School of Hiring

Send us a textWhat determines whether a senior hire becomes a high-impact leader or a costly misstep? In this episode, we explore the critical period of executive transitions—the first 365 days when newly appointed leaders are expected to build relationships, deliver results, and shape strategy, often without a clear roadmap.Our guest, Navid Nazemian, is the author of the international bestseller Mastering Executive Transitions and one of the world's top executive transition coaches. He has coached more than 100 C-suite leaders across Europe, Africa, and North America, and held senior HR roles at global companies including Vodafone, Adidas, and Roche. Navid has been recognized as HR's Most Influential Practitioner and Coach of the Year.We discuss:Why clarity on success must start before the offer is madeThe risks of misalignment between boards and executive hiresWhy generic onboarding fails senior leadersHow to apply the Double Diamond Framework® to de-risk transitions and accelerate impactThis conversation is a must-listen for founders, CEOs, HR leaders, and hiring managers who want to improve hiring decisions and ensure new leaders thrive.Connect with Navid Nazemian: linkedin.com/in/navidnazemianConnect with Konstanty Sliwowski: linkedin.com/in/sliwowskik Follow Konstanty Sliwowski on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/sliwowskik/For more insights check out www.schoolofhiring.com and newsletter.schoolofhiring.com

Send us a textLeadership isn't about a title — it's about influence, impact, and the ability to empower others. But for many talented leaders, especially women, climbing the leadership ladder comes with unique challenges: navigating bias, building executive presence, and leading without compromising authenticity.In this episode of The School of Hiring, Konstanty Sliwowski is joined by Jill Avey, executive coach and founder of SisterSmart Leadership. Jill shares transformative insights on how women can break through leadership barriers and step confidently into VP and C-suite roles. From strategic self-advocacy to building high-performing teams, this conversation is a masterclass in modern leadership.Tune in to discover:The most common leadership mistakes that stall promotionsWhat executive presence really looks like in male-dominated spacesHow to build influence without playing politicsThe hidden challenges women face — and how to overcome themHow leaders can create empowered, high-performing teamsWhether you're aiming for your next big role or helping others grow, this episode will change how you think about leadership growth.Music: Smarties Outro - FMA Podcast Suggestion by Birds for ScaleLicence: CC BY-SA Follow Konstanty Sliwowski on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/sliwowskik/For more insights check out www.schoolofhiring.com and newsletter.schoolofhiring.com

Send us a textEvery company has a culture—whether you shape it or not.It can be intentional or accidental. It can fuel performance or quietly tear your business apart. And the difference between a thriving company and one stuck in survival mode? Often, it comes down to one thing: leadership.In this episode of The School of Hiring, I'm joined by Erik Pfannmöller, serial entrepreneur, former Canoe World Champion, and founder of The Culture Code Foundation. Erik has built and exited multiple high-growth companies and now helps organizations develop high-performance cultures that drive innovation, attract top talent, and create long-term, defensible success.We unpack the often invisible force that shapes businesses—company culture—and the role ego plays in either strengthening or sabotaging it.In this episode, we explore:Why culture is your ultimate competitive advantageHow ego silently kills team performance and decision-makingThe biggest myths leaders believe about company cultureWhat founders must let go of in order to scale successfullyWhether it's ever too late to fix a toxic cultureWhat business leaders can learn from elite-level sportWhether you're a founder building from scratch or a leader trying to fix what's broken, this episode is packed with insights on how to lead with humility, clarity, and purpose—and build a culture that lasts.

Send us a textMost leaders think they know how to make a good hire.They trust their instincts. They believe their experience helps them spot the right candidate.But what if that confidence is misplaced?What if they're unknowingly repeating the same hiring mistakes—costing their companies millions?In this episode of The School of Hiring, I'm joined by Tim Freestone, founder of Alooba and host of the Objective Hiring podcast. Tim has spent years studying why hiring fails, and how companies can fix it with data-driven, validated insights.We break down:Why most hiring decisions are built on false confidenceThe biggest hiring mistakes companies don't even realize they're makingWhy intuition and experience aren't enough to judge candidatesHow data-driven hiring improves accuracy without losing the human elementWhy companies that don't fix hiring set themselves up for failureThis is not just about hiring. It's about breaking free from flawed decision-making and learning how to build truly great teams.How hiring will evolve in the next decadeWhat today's hiring managers need to changeTim's one piece of advice for leaders who want to master hiringGuest Links:

Send us a textHiring is not just about finding the right skills. It is about identifying who can truly deliver results when it matters most.In this episode of The School of Hiring, Konstanty Sliwowski sits down with Andrew Sridhar, a former Navy SEAL turned tech leader who has led high-stakes teams in combat, Wall Street, and AI-driven businesses worth hundreds of millions of dollars.Andrew has seen firsthand what separates elite leaders from the rest and how bad hiring decisions can derail even the best teams. His experience spans the military, finance, and cutting-edge AI product development, making his insights on leadership, resilience, and hiring some of the most valuable you will hear.What You'll Learn in This Episode:

Send us a textHiring is broken. The same outdated interview questions. The same awkward silences. The same hiring managers convinced they're great interviewers—when in reality, they're driving top talent away.In this episode of The School of Hiring, Konstanty Sliwowski sits down with Lorna Erickson and Victoria Gates, co-founders of Expert Interviewers, who have built a following of nearly 200,000 people on TikTok (@expertinterviewers) by exposing the worst hiring practices in brutally honest (and hilarious) ways.But don't let the comedy fool you—between the three of us, we've conducted over 25,000 interviews. We've seen it all:

Send us a textHow intentional are you when hiring your next employee? Are you relying on outdated practices or picking random questions from an AI-generated list? Don't worry—we've all been there. But what if you had a system? What if taking a more strategic approach to your hiring process could help you attract top talent, retain them longer, and avoid costly mistakes?This week, Konstanty Sliwowski, founder of the School of Hiring, who has conducted over 12,000 documented interviews speaks with Erin Hatzikostas of the b-Cause Work Doesn't Have To Suck podcast. Konstanty is here to completely transform the way you think about hiring and interviewing.What you'll learn in this episode:1️⃣ The real cost of bad interviews—and how to fix them.2️⃣ Why a Hiring Blueprint is far more effective than a generic job description.3️⃣ Konstanty's favorite interview questions and the game-changing reasons behind them.4️⃣ The 50% surge in ATS applications—and how it impacts your hiring strategy.5️⃣ The concept of “rusting out” at work—and how to avoid it for yourself and your team.If you've ever felt like hiring is a gamble, this episode is for you. It's time to adopt a proven framework, make better hiring decisions, and build the high-performing team you've always dreamed of.Links and Resources:

Are we approaching hiring backward? In this thought-provoking episode of the School of Hiring podcast, I sit down with the brilliant Dr. Diane Hamilton to explore a radical new lens on hiring. Dr. Hamilton, a globally recognized thought leader, Forbes contributor, and creator of the Curiosity Code Index®, challenges the traditional focus on skills and behaviors in hiring. Instead, she introduces the concept of outcomes-based hiring as the key to aligning talent with business success.Named one of today's top leadership voices alongside Elon Musk and Sheryl Sandberg, Dr. Hamilton has worked with leaders from Adobe, NASA, and General Motors. Her expertise sheds light on one of the most persistent hiring truths: companies hire for skills but fire for behaviors. Together, we dive into practical strategies hiring managers, HR leaders, and executives can use to build better teams and achieve measurable results.Whether you're rethinking your hiring process or positioning yourself as a top candidate, this episode is packed with actionable insights you can apply today.What You'll Learn in This Episode:Skills vs. Behaviors vs. Outcomes: Why hiring for outcomes bridges the gap between business needs and real-world performance.The Curiosity Advantage: How curiosity can transform the hiring process for both managers and candidates.Behavioral Blind Spots: Practical advice for avoiding common hiring mismatches.The Perception Puzzle: How subconscious biases influence hiring decisions—and what you can do to overcome them.Lessons from Leadership: What today's most influential leaders do differently when building high-performing teams.Key Questions Explored:How has curiosity evolved as a critical driver of innovation and hiring success?Why do companies continue to struggle with assessing behaviors, and how can they improve?What can hiring managers learn from leaders like Ken Fisher, Martha Stewart, and Brene Brown?How does perception shape hiring outcomes, and how can we minimize bias?About Our Guest:Dr. Diane Hamilton is a Forbes contributor, keynote speaker, and author of Cracking the Curiosity Code and Curiosity Unleashed. As the creator of the Curiosity Code Index® and Perception Power Index, she's developed groundbreaking tools that help leaders drive innovation, engagement, and productivity. Dr. Hamilton has been recognized globally for her work, including being named one of today's top leadership voices.Actionable Takeaways:Assess for Outcomes: Shift your interview strategy to focus on what success looks like in the role—not just on skills or past behaviors.Leverage Curiosity: Use curiosity as a metric for identifying candidates who can adapt, innovate, and grow with your company.Mind Your Perceptions: Challenge your biases by using structured interviews and validated tools to evaluate talent objectively.

