Talent News Round-Up: Referred Candidates, Meta’s Recruitment Blitz, and AI Enablement
Staying updated on the latest workforce trends is crucial for TA leaders and HR professionals. This week, we delve into three significant developments shaping the talent landscape and get SocialTalent’s CEO, Johnny Campbell’s first-hand takes on these pieces.
- Ashby: Referrals boost interview chances but most hires still come from inbound applications – highlighting a selective, employer-driven market.
- MSN: Zuckerberg is personally leading Meta’s AI hiring blitz with $100M offers – proving that founder-led recruiting is back in style.
- HR Brew: Workday’s AI strategy focuses on mindset, skills, and habits – driving adoption through creative L&D initiatives like prompt-athons and AI academies.
Join us as we explore these pivotal insights and their implications for the future of work.
1. Are Referred Candidates More Likely to Get Hired?
Source: Ashby
Referrals may be a golden ticket to interviews, but they’re not the main route to getting hired. This report, analyzing over 38 million applications from 2021–2024, shows inbound applications dominate volume – yet referred and internal candidates are far more likely to land interviews and offers. Despite this, inbound remains the top source of actual hires, reflecting today’s employer-driven market where hiring is more selective, and referrals carry weight but aren’t everything.
Johnny Campbell’s take on this:
“I simply LOVE all the data going on in this article. There is so so much to dive into – a must read for every recruiting leader trying to build their hiring strategy.“
2. Zuckerberg Leads AI Recruitment Blitz Armed With $100 Million Pay Packages
Source: MSN
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has launched an all-out AI talent offensive – personally messaging top researchers and dangling $100 million pay packages to build a new “Superintelligence” team. Despite Meta’s recent AI missteps and internal skepticism, Zuckerberg is hands-on: reviewing research papers, wining and dining prospects, and even planning desk layouts. Yet, rivals like OpenAI’s Sam Altman aren’t backing down, countering with bigger offers and vision. The blitz is bold – but success is far from guaranteed.
Johnny Campbell’s take on this:
“Talk about a hands-on hiring manager!! How can “ordinary” recruiters compete when Zuckerberg, Altman, and Musk are contacting your best candidates directly! This is a fascinating strategy and frankly recruiters could do with more hiring managers getting involved like this!“
3. How Workday Narrowed Its Talent Strategy For AI Enablement And Skill Building To Focus On Three Things
Source: HR Brew
Workday’s AI enablement strategy zeroed in on three pillars – mindsets, skills, and habits – after surveying employees to understand barriers to adoption. With 43% citing time constraints and 37% unsure how to use AI or trust its output, Workday launched the Everyday AI initiative. Highlights include a “prompt-athon,” a persona-based AI academy, and personal goal setting. The result? Boosts in productivity, creativity, and career clarity making it Workday’s biggest L&D effort in two decades.
Johnny Campbell’s take on this:
“There’s a huge amount to be learned from Workday’s initiative and frankly, every single company who wants to survive should be borrowing from their playbook. My favourites? The commitment to your manager and the town-hall sharing of best practices; super simple for any team to implement!“
