Why Great Hires Fail: What Uber's Head of TA and L&D Learned The Hard Way

Why Great Hires Fail: What Uber's Head of TA and L&D Learned The Hard Way

Most people assume the hard bit of hiring is finding the right person. The reality is stranger. Hiring is the easy part. What comes next is what makes or breaks that person, and most companies get it completely wrong. In this episode of Talent Unplugged Across the Pond, Marcus Pask and Megan Conlon sit down with Mary Thompson, who spent 8 years at Uber leading TA for EMEA across 30+ markets, and then scaled into Head of L&D EMEA supporting 10,000+ agents across 45+ countries. After starting her career as a secondary school teacher, then pivoting through agency, non-profit and retail before landing at Uber during its most turbulent growth years, Mary pulls back the curtain on what really works in hiring, leadership and career growth, and what most companies miss. You'll discover: * Why hiring isn't the finish line, it's the starting line, and the reason so many great hires fail within their first year despite everything the recruitment team did right * The 'balcony and dance floor' metaphor every leader needs to hear, and why the best leaders know exactly when to move between the two * Why 'culture fit' is often just bias with better branding, and the smarter way to hire for values without turning it into a tickbox exercise * The peer-to-manager transition nobody warns you about, and the friendships that don't always survive the promotion * Why capability alone isn't enough, and the 'soil where talent grows' question most interviewers never think to ask * Mary's honest take on being on the candidate side of the table right now, including the one stat that shows exactly how broken the application process has become for senior talent * The 'drive your own growth' principle from Uber that every ambitious professional should adopt, whatever company they work for. This episode is essential listening for TA leaders questioning the finish-line mindset, hiring managers looking to move beyond culture fit, new leaders navigating the shift from doing to leading, and job seekers trying to make sense of a market that feels increasingly rigged. Don't fall into the trap of thinking hiring alone builds great teams. The offer is only the beginning, and the leaders who understand that build teams that last. Join us as we bust the myth that a great hire equals a great outcome. It doesn't. And Mary explains exactly what does. Perfect for anyone in HR, recruitment, learning and development, job searching, or team leadership. Hit play to hear one of Uber's most experienced people leaders break down what really works when the theory hits the ground.

The Recruiter's New Reality: Adapt or Get Left Behind.

Most people assume AI is coming to wipe out the recruiter. The reality is stranger. It won't replace the job, but it will quietly delete around 70% of what recruiters actually do, and the people who refuse to adapt won't be hireable in a few years' time. In this episode of Talent Unplugged Across the Pond, Marcus Pask and Megan Conlon sit down with Neil Davies, a man who has built and led talent acquisition at Enron, Microsoft, Visa, PayPal, Roku and Activision Blizzard, and who now runs IC2 Talent Acquisition Solutions. After 25 years in the game, and a refreshingly honest admission that it took him 20 of them to get good at it, Neil pulls back the curtain on what is really changing in hiring and what most people get wrong about it. You'll discover: * Why AI won't replace the TA function but will completely change it, and the one task every leader should automate first because nobody gets sued for it * Why Neil wouldn't tell his own kids to go into traditional recruiting, and what that means for anyone building a career in hiring today * The two skill sets every great recruiter needs, a chief revenue officer's operating brain and a chief people officer's relationship skills, and why the average head of TA lasts under two years * The real reason TA teams are under-resourced, with companies burning millions on agencies but unable to get one extra coordinator, and how to fix the operating model * Why no ATS is ever perfect, and the strategic question you must answer before you buy any new AI tool * When to say no and hit pause on shiny new tech, even after months of looking * The smarter way to run an internal talent market, and why "internal candidates should always get first refusal" misses the point This episode is essential listening for job seekers who want to understand how AI is reshaping the people sitting on the other side of the table, hiring leaders rethinking their tech stack and operating model, and TA professionals trying to future-proof their careers before the ground shifts under them. Don't let outdated thinking about recruiting catch you off guard. The job is being rewritten in real time, and the leaders who get it are already moving. Join us as we bust the myth that AI is simply here to replace recruiters. It isn't. It's quietly changing what the job even is, and Neil explains exactly what to do about it before everyone else catches up. Perfect for anyone in HR, recruitment, job searching, or talent leadership, hit play to hear one of the industry's most experienced TA leaders break down the biggest shift recruiting has ever seen.

