In this week's episode of the Recruitment Reality Podcast, I had the pleasure of speaking with Sean Allen, a prominent figure in the talent acquisition community. Sean, who is currently the head of talent acquisition at The Very Group shared his extensive experience in tech recruitment and his role in fostering a vibrant talent community. Sean's journey in recruitment spans over 15 years, starting in agency work and transitioning to in-house roles across various companies. He's also a co-founder and community manager of The Talent Community, a platform for recruiters from all sectors to share knowledge and elevate the industry.

During our conversation, Sean discussed the challenges he faced when stepping into his first head of role at The Very Group particularly learning about new industries beyond tech. He emphasized the importance of employer branding, especially in tech and customer care, and how authenticity in telling a company's story can attract the right talent.

We delved into the impact of AI on recruitment, both from the perspective of improving internal processes and the potential concerns around candidates using AI to enhance their applications. Sean believes that AI should be seen as a tool to aid recruiters, not replace them, and that candidates using AI are simply demonstrating their resourcefulness.

Sean also shared insights on the evolution of the interview process, advocating for automation to streamline the candidate experience and allow recruiters to focus on more strategic, value-added activities.

To wrap up, Sean offered advice for both recruiters and candidates. For recruiters, especially those starting in a new company, he suggested looking for opportunities to automate and integrate processes to save time and improve the candidate experience. For candidates, he encouraged using AI as a smart tool for research but also advised going the extra mile to stand out.

Overall, my discussion with Sean Allen provided valuable insights into the dynamic world of talent acquisition and the role of technology in shaping its future.

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RESOURCES MENTIONED:

• Video Interview Screening Software https://www.willo.video
• Sean Allen, Head of Talent Acquisition at The Very Group https://www.linkedin.com/in/sean1allen
• Andrew Wood, COO & Co-founder at Willo https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-douglas-wood
• The Talent Community https://www.thetalentcommunity.net
• The Very Group https://www.theverygroup.com