Who Hired This Person?

Episode 20: Feedback, Flexibility, and the Human Side of HR — with Makaylah Reyes of Manhard Consulting

In this episode of Who Hired This Person?, host Kaitlyn Randall sits down with Makaylah Reyes, Human Resources Generalist at Manhard Consulting, an engineering and consulting firm known for its collaborative, people-first culture. Makaylah opens up about the realities of being an HR generalist—balancing empathy with accountability, managing complex feedback loops, and creating processes that support both people and the business. She shares how her team at Manhard fosters a culture of open communication, what she’s learned from employee advocacy wins (like implementing a lactation accommodation policy), and how empathy can transform even the toughest HR moments. From improving manager feedback to navigating performance challenges and decoding background check results with compassion, Makaylah’s perspective offers HR leaders and hiring managers alike a real-world look at what it means to take a truly human approach to people management. KEY LESSONS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE 🔹 The Human Approach to HR: Why leading with empathy, grace, and open communication creates stronger teams and better outcomes. 🔹 The Art of Feedback: How tailoring feedback to different communication styles helps employees grow—and keeps high-potential talent engaged. 🔹 Balancing Policy and People: The power of transparency when navigating layoffs, documentation, and regulatory nuances. 🔹 Advocacy in Action: How Makaylah championed a lactation accommodation policy in a male-dominated industry—and why it was the right call for everyone involved. 🔹 Grace in Difficult Moments: How supporting employees through illness, loss, or personal challenges can redefine workplace culture. 🔹 Smarter Background Checks: Why interpreting context, timing, and honesty matters more than a report’s surface-level results. KEY TAKEAWAYS ✅ HR isn’t just about compliance—it’s about compassion, support, and helping people perform their best. ✅ Great feedback requires creativity; not everyone receives information the same way. ✅ Open communication and transparency can prevent most policy and performance issues. ✅ Documentation isn’t just protection—it’s a tool for accountability and clarity. ✅ Empathy and understanding during personal hardship strengthen trust across the organization. ✅ Effective HR leadership means seeing people as more than their performance metrics. LINKS & RESOURCES 🔗 Connect with Makaylah Reyes on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/makaylah-reyes-shrm-cp-3757a5151/]. 🔗 Learn more about Manhard Consulting at manhard.com [https://www.manhard.com]. 🔗 Follow Atwell on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/atwell-llc/] to explore upcoming career opportunities at Atwell.com [https://atwell.com/careers/] as the companies merge.

Episode 19: Compliance Meets Compassion – Hiring Insights & HR Leadership with Kristie, from The City of Tomball

In this episode of Who Hired This Person?, host Kaitlyn Randall sits down with Kristie, Human Resources Director at The City of Tomball. With a foundation in law and years of HR leadership in local government, Kristie offers a unique perspective on balancing compliance with compassion, navigating the modern workforce, and supporting leaders to make better hiring decisions. She shares why today’s candidates value culture and balance just as much as salary, how her legal background shapes her HR approach, and the subtle red and green flags hiring managers often miss. Kristie also opens up about a hiring success story that reshaped her IT department and the one myth about HR she wishes more people understood. Whether you’re an HR professional, a business leader, or simply curious about how hiring works behind the scenes, Kristie’s insights deliver practical strategies and real-world lessons. KEY LESSONS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE 🔹 The New Workforce Mindset: Why younger candidates are prioritizing flexibility, balance, and growth over traditional “long-term job” paths. 🔹 Compliance Meets People-First HR: How Kristie blends legal expertise with empathy to guide fair, effective HR decisions. 🔹 Red Flags in Hiring: Warning signs like short job tenures or sluggish onboarding that managers shouldn’t overlook. 🔹 Green Flags for Success: Traits like responsiveness, genuine communication, and confidence that usually predict a great hire. 🔹 Cultural Fit vs. Skills: Why people skills often matter more than technical qualifications in long-term success. 🔹 The HR Myth: Why HR doesn’t “always side with the employer” and how great HR leaders advocate for both employees and leadership. KEY TAKEAWAYS ✅ Candidates now weigh culture, balance, and growth as much as pay. ✅ HR leaders must walk the tightrope between compliance and compassion. ✅ Hiring red flags often show up before day one—pay attention to them. ✅ People skills and cultural fit often outweigh technical expertise. ✅ HR’s role is not one-sided—it’s about championing employees and supporting leadership. LINKS & RESOURCES 🔗 Explore career opportunities at The City of Tomball [https://tomballtx.gov/]