References vs Back Channels: The Hidden Side of Hiring

Most candidates think reference checks are dead, but the truth is, they're still happening, just not in the way you'd expect. The bigger shift? Back channels, the off the record calls hiring teams make without you ever knowing. In this episode of Talent Unplugged Across the Pond, Marcus Pask and Megan Conlon pull back the curtain on what really goes on behind the scenes once you're deep in an interview process, and what every job seeker and hiring leader needs to know about it. From cross cultural feedback styles to summer holiday job search strategy, this episode covers the messy, human side of hiring that nobody talks about openly. You'll discover: * Why US teams thrive on public praise while UK and European teams might cringe at it, and what that means for how feedback should actually be delivered * The leadership lesson Megan still thinks about years later, and why constructive feedback in a group setting almost always backfires * Why you should never cancel a holiday for a new job offer, and how to handle time off conversations during an active interview process * The difference between a reference check and a back channel, and why one of them is riddled with bias * The guardrails every hiring leader should have in place before letting back channels influence a decision * Why references should be a data point, not a decision maker, and how to spot when they're being misused * The legal differences between Europe and the US that change the reference check game entirely This episode is essential listening for job seekers who want to understand what's really happening behind closed doors, hiring leaders looking to sharpen their process, and TA professionals navigating the murky ethics of modern recruitment. Don't let outdated assumptions about hiring catch you off guard. The process has evolved, and the people running it are using tools and tactics that most candidates never see. Join us as we bust the myth: reference checks aren't dead, they've just gone underground. Learn how to navigate them, when to push back, and what every hiring team should be doing to keep the process fair. Perfect for anyone in HR, recruitment, job searching, or talent leadership, hit play and find out what's really happening when the interviews end and the offer hasn't landed yet.

Myth Busting AI: Will It Save or Sink Recruiting?

Most recruiters think AI will take their jobs, but the truth is, automation is transforming how top talent gets hired, not replacing recruiters themselves. In this eye-opening episode of Talent Unplugged Across the Pond, Megan Conlon and Marcus Pask reveal why human intuition and relationship-building remain irreplaceable—even as AI tools become integral to hiring processes. From AI-driven interviews to skills-based hiring debates, learn how today's best companies are leaning into AI to streamline workflows while emphasizing the human touch that candidates still crave. You'll discover: * Why AI is more of an assistant than a replacer in talent acquisition, supporting recruiters with research, scheduling, and initial screenings. * The limitations of skills-based hiring for senior roles and why pedigree still matters in high-level recruitment. * How take-home assignments and mock intake sessions are revolutionizing candidate assessment, making interviews more effective and less biased. * The role of AI in candidate experience, highlighting that genuine human interaction remains crucial for engagement. * The real risks of over-reliance on AI, including fraudulent applications, and why balance is key. * How industry leaders are experimenting with AI’s potential, and why those who hesitate risk falling behind. This episode is essential listening for talent professionals eager to stay ahead of the curve, HR leaders curious about AI’s true impact, and candidates who want to understand how technology shapes their job search. Don’t let fear of automation hold you back, embrace the tools that will elevate your hiring game without losing the human element that makes recruitment special. Join us as we bust the myth: AI won't replace recruiters. Instead, it’s empowering them to do what they do best, building meaningful connections and making smarter, faster hires. Perfect for anyone in HR, recruitment, or hiring tech, hit play and discover why the future is human, enhanced by AI, not replaced by it.

Beyond the Commission: The Realities of Modern Recruiting

Welcome back to Talent Unplugged Across the Pond, where we strip away the corporate buzzwords to uncover the honest (and sometimes messy) truth about hiring. In this episode, hosts Marcus Pask and Megan Conlon dive deep into the evolving landscape of recruitment, candidate experience, and industry myths. IN THIS EPISODE, WE DISCUSS: * The Nuance of a Recruiter Screen: Why every initial conversation is a unique beast, ranging from informal "get to know you" chats to rigorous, formulaic deep dives. * The Art of Team Round Interviews: Exploring the shift toward multi-person, cross-functional evaluations and how candidates can navigate these high-stakes sessions. * Rapid Scale & Strategy: Marcus shares insights on growing a Talent Acquisition team from 13 to over 75 people and the logistical challenges of opening data centers worldwide. * The Candidate Journey: A look at the intense commitment required from candidates today and the ethical implications of "ghosting" from both sides of the table. * Myth Busting — "Do Recruiters Only Care About Commission?": Megan and Marcus break down the differences between agency models and in-house recruitment, discussing the tension between quality of hire and speed to fill. Whether you're a hiring manager, a talent professional, or a job seeker, this unfiltered conversation offers a behind-the-scenes look at what it really takes to build teams in today’s fast-paced market.