Rebecca Tiley

There’s a real difference between how contingent and retained recruiter interviews are run, particularly in comms/PR recruiting, and it has less to do with quality and more to do with mandate. Most contingent interviews are designed for efficiency and speed. You confirm the resume, pressure test fit, align on compensation, and decide whether the candidate is strong enough to move forward quickly. The goal is momentum. The underlying question is usually simple: Is this someone I’d be comfortable putting in front of the client? Retained-level interviews serve a different purpose. They’re not just about qualifying talent. They’re about reducing decision risk. When a recruiter is retained, the responsibility shifts. You’re no longer advancing candidates. You’re advising the business. That means the interview has to surface how someone actually operates as a communications leader, not just how they present. You listen for judgment under pressure. You dig into how decisions get made when information is incomplete. You want to understand where things broke down in past roles and why. You pay attention to how the candidate navigates power, politics, and internal tension. Most importantly, you assess what risk this hire introduces inside the organization, at this moment. So the real question isn’t “do I like this candidate?” It’s “how will this person actually operate when the stakes are real?” That’s the difference between screening and advising. Between filling a seat and protecting the business. At senior levels, there’s no margin for getting this wrong.

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As part of our commitment to supporting veteran-owned businesses, Robert Half’s Nichole Logan – veteran spouse and senior practice director at Robert Half – recently presented insights on today’s hiring landscape, including key trends, challenges, and compensation realities to veteran-owned businesses as part of Veterans in Business Network’s (VIB) 2025 Veteran 2 Veteran Business cohort “As the spouse of a 20-year Navy veteran and business owner, I’m honored to support veterans in growing their businesses,” said Nichole. “Sharing insights on market trends, hiring and retention strategies is one way to help them continue their mission of excellence beyond service.” Robert Half is a long-term partner and supporter of VIB Network. https://bit.ly/43GUhWw

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Recruitment Owners: Thinking about adding contract staffing in 2026? Before you do, run through this quick checklist.  Can you fund weekly payroll while clients pay in 30 to 60 days?    Do you know your true gross margins after overtime, benefits, and compliance costs?    Can you onboard contractors within 24 to 48 hours without manual bottlenecks?    Are you prepared for multi-state tax, workers comp, and classification rules?    Do your systems scale beyond quarterly placements? The Contract Staffing Playbook I just read lays this out clearly. It even includes a full readiness checklist that forces you to think through funding, compliance, onboarding speed, and margin math before you make the switch. What I appreciated most is that it does not just talk about growth. It talks about infrastructure. Contract staffing can create durable, recurring revenue. But only if the backend is built for it. If this is part of your growth plan, I dropped the link in the comments. It is worth reviewing before you make the move. I wish I would have had this from the start!

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Interesting.... 89% of TA Teams Struggle With Data Visibility: 2026 Talent Acquisition Outlook Report Only 23% of TA organizations can connect their recruitment spending to actual hiring outcomes, according to Symphony Talent’s 2026 Talent Acquisition Outlook Report, while 89% rate their visibility...Read more 66% of Recruiters Say Finding Talent Is Harder, Though Applications Have Doubled Key takeaways: Applications doubled since 2022, yet 80% of job seekers feel unprepared, and 66% of recruiters can’t find qualified candidates. With 93% of recruiters expanding AI use and 59% 

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Contract talent doesn't mean temporary, it means strategic. Learn more in the #RobertHalf Demand for Skilled Talent report: https://lnkd.in/e7PnR5Ye #ContractHire #FlexibleStaffing

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💡Employers are rethinking how they evaluate talent—a mindset that is reshaping roles and hiring. Learn how employers and job seekers can navigate the evolving landscape. 🔗 https://bit.ly/3TOaLaa

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📊 U.S. Labor Market Update – March 2025 The latest Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) reveals a nuanced picture of the U.S. labor market: Job Openings: Decreased by 288,000 to 7.192 million, indicating a potential softening in labor demand. Layoffs: Declined by 222,000 to 1.558 million, suggesting employers are retaining their workforce despite economic uncertainties. Hiring: Experienced a modest increase of 41,000 to 5.411 million, reflecting cautious optimism among businesses. These figures suggest that while employers are becoming more selective in their hiring processes, they are also striving to maintain stability within their existing teams. For organizations, this environment underscores the importance of strategic talent management. At ProActivate, we specialize in proactive talent acquisition strategies that align with your business goals, ensuring you're prepared for both current challenges and future opportunities. 📈 Stay informed and ahead of the curve. Let's discuss how we can support your talent needs in this evolving landscape. #LaborMarket #HiringTrends #ProActivate #TalentStrategy #WorkforcePlanning

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Boost your hiring success with these recruiting tips. Learn how to attract top talent, create a positive candidate experience, and build a stronger employer brand to find the right fit for your team.

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📊 Why Contract Staffing Is Growing Fast Companies want results — not paperwork. Contract staffing delivers 👇 ✔️ 6–8 day hiring timelines ✔️ Full payroll & compliance handled ✔️ On-demand access to expert talent ✔️ Easy scaling for project needs 📈 By the end of this year, 85% of employers will prioritize skills over degrees. The future of work is flexible. #ContractStaffing #FutureOfHiring #WorkforceTrends #EmployerOfRecord #legal #civilengineering #medicalsales #pharmaceuticalsales #lifesciences #financeandaccounting #HR #healthcare

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The difference between Talent Acquisition vs Staffing Agencies? Reactivity vs Proactivity TA is great if used correctly, but 99% of companies out there don't understand how to utilize them. High quantity positions that can afford to be reactive are phenomenal for TA to work on and fill. High level, niche roles can start to be worked on by TA for a period of time (dependent on urgency level), but those really should be given to a staffing agency that specializes in that sector and ideally has the relationships to identify the ideal candidate quickly and efficiently. In summary- "saving cost" by avoiding agencies can be doable, but don't shoot yourself in the foot by sending your TA team to war with a butter knife as they just flat out don't have the resources or head start that agency recruiters have! #staffing #recruiting

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Your ATS setup is the first impression candidates (and your internal team) have of your hiring process. Sloppy setups cost you. I've seen it at every company I've worked with. Some teams catch it early and fix it fast. Others ignore it and fall back. 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲'𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜'𝘃𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗳𝗮𝗿 𝘁𝗼𝗼 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲𝘀: - Fonts all over the place in offer letters - Career pages with mismatched branding - Application steps that go in circles - No auto-replies or next steps sent - Broken job links - Confusing workflows that lead to hiring delays If you're a founder or people leader that uses JazzHR, why wouldn't the first step be to consult with experts who do this every day? It's a very affordable way to keep up with competition and to keep your companies bar high.

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⚠️ Is a long hiring process costing your company top talent? This article breaks down what’s slowing you down—and how to fix it. A must-read for hiring managers and recruiters alike. #RobertHalf https://bit.ly/46cMbHs

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Contract talent doesn't mean temporary, it means strategic. Learn more in the #RobertHalf Demand for Skilled Talent report: https://lnkd.in/gg92U7WB #ContractHire #FlexibleStaffing

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