Hiring University! Powered by Ursus, Inc.

Ursus Staffing & Services

Join your peers, colleagues, and friends in a bi-monthly discussion of the latest trends in hiring, staffing, best practices and rants covering the best, and sometimes worst, examples in staffing and job search. Hiring University aka Hiring U! powered by Ursus, is a podcast forum designed for fun exploration and story sharing to help benefit those looking for tips and guidance on the dos and don’ts of finding a job, finding a candidate, or running an internal or external recruiting program. read less

Our Editor's Take

Finding a job can be very difficult. So can finding the right person to fill a job. That's where the Hiring University! Powered by Ursus, Inc. podcast can help. This podcast advises both jobseekers and companies looking to hire. Ursus, Inc., the staffing solutions company, creates the podcast. The "Hiring University!" part of the podcast name comes from a service Ursus offers to get jobseekers trained and ready.

Jon Beck founded Ursus and is CEO of the company. He also hosts this podcast. Beck talks to a variety of experts about job-search issues. The Hiring University! Powered by Ursus, Inc. podcast gives practical advice. Topics include applicant tracking systems and the value of hiring veterans.

The Hiring University! Powered by Ursus, Inc. podcast interviews a different expert in each episode. And the show notes for most episodes feature a relevant quote from that segment. TED Talk speaker Robert Paylor talks about controlling what is in one's grasp. Paylor was a college rugby player when he suffered a spinal cord injury that paralyzed him. Yet he didn't give up on life and continued his schooling.

Andrew Silluron works in the financial technology field. He tells Beck what he looks for when hiring for software positions. Remote Year's Sam Pessin urges employers to consider having remote or hybrid jobs. Stephen Rothberg of CollegeRecruiter gives job tips for recent graduates.

Anne Burns of Right the Resume suggests making a resume that best showcases a jobseeker's skills. CommonSpirit Health executive Adnan Hamid explains the opportunities available for transforming health care. Wen Stenger of Omni Inclusive emphasizes the importance of diversity and inclusion.

In his role at Ursus, Beck is a middleman between job seekers and employers. He has a similar role as the host of The Hiring University! Powered by Ursus, Inc. podcast. Beck does a good job of asking the questions to which job seekers and employers would like answers. This podcast can be valuable to both of those groups.

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Episode #46: Q1 Ursus Contractor Council Meeting

Episode #46: Q1 Ursus Contractor Council Meeting

We took notice that staffing, talent, and recruiting events are typically represented by suppliers, clients, technology, and managed service providers. Noticeably absent from these industry forums is YOU, the employee doing the work and making it all possible! The Ursus Contractor Care and creative recruiting leadership facilitate our quarterly Contractor Council Meeting where recent employment trends, market outlook, and general questions about finding and keeping jobs are addressed. For more Hiring University episodes tune into your favorite podcast player or visit us at www.ursusinc.com

Episodes

Episode #46: Q1 Ursus Contractor Council Meeting

Episode #46: Q1 Ursus Contractor Council Meeting

We took notice that staffing, talent, and recruiting events are typically represented by suppliers, clients, technology, and managed service providers. Noticeably absent from these industry forums is YOU, the employee doing the work and making it all possible! The Ursus Contractor Care and creative recruiting leadership facilitate our quarterly Contractor Council Meeting where recent employment trends, market outlook, and general questions about finding and keeping jobs are addressed. For more Hiring University episodes tune into your favorite podcast player or visit us at www.ursusinc.com

Episode #45: Angela Westhead, Procurement Manager, Contingent Workforce & BPO @ Zendesk

Episode #45: Angela Westhead, Procurement Manager, Contingent Workforce & BPO @ Zendesk

Angela Westhead joins the program to discuss, among other topics, remote work, BEI, (yes, B not D), AI, and her favorite podcasts! This is an episode you don't want to miss! You can have great talent that sits anywhere. They just have to be bought in on being present in a different way than someone who sits in an office. So what we've seen in the last four years since everybody went remote is that, yes, you can find great talent outside of large cities, and in many cases, it can cost you less! - Angela Westhead For more Hiring University episodes tune into your favorite podcast player or visit us at www.ursusinc.com

Episode #44: Kobie Wagener, MSOS, SHRM - CP, Workforce Program Manager

Episode #44: Kobie Wagener, MSOS, SHRM - CP, Workforce Program Manager

Kobie Wagener joins this episode of Hiring U! to share his perspectives as a former leader of numerous talent teams and now as a job seeker himself! "Concerning back to office, I feel like post covid, many people can be a little intimidated by the face-to-face interaction. Like it's it's a tolerance that we need to build up for face-to-face interaction since it is a bigger lift. But we get more out of face-to-face interaction which is why back to the office is such an important topic. "- Kobie WagenerFor more Hiring University episodes tune into your favorite podcast player or visit us at www.ursusinc.com

Episode #43: Tami LaSance - Attorney | Human Resources & Contingent Workforce Advisor | Program & Project Manager