Welcome to The School of Hiring! In this episode, Konstanty Sliwowski is joined by Alex Domene, former CTO of LucaNet and current Board Member of G&H Banking Software. With his extensive experience in engineering leadership and product development, Alex offers a fascinating perspective on the evolving role of engineers in today's tech-driven world.Together, Konstanty and Alex explore critical topics shaping the future of engineering and hiring:Redefining the Role of Engineers: How the modern engineer's responsibilities have expanded in complexity and diversity, from architecture and toolchains to AI and DevOps.AI as a Tool, Not a Replacement: Why AI should be seen as a supportive tool—helping engineers generate ideas, solve defects, and enhance productivity—rather than a replacement for human creativity and judgment.The School Smarts vs. Street Smarts Debate: Alex shares his take on whether technical expertise or adaptability and problem-solving skills matter more in engineering roles today.Effort, Output, and Impact: Inspired by McKinsey's frameworks, the conversation highlights why focusing solely on effort misses the bigger picture of outcomes and impact in engineering teams.Practical AI in Engineering and Hiring: How AI is transforming the hiring process and engineering jobs, and what qualities hiring managers should prioritize in this rapidly changing landscape.Key Takeaways from McKinsey's Research:Alex and Konstanty unpack insights from McKinsey's 2023 article on engineering KPIs, including frameworks like DORA and SPACE. They discuss how metrics such as Developer Velocity Index, Contribution Analysis, and Talent Capability Score are reshaping how companies assess performance and potential.Why You Should Listen:This episode is essential for leaders, hiring managers, and engineers who want to understand the shifting dynamics of engineering work and build teams that thrive in an era of constant innovation and change. Whether you're exploring AI's role in hiring, navigating the debate on school smarts vs. street smarts, or seeking actionable strategies to future-proof your team, this conversation is packed with insights.Subscribe to Our Newsletter:Stay ahead of the curve in hiring and team building by subscribing to the School of Hiring newsletter at newsletter.schoolofhiring.com. Get exclusive insights, practical tools, and strategies delivered straight to your inbox.About Alex Domene:Alex Domene is a seasoned engineering leader with a wealth of experience in product design, development, and delivery. As the former CTO of LucaNet and current Board Member of G&H Banking Software, Alex is responsible for driving innovation and empowering engineering teams to excel in a competitive landscape.About the Host, Konstanty Sliwowski:Konstanty is the founder of The School of Hiring, dedicated to helping leaders master the art and science of hiring as a strategic advantage. With nearly 20 years of experience in talent acquisition and building high-performing teams, Konstanty offers practical insights to empower leaders to make better hiring decisions.Follow Konstanty Sliwowski on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/sliwowskik/For more insights check out www.schoolofhiring.com and www.caissarecruitment.com/blog

In this episode of the School of Hiring, Dr. Mark Smith, founder of A Better Choice Hire and author of A Better Choice: The Manager's Guide to Skills-First Hiring, joins Konstanty Sliwowski to discuss how outcome-focused and competency-based hiring can transform the way organizations identify top talent. Mark shares his innovative approach to reducing hiring risks, pinpointing leadership potential, and leveraging assessment techniques like role-play to evaluate candidates in real-world scenarios. This episode is packed with actionable strategies to help leaders and hiring managers make more effective, future-proof hiring decisions.Dr. Mark Smith, is an organizational psychology expert and founder of A Better Choice Hire. With nearly two decades of experience advising top organizations, Mark has redefined how companies approach hiring, shifting the focus from skills to outcomes and competencies that truly drive success.Mark's expertise lies in helping organizations minimize hiring risks by evaluating candidates through innovative methodologies such as role-play exercises, which simulate real-world challenges to reveal how candidates perform under pressure. His book, A Better Choice: The Manager's Guide to Skills-First Hiring, provides a practical framework for managers to make confident, informed decisions.In this episode, we'll explore:Common Recruiting Pitfalls: Why focusing on resumes and “fit” often leads to poor outcomes—and what to do instead.Competency-Based Hiring in Action: How companies can shift from assessing skills to measuring competencies that predict performance.Identifying Leadership Potential: Key traits and behaviors that signal a candidate's ability to lead, and how to uncover them during the hiring process.Evaluating for Outcomes, Not Promises: Strategies for assessing a candidate's ability to deliver results in uncertain and high-stakes environments.Role-Play Assessments: How Mark's approach simulates real-world challenges to evaluate a candidate's readiness and problem-solving capabilities.Minimizing Bias in Hiring Decisions: Techniques to create a fair and effective hiring process that prioritizes competency and outcomes over assumptions.This conversation is packed with actionable insights for leaders, HR professionals, and hiring managers looking to build teams that can deliver tangible results and thrive in any environment.About Dr. Mark Smith:Dr. Mark Smith is a leading expert in organizational psychology and the founder of A Better Choice Hire. His innovative assessment methodologies help organizations hire for outcomes and competencies rather than traditional metrics like resumes or skills alone. Mark's latest book, A Better Choice: The Manager's Guide to Skills-First Hiring, outlines practical strategies for modern hiring practices that drive team and organizational success. Learn more about Mark at abetterchoicehire.com and connect with him on LinkedIn.About the Host, Konstanty Sliwowski:Konstanty is the founder of the School of Hiring, a platform dedicated to helping leaders master competency-based hiring as a strategic advantage. With nearly 20 years of experience in talent acquisition and building high-performing teams, Konstanty shares actionable insights that empower leaders to achieve better hiring outcomes. Connect with Konstanty on LinkedIn and visit schoolofhiring.com.Follow Konstanty Sliwowski on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/sliwowskik/For more insights check out www.schoolofhiring.com and www.caissarecruitment.com/blog

In today's episode, we're thrilled to have Andrea Petrone, a seasoned advisor and coach to Fortune 500 leaders, high-growth companies, and transformative mid-sized firms. Andrea brings over two decades of global experience, having worked across seven countries and directly advised more than 250 C-suite leaders.In This Episode, You'll Learn:Shifting to a Legacy Mindset: Andrea dives into the concept of hiring beyond immediate needs, sharing how leaders can align hiring decisions with a long-term vision. We explore specific traits and qualities that support building teams who will carry the organization into the future.Balancing “Fit” and “Innovation”: A central theme of the episode is the “fit versus innovation” hiring dilemma. Andrea shares practical insights on how leaders can balance hiring people who integrate with the existing culture while still driving fresh ideas and innovation, particularly in high-stakes environments.Uncovering Hidden Leadership Potential: How can executives identify leadership potential that might not be immediately apparent in a standard interview? Andrea shares his tried-and-true techniques for finding candidates who possess not only the right skills but also the qualities that will help them thrive and lead during transformative times.Hiring for Resilience and Adaptability in Uncertain Times: In today's unpredictable business landscape, resilience and adaptability are crucial. Andrea discusses key traits that signal a candidate's ability to weather change and shares interview strategies to help uncover these qualities.Leveraging Cultural Diversity in Global Teams: Drawing from his extensive international experience, Andrea sheds light on the unique challenges and advantages of hiring within culturally diverse teams. He shares actionable advice on how leaders can turn cultural diversity into a competitive advantage, especially during times of rapid change.If you're interested in hiring not just for today but for the legacy you want to create, this episode is packed with insights and actionable advice from one of the most trusted voices in the field.About Andrea Petrone:Andrea is a strategic advisor and executive coach with a focus on leadership and organizational transformation. Over his career, he has supported leaders in building resilient, impactful teams that thrive in uncertain and complex environments. Andrea hosts the The World Class Leaders Show podcast, where he explores topics around leadership, growth, and high-performance teams. You can connect with Andrea and learn more about his work at andreapetrone.com and on LinkedIn.About Konstanty Sliwowski:Konstanty is the founder of the School of Hiring, an initiative dedicated to helping leaders master the art and science of hiring as a competitive advantage. With nearly 20 years in talent acquisition and experience founding and exiting two companies, Konstanty's focus is on equipping leaders with the tools and insights to build high-performing, cohesive teams. Connect with Konstanty on LinkedIn and learn more about his work at schoolofhiring.com.Listen to This Episode:Tune in to learn from Andrea Petrone's wealth of experience and gain practical strategies for hiring with intention and vision. This episode is a must-listen for leaders and founders looking to shape the future of their organizations through strategic hiring.Follow Konstanty Sliwowski on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/sliwowskik/For more insights check out www.schoolofhiring.com and www.caissarecruitment.com/blog