Episode 18: Balancing People and Business – HR Lessons on Mental Health & Leadership with Jeremy English, from Bell Partners

In this episode of Who Hired This Person?, host Kaitlyn Randall sits down with Jeremy English, PHR, Human Resources Business Partner at Bell Partners. With over 13 years in HR, Jeremy brings a thoughtful perspective on the balance between business needs, employee wellbeing, and leadership accountability. He opens up about his journey into HR, how mental health became a central focus in his career, and why the post-pandemic workplace has forever changed how HR leaders approach hiring and retention. Jeremy also shares candid stories about interviewing red flags, what true leadership accountability looks like, and the one HR practice he wishes he could change immediately. Whether you’re an HR professional, business leader, or someone passionate about workplace culture, Jeremy’s insights offer a fresh look at what it takes to build healthier, more sustainable organizations. Key Lessons Covered in This Episode: 🔹 Finding Balance in HR: Why HR professionals must advocate for employees and protect business interests at the same time. 🔹 The Mental Health Imperative: How Jeremy is pushing past “buzzwords” to make mental health a real workplace priority. 🔹 Post-Pandemic Hiring Challenges: Why the candidate landscape has shifted—and what HR needs to do differently. 🔹 Red & Green Flags in Interviews: What Jeremy looks for beyond resumes to assess true culture fit. 🔹 Leadership Accountability: Why retention and culture depend less on HR and more on the leaders employees report to. 🔹 A Practice He’d Change Tomorrow: Jeremy shares one outdated HR approach he believes holds organizations back. Key Takeaways: ✅ HR must serve as a bridge between organizational goals and employee needs. ✅ Post-pandemic hiring requires new strategies and more empathy. ✅ Mental health can’t just be talked about—it has to be prioritized through action. ✅ Leaders, not policies, have the biggest impact on retention. ✅ Interviews should go beyond skills to uncover mindset and alignment. Links & Resources: 🔗 Explore career opportunities at Bell Partners Inc. [https://bellpartnersinc.com/careers/] 🔗 Connect with Jeremy on LinkedIn: Jeremy English, PHR [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremy-english-phr-210b0747/]

Episode 17: Hiring in the Fast Lane - HR Lessons from the Restaurant Industry with Alyssa from Twin Peaks

