Serena Johnson

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 

In this episode of Recruiters on the Rise, host Colleen Gallagher sits down with Emily Paik, Senior Recruiter at Kit and writer of the Talent Talk newsletter. Emily shares how she transformed a chaotic, reactive hiring process into a strategic, candidate first operation, achieving 100% positive candidate feedback along the way. She breaks down her approach to communication, the small gestures that make a big difference in candidate experience, and how she thinks about metrics like quality of hire. Emily also opens up about her winding path into recruiting and AI's growing role in the hiring process. A practical, honest conversation you won't want to miss. Takeaways:Follow up even when you have nothing new to say. Candidates' biggest complaint is being ghosted, a quick check-in with no real update still goes a long way.Learn the product, not just the role. The best impact you can have as a recruiter is deeply understanding the company's product and customers before you start filling seats.Your interview process is your employer brand. How candidates feel during hiring directly impacts how they perceive your company and they'll tell others.Simplify quality of hire. Don't overcomplicate it with fancy algorithms, automated 30/60/90 day manager surveys are enough to give you meaningful, actionable data.Share interview questions in advance. You're not trying to test on the spot thinking you want candidates at their best, and giving them time to prepare gets you there.Quote of the Show:"Every opportunity I've had has led me to the next greatest thing. Each step of my career has prepared me for the next in a way that I didn't even realize at the time." — Emily PaikLinks:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilypaik/Website: https://talent-talk.kit.com/8a0ad780b7