In this episode of The School of Hiring, we dive into a critical but often under-discussed element of Germany's economic engine—the Mittelstand. This sector of small and medium-sized businesses has been a driving force in Germany's economy for over eight decades, and today we explore the unique challenges and strengths it faces in the realm of recruitment and organizational development.Our guest, Helene Andreas, brings a wealth of knowledge from her global experience and her recent work within the Mittelstand as an investor, advisor, and, as she calls it, "troublemaker." Over the past four years, Helene has helped these family-owned SMEs shape their organizational structures, adapt to change, and master the “people factor.” Her insights offer a unique look at what makes the Mittelstand's approach to talent and culture both resilient and adaptive in the face of demographic shifts and increasing labor shortages.Join us as we explore how Mittelstand companies can effectively find, engage, and retain top talent, how they can reshape their cultures to be performance-oriented, and what future-ready strategies Mittelstand leaders can adopt to navigate the evolving workforce.Key Topics Covered in This Episode:What Sets the Mittelstand Apart in Hiring: Helene shares her insights into the unique strengths and challenges of Germany's SME sector, from recruitment to talent management.Strategies for Talent Attraction and Retention: With labor shortages on the rise, Helene discusses effective methods for finding and keeping the right talent in smaller, family-owned businesses.Building a Performance-Oriented Culture: Learn about the specific adjustments Helene has implemented to create a culture that values both performance and long-term resilience.The Role of People in Driving Resilience and Adaptability: Helene emphasizes how a people-centered approach helps Mittelstand companies stay competitive in a rapidly changing workforce.Future-Ready Advice for Mittelstand Leaders: Helene offers actionable advice on preparing for upcoming workforce challenges, including key mindsets and strategies to thrive in the evolving job market.Key Questions Explored:What unique strengths and challenges set the German Mittelstand apart in managing talent?How can Mittelstand companies find and retain the right people despite demographic changes and labor shortages?What specific cultural adjustments help create a performance-oriented environment within SMEs?How does a focus on hiring, upskilling, and retention drive resilience and adaptability in these companies?What future-focused strategies should Mittelstand leaders adopt to stay competitive and navigate workforce challenges?Guest Information:Helene Andreas is an investor, advisor, and organizational development specialist with extensive experience in both global corporations and Germany's Mittelstand. With a background spanning multiple countries and cultures, Helene's approach combines strategic insight with hands-on implementation to help SMEs build resilient, people-centered organizations.Tune in to gain a unique perspective on the German Mittelstand and learn how to build a high-performing, resilient team ready for the future!Follow Konstanty Sliwowski on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/sliwowskik/For more insights check out www.schoolofhiring.com and www.caissarecruitment.com/blog

In this episode of The School of Hiring, we dive deep into one of the most common frustrations in the hiring process: Why do so many managers feel that recruiters aren't effective at hiring? Or more to the point, why does the disconnect between recruiters and hiring managers even exist in the first place? Host Konstanty Sliwowski is joined by Lucy Bolin, a recruitment trainer and performance coach who has spent over a decade helping recruiters navigate the complex world of talent acquisition. Together, they unpack the myths, mistakes, and mindset shifts necessary for improving recruitment outcomes. With experience working with recruitment powerhouses like SThree and Michael Page, Lucy brings invaluable insights from both global corporations and startups alike.What You'll Learn in This Episode:Are recruiters really bad at hiring, or is that just a misconception?The fundamental difference between recruiters' and managers' roles in the hiring process.Common mistakes recruiters make and how to avoid them.How recruiters and managers can better align for successful hires.The crucial lessons recruiters can learn from hiring managers, and vice versa.If you're a manager frustrated by the hiring process, or a recruiter seeking ways to better align with your clients' needs, this episode is packed with actionable insights to help you bridge the gap.Key Questions Explored:Are recruiters bad at hiring, or is that a myth?Where does the disconnect between recruiters and managers happen?What common mistakes do recruiters make in the hiring process?How can recruiters better align with the needs of hiring managers?What can both recruiters and managers learn from each other to improve hiring success?Guest Information:Lucy Bolin is a recruitment trainer and performance coach with over a decade of experience. She has worked with global companies like SThree and Michael Page, training recruiters across the globe from the UK to the Middle East and Australia. Her work has equipped recruiters with the skills they need to navigate the ever-evolving landscape of hiring.Follow Konstanty Sliwowski on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/sliwowskik/For more insights check out www.schoolofhiring.com and www.caissarecruitment.com/blog

In this episode of School of Hiring, we dive deep into the complexities of hiring and leadership with two of the most seasoned minds in the field: host Konstanty Sliwowski and serial entrepreneur Peter Sorgenfrei. Together, they uncover why successful hiring is more than just an art—it's a science. Whether you're a founder, a manager, or an HR leader, this episode offers essential insights to help you avoid the costly mistakes many leaders make when hiring.Key Topics Covered:The Art vs. Science of Hiring: Discover why relying on intuition or gut feelings in hiring often leads to poor outcomes—and why leaders must balance both the creative and analytical aspects of the process to get it right.Common Hiring Misconceptions: Peter addresses the false confidence many leaders have in their hiring abilities, revealing the harsh truth that nearly 50% of hires leave within 18 months. He shares personal anecdotes and lessons learned from hiring over 300 people.The Personal Cost of Hiring Mistakes: Beyond financial and time-related consequences, bad hires can take a personal toll on leaders. Peter opens up about his turning point in 2019, when burnout forced him to rethink his approach to building teams.The Whole Human Approach: Peter explains his philosophy on hiring for the "whole human," which goes beyond just evaluating skills and looks at the broader characteristics that make someone a sustainable, long-term fit for an organization.Advice for First-Time Founders and Managers: Learn actionable tips on how to avoid common pitfalls in early-stage hiring and how to ensure your team scales effectively with your business.Top Questions Answered in this Episode:What is the biggest misconception leaders have about hiring?Can intuition be trusted in the hiring process, or is it often misleading?What are the hidden personal costs of making a poor hiring decision?How can leaders adopt the “Whole Human Approach” in their hiring practices?What should first-time team builders focus on to ensure hiring success?Was there a pivotal moment when Peter realized his hiring strategy needed to change?How do you codify hiring to make it a repeatable, effective process?Why You Should Listen:If you've ever found yourself scratching your head after a seemingly great hire didn't work out, or if you're looking to avoid the expensive and time-consuming mistakes that so many companies fall into, this episode is a must-listen. Peter Sorgenfrei's unique experience, both as a CEO and a coach, gives listeners an in-depth look at the long-term strategies required to build teams that thrive—not just in terms of output, but in their alignment with your company's vision and culture.Episode Highlights:"Hiring is not just about filling roles—it's about shaping the future of your organization.""We often hear that hiring is an art, but here's the truth—it's also a science.""Almost 50% of hires leave within 18 months—what does this tell us about how we're hiring?""The Whole Human Approach is about hiring people, not just resumes."Guest Bio: Peter Sorgenfrei is a serial entrepreneur who has founded and scaled six companies, including one from a two-person garage startup to a global operation. With over 300 hires to his name, Peter brings an invaluable perspective on the challenges of building high-performing teams. After a life-altering experience in 2019, Peter turned his focus to coaching founders and CEOs, guiding them in creating sustainable and resilient teams.Follow Konstanty Sliwowski on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/sliwowskik/For more insights check out www.schoolofhiring.com and www.caissarecruitment.com/blog

In today's episode, I am thrilled to welcome Gerrit McGowan, a seasoned entrepreneur and a thought leader in the science of human performance.Gerrit isn't your typical entrepreneur. With experience spanning four countries and three continents, Gerrit has built and scaled companies from the ground up, raised millions from investors, and served as interim CEO for multiple organizations. He's achieved two successful exits and has helped thousands of founders transform their startups into thriving businesses.But Gerrit's expertise goes far beyond just building companies. He has a deep interest in the science behind what makes people and businesses perform at their best. His passion for human potential led him to take a sabbatical in his mid-40s to conduct PhD-level research on entrepreneurial flow—the state of peak performance that drives success in high-pressure environments.Gerrit's knowledge is not just academic; he has applied these insights in the real world. He has hosted one of Europe's leading entrepreneurship podcasts, founded a startup accelerator, and served as a peak performance coach with the Flow Research Collective. His approach is grounded in scientific evidence, refined by hands-on experience, and designed to help leaders and founders reach their full potential.Today, Gerrit is here to share how understanding the science of performance can radically improve how you hire, build, and lead your teams. His insights are not just theoretical—they're actionable, practical, and proven to work in the real world.Key Topics Covered in This Episode:What is Entrepreneurial Flow and Why It MattersGerrit explains the concept of entrepreneurial flow, a state of peak performance that helps individuals achieve success in high-pressure environments. Learn why understanding this state is crucial for both personal and team productivity.Lessons from Sports Performance for Business LeadersDrawing parallels between sports and business, Gerrit discusses how the strategies used in sports to build high-performing teams can be applied in the corporate world. Discover the key lessons business leaders can learn from sports to enhance their team's performance.Improving Interview and Selection ProcessesIn sports, recruitment is a meticulous process involving scouting, testing, and trials. Gerrit shares how business leaders can adopt similar methods to refine their interview and selection processes, ensuring they hire the right talent for their teams.Practices for Developing and Retaining High-Performing TeamsGerrit outlines key practices from the world of sports that leaders can use to not only hire top talent but also develop and retain high-performing teams. Learn actionable strategies that can be implemented in your organization to foster a culture of excellence.Creating a Supportive Environment for Top TalentMany elite athletes attribute their success to a strong support system and the right environment. Gerrit discusses how leaders can create an environment that not only attracts top talent but also keeps them motivated and committed for the long term.Connect with Gerrit McGowan on LinkedInConnect with Konstanty Sliwowski on LinkedIn Subscribe to School of Hiring on YouTubeFollow Konstanty Sliwowski on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/sliwowskik/For more insights check out www.schoolofhiring.com and www.caissarecruitment.com/blog

