Talent Acquisition Leaders Podcast - Recruiting, Staffing, Human Resources

• The TA Shift That Cuts Hiring Time by 40% with Cortney Grant of Johnson Controls

  Building a world-class recruiting function takes more than filling roles — it’s about strategy, technology and getting close to the work. On this episode, host Ryan Dull is joined by Cortney Grant, Director of Global Talent Acquisition of Johnson Controls. They discuss Cortney’s journey from agency recruiting to leading global TA functions, how specialization and automation transform hiring outcomes and why understanding operations on the ground drives better recruiting strategies. Cortney shares how strategic changes reduced time-to-fill by 40%, how AI is reshaping high-volume recruiting and why measuring quality of hire is just as critical as speed.Key Takeaways:00:00 Introduction.02:35 Cortney shares how agency recruiting built her tenacity.04:46 Leading high-volume recruiting at Amazon during the peak of COVID demand.08:31 An opportunity to scale TA through RPO improved time-to-fill.10:09 Two recruiter tracks built deeper subject expertise.12:05 The two-track model isn’t one-size-fits-all and must align strategically.14:00 AI dominates conversations, driving a shift in recruiter training.18:14 Happy teams drive business success, and tenacity is key in today’s job market.Resources Mentioned:Cortney Granthttps://www.linkedin.com/in/cortneygrant/Johnson Controls | LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/johnson-controlsJohnson Controls | Websitehttps://www.johnsoncontrols.com/This episode is brought to you by Sagemark HR.Sagemark HR can help you:✔ Improve your talent practices and make better, more informed people decisions.After 20+ years of experience leading Recruiting and Talent Acquisition across a wide variety of industries, I've seen enough hires (over 100,000 to date) to know that hiring decisions truly can make or break an organization.✔ Identify opportunities to not only improve your talent practices, but also delivering tangible business results.We understand every organization is different, and there’s no one-size-fits-all magic solution. So we listen first and identify the gaps and sticking points in your current process before ever recommending a solution.✔ Bridge the gap from “traditional” to modern recruiting, without the painful learning curve.We believe recruiting, talent, and HR technology is a deep well of untapped business potential, and our mission is to help you identify and implement those hiring tools in a way that works for you.If you’re interested in learning more, you can reach me at:www.sagemarkhr.com✉ [email protected]#Talent #Recruiters #Recruiting #HRTech

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• Blending AI and Human Insight To Define TA Success with Carin House of Grainger

  Navigating talent acquisition at scale requires a balance of technology, candidate experience and recruiter-driven success metrics. On this episode, host Ryan Dull is joined by Carin House, Director and Talent Acquisition Partner at Grainger. They discuss her career journey, the scale of Grainger’s hiring operations, and how her team measures success in TA. Carin also shares initiatives that shape the candidate experience and her advice for those building careers in recruitment.Key Takeaways:00:00 Introduction.02:31 Carin graduated from law school in 2008 and joined Grainger through a temp job.03:57 Grainger is a global MRO distributor with a mission to keep the world working.06:08 Carin’s team measures TA success with recruiter-driven metrics.08:24 The future of TA lies in blending AI innovation with human connection.10:05 Always ask the question in your mind — it can spark valuable insights.10:39 Mistakes are opportunities to learn and move forward.Resources Mentioned:Carin Househttps://www.linkedin.com/in/carin-house-7a7936b8Grainger | LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/w.w.-grainger/Grainger | Websitehttps://www.grainger.com/This episode is brought to you by Sagemark HR.Sagemark HR can help you:✔ Improve your talent practices and make better, more informed people decisions.After 20+ years of experience leading Recruiting and Talent Acquisition across a wide variety of industries, I've seen enough hires (over 100,000 to date) to know that hiring decisions truly can make or break an organization.✔ Identify opportunities to not only improve your talent practices, but also delivering tangible business results.We understand every organization is different, and there’s no one-size-fits-all magic solution. So we listen first and identify the gaps and sticking points in your current process before ever recommending a solution.✔ Bridge the gap from “traditional” to modern recruiting, without the painful learning curve.We believe recruiting, talent, and HR technology is a deep well of untapped business potential, and our mission is to help you identify and implement those hiring tools in a way that works for you.If you’re interested in learning more, you can reach me at:www.sagemarkhr.com✉ [email protected]#Talent #Recruiters #Recruiting #HRTech

