In this episode of Recruiters on the Rise, host Colleen Gallagher sits down with Dennis Ivanov, Director of Global Talent Acquisition at Unimacts Global and former Amazon recruiting leader. Dennis has made over 400 hires in under three years with almost no dedicated recruiting team, including several C-suite executive searches, at a company that grew from under $100 million to nearly half a billion. Before any of that, he was tracking endangered snow leopards in Siberia for a National Geographic conservation program. He brings the same fearlessness from the field into every boardroom, and this conversation is full of hard-won, practical insight on what it actually looks like to build a recruiting function from scratch with limited resources, big expectations, and a lot of creativity. Takeaways:~ Lead with fearlessness. The best recruiters don't wait for permission or comfort. Push past hesitation, speak up with senior leaders, and refuse to settle for "good enough" just because it's easier.~ Frugality forces creativity. When the budget is tight, look for unconventional solutions first. Printing job ads at bus stops or leaning on state workforce programs can outperform expensive vendors.~ Build inward before going outward. Post every role internally for a week before hitting the external market. You'll promote hidden talent, boost morale, and cut time-to-fill at the same time.~ Train your way to scale. If you don't have dedicated recruiters, develop the people you do have. A few months of structured training and shadowing can turn HR generalists into capable recruiting partners.~ Measure what matters and set a high bar. Don't accept a 70% offer acceptance rate just because it's the industry norm. Commit to aggressive targets around time-to-fill, offer acceptance, and retention, then build the process to hit them. Quote of the Show:"It's when the deadlines are short and execution is not optional. It has to happen. So that's where the real magic, I believe, happens." - Dennis IvanovLinks:~ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/denisviktorovichivanov~ Website: https://www.unimacts.com/Ways to Tune In:~ Recruiters On The Rise Website: https://recruitersontherise.com/ ~ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6j8LK95YtqW7ZMU4kwBNgR ~ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/recruiters-on-the-rise/id1891705495  ~ Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/b7f77aa2-de4c-4e5c-b5de-cfe60fe39c77 ~ iHeart Radio: https://iheart.com/podcast/328811219/ ~ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@recruitersontherise 

In this episode of Recruiters on the Rise, host Colleen Gallagher sits down with James Callender, VP of Workforce at EPC and host of the HR View Podcast. James brings a rare blend of experience from manufacturing floors and construction sites to JPMorgan Chase and a conviction that's stuck with him since his first day in HR, if you don't speak the language of business, you can't be a real partner to the people you serve. He shares how radical transparency with candidates leads to longer tenures, why the interview starts the moment someone submits an application, and how he's using AI to drive smarter workforce decisions without losing the human touch. Whether you're recruiting in the field or the C suite, this one hits differently.Takeaways:Know the business before you know the role. The best recruiters don't just fill seats, they understand how the company makes money, and that clarity helps them identify candidates who can think and operate at that same level. When you truly understand the business, everything else in the recruiting process becomes easier and more intentional.Transparency isn't just nice, it's a retention strategy. James's first job out of college was the worst he ever had, and it shaped a career long commitment to radical honesty with candidates. Telling people the hard truths upfront, the long hours, the difficult dynamics, the real demands of a role leads to longer tenures and fewer regrets on both sides.The interview starts before you ever say hello. From the moment a candidate submits an application or walks through the door, they're showing you who they are. James treats every touchpoint as part of the evaluation because once someone gets the job, the interview camera goes off and you see the real person.AI is a tool, not a replacement for judgment. James is an enthusiastic adopter of AI for report automation, process efficiency, and applicant sorting but he's equally firm that human vetting still matters. Volume without discernment is just noise, and someone has to make sure the technology is working the way it should.Learning only happens when someone wants it. Whether coaching a candidate, developing a team, or running a training, James believes growth is a two-way street. You can build the best program in the world, but if the person on the other side isn't ready to receive it, the knowledge won't stick and that's okay to acknowledge. Quote of the Show:“HR used to be like being sent to the principal's office. That's always been my intent, to change that." — James CallenderLinks:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/callenderjames/ Website: https://weareepc.com/HRview Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6Q9PpcWJTYq1Ez3hffx6b5HKZiBgwDPk Ways to Tune In:Recruiters On The Rise Website: https://recruitersontherise.com/ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6j8LK95YtqW7ZMU4kwBNgR Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/recruiters-on-the-rise/id1891705495  Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/b7f77aa2-de4c-4e5c-b5de-cfe60fe39c77 iHeart Radio: https://iheart.com/podcast/328811219/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@recruitersontherise 

