Beyond Resumes: Connecting Candidates to Careers

Ep. 25: Beyond Resumes: Connecting Candidates to Careers

Finding the right career opportunity can feel like a frustrating and impersonal experience for applicants, but Vice President of Talent Acquisition Sydney Ayers challenges this mindset with intentional action. On Outside-IN, we talk about IST's recruitment efforts, from LinkedIn connections to campaigns sourcing military personnel and what not to do in your hiring process.

  • Episode Highlights

    Connect with Sydney Ayers on LinkedIn 


    Recruitment Strategies: IST's recruitment involves a mix of approaches, including reaching out to potential candidates directly and partnering with organizations like the US military and the Department of Defense, Military Spouse Employment Partnership, PaYs, nonprofits, and job boards geared towards single moms, such as The Mom Project.


    Finding the Right Candidates: IST looks for candidates with a service mindset, and the hiring process includes personal conversations to assess fit.


    Challenges in the Current Hiring Market: The competitive hiring landscape requires creative strategies to find suitable candidates.


    Use of Technology in Recruitment: Sydney discusses using technology, like HireVue, for interviews and emphasizes that there's no automation in rejecting candidates at IST.


    Advice for Candidates: Sydney advises job seekers to be intentional and specific in their job applications and to conduct thorough research on the roles they apply for.


    Importance of Not Burning Bridges: She highlights the significance of maintaining professionalism, even when not selected for a role.


    Creative Approaches in Recruitment: The conversation touches on various innovative recruitment strategies and the need to adapt to different situations.

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