We're bringing this one back to the feed because some conversations are too important to only hear once. Jamie Szymkowiak, Head of Talent Acquisition at EcoVadis, former political advisor to the UK House of Commons, and disability rights advocate who turned personal adversity into a top 5% billing career, is someone whose story doesn't lose anything on a second listen. Nicole and Jamie’s conversation is a masterclass in doing hiring right, tackling AI's unintended blind spots, practical frameworks for accessibility, and why integrity isn't optional in recruiting.Takeaways:State your accessibility options directly in the job description and on your careers page. That single line of text is often the first signal to a candidate that your organization actually sees them.AI interviewing can inadvertently exclude the people you most want to reach. Candidates with anxiety, disabilities, or nervous dispositions need human touchpoints, not just automated queues, to show up as their best selves.The most powerful step toward inclusive hiring is listening to the people most affected by it. Lived experience isn't a nice-to-have; it's the most credible source of insight and accountability you have.Unconscious bias training only works if it's recurring. A one-time module fades; it has to be woven into the rhythm of how your team operates, not treated as an annual obligation.Once you make inclusive changes, go back to the people who've been hired through your process. They've seen it from the inside, they trust you, and they're your most honest and underutilized source of feedback.Integrity in recruiting is your long-term brand. Every shortcut has a cost. Jamie learned it the hard way when a single lapse with a confidential client search ended a promising business relationship for good.The best recruiters don't just place candidates, they redirect them. Giving honest, actionable feedback and pointing someone toward a better-fit opportunity might be the single most impactful thing a TA professional can do.Quote of the Show:"The human-centric aspect of our job will never go away." — Jamie SzymkowiakLinks:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamieszymkowiak/  Company website: http://www.ecovadis.com/ Ways to Tune In:Substack: HiringHappyHour.com Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1Pnhu7Njmi09N6Yzye59Nf Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/hiring-happy-hour/id1868802369 Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/d60912b0-8925-4bba-aff1-f5230a0cc793 iHeart Radio: https://iheart.com/podcast/317223012/ Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/hiring-happy-hour-6340769 

What happens when the host becomes the guest , and her closest colleague holds the mic?In this one-of-a-kind episode of Hiring Happy Hour, Nicole Hammond steps out of the interviewer seat and into the spotlight. Her friend and SmartRecruiters' Global Head of Content & Communications, Erin Diamond, takes the wheel, pulling back the curtain on Nicole's career journey, her philosophy on change management, AI, and what it actually takes to build something that lasts. From bio-psychology to Deloitte to a decade-plus at SmartRecruiters...this one's personal, honest, and a whole lot of fun. Plus, Nicole’s iconic hat collection makes a special appearance that you don’t want to miss! Takeaways:Empathy isn't soft, it's a leadership skill. Understanding how your actions impact others is the foundation of great teams, great hiring, and great parenting too.You can't fake role clarity, you have to live it. Swapping roles in a structured, safe environment builds the kind of cross-functional appreciation no memo ever could.Change management isn't a task you assign, it's a discipline you invest in. If you're just tacking it onto someone's existing role, you're setting the initiative up to fail.AI works best as a support mechanism, not a decision maker. The companies getting this right are using it to reduce noise and increase efficiency, not replace human judgment.Every organization needs a centralized AI committee. When departments run AI initiatives in silos, overlap happens, value gets lost, and risk goes unmanaged.The best leaders don't just plan the next step, they map five steps ahead and work backwards. Vision without execution is just a daydream; reverse-engineering makes it real.Filling your bucket, and someone else's, matters more than we admit. In an industry focused on metrics, one act of kindness and recognition can shift everything.Quote of the Show:“ Just take a moment to make someone else feel good. I think the world will always go through trials and tribulations and positivity is a gift that we should all share. ” - Nicole HammondLinks:Nicole’s LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/nicolemhammondErin’s LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/erinpdiamondWebsite: https://www.smartrecruiters.com/ Ways to Tune In:Substack: HiringHappyHour.com Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1Pnhu7Njmi09N6Yzye59Nf Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/hiring-happy-hour/id1868802369 Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/d60912b0-8925-4bba-aff1-f5230a0cc793 iHeart Radio: https://iheart.com/podcast/317223012/ Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/hiring-happy-hour-6340769 YouTube: https://youtu.be/BC0LkWbP5rY 

