AI in Interviews and Candidate Experience 17:54 – The Value of Reconnecting with Past Candidates 20:15 – Setting Clear Expectations in Hiring 21:31 – The Importance of Transparency in Employer Branding 26:17 – Balancing Human Connection and Technology in Recruitment 30:38 – The Shift in Employee Loyalty and Job Satisfaction 33:59 – Understanding Burnout and Its Impact on Job Searches Connect with our guest: Stephanie Manzelli, Chief People Officer at Employ: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephmanzelli/ Connect with us William Tincup LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/tincup/⁠ Ryan Leary LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanleary/⁠ Connect with WRKdefined on your favorite social network Site: ⁠http://www.wrkdefined.com⁠ TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@wrkdefined⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/wrkdefined⁠ Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/WRKdefined/⁠ Twitter (X): ⁠https://twitter.com/WRKdefined⁠ Substack: ⁠https://wrkdefined.substack.com/⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How do you spot and support high-potential talent before they burn out or walk out? Randi Seran, VP of People at workrise talks about the often-missed signals of employee appreciation, why recognition isn't one-size-fits-all, and how resilience is quietly replacing potential as the new hiring metric. We unpack her hiring playbook and explain why top performers aren’t always your future leaders. Key Takeaways ➡ High potential employees often feel invisible—despite outsized contributions ➡ Not all top performers are high potentials, and that distinction matters ➡ Recognition must be personalized—some want the spotlight, others want quiet acknowledgment ➡ Many high potentials don’t self-identify, making them easy to miss without career promoters ➡ Hiring for potential means looking for passion, curiosity, and discipline—not just a résumé ➡ Resilience is becoming the most valuable trait in today’s talent landscape ➡ Communication is the foundation of trust, especially during change ➡ Feeling undervalued can derail even your most committed employees ➡ Behavioral interview questions reveal more than credentials ever will ➡ A clear, consistent hiring process helps uncover what resumes can't Chapters 00:00 — Who is Randi Seran, VP of People at workrise 03:13 — Understanding High Potential Employees 05:54 — The Impact of Recognition and Appreciation 08:57 — Differentiating High Performers and High Potentials 12:09 — Hiring for Potential vs. Skills 15:00 — The Importance of Resilience in the Workplace 17:58 — Building Trust Through Communication 20:57 — Personal Experiences of Feeling Undervalued 23:56 — Randi's Ideal Hiring Process Connect with our guest: Randi Seran, VP of People at workrise: https://www.linkedin.com/in/randi-seran-sphr-4239682 Connect with us William Tincup LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/tincup/⁠ Ryan Leary LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanleary/⁠ Connect with WRKdefined on your favorite social network Site: ⁠http://www.wrkdefined.com⁠ TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@wrkdefined⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/wrkdefined⁠ Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/WRKdefined/⁠ Twitter (X): ⁠https://twitter.com/WRKdefined⁠ Substack: ⁠https://wrkdefined.substack.com/⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Heidi helps organizations turn stagnant hiring funnels into dynamic talent pipelines. Get the lowdown on why outdated hiring processes are costing you talent, how integrating Applicant Pro and iSolve can turbocharge your workflow, and why internal mobility is the retention game‑changer. We dig into candidate experience trends, generational preferences, and the microcultures that define career progression—plus pro tips for managers to foster authentic employer branding. In this episode we explore hiring practices, candidate experience, internal mobility, HR technology, and employer branding. Key Takeaways ➡ Hiring practices are stuck in the past—and that means missed hires. ➡ Short, mobile‑friendly applications keep Gen Z and Millennials engaged. ➡ Lightning‑fast response times separate great employers from ghosters. ➡ Candidate experience is your secret weapon for employer branding. ➡ Scrolling during interviews? It’s a bias signal, not a deal breaker. ➡ Integration of Applicant Pro and iSolve slashes manual work in half. ➡ Internal mobility isn’t a perk—it’s your best retention strategy. ➡ Managers drive satisfaction; equip them to champion growth. ➡ Corporate culture lives in microcultures—get granular or get ghosted. ➡ Authentic employer branding demands real stories, not canned slogans. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Backgrounds 03:02 Integrating Applicant Pro and iSolve 06:03 Outdated Hiring Practices 11:57 Candidate Experience and Response Times 18:04 Generational Differences in Hiring 20:59 Internal Mobility and Future Trends 21:31 The Importance of Internal Mobility 24:16 Managerial Influence on Employee Growth 28:11 Cultural Dynamics in Career Progression 30:46 Defining Corporate Culture 35:16 Microcultures and Their Impact 38:07 Employer Branding and Authenticity 45:37 Conclusion and Future Insights Guest Info Heidi Barnett https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidimbarnett/ Connect with Us William Tincup LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tincup/ Ryan Leary LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanleary/ WRKdefined Site: http://www.wrkdefined.com TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wrkdefined LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wrkdefined Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WRKdefined/ X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/WRKdefined Substack: https://wrkdefined.substack.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices