At every stage of company growth, HR and talent acquisition professionals face new challenges — balancing startup scrappiness against the operationalized approach of a more mature company, for example, or infusing older companies with a breath of fresh cultural air.
While COVID-19 has weighed down the broader economy this year, these three tech companies have shown their capacity for continued growth by recently hiring new talent acquisition and people leaders in recent months. Aside from building and evolving hiring practices and culture, each new hire also brings a discerning eye to their new employer’s recruiting and onboarding process. We asked these newest leaders what stood out to them about their new company during their job search, and about their professional goals heading into 2021.
LaToya Lyn, Vice President of Talent Strategy at Oscar
The company: New York-based Oscar says it’s the first direct-to-consumer health insurance provider, offering free 24/7 telemedicine for members and direct scheduling with healthcare providers through its app.
2021 goals: Lyn is charged with finding ways to leverage technology and data-based strategies to evaluate the team’s approach to hiring and retention. “One key insight that data gives us is that people — whether Oscar employees or our members — are fluid, not linear,” she said.
“It was very clear to me throughout the interview and hiring processes how connected and humanistic the Oscar leadership team is.”
As a talent strategy professional, you’ve probably seen every move in the book. What part of your company’s interviewing and hiring processes stood out to you?
“It was very clear to me throughout the interview and hiring processes how connected and humanistic the Oscar leadership team is. The week that George Floyd was murdered, I was in the stage of Oscar’s hiring process where I had to conduct a case study within a set period of time. When the news came out, a couple of Oscar’s executives reached out to me immediately — first to see how I was doing, and also to tell me to take the time I needed before completing the case study. That simple call spoke volumes about how caring and thoughtful the leadership at Oscar is, and that it was exactly the type of environment that I wanted to join.”
Sandra O’Sullivan, Chief People Officer at Curriculum Associates
The company: Since the late 1960s, Boston-based Curriculum Associates has been building edtech products for both the classroom and the home. Its e-learning platforms have been critical to helping school districts across the country maintain childhood education during the pandemic.
2021: O’Sullivan said Curriculum Associates is undergoing major changes in its continuing mission to become a wholly anti-racist, multicultural organization — in the products it serves to schools and its internal culture and hiring practices. Both managers and employees are undergoing training to reduce bias and build inclusive leadership practices.
“Our recruiting team has shown remarkable creativity in interviewing and onboarding during the pandemic — including outdoor walking interviews!”
What part of your company’s interviewing and hiring processes stood out to you?
“Curriculum Associates believes in hiring people, not positions, and we make sure that all of our candidates not only meet the job requirements, but are also a good fit with our culture and values. Our recruiting team has shown remarkable creativity in interviewing and onboarding during the pandemic — including outdoor walking interviews! They are also incredible at onboarding and making people feel supported from the beginning. When I started, my first two weeks were completely scheduled with everyone that I needed to meet with throughout the company, along with great documentation on what I should watch and listen to during that time, which really helped me settle in quickly.”
Rakhee Gupta, Technical Recruiting Manager at SeatGeek
The company: SeatGeek is a search engine for third party sports, concert and theater tickets, ranking each item’s value according to its so-called “Deal Score.” Gupta said the company is positioning itself to gain further market share in the post-COVID world.
2021 goals: Gupta’s team has aggressive hiring goals across the company, especially in research and development. The company also has a plan to continue its focus on diversity and inclusion in its hiring efforts.
“I believe it was one of the warmest and fastest interview processes I’ve had in a while.”
What part of your company’s interviewing and hiring processes stood out to you?
“It’s been seven weeks since I joined SeatGeek and I believe it was one of the warmest and fastest interview processes I’ve had in a while. From the moment I applied, I heard back within two days and my interview process was wrapped up within two weeks. A few more things that stood out was the flexibility around scheduling and the team I spoke with throughout the process. My interviews were scheduled across several days, which I appreciated, and each interviewer asked meaningful questions that were relevant to the scope of my role which kept me engaged and gave me a good sense of the people across the company.”