In this episode of Who Hired This Person?, host Kaitlyn Randall sits down with Alyssa Brown, Human Resources Manager at Twin Peaks. From starting as a server in 2016 to earning her master’s degree and rising into HR leadership, Alyssa brings firsthand insight into the unique hiring challenges of the restaurant industry. She shares candid stories about balancing speed with culture fit, why attitude often matters more than experience, and the surprising moments when a “perfect” candidate didn’t quite work out. Alyssa also highlights how Twin Peaks uses assessments, training, and consistency to ensure every hire supports the guest-first culture. Whether you’re hiring in hospitality, retail, or any high-turnover environment, Alyssa’s lessons reveal why relationships, energy, and resilience are at the core of building strong teams. Key Lessons Covered in This Episode: 🔹 From Server to HR Leader: Alyssa’s journey at Twin Peaks proves that internal growth and culture alignment can be just as important as outside experience. 🔹 Red Flags That Matter Most: It’s not about the resume—it’s about enthusiasm for guest service and energy in the interview process. 🔹 Internal Promotions That Shine: How two employees without traditional management backgrounds became some of Twin Peaks’ strongest leaders. 🔹 Speed vs. Fit: Why Twin Peaks streamlines its hiring process to two interviews plus assessments—fast, but without cutting corners on culture fit. 🔹 When a Candidate Looks Perfect (But Isn’t): The risks of “masked” interviews and why the first 90 days are critical to uncovering the real culture fit. 🔹 Consistency Across Locations: How standardized assessments, interview guides, and manager training keep hiring aligned nationwide. 🔹 The Big Lesson Learned: Skills can be taught. Attitude, work ethic, and team mindset cannot. Key Takeaways: ✅ Hire for culture fit and attitude first—skills can follow. ✅ Streamlined processes reduce turnover without sacrificing quality. ✅ Internal growth can produce some of the best long-term hires. ✅ Watch for enthusiasm (or lack of it) during interviews—it’s a major predictor of fit. ✅ Standardization creates fairness and consistency across multiple locations. ✅ HR leaders must balance candidate experience with organizational needs. Links & Resources: 🔗 Explore career opportunities at Twin Peaks: Twin Peaks Careers [https://twinpeaksrestaurant.com/careers] 🔗 Connect with Alyssa on LinkedIn: Alyssa Brown [https://www.linkedin.com/in/alyssa-brown-1a7293b8/]

Episode 16: Hiring with Integrity — Cheryl Davidson on Culture Fit, Red Flags, and Finding Hidden Talent

In this episode of Who Hired This Person?, host Kaitlyn sits down with Cheryl Davidson, Talent Acquisition Partner at Carol Search Partner. With nearly two decades of experience recruiting for top accounting firms and consulting with hiring managers across the U.S., Cheryl brings deep expertise on what it really takes to match the right talent with the right culture. She opens up about avoiding “mini-me” hires, spotting integrity red flags, and why focus is a recruiter’s greatest tool. Whether you’re hiring in specialized industries, competitive markets, or culture-driven teams, Cheryl shares stories and strategies that reveal how to hire smarter and with more confidence. KEY LESSONS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE: 🔹 The Power of Focus in Recruiting: Cheryl explains why recruiters must zero in on one role at a time to avoid spinning their wheels—and how she trains others to do the same. 🔹 Coaching Hiring Managers: Even seasoned leaders can fall into the trap of hiring people “just like them.” Cheryl shares how she guides managers to look beyond surface-level similarities. 🔹 The Candidate Who Looked Perfect on Paper: She recalls an interview with a Big Four candidate who wowed everyone in the room—but revealed integrity issues on the car ride back to the airport. That moment changed the hiring decision. 🔹 Giving Candidates a Second Chance: Some of Cheryl’s best placements started with resumes that undersold their skills. She explains how reworking resumes and digging deeper uncovered hidden gems. 🔹 Culture Fit Is Everything: Matching technical skills is only half the battle. Cheryl emphasizes that without culture alignment, hires won’t last—and neither side will be happy. 🔹 Creative Sourcing Beyond LinkedIn: From attendee lists at industry conferences to specialized outreach, Cheryl reveals how she finds candidates outside the usual channels. 🔹 Setting Realistic Expectations: She walks through how to have tough conversations with clients when the local talent pool just isn’t enough—and how to reframe the search. KEY TAKEAWAYS: ✅ Focus and discipline in recruiting lead to better results. ✅ Don’t overlook red flags, even if a candidate looks perfect on paper. ✅ Resumes rarely tell the whole story—dig deeper. ✅ Culture fit is non-negotiable for long-term success. ✅ Recruiters must act as consultants, not just order-takers. ✅ Creative sourcing and setting client expectations are essential in competitive markets. LINKS & RESOURCES: 🔗 Connect with Cheryl Davidson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cheryldavidson/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/cheryldavidson/] 🔗 Learn more about Carol Search Partners: https://www.carolsearch.com/ [https://www.carolsearch.com/]