In this episode, we dive deep into the strategies that shape successful teams and thriving workplaces. Today's guest is Felipe Furlan, the CTO of Jimdo, who brings a wealth of experience in building high-performance teams across the globe.Felipe's journey from Brazil to Germany, along with his work in both scaleups and dynamic startups, offers a unique perspective on the complexities of hiring in various organizational contexts.In This Episode, We Explore:The Concept of Culture Fit: Felipe breaks down what Culture Fit truly means and how it differs from Culture Add and Culture Adaptability.The Evolution of Hiring for Culture: As a former founder and now a tech leader, Felipe shares how his approach to hiring has evolved over time, and the key learnings that have shaped his perspective.Culture Add vs. Culture Fit: Hear an insightful example from Felipe's own experience where prioritizing Culture Add over Culture Fit led to significant breakthroughs in team performance and innovation.Assessing Adaptability: Felipe discusses his personal strategies for evaluating whether a candidate can contribute something new while also adapting and growing with the company as it evolves.Managing Diverse Perspectives: Learn how to manage and integrate differing perspectives brought by new hires to strengthen, rather than conflict with, the existing team.Recruitment Process Alignment: Felipe offers advice on ensuring that your hiring team understands and values Culture Add and Adaptability during the recruitment process.Balancing Culture Dynamics in Growth: As companies grow, maintaining the right balance between Culture Fit, Add, and Adaptability can be challenging. Felipe shares his insights on navigating these challenges.Whether you're a startup founder, a hiring manager, or simply interested in the nuances of team building, this episode is packed with actionable insights to help you refine your hiring strategies.Don't forget to subscribe to the School of Hiring for more insights on building successful teams and workplaces!Follow Konstanty Sliwowski on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/sliwowskik/For more insights check out www.schoolofhiring.com and www.caissarecruitment.com/blog

In this highly anticipated episode, we sit down with Olawale Oladunni, the Global Senior Director of Product Design and Research at Delivery Hero. With his extensive background, including his tenure as Head of Digital Experience, Talent Solutions at LinkedIn, Olawale offers a unique perspective on hiring, scaling organizations, and fostering diversity in the workplace.Episode Highlights:Introduction: Host introduces Olawale Oladunni and outlines his impressive career, focusing on his roles at Delivery Hero and LinkedIn.First Hiring Experience: Olawale shares memories of his first hire and the invaluable advice he would give his younger self about the hiring process.Diversity Hiring Challenges: A deep dive into why companies struggle with diversity hiring and practical strategies to overcome these challenges.Key Questions Discussed:Increasing the Diversity Pool: Strategies for hiring top talent while enhancing diversity in a tight job market.Interview Transparency: How honest should companies be with candidates about the real state of affairs in the business during interviews?Hiring Managers for Direct Reports: Avoiding the pitfalls when direct reports interview their future leaders.Effective Collaboration with Talent Acquisition (TA): Balancing internal vs. external TA and optimizing collaboration.LinkedIn as a Recruitment Tool: Olawale's take on whether LinkedIn remains the best platform for finding top candidates.Guest Info: Olawale Oladunni is a seasoned expert in product design, digital experience, and talent acquisition. His leadership roles at Delivery Hero and LinkedIn provide him with a wealth of knowledge on building effective teams and implementing successful hiring practices.Special Offer: Don't miss out on the free Hiring Blueprint download available at www.schoolofhiring.com. This resource is designed to help you streamline your hiring process and find the right fit for your team.Call to Action: If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review and share it with anyone who might benefit from these insights. For more resources and tips on hiring, visit www.schoolofhiring.com and download the free Hiring Blueprint today.Subscribe: Stay updated with our latest episodes by subscribing to our podcast on your favorite platform.Connect with Us:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sliwowskik/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/doubleola/Thanks for Listening!Follow Konstanty Sliwowski on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/sliwowskik/For more insights check out www.schoolofhiring.com and www.caissarecruitment.com/blog

In this episode, we delve into one of the most pressing issues faced by managers and leaders today: hiring the right people. Our guest, Jodi Brandstetter, a bestselling author, speaker, design thinker, and business coach, shares her insights on the common misconceptions and challenges new managers face in the hiring process.Episode Highlights:Introduction: We discuss the ego problem around hiring and the difficulty managers face in admitting they need help.Statistics: Only 30% of managers receive interview training according to a study by TrainingZone UK, with a LinkedIn poll showing a slightly better but still low 37%.Common Misconceptions: Jodi elaborates on the most common misconceptions new managers have about hiring.Contributing Factors: Beyond the lack of formal training, Jodi discusses other factors that contribute to hiring struggles.Balancing Speed and Fit: Tips for new managers on how to balance the need to hire quickly with finding the right fit in today's competitive job market.Overcoming Stigma: Advice for new managers on overcoming the stigma of asking for help with hiring.Guest Info: Jodi Brandstetter is a best-selling author, speaker, design thinker, and business coach dedicated to transforming the hiring process. Her insights and expertise provide valuable guidance for anyone involved in hiring.Special Offer: Don't miss out on the free Hiring Blueprint download available at www.schoolofhiring.com. This resource is designed to help you streamline your hiring process and find the right fit for your team.If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review and share it with anyone who might benefit from these insights. For more resources and tips on hiring, visit www.schoolofhiring.com and download the free Hiring Blueprint today.Subscribe: Stay updated with our latest episodes by subscribing to our podcast on your favorite platform.Connect with Us:Konstanty: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sliwowskik/Jodi: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodibrandstetter/Thanks for Listening!Follow Konstanty Sliwowski on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/sliwowskik/For more insights check out www.schoolofhiring.com and www.caissarecruitment.com/blog

Welcome to the School of Hiring's "Hire Better" podcast. This episode, we explore the complexities of strategic planning in talent acquisition and delve into sustainable growth strategies. We'll analyze the economic benefits of leveraging agencies and the critical decision of transitioning to an in-house Talent Acquisition (TA) team.Featured Guests:Andrew Stow, a talent acquisition expert with two decades of experience, known for his work with VC-backed tech startups and unicorn companies. Andrew is currently leading his own consulting and investment business in Switzerland.Ines Currie, a seasoned recruiter specializing in executive and senior talent for tech and product sectors. Ines brings over ten years of experience in driving early-stage and high-growth companies to success.Key Discussion Points:How Agency Use Can Save You Money as a Business: Exploring cost-effectiveness in recruitment agencies versus traditional hiring processes.When to Hire In-House TA: Identifying the growth stage for establishing an in-house talent acquisition team.Agency vs. In-House: Discussing the unique advantages of agencies and scenarios where in-house teams excel.Sustainable Hiring Practices: Strategies to avoid the hire-fire cycle and promote sustainable hiring.Choosing the Right Agency: Key factors in selecting a recruitment agency for a successful partnership.Balancing Flexibility and Performance: Tactics for maintaining flexibility while ensuring high performance in talent acquisition.Beyond 'Post and Pray': Effective strategies for managing high volumes of applications.Closing Remarks:Don't miss the insights from Andrew and Ines, who have collaborated on projects for companies like GetYourGuide and DaWanda (acquired by Etsy), as they share their invaluable experiences in the hiring landscape.Relevant Hashtags:#HireBetterPodcast#SchoolOfHiring#TalentAcquisition#RecruitmentStrategies#SustainableGrowth#InHouseTA#RecruitmentAgencies#StrategicHiring#TechRecruiting#HumanResourcesConnect with Us:Follow our podcast for more insightful episodes on strategic hiring and join the conversation with #HireBetterPodcast. Share your thoughts and experiences in talent acquisition and sustainable growth strategies.Follow Konstanty Sliwowski on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/sliwowskik/For more insights check out www.schoolofhiring.com and www.caissarecruitment.com/blog

