Advancing Talent Acquisition

Hiring for Potential in Biotech: Lessons from 25 Years of Recruiting

In this episode of Advancing Talent Acquisition, Michelle Krier sits down with Steven Swan, CEO of The Swan Group and host of the podcast Biotech Bytes, to explore how biotech hiring has evolved over the past 25 years. Steve shares how the industry shifted from valuing potential to seeking “perfect match” candidates—and why it’s now swinging back toward hiring for aptitude, cultural fit, and soft skills. He discusses the critical role of clean, well-governed data in accelerating biotech innovation, the growing demand for consultative recruiters who can uncover candidate motivations, and why the human “work in the middle” will remain essential even as technology reshapes the hiring landscape. Connect with Michelle and Steven! Michelle Krier: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellekrier/ Steven Swan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/swangroup/

From Talent Gaps to Workforce Wins: Expert Insights on Life Sciences Hiring

In this episode of Advancing Talent Acquisition, host Michelle Krier sits down with Peter Webster, a veteran talent acquisition and HR technology leader with more than 20 years of experience in life sciences and CDMOs. Peter shares how the industry’s hiring landscape has shifted dramatically with the rise of biotech startups, generational changes, and new expectations around flexibility, purpose, and skills-based hiring. He explores why focusing on quality of hire, not just time to fill, has become a critical measure of success, and how technology, metrics, and candidate experience must all work together. Connect with Michelle and Peter! Michelle Krier: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellekrier/ Peter Webster: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-webster-hrprofessional/

Five Fatal Errors Companies Make When Outsourcing Hiring

In this episode of Advancing Talent Acquisition, Michelle Krier sits down with Mike Foster, Client Services Director at Advanced RPO, to unpack the five most common mistakes companies make when outsourcing recruitment. Drawing on more than 15 years of talent acquisition and RPO leadership experience, Mike shares real-world lessons on how unclear goals, “set it and forget it” mindsets, poor communication, process misalignment, and ignoring data can derail success. Together, Michelle and Mike explore how organizations can avoid these pitfalls, embrace change management, and build RPO partnerships that deliver lasting impact.     Connect with Michelle and Mike!  Michelle Krier: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellekrier/  Mike Foster: https://www.linkedin.com/in/recruiterfoster/

Turning Interviews Into Employer Branding Moments

In this episode of Advancing Talent Acquisition, Johnny Campbell, CEO and co-founder of Social Talent, explores how interviews have become one of the most overlooked opportunities for employer branding. He shares actionable insights on how hiring managers can enhance candidate experience through preparation, structure, and purpose-driven conversations. From avoiding bias and snap judgments to turning interviews into two-way conversations, Johnny challenges organizations to treat interviews as brand moments that reflect their culture. He also leaves listeners with a powerful reminder: be the CEO of your own career.

What Is AI Governance? Frameworks for Risk, Compliance, and Innovation

In this episode of Advancing Talent Acquisition, Jenna Hinrichsen welcomes Guru Sethupathy, CEO of FairNow, to unpack what AI governance really means and why it’s more important than ever for organizations of all sizes. Guru breaks down his five pillars of AI governance, from risk assessment and human oversight to compliance and continuous monitoring, and explains how these frameworks protect companies from bias, regulatory pitfalls, and costly lawsuits like the Workday class action. They also explore the risks of deepfake job applicants, the debate over federal vs. state AI regulation, and why smart governance doesn’t slow innovation - it accelerates it. Connect with Jenna and Guru! Jenna Hinrichsen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenna-hinrichsen-2b03342/ Guru Sethupathy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/guru-sethupathy/