Episode #43: Tami LaSance - Attorney | Human Resources & Contingent Workforce Advisor | Program & Project Manager

Tami LaSance, in-house legal counsel at HireArt joins Hiring University to share her insights on the importance of worker classification, advancements, and potential risks in AI among other topics. "I think more companies aren't as concerned with the risk of incorrect worker classification because there has not been a huge verdict or decision on this since Microsoft and it may take somebody being another example. I think there's also so many things going on that it just isn't a priority to pursue these types of claims."- Tami LaSanceFor more Hiring University episodes tune into your favorite podcast player or visit us at www.ursusinc.com

Episode #42: Casey Jacox- Keynote Speaker, Sales and Executive Coach, Podcaster and Author - "Win The Relationship, Not The Deal"

Episode #42: Casey Jacox- Keynote Speaker, Sales and Executive Coach, Podcaster and Author - "Win The Relationship, Not The Deal"

On this episode of Hiring University, get to know Casey Jacox, Keynote Speaker, Sales & Executive Leadership Coach, Podcaster & Author of "Win The Relationship, Not The Deal". A twenty-year staffing executive, Casey shares his thoughts on what has changed, what has remained the same, and more importantly the constants that drive success not only in staffing but in life! "The things that I focus on are humility, vulnerability, and curiosity.Those will never be replaced by AI. I'm just saying what's what's worked for me when I check my ego every day and I realized that there's a, there's a way for me to get better at something. No matter if I was the number one guy at my job, I still could get better, and vulnerable enough that there's going to be something that someone's going to say that I don't know the answer to focus on asking great questions and listening to the answers."- Casey JacoxFor more Hiring University episodes tune into your favorite podcast player or visit us at www.ursusinc.com

Episode #41: Michael Beckwith- Category Manager, CCWP - Xcel Energy

Episode #41: Michael Beckwith- Category Manager, CCWP - Xcel Energy

On this episode of Hiring University, get to know Michael Beckwith, Category Manager at Xcel Energy who oversees all contingent and project-based labor across Xcel's U.S. footprint. "I'm super passionate about data. And I think all conversations around worker classification need to start with data. If we don't have visibility into where these workers are, what they're doing, how much we're paying them, what contracts they're tied to, you know, we can't formulate a go-forward strategy, nor can we appropriately advise our leaders about how to make decisions."- Michael BeckwithFor more Hiring University episodes tune into your favorite podcast player or visit us at www.ursusinc.com

Episode #40: Andrew Hochradel - Creative for Hire!

Episode #40: Andrew Hochradel - Creative for Hire!

Self-proclaimed "Creative for Hire!" Andrew Hochradel joins Hiring U! to share what life as a creative contractor/freelancer is all about. Andrew shares his best practices on finding and creating opportunities, (yes it's possible to create your own gigs- Andrew explains his new product launch with Southwest Airlines!), as well as his insights about current market conditions including where AI fits in the creative process. " I think in this market it's a really good opportunity to push through and get the cuts, get the bruises, to hack through the weeds and along the way sharpen your machete.When you land on the other side you can say, 'Oh cool, I'm on the other side of this with new skills and even more marketable to land a job.' Tough times are good opportunities for growth." - Andrew HochradelFor more Hiring University episodes tune into your favorite podcast player or visit us at www.ursusinc.com

Episode #39: Shawn McCormick - SVP of Software Development - Signiant

Episode #39: Shawn McCormick - SVP of Software Development - Signiant

Software industry veteran Shawn McCormick, SVP of Development at Signiant joins Hiring U! to share best practices in building software development teams and specifically the work he and other technology leaders are doing to attract talent to Ottawa, aka, Silicon Valley North. Prior to joining Signiant, Shawn led R&D, teams at Nakina, Nortel, and Bell Northern Research. "We are promoting and advertising Ottawa as a technical hub destination not just for North America but globally and have successfully attracted world-class technical talent from all over the world." - Shawn McCormickFor more Hiring University episodes tune into your favorite podcast player or visit us at www.ursusinc.com

Episode #38: Brian Hoffmeyer - SVP of Market Strategies - Beeline

Episode #38: Brian Hoffmeyer - SVP of Market Strategies - Beeline

We are thrilled to welcome Brian Hoffmeyer, SVP of Market Strategies at Beeline to Hiring University! "Passionate about the extended workforce", Brian shares with us his thoughts on market trends related to technology innovation, contingent workforce management best practices, and the opportunity for improvement via process, legislation, compliance policy, and technology evolution. This is an episode you don't want to miss! "Our advice, and what we love guiding our clients through this, is no matter what you do, you have to have a well-set-up program to manage contingent labor.You have an HR department to manage your full-time workers and you have to do the same for your contingent workforce! " - Brian HoffmeyerFor more Hiring University episodes tune into your favorite podcast player or visit us at www.ursusinc.com

