John Fabello

Want to help set every candidate up for success in an interview? SET AN AGENDA AT THE START OF THE CONVO 📋 It's a simple but impactful step for a better candidate experience. So how consistently do companies do this today? We looked at 175k interviews to find out... TLDR - The range is massive! Some orgs do it in just 4% of interviews, others do it in 95%! 🤯 The avg & median org sets an agenda in 61% of their interviews. 70% of orgs set an agenda between 45% - 75% of the time Only 20% of orgs set an agenda in >75% of their interviews Here’s how agenda-setting varies across different scenarios: 🔍 BY INTERVIEW STAGE - Recruiters set agendas in 68% of interviews vs. 59% for HMs 🔍 BY FUNCTION - Eng interviews include an agenda 67% of the time vs. 44% for sales 🔍 BY GENDER: - Female set an agenda 69% of the time vs. 63% for Male recruiters - Oddly, a smaller diff for HMs, with FM HMs at 61% vs. 58% for M HMs - Agenda-setting is most common w/ F candidates paired w/ F interviewers We think setting an agenda is a small step that makes a big difference. ❓ What do you think? ❓ PS: This is one of the metrics we track in BrightHire!

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🐸 Paraform x ContactOut Unlike in sales, in recruiting, personal emails matter a lot more than corporate emails - most outreach happens there. We're also aware that some independent/freelance recruiters, especially those who are just starting out, don't have the budget to pay for expensive sourcing tools. Now, using our chrome extension, you can get candidate's personal emails, powered by ContactOut (we hear from our recruiters it's the best in the industry!) and reach out to candidates. Want to give it a try and start making placements on Paraform? Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/gMRXGncp

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If you've distilled all the challenges with this job market, down to "recruiters are cold and lack empathy" it's time for a head check. There are so many moving parts lending to the challenges right now. 🥨 Recruiters have been disproportionately impacted by layoffs. 🥨 Internal recruiter bandwidth is at an all time low. 🥨 Applicant volume is at an all time high. 🥨 New technologies (many very bad) are being introduced to the process (both sides.) Many of these are barely in Beta. 🥨 There is a plethora of mis and disinformation on this and other platforms. 🥨 There are people and industries benefiting from the state of the market exactly as it is right now. 🥨 Companies are leveraging layoffs to pad profits and stock value. 🥨 The economy is uncertain. 🥨 Supply / Demand in the job market is extremely out of balance If you consider all of that...and still chalk it all up to "recruiters are cold and lack empathy" I don't really know what to say. Pretzel Logic 🥨 🤷🏻‍♀️ #recruiters #jobseekers #jobmarket #empathy #GoldensNuggets

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With so many excellent TA/Recruiter candidates on LinkedIn with open-to-work banners in plain sight. Why are recruiters (agency/in-house) listing jobs, attracting hundreds, sometimes over a thousand applicants? Then, they complain that they have too many candidates. Why don't recruiters work smarter and contact those "Open to Work" candidates that fit the role, contacting half a dozen candidates and talking to them, will be much easier than wading through a thousand CVs and cover letters.

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I jumped on the wagon- Here's my 2024 LinkedIn Rewind: This year at Semperis was about building a talent acquisition engine that moves at human speed, not just corporate velocity. Some moments that capture our journey: ✅ Success Through Teamwork: Real growth happens when we lift each other up. As I shared earlier this year, "Success doesn't happen in a vacuum - it takes a dedicated team to push growth such as Semperis is experiencing." ✅ Culture is Everyone's Responsibility: Every conversation, every interaction shapes who we become. "Who is responsible for company culture? I say everyone; Every single employee influences company culture." Key wins that kept us moving: • Managed our growth with under 10% external agency usage • Expanded and continued to lead a global team of 4 amazing full-cycle Talent Partners • Processed over 2,500 applications per month • Personally worked on my development as a TA leader- Studying from other impressive leaders in my industry, joined many enriching peer groups and completed Growth by Design Talent certifications in Data and Resource Planning Heading into 2025, we're focused on scaling our global recruitment engine while preserving the human magic that makes Semperis special. Our strength isn't just in our technology - it's in our people. To my incredible global TA team: you turned complexity into connection and I'm grateful for all of your hard work. We have many more wins to get together! To Semperis leadership: thank you for trusting us to grow thoughtfully. #LinkedInRewind #2024Wrapped #FutureOfTalent #hiring