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• Structuring Early Careers Teams To Support Large-Scale Campus Hiring with Jeff Ollinger of Sun Life

  Balancing innovation with the human side of hiring is shaping the future of talent acquisition. On this episode, host Ryan Dull is joined by Jeff Ollinger, Director, Talent Acquisition – Corporate and Campus, of Sun Life. They discuss Jeff’s career journey, the evolution of his role and the strategies Sun Life is deploying to strengthen both campus and experienced hiring. Jeff shares how his background in athletics and early career experiences led him into HR and TA, eventually shaping his leadership approach. He highlights the scope of Sun Life’s hiring operations, the company’s student conversion strategy and its focus on inclusion through specialized programs.Key Takeaways:00:00 Introduction.02:36 Jeff shares how he became an accidental HR professional.05:07 Jeff’s journey from RBC to the tech sector to broaden his campus recruitment work.10:07 Sun Life hires 500–700 students annually, with a focus on full-time conversion.13:45 Student recruitment is balanced all-year-round, not just in the summer.18:03 Sun Life prioritizes manager and new hire satisfaction with a seamless experience.20:12 Internal hiring is a priority for developing talent and filling senior roles.22:14 AI is used to boost efficiency and insights, while decisions remain human-led.25:10 Be open to unexpected career paths and new ways of doing business.Resources Mentioned:Jeff Ollingerhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffollingerSun Life | LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/sun-life-financialSun Life | Websitehttps://www.sunlife.com/en/Dean Connor Inclusion Scholarshiphttps://www.sunlife.ca/en/careers/student-and-new-graduate-programs/scholarship-guidelines/This episode is brought to you by Sagemark HR.Sagemark HR can help you:✔ Improve your talent practices and make better, more informed people decisions.After 20+ years of experience leading Recruiting and Talent Acquisition across a wide variety of industries, I've seen enough hires (over 100,000 to date) to know that hiring decisions truly can make or break an organization.✔ Identify opportunities to not only improve your talent practices, but also delivering tangible business results.We understand every organization is different, and there’s no one-size-fits-all magic solution. So we listen first and identify the gaps and sticking points in your current process before ever recommending a solution.✔ Bridge the gap from “traditional” to modern recruiting, without the painful learning curve.We believe recruiting, talent, and HR technology is a deep well of untapped business potential, and our mission is to help you identify and implement those hiring tools in a way that works for you.If you’re interested in learning more, you can reach me at:www.sagemarkhr.com✉ [email protected]#Talent #Recruiters #Recruiting #HRTech

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• Developing TA Functions That Match the Complexity of Global Growth with Michael Peterson of Edwards Lifesciences