Welcome to the second instalment of our double episode with special guest Jason Thrasher, CTO of Shiftmove, on the Hire Better Podcast from School of Hiring. In a rare in-person recording, this episode delves into a critical topic in the hiring world: "Why Hiring like Google May Not Be Right for Your Business?"Despite the allure of mirroring the hiring processes of tech giants like Google, Facebook, or Amazon, we discuss why this approach might be counterproductive for many businesses. With Jason Thrasher's insights, drawn from his experience as a Senior Engineering Manager at Google, we explore the nuances and potential pitfalls of adopting Google's hiring practices.Join us as we dissect Google's hiring methodology, understand the importance of customizing hiring strategies, and uncover the key differences that make each company's hiring needs unique. This conversation is a must-listen for hiring managers and business leaders seeking to optimize their recruitment processes.Show Notes:Introduction to the Topic: An overview of why replicating Google's hiring approach might be detrimental for businesses not operating at the same scale or in the same industry.Guest Introduction: Jason Thrasher, CTO of Shiftmove and former Senior Engineering Manager at Google, shares his first-hand experiences.Interview Questions: Discussion on the types of questions asked during interviews at Google and how they may differ from what is suitable for other companies.The Hiring Process for Engineers: Insight into the intricate steps involved in hiring engineers at Google and the potential complexities for other businesses.Candidate Expectations: Exploring the expectations placed on candidates throughout their hiring journey at big tech companies.Separation of Interviews and Hiring Decisions: The unique approach of separating interviews from hiring decisions and compensation negotiations at Google.Data-Driven Strategies: The role of extensive data and feedback in shaping Google's hiring strategies and how this might be overwhelming for smaller companies.Consensus vs. Alignment: A deep dive into how consensus and alignment play different roles in the decision-making processes at various companies.Conclusion and Takeaways: Summarizing key insights from the discussion and practical advice for businesses in refining their hiring processes.This episode is not only an eye-opener for those emulating tech giants in their hiring practices but also a guide for developing more effective, business-specific hiring strategies. Tune in for a comprehensive analysis of what makes Google's hiring unique and how to adapt these insights to your company's needs.Follow Konstanty Sliwowski on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/sliwowskik/For more insights check out www.schoolofhiring.com and www.caissarecruitment.com/blog

In today's insightful conversation, we tackle two critical topics that often challenge business leaders: "Why and Who Do You Actually Need to Hire?" and "Why Hiring like Google May Not Be Right for Your Business?"Our distinguished guest for this episode is Jason Thrasher, CTO of Shiftmove, formerly Avrios and Vimcar. Jason brings a wealth of experience from tech giants like Google, Yahoo, and IFTTT, along with his invaluable insights into the hiring world.Part 1: "Why and Who Do You Actually Need to Hire?"Identifying the Core Problem Your Business is SolvingUnderstanding the foundational step of defining the problem your business aims to solve.How this understanding shapes your hiring strategy and impacts your overall business goals.The Challenges and Constraints That Influence Your Hiring DecisionsCommon challenges and constraints that influence hiring decisions.The implications of these factors on the type of talent your company needs.Balancing a Culture of Growth with One of ExpertiseStriking a balance between fostering a growth-oriented culture and valuing expertise.How this equilibrium affects the skills and experiences you prioritize when recruiting.Shaping Roles Around Individuals Versus Requiring Candidates to Fit Predefined CriteriaThe advantages of customizing roles to align with individual strengths and talents.Determining when predefined criteria should take precedence in your hiring process.Handling Hiring Decisions, Notice Periods, Layoffs, and Probation Periods (and the Difference Between the US Versus Germany)A closer look at the key differences in handling hiring decisions between the US and Germany.Effective strategies for companies with a presence in both countries to navigate these differences seamlessly.Join us in the next episode as we continue our conversation with Jason Thrasher, exploring the nuances of "Why Hiring like Google May Not Be Right for Your Business." Stay tuned for more enriching insights!Remember, making the right hiring decisions is not only about the talent but also the strategy. So, let's dive deep into the world of hiring with Jason Thrasher.Don't miss it! Subscribe now to the Hire Better podcast to stay updated on the latest episodes.Follow Konstanty Sliwowski on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/sliwowskik/For more insights check out www.schoolofhiring.com and www.caissarecruitment.com/blog

In this insightful episode of our podcast, we're exploring the dynamic world of innovation and the crucial role external partnerships play in propelling organizations forward. Our special guest, Marco De Bortoli, Technology Director at BuildCircle, brings a wealth of experience and a unique perspective on leveraging external resources for innovation.Episode Highlights:The Innovation Challenge: We delve into the complexities of achieving innovation in today's business landscape, especially under the constraints of limited resources such as headcount, budgets, and team size.Power of Collaboration: Discover how organizations can significantly benefit from collaborating with external parties. We discuss strategies for identifying and engaging with the right partners to foster innovation.Unraveling the Secrets of Successful Partnerships: Learn how to establish fruitful partnerships that can unlock new ideas and drive your business forward. Marco shares insights into building and maintaining effective collaborative relationships.External Talent as a Catalyst for Innovation: We discuss how tapping into external talent pools and expertise can complement internal efforts and bring fresh, diverse perspectives to your innovation initiatives.Marco De Bortoli's Journey: From his beginnings as a software engineer to becoming a recognized technical leader, Marco shares his experiences working with notable brands and how these shaped his approach to innovation through partnerships.Practical Tips and Strategies: Marco provides actionable advice and proven strategies for organizations looking to harness the power of collaboration to overcome common constraints and drive innovation.About Marco De Bortoli:Marco's career spans from his early days in software engineering to his current role as a Technology Director. He has worked with international projects in various industries, provided technical expertise to major brands, and has become a trusted leader in companies like Just Eat, Skyscanner, and Schroders. His journey is a testament to the power of external partnerships in driving innovation.Join us in this episode to gain valuable insights into how your organization can leverage external partnerships to overcome innovation barriers and stay ahead in the competitive business world. Whether you're a small startup or a large corporation, this episode is packed with practical tips and inspiring stories to help you navigate the challenges of innovation.Follow Konstanty Sliwowski on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/sliwowskik/For more insights check out www.schoolofhiring.com and www.caissarecruitment.com/blog

This episode is unlike any other as we discuss a rarely broached subject: Technical Due Diligence (TDD). Ever wondered how TDD can spotlight potential challenges and also reveal gaps in your organization? Well, the answer lies in a place you might not have looked into: People.

Join us on a captivating journey through the evolution of recruitment, diving deep into the transformative impact of AI, emerging solutions, and the dynamic shift from traditional services to consultative approaches.Recruitment has evolved significantly since 2004, and the rise of AI technologies promises to revolutionize how we attract, assess, and hire talent. With the infusion of machine learning and data analytics, recruiters now wield unprecedented insights, enabling them to make strategic decisions that will reshape the future of hiring.As we navigate this dynamic landscape, we can't ignore the seismic shift from transactional services to consultative partnerships. Modern recruiters are adopting a holistic approach, collaborating closely with organizations to comprehend their unique needs, culture, and long-term objectives. It's a paradigm shift—from merely filling positions to crafting enduring talent strategies that drive sustainable success.But there's more to the story. The new generation of recruiters operates in a unique paradigm. Unlike their predecessors, they haven't witnessed a true recessionary market. This presents both opportunities and challenges as they navigate uncharted waters, adapting to a world where talent is in high demand, and candidates wield more power than ever before.Our special guest, Charlie Sell, Board Director of Majar Group, responsible for the Solutions and Consultancy brands of a major European staffing business, joins us for an insightful conversation. With two decades of recruitment industry experience, Charlie provides invaluable insights into the changing recruitment landscape.In this episode, we delve into pressing questions:How has the integration of AI and emerging technologies transformed the recruitment landscape, and what opportunities and challenges does this present for both recruiters and candidates?As the recruitment industry shifts toward a more consultative approach, discover how recruiters can effectively partner with organizations to understand their unique needs and long-term goals.Explore key strategies and best practices for recruiters to stay ahead in this rapidly evolving landscape, especially considering the increasing demand for talent and the shifting power dynamics between recruiters and candidates.With the new generation of recruiters having not experienced a true recessionary market, learn how they can prepare for potential challenges and adapt to changing market dynamics.In light of the evolving recruitment landscape, uncover the essential skills and qualities recruiters need to develop to thrive and deliver exceptional results in this new era.Don't miss this episode if you're curious about the future of hiring or want to stay informed about the latest trends and innovations shaping the recruitment industry. Tune in now!Follow Konstanty Sliwowski on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/sliwowskik/For more insights check out www.schoolofhiring.com and www.caissarecruitment.com/blog