In this episode of Recruiters on the Rise, host Colleen Gallagher sits down with Hayden Hughes, a talent acquisition veteran. He shares his philosophy on the "meeting before the meeting," why candidate and hiring manager experience are two sides of the same coin, and why any TA leader who thinks they have a couple of years before AI disrupts their work is fooling themselves. A thought provoking, analogy rich conversation you won't want to miss.Takeaways:Come prepared or don't come at all. The best recruiters show up to intake meetings with market intelligence, silver medalists, and a clear picture of the landscape, much like a great server who recommends the right dish rather than just taking your order. That preparation is what builds trust with hiring managers from the very first conversation.Clarity beats complexity in the hiring process. Rather than adding more interview stages to get a better signal, great recruiters give candidates a clear picture of what the company stands for and what it doesn't  from the very start. A transparent, well structured process respects candidates' time and leads to better mutual fit.If you're waiting on AI, you're already behind. Recruiters who treat AI adoption as something to prepare for later are underestimating how fast the landscape is changing. The ones who will thrive are those who approach it with daily curiosity, lean into the tools, and see it as an opportunity to compound their own value, not a threat to wait out.Quote of the Show:"They're trusting you with that empty chair that they've got. They're trusting you to fill that role with the right person that's gonna make a difference, that's gonna supercharge their team." — Hayden HughesLinks:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/haydenhughes/ Ways to Tune In:Recruiters On The Rise Website: https://recruitersontherise.com/ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6j8LK95YtqW7ZMU4kwBNgR Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/recruiters-on-the-rise/id1891705495  Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/b7f77aa2-de4c-4e5c-b5de-cfe60fe39c77 iHeart Radio: https://iheart.com/podcast/328811219/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@recruitersontherise 

In this episode of Recruiters on the Rise, host Colleen Gallagher sits down with Brian Fink, founder of the Rework Group and self-proclaimed Rush Chairman Emeritus, who has spent his career hunting down the engineers and technical leaders behind the products we all use every day. Brian brings his signature blend of street-smart sourcing wisdom and human-first philosophy to why intentionality separates good recruiters from great ones, how fake candidates are quietly breaking inbound recruiting, and the one question every screening call is missing. He even manages to tie it all back to throwing a Rush event with Run DMC. If you have ever wanted to learn how a seasoned headhunter thinks and shows up for candidates every single day, this one is for you. Takeaways:Trust is built in the small moments. Do what you say you're going to do, every single time. Candidates and hiring managers are watching, and one broken promise can shatter everything you've built.Follow up like it's your job because it is. Every Friday, reach out to every candidate you spoke with that week. They deserve to know where they stand before they walk into a new week.End every screening call with this question. Ask candidates if there's anything you missed or should have asked them. You'll be shocked what people share when you simply give them the space to.Stop asking "tell me about yourself." Instead, ask candidates for a two minute snapshot of where they've been and where they want to go. It gives them an on-ramp to tell you what actually matters to them.Not every candidate is the right fit and that's okay. Part of being a great recruiter is knowing when someone is better suited somewhere else. Being honest about that is one of the most human things you can do in this work.Quote of the Show:"I want to make sure that candidates are seen and heard. Not treated like pieces on a chess board." - Brian FinkLinks:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianfink/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebrianfink/?hl=en Website: https://thereworkgroup.com/ Ways to Tune In:Recruiters On The Rise Website: https://recruitersontherise.com/ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6j8LK95YtqW7ZMU4kwBNgR Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/recruiters-on-the-rise/id1891705495  Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/b7f77aa2-de4c-4e5c-b5de-cfe60fe39c77 iHeart Radio: https://iheart.com/podcast/328811219/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@recruitersontherise 

In this episode of Recruiters on the Rise, host Colleen Gallagher catches up with her longtime friend Stephanie Boman, Chief People Officer at LiveRamp. Stephanie brings the real talk on what separates great recruiters from the rest, why she finally convinced her CFO to ditch a clunky ATS, and how she is leading one of the most ambitious AI upskilling initiatives in the game. She also makes a compelling case for why quality of hire is the only metric that should matter and what it actually takes to get there. If you have ever wanted a front row seat to how a seasoned CPO thinks about talent, this is the episode for you. Takeaways:The best recruiters go beyond the job description and develop a deep curiosity about the business, understanding why a hire matters for company strategy right now.Courage is a non-negotiable skill in recruiting. Be willing to tell a hiring manager the hard truth about a candidate, and give candidates honest transparency about where they stand.Stop optimizing for speed and start optimizing for quality. The right hire the first time matters far more than a fast hire, especially when headcount is tight.Front end planning is where quality of hire is won or lost. Structured interviews and predefined evaluation criteria consistently outperform gut feel.AI will not transform your organization, your people will. Invest in upskilling your team so they can use AI to handle repetitive work and move upstream to higher value thinking. Quote of the Show:"The best recruiters know the market the way a great salesperson knows their territory." - Stephanie BomanLinks:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanie-boman-90477b/ Website: https://liveramp.com/ Ways to Tune In:Recruiters On The Rise Website: https://recruitersontherise.com/ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6j8LK95YtqW7ZMU4kwBNgR Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/recruiters-on-the-rise/id1891705495  Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/b7f77aa2-de4c-4e5c-b5de-cfe60fe39c77 iHeart Radio: https://iheart.com/podcast/328811219/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@recruitersontherise