WTF is Going On In The Talent World?

Join Hebba and her guests to discuss what's happening in the talent world, how to recruit talent during these times, and what isn't working.

Layoffs, talent shortages, and an impending recession have made an interesting impact on the talent world.

75% of companies reported a talent shortage in 2022 - the highest in sixteen years. Organizations are seeing the impact of a post-COVID and pre-recession world. Nearly 16 million Americans were laid off last year.

What does this mean for talent acquisition and retention?

Join Hebba, Cassandra, Anessa, and Rie as they discuss what is happening in the talent world, how to recruit talent during these times, and what needs to change ASAP for a robust, skilled talent pool in 2023 and beyond.

Meet the Speakers

About Cassandra Smith

Cassandra is a Senior Talent Acquisition Specialist with NPR which produces award-winning content in partnership with hundreds of independent public radio stations across the nation. Cassandra is passionate about equity and transparency within hiring, as well as bringing humanity back into the recruiting process.

Outside of recruitment, you can find Cassandra exploring new cuisine, coffee shops, and calligraphy

About Anessa Fike

Anessa is CEO and Founder of Fike + Co, a multi-million-dollar People/HR/Talent consulting firm that specializes in interim and fractional executive leadership with companies that are experiencing high growth, scale, or transformation.

Anessa has led over a dozen startups and organizations as Chief People Officer/Head of People/Talent. She has worked with companies from seed rounds to pre-and-post-IPO, as well as through mergers and acquisitions. She’s won several HR awards, including Most Inclusive HR Influencer, and has also been a product consultant for multiple HR Tech companies.

Her mission – and the mission of Fike + Co - is to help companies create better workplaces for all humans. When she isn't pushing executives to be better leaders for their employees, you'll find her enjoying delicious food and a glass of red wine with family and friends - with a killer pair of heels on, of course.

About Rie Grant

Rie is an award-winning talent professional, philanthropist, and business partner. With an extensive background in recruiting and people operations, her career expands over several industries including tech, banking, and early-stage start-ups.

Working her way up from an entry-level HR administrative role to the Recruiting Manager, Rie is taking the fintech industry by storm with her practical and comical approach to all things talent.

She is passionate about equitable access, protecting the candidate experience, and financial literacy for underrepresented populations.

About Hebba Youssef

Hebba Youssef is the Chief People Officer at Workweek and founder and creator of “I Hate it Here.” Her weekly newsletter has over 70,000 subscribers and focuses on how HR/People teams can build great work cultures.

Hebba has led a global learning and development team, ran talent management teams, and was most recently the Head of People at a fintech startup. She's built People Ops teams from the ground up, scaled companies, and gained a few white hairs along the way.

Hebba has worked across several industries like tech, fintech, and media and was most recently at Axios and Lithic. You can find her reading sci-fiction or fantasy novels and playing board games with her family in her free time.