In this episode, we cast a spotlight on a subject of utmost significance: the gender pay gap, particularly in the context of recent European legislation mandating compensation disclosure in job advertisements. The EU Pay Transparency Directive, designed to combat the gender pay gap within the European Union, has brought this critical issue to the forefront. Notably, in 2020, the EU's gender pay gap stood at 13%, with only marginal improvement over the preceding decade.As global awareness of persistent gender wage disparities grows, it's vital to grasp the multifaceted nature of this challenge. The new legislation represents a momentous stride toward transparency and equity in the job market, aiming to narrow the gender pay gap by exposing salary inequalities right from the outset of the hiring process.But the question lingers: Is this measure alone sufficient to resolve the issue?Joining us as our esteemed guest today is Yasmine Guerin, the Founder of Negotiatress—an initiative that equips women of all backgrounds and ages with the tools to negotiate for themselves effectively. Yasmine is also a certified mediator and group facilitator, boasting over 12 years of expertise in the realms of negotiation and conflict resolution. Our paths have crossed before at Caissa, where we've collaborated on technology and DEI-focused hiring.Throughout this episode, we pose thought-provoking questions, dissect the underlying causes of the gender pay gap, and explore how salary transparency can act as a catalyst for transformation. Tune in as we engage in an insightful conversation with industry experts, advocates, and thought leaders to unravel the intricacies of this pivotal issue. We'll also delve into the potential repercussions of these legislative changes on employers, job seekers, and society at large.In this episode, we'll explore:The profound significance of disclosing compensation in job adverts and its role in addressing the gender pay gap.A comprehensive examination of the primary factors contributing to the gender pay gap, along with an exploration of how salary transparency can help mitigate these disparities.The challenges and opportunities that the European legislation presents for employers, job seekers, and the broader workforce.Follow Konstanty Sliwowski on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/sliwowskik/For more insights check out www.schoolofhiring.com and www.caissarecruitment.com/blog

Episode Highlights:Understanding Staff TurnoverStrategic RetentionBuilding a Culture of Succession Planning

 In today's episode, we're diving headfirst into a topic that's not just important—it's the cornerstone of exceptional team dynamics: psychological safety throughout the entire journey of recruitment, onboarding, and employment.

Welcome to the School of Hiring podcast, a platform where we delve into the intricate world of building and nurturing successful businesses. I'm your host, Konstanty Sliwowski, and today's episode is a journey into the realm of succession planning—a strategic element crucial not only for your business's long-term vitality but also for your personal fulfillment and growth.In the dynamic realm of entrepreneurship, especially in these turbulent times of global shifts, it's not uncommon for founders and business leaders to find themselves seeking a fresh perspective and contemplating their next steps. The current landscape has sparked conversations about change among business leaders, becoming increasingly prevalent over the past 6 to 12 months. With leadership transitions holding the potential for far-reaching consequences, we embark on a deep dive into the profound significance of succession planning. This strategic approach paves the way for a seamless transition, fostering the prosperity of your business and your own journey.Our special guest for this enlightening conversation is Julius Bachmann, a certified executive coach hailing from Berlin. With extensive experience in coaching, investing, and advising founders across Europe, Julius has witnessed firsthand the transformative influence of well-thought-out succession planning on both business dynamics and personal well-being. His unique perspective shines light on the delicate balance between nurturing business growth and safeguarding one's own journey.

The Transatlantic Talent War: Insights into Hiring the Best Leaders on Both Sides of the Atlantic with Julie Hansen, US CEO & CRO of BabbelIn this episode, we are exploring the differences in hiring for leadership teams between the US and Europe. As we all know, the two markets function differently and this reflects on the expectations employers have of their employees, as well as candidates' and employees' expectations and experiences.Our guest for today's episode is Julie Hansen, Chief Revenue Officer and US CEO at Babbel, who has extensive experience in the media and technology industry on both sides of the Atlantic. Julie joins us to discuss some fundamental differences between the US and Europe in hiring for leadership teams, common misconceptions, strategies for hiring the right leadership team for an organization, and compensation package differences and contributing factors.Join us as we dive into these important topics and learn how organizations can prepare themselves for hiring across the big water. Let's get started!Follow Konstanty Sliwowski on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/sliwowskik/For more insights check out www.schoolofhiring.com and www.caissarecruitment.com/blog

Welcome to the latest episode of the School of Hiring podcast! Usually, we dive into strategies and tips for improving your hiring process. However, today's topic is a bit more somber as we discuss letting employees go, redundancies, and layoffs.Although it's not the most uplifting topic, it's a crucial one to understand for any business, especially during tough times. And to help us navigate this difficult topic, we have a special guest joining us today - Oliver Aust.Oliver is a leading expert in CEO and founder communications and crisis communication. He has been at the forefront of some of the most high-profile reputational challenges in Europe and has personal experience with hundreds of media interviews as a chief communicator for a publicly listed company.As the founder and CEO of Eo Ipso Communications, he has advised hundreds of high-profile individuals and organizations, including Fortune 50, FTSE100, and DAX40 companies. He's also the co-host of the Speak like a CEO podcast, which is a category-defining show on CEO and founder communications. And if that wasn't impressive enough, Oliver has written four books on communications, including international bestsellers "Message Machine" and "Unignorable."So, let's dive into this important discussion with Oliver Aust and learn how to navigate the difficult process of letting employees go.#hirebetter #communication #speaklikeaceo #recruitment #executivesearch #humanresources #peoplemanagementFollow Konstanty Sliwowski on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/sliwowskik/For more insights check out www.schoolofhiring.com and www.caissarecruitment.com/blog

Hiring & Retaining Leaders in Turbulent Markets with Hilary Klassen & Konstanty SliwowskiIn today's episode, we'll be discussing a topic that's always top of mind for companies in the tech industry - how to hire and retain top managers. And we're thrilled to have a special guest joining us - Hilary Klassen, an HR leader, coach, and entrepreneur who's worked with startups and corporates around the world.Hilary is the founder of Bestselfy, a digital coaching toolbox that helps managers improve their performance, and is also a co-founder of The Secret HR Society, a community of over 1,700 HR professionals. She's a strong advocate for positive human interactions and personal well-being as the foundation for top performance, and her latest project - Leader Lab 1.0 - is a cutting-edge leadership growth lab that offers coach-led peer sessions, 1:1 coaching, and a self-paced coaching app to equip managers to lead in today's volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous world.Join us to learn from Hilary's expertise and discover how you can hire and retain the best managers for your tech company. Don't miss this opportunity to improve your leadership team and take your company to the next level!#hiring #retention #leadership #managementFollow Konstanty Sliwowski on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/sliwowskik/For more insights check out www.schoolofhiring.com and www.caissarecruitment.com/blog

Welcome to the School of Hiring podcast, where in this episode we dive into the complexities of leadership hiring with our special guest, Anaïs Neumann. Anaïs is the Head of Global Executive Recruiting at HelloFresh and a Career Coach & Podcast Host of The Curious Recruiter.As the market pace accelerates and strategies constantly evolve, finding the perfect fit for a company's leadership position has become more challenging than ever before. In the past, a cookie-cutter profile may have sufficed, but in today's landscape, traditional pedigrees no longer guarantee success. Instead, it's a leader's attitude and communication skills that are emerging as key indicators of success.Anaïs joins us to discuss the changing nature of leadership hiring and the reasons why tried-and-tested methods of the past may no longer be sufficient in today's business world. We also explore how leaders should define their hiring needs and initiate a hiring process.Creating an exhaustive hiring brief is crucial for hiring managers to ensure that their team is on the same page, and Anaïs provides valuable insights on how to compose that brief. Additionally, she shares her tips on ensuring a positive hiring process that is informative to the candidate and gives a higher success rate for the hiring team.Tune in to the School of Hiring podcast to learn more about the changing landscape of leadership hiring and how to make the right hire for your company's success.Follow Konstanty Sliwowski on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/sliwowskik/For more insights check out www.schoolofhiring.com and www.caissarecruitment.com/blog

Boom to Bust Hiring - The Foundations of Sustainable EmploymentSustainable employment practices that prioritize stable, continuous employment for workers can have many benefits for both the employees and the companies they work for. In this episode of the School of Hiring podcast, we'll explore the concept of sustainable employment and how companies can implement policies that prioritize job security and stability for their employees. We'll discuss the impact of layoffs and fluctuations in employment on workers and their families, as well as the benefits of offering long-term job security, such as increased job satisfaction, employee loyalty, and reduced turnover rates. Joining us today to delve into the importance of sustainable employment practices and the positive impact they can have on both workers and businesses alike I have Hessel Reimerink, VP Talent and Employee Experience at OBI.Follow Konstanty Sliwowski on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/sliwowskik/For more insights check out www.schoolofhiring.com and www.caissarecruitment.com/blog