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Alright, let's unpack the seismic shift poised to hit the recruiting industry and the market for recruiters if the FTC's proposed ban on noncompete agreements goes through. We're looking at a tsunami of opportunity that could reshape the landscape. 1. Tidal Wave of Talent Mobility: The end of noncompete clauses means workers can jump ship whenever a better opportunity waves from the horizon. This isn't just a trickle – it's a floodgate opening. What does this mean for recruiting? A golden age. The market for recruiters will boom as companies scramble to snag top talent in a suddenly fluid marketplace. Recruiters will become the navigators in this new, wild sea of career opportunities, helping talent land on the shores of better pay and better positions. We're talking about turning the labor market into a worker’s market—where the power shifts to the paddles of the employees. 2. Sparking Innovation and Entrepreneurship: No noncompetes? No problem. Say hello to a surge in startups and a wave of innovations. Freed from contractual chains, expect to see an exodus of talent from stagnant corporate gigs to nimble startups hungry for disruption. For recruiters, this is like being a kid in a candy store. The need for talent acquisition in rising enterprises means more business, more connections, and, importantly, more impact. They'll be the bridge connecting visionary founders with the dream teams that will fuel their growth. 3. Competition Gets Ferocious: With companies no longer able to lock talent down, the arena becomes gladiatorial. This is where skilled recruiters shine. They'll be the sought-after strategists, the ones crafting the talent acquisition tactics that companies need to outmaneuver their rivals. This isn't just recruitment; it's high-stakes headhunting, where the prize isn't just filling a slot but profoundly empowering a company's competitive edge. #noncompetes #recruiting #hiring

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A lot of org sucks at hiring. There .. I said it. You know what they suck even more at - Value-based hiring Value-based hiring is how you bring people in who fit your mission. Remove "value" from that equation, and all you’ve got is hiring. You’re just filling seats. Period. Most companies barely do Value-based hiring right. But you know what they screw up even worse? They don’t follow through with Value-based firing You can’t keep someone just because they’re hitting targets if their values are down the drain. If their behavior goes against everything your company stands for, you’re failing if you keep them. And here's where it gets tough - What if the candidate in question is a star performer? You see - firing a star performer based on values takes immense reflection on whats right and what wrong, what’s right versus what’s easy. It’s easy to get caught up in their numbers, their contributions, but deep down, you know they’re a time bomb. When you’re too weak to make that call, you’re telling your team and yourself that values don’t matter - that as long as someone is "crushing it" on paper, they can walk all over what your company represents. That’s when you lose. Value-based firing is about integrity. It’s knowing that keeping someone who doesn’t align with your core beliefs is like injecting poison into your culture. Numbers come and go. Your values? That’s what lasts. If they don’t live it, they don’t belong - period. We have done a poor job educating orgs and ourselves on value-based hiring and value-based firing. You know what we did even worse? We did not educate the job seekers enough too. There’s value-based employment. This is what keeps you showing up every day with a reason - a real purpose - to perform, contribute. It’s intrinsic, it’s personal, and it makes your work matter. Remove the value, and all you’re left with is employment. A paycheck. You turn up because someone pays you to. That’s it. You’ll do what the money has bought. There’s no purpose behind it. As I see it - if all you’re doing is clocking in for cash, you’re replaceable Ask yourself: What are you really here for? As I see it, for a better tomorrow - both Orgs and Talent needs to practise value-based X. Question is - would you? #recruitment #hiring #recruiting #recruiters #talentacquisition #linkedin #startups #founders

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What Happened to the Internal Talent Acquisition Market in Tech? 🤷‍♂️ If you’ve been anywhere near hiring in the last few years, you’ve seen the implosion of internal talent acquisition (TA) teams in tech. I posted recently about hiring for TA positions for our business and I have been inundated. Many from TA leaders who had to let their teams go and recommending people to us. We had Covid, followed by the boom of 2022, the collapse of 2023 and the pessimism of 2024. At its height tech firms were paying huge salaries to build recruitment teams. Recruiters were leaving agency roles in their droves attracted by the nice base salaries. But when the market shifted, they became the first to go. Why? Because they were too expensive and too rigid to survive the turbulence. How Did We Get Here? Built for Boom Times 💥 During the hiring frenzy, companies built massive internal TA teams to scale fast. Throwing six-figure salaries at recruiters, but when the hiring slowed, those teams sat idle. Too Much Fixed Cost 📈 Internal TA teams are great when you’re hiring at full speed, but they’re dead weight during slow periods. That lack of flexibility was their undoing. What’s Next? If the last few years have taught us anything, it’s that tech businesses need agility. The old model of oversized internal teams is gone. Here’s what’s replacing it: AI Is the New Edge 🤖 AI is transforming recruitment. It automates sourcing, outreach and organisation, it personalises outreach and cuts time-to-hire. A team of 5 can do what a team 10 used to struggle with. Agility Over Fixed Costs 💸 Businesses are moving to models like Talent Acquisition as a Service, which scale up or down with demand. Expertise Beats Size 🧠 Instead of hiring large internal teams, companies are turning to specialists who know their markets inside out. Expertise trumps scale every time. The Takeaway The internal TA bubble has burst, It’s forced companies to rethink hiring: move away from bloated, inflexible teams and toward flexible, tech-driven solutions. What’s your take? Drop a comment—I’d love to hear your thoughts. #Recruitment #TechHiring #TalentAcquisition #AI #TAaaS #RaaS #SaaSGrowth