What happens when you combine deep technical expertise with a genuine love for people? You get Carrie Brophy, and she is everything. With over 20 years of experience driving HR and recruitment transformation across the globe, Carrie is a rare ATS specialist who can speak the language of the recruiter on the floor and the HRIT team in the boardroom. She has implemented some of the world’s most powerful platforms across more than 70 countries, and she brings every ounce of that expertise to this episode. Whether you're mid-implementation, considering a transformation, or just trying to figure out why your ATS is not working the way it should, this one is for you. Carrie breaks down what it really takes to “Go-live” successfully, stay successful after launch, and build technology solutions that actually serve your people. She also brings a refreshing dose of real talk about working motherhood, simplicity as a design principle, and why you should never lift and shift. It all comes together in an episode worth savoring like a Negroni on a Friday evening.Takeaways:Bridge the gap between functional and technical. The rarest skill in TA tech is being able to speak both languages, and it's what makes transformation actually stick.Executive buy-in is non-negotiable. If the goal isn't championed from the top down, adoption will stall before you ever reach go-live.Design principles are your north star. Name them early, whether LFR, candidate-first, or simplicity, and let them filter every single decision throughout the process.Go-live is not the finish line. Hypercare is where real success is determined, so plan for feedback, iteration, and long-term support from day one.Simplicity scales. Complexity doesn't. Fewer, well-designed processes beat hundreds of edge-case configurations every time and make future changes infinitely easier to manage.Working motherhood is a masterclass in prioritization. Carrie delivered her final training session at eight and a half months pregnant, proving that radical clarity on what matters is a superpower.Stay open to the wonky path. Say yes to sideways steps and boomerang moments, because they often lead somewhere more extraordinary than any straight line could.Quote of the Show:“Success is never final, and day one of go-live is not the end of the journey.” - Carrie BrophyLinks:LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/carriebrophyWebsite: https://www.smartrecruiters.com/ Ways to Tune In:Substack: HiringHappyHour.com Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1Pnhu7Njmi09N6Yzye59Nf Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/hiring-happy-hour/id1868802369 Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/d60912b0-8925-4bba-aff1-f5230a0cc793 iHeart Radio: https://iheart.com/podcast/317223012/ Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/hiring-happy-hour-6340769 

Ed Zetusky, Director of Talent Acquisition at Comoto Family of Brands, spent over a decade transforming a good referral program into a great one, starting at RevZilla, a Philadelphia-based motorcycle e-commerce company, where he identified that only a small group of employees were driving the majority of referrals and set out to fix it by designing a point-based contest that rewarded employees at every stage of the hiring funnel, layered public recognition at all-hands meetings, and capped each year with an Olympic-style celebration complete with a custom podium and cash medals, resulting in referrals going through the roof, a full-time average tenure of five years, and voluntary full-time turnover of just 20% across Comoto’s 180+ locations.Takeaways:Reward the journey, not just the destination. A point-based system that credits employees at every stage of the hiring funnel, not just when someone is hired, motivates broader, higher-quality participation from across the organization.Pair recognition with rewards to maximize impact. Publicly celebrating referral winners in front of the whole company creates social proof and friendly competition that cash alone can’t generate, and makes the recognition as visible as possible.Sell referrals as a team benefit, not just a bonus. Framing referrals as a way for employees to bring in great colleagues who will make their own jobs easier speaks directly to employees’ self-interest and drives genuine engagement.Lean into your company culture when designing the program. The most successful referral programs are tailored to the organization’s personality, whether that’s Olympic ceremonies, themed branding, or weekly shout-outs; the format should feel authentic to your team.Get leadership involved early. Executive advocacy when launching the program provides the initial momentum and signals to employees that this initiative has real organizational backing.Quote of the Show:“Take risks, wear a helmet." - Ed ZetuskyLinks:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edzetusky/ Website: https://ridecomoto.com/http://www.revzilla.com/careers https://www.cyclegear.com/careers https://www.jpcycles.com/careersWays to Tune In:Substack: HiringHappyHour.com Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1Pnhu7Njmi09N6Yzye59Nf Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/hiring-happy-hour/id1868802369 Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/d60912b0-8925-4bba-aff1-f5230a0cc793 iHeart Radio: https://iheart.com/podcast/317223012/ Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/hiring-happy-hour-6340769 

What does it actually mean to build a hiring process that works for everyone, not just the majority? In this episode of Hiring Happy Hour, Nicole sits down with Jamie Szymkowiak, Head of Talent Acquisition at EcoVadis and former political advisor in the UK House of Commons, to dig into one of the most underrepresented conversations in TA: accessible and inclusive hiring for people with disabilities. Jamie speaks from both professional expertise and lived experience, navigating the workforce as a disabled recruiter who became a top 5% biller, then a political activist, and now a global TA leader driving real change. From AI interviewing pitfalls to the three-step framework any organization can start with today, this conversation is equal parts personal, practical, and long overdue. Takeaways:Your hiring process sends a message before the interview even begins. Make your job descriptions and careers page explicitly state that accessible interview options are available.Unconscious bias training isn't a one-and-done box to check. It needs to be recurring and built into the rhythm of your team, or it quietly fades and old patterns return.When building inclusive hiring practices, start by talking to the people most affected. Lived experience is your most valuable source of insight and accountability.Measuring inclusion efforts requires both data and conversation. Don't overlook the candidates who made it through; they've seen your process and are often your most honest, trust-based source of feedback.Integrity in recruiting shapes your brand permanently. The moment you cut a corner with a client or candidate, the long-term cost far outweighs any short-term win.Great recruiters don't just fill roles; they redirect. Giving honest, actionable feedback to candidates who aren't the right fit, and pointing them toward better opportunities, is one of the most impactful things a TA professional can do. Quote of the Show:“ There's a saying within disabled rights. If it's about us, make sure that we're included. Nothing about us, without us.” - Jamie SzymkowiakLinks:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamieszymkowiak/  Company website: http://www.ecovadis.com/ Ways to Tune In:Substack: HiringHappyHour.com Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1Pnhu7Njmi09N6Yzye59Nf Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/hiring-happy-hour/id1868802369 Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/d60912b0-8925-4bba-aff1-f5230a0cc793 iHeart Radio: https://iheart.com/podcast/317223012/ Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/hiring-happy-hour-6340769