Hung Lee is the  editor of the leading industry newsletter Recruiting Brainfood and with over 20 years in the business of hiring people he has worked with and acts as the confidant of the best in the industry. In his role, Hung has a unique helicopter view of the recruitment space across industries, markets and niches.It is thus no surprise that when he speaks people take note.In this episode we discuss:1. How has recruitment changed over the last 10 years2. What changes have have there been in the leadership and executive search segment3. How has the importance of nurturing relationships with candidates changed and how can companies get better at this.4. What is the difference between recruitment, talent acquisition, headhunting and executive search and when is one better than the other.5. At what point do you decide to use an external agency vs your inhouse talent team.6. How has the introduction of technology/AI into recruitment & executive search changed things.And much much more!Follow Konstanty Sliwowski on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/sliwowskik/For more insights check out www.schoolofhiring.com and www.caissarecruitment.com/blog

In this episode of the School of Hiring podcast I wanted to look further into the topic of how the world of work is evolving and what impact this is having on (and will continue to have on) how we not only hire but also retain people within our organisations.I am joined by Jessica Kafka. She is an international HR executive with more than ten years experience in orchestrating strategic transformation projects, managing people product lifecycles, heading employee experience and growth.Jessica's particular experience of leading Zalando through their rapid transformation to what we now call New Work at the onset of the pandemic in 2020 has given her a front row seat while many were trying to figure out how the world will change.In this episode you will learn about:1. How has the world of work changed and what mistakes are you seeing companies making when it comes to hiring and retaining their staff.2. Is flexibility at work becoming a currency?3. What can we do to improve long term staff retention?Enjoy!Follow Konstanty Sliwowski on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/sliwowskik/For more insights check out www.schoolofhiring.com and www.caissarecruitment.com/blog

How confident are you that your business is safe from hackers and scammers? Did you know that 46% of small and medium businesses have been targeted by ransomware and 73% of those have paid the ransom? This is one of the most serious threats to businesses today.But given that this podcast is about hiring, why are we all of a sudden talking about hackers, ransomeware and cyber crime?Well, the security of your systems is only as strong as your weakest link and this, in most cases, is people. It would thus make sense that when hiring and onboarding new team members you would also want to understand their approach to security.In this episode I am joined by Jan-Henry Ohlert, the CTO of Autobahn Security to discuss exactly that. How do you hire for a security mindset and consciousness across your entire business?In this episode you will learn about:How to hire for a security mindsetWhat questions to ask in interviews to test security experience across all roles in your businessWhen to start thinking about security in your businessFollow Konstanty Sliwowski on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/sliwowskik/For more insights check out www.schoolofhiring.com and www.caissarecruitment.com/blog

There are so many questions we face as business leaders when it comes to the future. Even more so as we head into the unknown of 2023.In this episode some of the questions we tackle are:How will the sphere of work develop over the coming years? Will an economic downturn propell us back towards 5 day office work or will we continue on a trajectory that will result in a new status quo? Is the 4 day work week a inevitable outcome we are heading towards?Is a status quo even possible when it comes to work or will companies increasingly compete in how they design their work environments? What will the emerging world of work, often also called, new work, look like and how should we as leaders prepare to hire, lead and retain people in it? How will the new generation of employees want to work and what will help them be more productive? To discuss this with me, Konstanty Sliwowski, I am joined by Dr. Tina Ruseva, the founder & CEO of Mentessa, a peer learning platform for the future of work that helps everyone in the workforce to maximise their potential. She is also the founder and driving force behind the Big & Growing New Work Festival, the biggest future of work conference in the DACH region.As a female founder, festival host, coach, public speaker, author and mom of 2 Tina is an inspiration to many. She particularly loves working with women and young entrepreneurs in the Central and Eastern Europe to promote the use of technology as a means for social progress and innovation. She is an active mentor for women in STEM at the TU Munich as well as Technovation Girls, Techstars, Project Together, and is a regular jury member and speaker at academic entrepreneurship events like the Jacobs Startup Competition.For more insights on how to hire better check out www.schoolofhiring.com and follow me on LinkedIn under https://www.linkedin.com/in/sliwowskik/

How you hire has the single biggest impact on the foundations of your team and thus your business. There is little action of more significance that you as a leader can undertake. Your job as a leader is to build a team that can carry the business forward successfully. Full stop. Hiring is where it all starts. This is the foundation of any great team. Without great hiring you can not build great teams or healthy successful organisations. There however is no one way to make a great hire but there are thousands of ways to have your hiring process negatively impact your business, your team, your product, your brand and much more.In fact, hiring is an all encompassing topic. It involves of course people operations but also sales, finance, procurement, marketing, and of course branding.Hiring is such a difficult, multi dimensional topic and sadly one all too often diluted purely to the act of interviewing. What is even more surprising is that business schools do not teach about hiring. In a recent discussion with a professor at an executive MBA program I was told that the topic of hiring is left to the university careers services who focus solely on how their students get hired after their course completion. The topic of how to hire, interview, market to or negotiate with candidates does not come up in the curriculum even though the university teaches marketing, branding, negotiations and much more. A missed opportunity if you ask me.This is why in today's episode I will tackle the issue of how you as a leader can help yourself by identifying how you can improve your hiring process. In this episode I am joined by Claus Höfele, Head of Engineering at doctari group and previously Engineering Manager at HERE Technologies. Claus has 20+ years of experience working in the tech industry in Germany, Japan, and Australia and has spent the last 7 years developing his skills as a hiring manager. Furthermore, he is truly passionate about the topic of building teams and rivals me in his pursuit of improving how we hire.Things you will learn in this episode:1. Why is learning how to hire, such an important skill to invest time into.2. What are the obstacles that most hiring managers put in their own way when it comes to hiring?3. How effective collaboration across organisations helps you become better at hiring.

Recruitment is not only about hiring people from outside the organisation. As leaders, we need to also consider our current team and in particular the impact of hiring on retention and promotion. More precisely, what will be the impact of hiring someone from outside our company be on the current team and is it in the best interest of the business and organisation.By not enabling growth from within your ranks you can alienate your current team members and critically give them reason to look elsewhere for new opportunities.When should you promote, how do you manage hiring from within your ranks, and should you actually consider moving people internally before you think they are ready?These are just some of the topics I cover with Bastian Buch, Director Platform at Zalando and previously Director of Engineering at Delivery Hero. He is also the co-Founder of The Mentoring Club which is an incredible not for profit initiative connecting individuals with experienced mentors from around the world who donate their time to help others grow in their careers and ventures. 

If we would teach an MBA class on how to hire what would we have in the curriculum? What are the essentials that all business leaders should learn when it comes to effective hiring and interviewing?Well, it is all great to talk about the theory but one of the things that we all too often fear talking about is failure. It is easy to find a leader who is happy to discuss their success story or the theory behind it but finding one who is prepared to dig into their past and discuss their mistakes, take account of them, reflect on them and discuss what they learned is another thing altogether.In this episode I am tremendously grateful to be joined by the Nate Glissmeyer who has spent a lot of his career at Amazon where he worked in the emerging Digital Services and Devices world, then called Kindle, but today spanning Fire TV and Alexa, as well as the tablet and e-reader businesses. Later he worked on the development of the hugely successful Amazon Kids+ product, which included a bespoke interface for kids before they could read or type.Nate has a passion for customer-centric innovation and breaking paradigms have always been at the core. His approach is most clearly defined as one of harmonize the three aspects of “What are we doing for our customers?” (Product), “Do they know about us?” (Marketing), and “are we building it in a way that keeps us flexible and responsive to their needs?” (Tech). Over the years, Nate has been a part of not only Amazon but also founded companies and helped scale organisations within various sectors including, ecommerce, travel, and SaaS. At his own admittance, he has made plenty of mistakes and learned from them. From first hand experience of working with Nate as a hiring executive, I can only attest to this. He is the most engaged and engaging hiring manager I have had the pleasure of working with. His processes are based on exceptional clarity of communication and intent. There is little margin for error and yet candidates unanimously rate him as the best interviewer they have spoken with in their career.So how would we structure the MBA class on effective hiring with Nate?In this episode you will learn:1. What hiring failures to avoid.2. What can we learn from some past failures (both Nate's and mine)3. If we were to teach an MBA class on hiring what would be in the curriculumFor more insights head over to www.schoolofhiring.com

Any hiring process is a series of opportunities to make a statement.  How do you use your hiring process as a messaging tool? What do you communicate to the world through your hiring process? What statement are you making about you and your business?Hiring is about how you build a picture, support it with evidence and engage your audience. It is not about a job ad but about how you structure your hiring process to be an effective communication tool with candidates from initial contact, through interviews and onto onboarding.To cover this topic with me I have invited Alara Vural onto the podcast. A communications coach, NLP practitioner and messaging specialist. Her work focuses specifically on helping business leaders communicate what they do in a way that's clear, inspiring & memorable across multiple channels including pitch decks, websites, employer branding material and videos. All this to inspire your target audience to take action.

