Hiring On All Cylinders

Global Expansion Secrets: Lessons from 5,000 Global Hires with Kathrin Holzfurtner

Hosted by Kathryne Friend, VP Community at HIGHER, this episode of Hiring on All Cylinders features Kathrin Holzfurtner, a 3× Regional and Global Head of Talent who has led hiring at Google, Microsoft, and Ideals. With more than 5,000 hires across 40+ countries and new-market launches on three continents, Kathrin reveals why global hiring breaks when companies treat it like copy-paste recruiting — and what high-growth teams should do instead. Together, Kathryne and Kathrin unpack the pillars of successful international scaling: how to use talent intelligence to shape location strategy, how to choose the right operating model when entering new markets, how to build TA capacity and enablement ahead of demand, and how to avoid the common pitfalls that derail global growth. Required listening for any TA leader driving global expansion in 2026 and beyond.

How Fruitist Used AI Storytelling to Win Over Tech Talent

Join host Matt Staney, (VP Community, HIGHER) on Hiring on All Cylinders as he sits down with Lars Schmidt, the innovative Head of Talent at Fruitist, to unpack one of the most creative employer brand campaigns of the year. Lars shares the origin story behind The Quest for Fruitist—a wildly inventive, AI-generated video series starring Barry, a blueberry-obsessed Bigfoot—built on a production budget of under $500. In this episode, Matt and Lars dive into how generative AI is transforming employer branding, why humor and storytelling win candidates’ attention, and how TA leaders can leverage creativity and personal brand to elevate their impact across the business. A must-listen for talent leaders looking to break the mold and build awareness in bold new ways.

How Revolut Made 10k Hires in Just Two Years — Jonathan Beaney (Revolut)

How do you scale from 3,000 to 13,000 employees — and raise the bar on quality while doing it?In this episode of Hiring on All Cylinders, host Kathryne Friend (VP of Community, EMEA) speaks with Jonathan Beaney, Global Head of Talent Acquisition at Revolut, about how the company built a high-performance hiring engine designed for hyperscale.Jonathan shares how Revolut developed its own ATS, embedded Quality of Hire as a measurable, operational metric, and built a data-driven model that balances speed, precision, and excellence.Tune in for practical insights on redefining TA efficiency, elevating hiring quality, and designing systems that scale without compromise.

Inside Jennifer Kaufman’s Playbook for Modern, Data-Led Talent Acquisition

Host Matt Staney, VP Community at HIGHER, sits down with Jennifer Anker Kaufman, VP of Talent Acquisition at Illumio, for a rich, honest conversation about how recruiting becomes a trusted business partner. Jennifer shares her unexpected start as a dolphin trainer, how she built credibility across hyper-growth tech companies, and why she believes in “talent partners,” not “order takers.” They discuss Illumio’s shift to Ashby, how data reshapes executive conversations, and the future of AI and capacity planning in TA. Along the way, Jennifer reveals her NICE framework and the leadership lessons that turn small wins into lasting impact.

Redefining Global TA: From Order-Takers to Strategic Partners with James Lafferty of Epicor

In this episode of Hiring on All Cylinders, Matt Staney talks to James Lafferty, VP of Global Talent Acquisition and Mobility at Epicor. James shares how he’s built a global TA function that makes 1,200+ hires a year across 32 countries—while staying consistent, human, and adaptable. They discuss what it really takes to lead modern TA: building systems that scale, earning trust across cultures, and finding the right balance between tech and the human touch. Highlights: * Building a global TA model that works across time zones and teams * Why recruiters need to be partners, not just process owners * How AI is changing the role—but not replacing it * Leading through acquisitions without losing what makes teams great