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Pt. 2 on Iteration. Friday - got specific feedback on candidates. Monday - Iterated and spoke to better fitting candidates. Today - first round interview scheduled. Now scheduling the final and technical round 🎉 Iterate. Iterate. Iterate. #tech #startups #fullstack #hiring #recruiting #technicalrecruiting #biotech #healthtech #femtech

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You owe your candidates transparency. 👋 Here's a quick tip you can use in < 3 min Before every AE interview at Motion (Creative Analytics), I send candidates a personalized Loom video. Why? Because I believe in arming potential team members with as much info as possible upfront. Here's what I cover in that video: → What Motion does and the problem we solve → Our goals and recent funding → Our approach to hiring (hint: we value culture add over culture fit) → Sales team specifics (who our buyers are, ACV, sales cycle, close rate) The result? 1. Candidates come to the intro call armed with knowledge, allowing us to dive deeper into their experience and aspirations. 2. It shows we value their time. No bait and switch here - we lay our cards on the table. 3. It builds trust from the get-go. We're not just assessing them; we're inviting them to assess us too. 4. It dramatically improves the quality of our conversations. Instead of surface-level chit-chat, we're having substantive discussions about fit and potential from minute one. Remember: The interview process isn't just about finding the right candidate. It's about finding the right match. And that starts with open, honest communication. 👋 P.S. We're hiring AEs at Motion! Details on our careers page. Get your FREE ticket to Motion's Creative Strategy Summit 👉 https://bit.ly/3ywOYN9

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It’s disheartening to see so many incredible people continue to be impacted by layoffs. 💔 According to Layoffs.fyi, over 300 tech companies have undergone restructuring in 2024, and we know the actual figures are likely much higher. I wanted to take a moment to share some resources that I hope will be helpful for those navigating the current job market and seeking their next opportunity. (🔗 in the comments.) - NoCodeOps: Their platform is a hub for everything no-code — from learning resources to a vibrant community. Their free job board offers a variety of roles across development, project management, and design in the no-code realm. Huge thanks to Philip Lakin for passing this along to me. - Otta.com: This free platform gives you access to 3,500 top companies and 70,000+ live jobs. Receive alerts that align with your interests, location, comp range, and more. - RemoteJobs.io: Browse remote job openings and receive personalized results. They offer a two-week plan for $3 or monthly plans starting at $5.95/month. - Elpha: Elpha was founded by women and supports women in tech through networking, coaching/mentorship, virtual events, and job opportunities. I'm proud to be an active Elpha member. DM me for my referral link! Also, Zapier is hiring! ⚡ We’re fully remote with teammates spread across 18 time zones. We have open roles within #Engineering, #Product, #Marketing, #Sales, and #Support. If your experience aligns with most of the job requirements, apply! Our amazing team of Sourcers and Recruiters reviews all applications themselves (this is no small feat!), and we strive to provide updates within seven days. I know what it’s like to not hear back from a company for weeks or (sadly) months, and I’m proud that at #Zapier, we commit to providing a better experience. We also have a talent community that folks can join to stay in touch with us as new roles open. Interested in learning more about what it’s like working here? Check out the video I’ve included in this post. It was an honor working with our video crew and my incredible teammates who volunteered their time at one of our recent retreats to share their experiences at Zapier! 🧡 If you have any questions about a hiring process you’re in or you’d like to know more about what it’s like working at Zapier, feel free to share them in the comments. I'm happy to help in any way I can. #InThisTogether #RemoteJobs #HiringNow #InterviewResources 

