TA on the Front Lines: Panda, 7-Eleven, Champions Group & CoverGenius - LIVE from RecFest 2025

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3d ago 53:53

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Chapters / Timestamps

Joey Lee — Panda Restaurant Group
00:40 – Joey Lee joins: falling into TA & purpose of helping people
02:36 – Scale at Panda: ~3,000 store openings; ~100 corporate roles
03:20 – Org design: corporate TA vs. field recruiters
03:55 – Budget realities & operator-funded recruiting
04:25 – Boots-on-the-ground sourcing: competitors, BOGO cards, observing service
04:56 – Hiring recruiters: “Tell me your story” & entrepreneurial mindset
05:45 – From transactional to transformational recruiters (driver’s seat)
06:40 – Culture & authenticity: show up as your true self
07:20 – Purpose-driven, people-first candidate experience (white-glove basics)
08:35 – Tech & AI: transactional roles will be automated; elevate or be replaced
09:41 – Digital recruiter clones? Promise and fears
10:15 – Hot Takes: Open-to-Work ✅ | Sourcing vs. Closing (closing) | Referrals ~60% | Hot dog = sandwich | Favorite Panda order

Rachel Allen — 7-Eleven
12:06 – Rachel Allen returns: AI hype, compliance “gray zone,” and lessons learned
13:25 – Don’t start with an “AI strategy”; start with a business problem
14:40 – Store hiring: 95% automated; leaders own outcomes; AI as enabler
15:40 – Keep the interview human; automate scheduling & access
16:30 – 24/7 candidates: assistants engage at 3am (Paradox “Rita”)
17:30 – Workforce planning: total work vs. workforce; assistants as a channel
18:40 – Data signals: speed, quality of submissions, retention, QoH
19:41 – Internal mobility: removed manager-permission barrier to apply
20:44 – Turnover trending down amid broader initiatives
21:20 – Hot Takes: Always-be-closing from first touch; favorite interview Q: “Greatest misconception about you?”
22:29 – Being human as the differentiator; team shoutouts & North Star
24:22 – Where to find Rachel / 7-Eleven Careers

Brandon Davis — Champions Group (Skilled Trades)
24:40 – What Champions Group does; 2,500 employees, 19 brands
25:30 – TA structure: divisions; early-career training programs (300 hires)
26:10 – Sourcing where trades talent actually is: schools, military, word-of-mouth
27:40 – Tech adoption: reduce fear by showing efficiency gains
28:15 – Practical AI for recruiters: notes, summaries, reverse-engineering avatars
29:10 – Brandon’s path into TA (ops → marketing → HR → TA leader)
30:32 – From “more candidates” to “better candidates” in two years
31:15 – Quality of submission > quality of hire (and where TA ownership ends)
32:57 – What makes a great recruiter: personality, storytelling, fast hook
34:35 – What keeps him up at night: channel ROI & data-driven decisions
35:19 – Hot Takes: Open-to-Work ✅ | Closing > Sourcing | Least-favorite Q: “What motivates you?” | Hot dog = sandwich | Where to find Brandon

Greg Russell — CoverGenius
36:20 – Greg Russell joins: coaching recruiters, storytelling & mindset
37:41 – Burnout & rejection: give feedback at scale; never ghost after contact
39:45 – ATS automation basics: close the loop, even with templates
41:20 – Offer feedback with boundaries; avoid the endless loop
42:28 – “Signal”: richer debriefs, calibration, transcripts > vague notes
44:20 – Tech stack: ATS with built-in note-taker (transcripts/video in profile)
45:40 – Debriefs aren’t a democracy: hiring manager owns the decision
47:11 – The AI bloom: noisy market now, consolidation later — lean in
49:00 – What Greg hires for: storytelling + growth mindset + tech curiosity
51:20 – Pay transparency song-and-dance & expectation management
52:10 – Best career advice: treat people like adults; trust cultures win
53:29 – Outro & where to find Greg

553 episodes