  Predictable hiring isn’t just possible —it’s essential. On this episode, host Ryan Dull is joined by Michael Peterson, Sr. Director of Global Talent Acquisition – Talent Sourcing, Intelligence and Innovation at Edwards Lifesciences, to explore how strategic planning, data-driven practices and a consumer-minded approach are shaping modern TA functions in highly regulated industries. Michael walks through his path from aspiring pilot to TA leadership, sharing lessons from roles across healthcare, tech and international organizations. From building teams from scratch to redefining success metrics, Michael also offers practical insights into the evolving TA landscape.Key Takeaways:(00.00) Introduction.(02:35) Michael pivoted from aviation to a career in TA leadership.(04:48) Edwards Lifesciences leads in heart valves, with 17 on Michael’s TA team.(05:59) Intelligence and innovation functions are early, with one analytics role in place.(07:58) The Valencia plant proves the strategy works and uncovers key process gaps.(10:11) TA taught the business the market’s tough — now it’s about how to act on it.(12:52) Quality of hire is the top priority, even if measurement still needs work.(15:12) TA priorities include field roles, tech optimization and guiding AI innovation.(17:01) Focus on doing the right thing, not on being liked.Resources Mentioned:Michael Petersonhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/taleadermichaelkpeterson/Edwards Lifesciences | LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/edwards-lifesciences/Edwards Lifesciences | Websitehttps://www.edwards.com/This episode is brought to you by Sagemark HR.Sagemark HR can help you:✔ Improve your talent practices and make better, more informed people decisions.After 20+ years of experience leading Recruiting and Talent Acquisition across a wide variety of industries, I've seen enough hires (over 100,000 to date) to know that hiring decisions truly can make or break an organization.✔ Identify opportunities to not only improve your talent practices, but also delivering tangible business results.We understand every organization is different, and there’s no one-size-fits-all magic solution. So we listen first and identify the gaps and sticking points in your current process before ever recommending a solution.✔ Bridge the gap from “traditional” to modern recruiting, without the painful learning curve.We believe recruiting, talent, and HR technology is a deep well of untapped business potential, and our mission is to help you identify and implement those hiring tools in a way that works for you.If you’re interested in learning more, you can reach me at:www.sagemarkhr.com✉ [email protected]#Talent #Recruiters #Recruiting #HRTech

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• Reconstructing TA To Meet Evolving Business Demands with Chris Ross, Head of TA of North American Packaging at International Paper

  A career shaped by competition and strategy is now fueling transformation in talent acquisition. On this episode, host Ryan Dull is joined by Chris Ross, Head of TA of North American Packaging at International Paper. Chris shares insights from nearly 25 years in TA, including agency work, leadership roles at Johnson & Johnson, and now guiding strategic transformation at International Paper. They discuss his unique path from Division I college hockey player to recruiter, and how his hands-on agency experience shaped his leadership approach. Key Takeaways:(02:32) Transitioning from hockey to headhunting in medical sales.(05:10) Early corporate TA experience begins at Monster during its startup heyday.(10:00) Strategic TA work unfolds, backed by strong leadership and a 19-person team.(13:18) DS Smith deal grows IP to 60,000 and expands EMEA reach.(14:55) A focus on listening and observation reveals early opportunities in team structure.(18:12) Recruiting efficiency becomes priority, with Gem and Beamery aiding speed to fill.(20:21) TA metrics shaped by J&J experience guide internal and executive priorities.(24:09) Growth comes from stretching beyond your comfort zone and taking the leap.Resources Mentioned:Chris Rosshttps://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisrossrecruiter/International Paper | LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/international-paper/International Paper | Websitehttps://www.internationalpaper.com/Monster.comhttps://monster.comMathWorkshttps://www.mathworks.com/Johnson & Johnsonhttps://www.jnj.com/DS Smithhttps://www.dssmith.com/Beameryhttps://beamery.com/Gemhttps://www.gem.com/This episode is brought to you by Sagemark HR.Sagemark HR can help you:✔ Improve your talent practices and make better, more informed people decisions.After 20+ years of experience leading Recruiting and Talent Acquisition across a wide variety of industries, I've seen enough hires (over 100,000 to date) to know that hiring decisions truly can make or break an organization.✔ Identify opportunities to not only improve your talent practices, but also delivering tangible business results.We understand every organization is different, and there’s no one-size-fits-all magic solution. So we listen first and identify the gaps and sticking points in your current process before ever recommending a solution.✔ Bridge the gap from “traditional” to modern recruiting, without the painful learning curve.We believe recruiting, talent, and HR technology is a deep well of untapped business potential, and our mission is to help you identify and implement those hiring tools in a way that works for you.If you’re interested in learning more, you can reach me at:www.sagemarkhr.com.✉ [email protected]#Talent #Recruiters #Recruiting #HRTech

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