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Job Market Update: The San Francisco Bay Area's labor market has experienced significant fluctuations in recent years, influenced by factors such as the COVID-19 pandemic, tech industry layoffs, and shifts in remote work trends. Here's an overview of job openings, layoffs, and unemployment claims in the region: Job Openings: As of August 2024, the Bay Area added 1,100 jobs, with the East Bay contributing 1,800 new positions. However, the San Francisco subregion, including San Mateo County, saw a loss of 400 jobs, marking the eighth consecutive month of job declines in that area. Bay Area Economy Layoffs: Between January 2022 and May 2023, over 10,000 layoffs were reported in San Francisco, with major contributions from companies like Salesforce, Twitter, and Invitae. San Francisco Standard In early 2023, tech companies such as Zoom, Waymo, and DocuSign announced significant layoffs affecting Bay Area employees. Unemployment Claims: In January 2023, San Francisco's unemployment rate rose from 2.0% to 2.8%, the largest increase since the pandemic's onset. This uptick was partly attributed to tech layoffs and seasonal factors. By August 2024, the unemployment rate in the San Francisco metro area stood at 4.1%, comparable to levels seen in 2015. Overall, while certain sectors like healthcare and education have shown job growth, the Bay Area continues to grapple with challenges in the tech industry and service sectors, impacting employment rates and job availability. Hope is on the horizon along with 1800 jobseekers applying for the same job vs. 5000 jobseekers applying for the same job! :)

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6 Rules for Hiring the Right Person.. I read an excellent article by Henry Ward, CEO at Carta recently and thought that some of his thoughts on hiring were worth sharing (full article in the comments) 1. Hire for Strength vs Lack of Weakness 2. Hire for Trajectory vs Experience 3. Hire Doers vs Tellers 4. Hire Learners vs Experts 5. Hire Different vs Similar 6. Always Pass on Ego These insights are from an excellent article by Henry Ward, CEO at Carta (linkedin in the comments) 1. Hire for Strength, Not Lack of Weakness If you want a skilled financial professional, focus on specific strengths rather than a broad wish list of traits. Narrow down the problem, identify the necessary skill set, and pursue it relentlessly. The gist is, if you want a man - don’t ask for a man in finance, Trust Fund, 6ft 5”, Blue Eyes Instead go for 5ft 5” with an enormous trust fund 2. Hire for Trajectory vs Experience People with potential and excitement for the future are more valuable than those with just a wealth of experience. Use unbiased assessments to identify these traits. - Think TestGorilla 3. Hire Doers vs Tellers Evaluate candidates by having them complete tasks relevant to the job. Then when hired set realistic targets and ensure they are met early on. 4. Hire Learners vs Experts Continuous learning is vital. With rapid changes in technology and the rise of AI anyone not staying up to date will be left behind. Additionally "Skill-Fade" is real, the military re-tests and re-teaches basic skills every year. You need to learn and refresh what you already know. In fast-paced environments like startups, mandatory training is often lacking, so seek out candidates who actively maintain and update their skills. 5. Hire Different vs Similar Diversity goes beyond ethnicity or gender. Different skill sets and characteristics prevent redundancy and enhance team performance. The best startups have a Jobs and a Wozniak The A-Team has a Strongman, a Charmer, a Strategist and Wildcard Look for people who expand your culture, not just fit it. 6. Always Pass on Ego High egos can correlate with disruptive behaviour. Prioritise humility and collaboration. Which rule resonates most with you? Let me know in the comments!

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Don’t be misled by the headlines about layoffs, return-to-office mandates, or the rising cost of everything. Top engineers are still looking for more than just a salary. These four priorities consistently come up in my conversations: 1. 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺𝘀 to solve, alongside talented and collaborative people. 2. 𝗙𝗹𝗲𝘅𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 in how they work, allowing them to deliver their best. 3. 𝗢𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 to keep learning and advancing in their craft. 4. 𝗔 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿, backed by a company that genuinely values them. Yes, compensation is important—but so is creating an environment where they can truly thrive. So, what are you doing to build a workplace that top engineers are excited to join? P.S. Just finished my morning walk. Heading to BTF shortly—if you’re around, drop me a message, and let’s catch up! 👊🏿 #Hiring #Recruitment #SoftwareEngineers #Leadership #Careers Kioni Talent

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🤔 Question for my recruiter friends out there... Are you seeing an uptick in the amount of fake/bot candidates in your applicant pool? I feel like 30% or more of our Software Engineer candidates for our US-based positions are super sketchy and activating my "Spidey senses" - lots of LinkedIn profiles that were created in the last 3 months (but supposedly have 10+ years of experience), most have at least one well-known employer on the resume (i.e. Microsoft, Meta, Accenture), or they have a LinkedIn link on their resume that goes to a 404 "this page doesn't exist" page. And when I get them on the phone, it's blatantly obvious they are using AI to answer the questions for them - lots of long pauses before answering and/or fillers to stall ("That's a great question. Hmm, let me think about that."). We are looking at piloting some software to try and verify candidates more on the front end of the process, but I was curious about how prevalent this has become and what others are doing to combat this. #bots #AIinterviews #recruiting

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