Design thinking is a process that helps organizations solve problems in a creative and user-centric way. It's often used in product design, but it can also be applied to other areas, so why not apply it to hiring?We all know that hiring is a critical part of growing a successful business. In fact we have covered many dimensions of this throughout past episodes ranging from interview preparation, importance of product vision, hiring for culture fit, aligning with candidates on mission, vision and values and much much more.In the final episode of this series I would like to tie many of these points together and discuss the use of design thinking to help you hire better.With me to discuss this I have best selling author, Jodi Brandstetter. Jodi has 20 years of HR and recruiting experience and has authored the book Hiring By Design and HR By Design.

Perception is everything they say so how do we set perception in recruitment? In past episodes we have explored the importance of your hiring process and the impact it has on a candidates perception, in fact, the markets perception of you as an employer. We have also looked at how data can be used to improve the candidate experience and dived into the importance of mission, vision, and values in hiring as well as how team culture should be part of hiring. Today I want to put all of this into perspective and hopefully bring these elements together for our listeners by exploring how all of these elements are essential in terms of your employer brand both for new hires as well as existing staff.In this episode I speak with Georgiana Ghiciuc, PhD, an entrepreneur, CEO, marketing consultant and employer branding expert.We discuss:1. What really is employer branding?2. Why does employer branding matter and how does it impact our business bottom line?3. How does employer brand impact retention?4. How you can use hiring to improve your employer brand?And much much more!

We all know that companies thrive on data and can use data to great benefit (as well as exploit it unfortunately) but how does data fit into hiring?In fact, what is Data-Driven recruiting? What does it mean for the candidates and for organizations? Should we fear it? Is it hiring by numbers and how does it impact the human aspect of employing people?In this episode I, Konstanty Sliwowski, have 2 special guests that have a lot of hands on experience in bringing data to life in hiring processes and have seen the good, the bad and the ugly and are here to share their insights.We are joined by Yas Ahmad, Global VP Talent at HelloFresh and Robbie Simpson, Lead Tech Talent Acquisition Manager at HelloFresh to look at how data can be put to use for the benefit of candidates and companies.What you will learn in this episode:What is data driven hiring?How can hiring managers use data to hire faster and better?What data should we be tracking to hire better?In this episode we also refer to previous episodes Importance of Mission, Vision & Values in Hiring https://open.spotify.com/episode/1TuiS8MAdimJKTGJA4WuNl?si=c8825b2215b142aaHiring for Culture Fithttps://open.spotify.com/episode/02vhhTtMqd405EWf33JfUn?si=3d1473e120564a00We also refer to the book Start with Why by Simon Sinek https://www.amazon.de/-/en/Simon-Sinek/dp/1591846447/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3ICN5MEPG3QO2&keywords=start+with+why&qid=1649927837&sprefix=start+%2Caps%2C156&sr=8-1

Companies talk about Mission, Vision and Values but does defining these do anything for creating a better business, improving your ability to attract and retain talent or have a more engaged workforce? And even if it does how do you address this topic and translate it into reality?We see companies state their mission and vision proudly on their homepage, in advertising and of course in job ads. We walk into offices and see posters proclaiming the company core values and have been witness to some bombastic claims about this. In reality though, does it even really matter? Do people care?To discuss this with me in this episode I have Emmi Meurling, Director of Product Management at Care.com and previously Product Director at Delivery Hero. In addition to this, Emmi advises companies on defining mission, vision and values propositions and bringing them to life within organisations. In this episode you will learn among other things:- The importance of mission, vision and values- How to define your mission, vision and values as a company and as a team- How to use mission, vision and values to engage candidates and represent your business effectivelyFor more resources visit www.schoolofhiring.com and check out our other podcast episodes.Enjoy!

In this episode Konstanty Sliwowski and Freddy Friedman address a topic that is critical in candidate engagement and decision making and yet is often overlooked. Product Vision.Freddy Friedman has decades of experience in product leadership having served as CPO at companies such as Glispa, Smaato and more recently as a Managing Director of TravelAudience. He shares with us a wealth of knowledge gained across a career that has seen him experience, the good, the bad and the weird.In this podcast episode you will learn:1. Why product vision is critical to successful hiring and retention2. How you can improve how you represent product vision in hiring processes3. How to use product vision to allow candidates to self select themselves4. What we can learn from product strategy that will help us hire better5. Top advice from an executive on how to improve your hiring gameYou can also learn more about how you can hire better at www.schoolofhiring.com as well as in our other podcast episodes available on all major podcasting platforms as well as here https://schoolofhiring.com/podcast/

Kristen Mashburn is the founder of KPMashburn, a consultancy firm focused on helping organisations and their leaders build high performing cultures.Aside from a big smile and a lot of laughs, Kristen also has a wealth of knowledge about culture, hiring and communication that is exceptionally valuable to any organisation looking for an edge in hiring and retention.Her work is centred around using culture to create better productivity, drive communication that within organisations, improve retention, as well as promote star performers and finally, build a cultural reputation that attracts top talent to join the organisation.In this episode, Konstanty Sliwowski, the founder of the School of Hiring speaks to Kristen about all of this and more.You can expect to learn more about:1. the importance of culture in hiring2. how to define culture3. how hiring for culture fit is a false economy4. what is the difference between culture fit, culture add, and culture adaptability5. what culture traits define star performers6. how to use culture as part of the hiring processEnjoy the episode and do share your thoughts in the comments.For more information about improving your hiring and interviewing practices visit www.schoolofhiring.com

You have a team of 10-20 engineers and are ready to scale. Clearly, you need to plan headcount, recruitment and budgets, but how do you go about this? With so much uncertainty and constant change in a start-up and scale-up environment where do you begin?Don't fret, we have you covered on the School of Hiring podcast!In this episode, Konstanty Sliwowski, a veteran of 20 years in the world of recruitment and executive search speaks to Alex Allan, an interim CPO and a respected engineering and product consultant who focuses on scaling small engineering and product teams and taking them to the next level. Alex has worked for Awin, Urban Sports Club and recently GotPhoto.com as an interim CPO. He has planned and executed scaling of teams across multiple organisations and knows what steps to take when you are getting ready to go to the next level. He also knows what traps are lurking and shares with us how they can be avoided.The three takeaways from this podcast:Engagement of teams and timePlan ahead in 3-6 month cycles with the teamsHow to prepare yourself and your team for interviews

Traditional recruitment is over while companies experience The Great Resignation. In this special episode Konstanty Sliwowski, founder School of Hiring and Managing Director of Caissa Recruitment speaks to Oliver Aust, founder and CEO of Eo Ipso Communications and respected author on the topic of executive communications and branding, about the rising role of employer branding in attracting and retain top talent.Tune into this episode to find out

Stephen Nock is leading Customer Experience at Ada Health, a global health company created by doctors to improve human health by transforming knowledge into better outcomes. Their product is the world's most popular symptom assessment app, with 10 million users and 20 million completed assessments. Every three seconds, someone turns to Ada for personal health guidance.In such an environment and with so many people dependant on the service, customer experience really matters.This is also why Konstanty Sliwowski, founder of School of Hiring  and a veteran recruiter and recruitment executive speaks with Stephen about what we can learn from customer experience professionals and how these learnings can be applied to hiring, interviewing and employer branding.After all, candidates are your customers and the product they are buying is you, your vision, values and business.

Füsun is a customer and technology obsessed executive leader. She is an engineer at heart with experience in global product development, digital services, scaling and optimising organisations which offer digital solutions. Among her past employers she can count Microsoft, XING, OLX and Axel Springer where she held positions of VP Engineering, Director of Engineering and CTO among others.Currently Füsun is Head of Global Transportation Engineering and Product at Wayfair.'Think big, learn by incremental change' is her style. She love's turning organisational and product development challenges into opportunities of success.She advocates agile and lean processes in organisations supporting diversity, mastery in technology, innovation and continuous improvement. To her the success of today's businesses and the secret potion for high performing happy teams is based on effective hiring, understanding the users and executing in the flat management hierarchies.Throughout her career, Füsun has hired and onboarded 100's of engineering and product professionals. She has learned some great lessons, as well as at her own admittance made her fair share of mistakes,  which she is sharing in this podcast with the School of Hiring's Konstanty Sliwowski.