Episode #37: Steven Kekich - Global Contingent Workforce Leader

Episode #37: Steven Kekich - Global Contingent Workforce Leader

Steven Kekich, a recognized leader in the Global Contingent Workforce market joins Hiring University to discuss recent trends in the market including the importance of procurement and talent management partnership and interdependence among other topics. Steven has led global contingent workforce programs including Uber, eBay, PayPal, and most recently Goldman Sachs. "The balance between procurement who manage cost and talent who are trying to find talent, sometimes at any cost in competitive markets, is really important for those companies looking to build great contingent labor teams." -Steven KekichFor more Hiring University episodes tune into your favorite podcast player or visit us at www.ursusinc.com

Episode #36 - Eric Hudson: Director of Talent Acquisition - DocuSign

Episode #36 - Eric Hudson: Director of Talent Acquisition - DocuSign

Eric Hudson, Director of Talent Acquisition at DocuSign, joins Hiring University to discuss the state of an everchanging and at times confusing talent market. As an executive coach, Eric also provides best practices for your job search regardless of whether you are looking for a VP position or if it's your first job out of college! "When you are looking for your next opportunity, get out there if you're not already out there, and network as much as you can because your network and your personal brand will be the most valuable to you in your search." -Eric HudsonFor more Hiring University episodes tune into your favorite podcast player or visit us at www.ursusinc.comFor more Hiring University episodes tune into your favorite podcast player or visit us at www.ursusinc.com

Episode #35: Jamhali Portus- Director, Alternative Workforce - NetApp

Episode #35: Jamhali Portus- Director, Alternative Workforce - NetApp

Jam Portus, Director of Alternative Workforce at NetApp joins Hiring University to discuss how this 30-year-old technology stalwart is navigating a job market that has seen plenty of layoffs, yet is ripe with opportunities to acquire newly available talent. "I think it's easier to find top talent because of the recent layoffs. In fact, we are working on a talent strategy to take advantage of these layoffs." -Jam Portus For more Hiring University episodes tune into your favorite podcast player or visit us at www.ursusinc.com

Episode #34: Steven Rothberg - Founder & Chief Visionary Officer - Collegerecruiter.com

Episode #34: Steven Rothberg - Founder & Chief Visionary Officer - Collegerecruiter.com

Steven Rothberg, Founder and Chief Visionary Officer at College Recruiter, joins the show to share his observations on the current job market for college grads as well as best practices and guidance for employers looking to attract and hire the next generation of talent. "One thing that's really important to this generation, thankfully, is that they want to leave the world a better place than they found it. If corporations looking to hire can articulate in their job postings the small piece that they play in helping them make the world a better place, that goes a long way!" Steven Rothberg, Founder and Chief Visionary Officer at College RecruiterFor more Hiring University episodes tune into your favorite podcast player or visit us at www.ursusinc.com

Episode #33: Adnan Hamid - Division Vice President & CIO - CommonSpirit Health

Episode #33: Adnan Hamid - Division Vice President & CIO - CommonSpirit Health

Adnan Hamid, Division Vice President & CIO at CommonSpirit Health joins the podcast to discuss best practices and challenges of hiring technical and creative talent to drive digital transformation initiatives in healthcare. With over 20 years in healthcare technical leadership, Adnan shares where the market has been and what it will take to compete going forward. "The move from paper to digital transformation finds us at an exciting point in the digital evolution of healthcare where we have the opportunity really to transform our industry. How do we empower our patients to now use this information and understand the value of the information that we're gathering? First, we need to ensure the data is safe and private, and meaningful. How can we now parse this information out as, as patients and healthcare providers to help our patients live healthier and empower our caregivers to deliver a more preventive model versus a reactive model of healthcare? These are the questions we are facing as we continue the digital transformation journey." - Adnan Hamid For more Hiring University episodes tune into your favorite podcast player or visit us at www.ursusinc.com

Episode #32: Ellen Jordan - Senior Talent Acquisition Business Partner- Alegeus

Episode #32: Ellen Jordan - Senior Talent Acquisition Business Partner- Alegeus

Ellen Jordan Senior Talent Acquisition Business Partner at Alegeus, a leading market leader in consumer-directed healthcare solutions joins Hiring U to discuss recruiting best practices in a hyper-competitive, candidate-driven market. "When we engage with hiring managers we really walkthrough closely to figure out what are the must-haves; what are the skills or experiences that a candidate absolutely has to meet in order to meet their standards and determine what are skills are trainable? Because rarely in a candidate do you find they have everything on the wish list." -Ellen JordanFor more Hiring University episodes tune into your favorite podcast player or visit us at www.ursusinc.com

Episode #31: Sam Pessin- Co- Founder & President - Remote Year

Episode #31: Sam Pessin- Co- Founder & President - Remote Year

Sam Pessin, Co-Founder, and President of Remote Year joins Hiring University to discuss the state of remote work; how far we've come, where there is work left to do, and will some employers revert back to traditional and mandatory in office work models! "If your company does not support remote work or hybrid work options you are losing out on a lot of talent. Especially top tech company talent. I have so many friends that work in technology and at this point will not entertain a conversation with a company that isn't remote." -Sam Pessin - Remote YearFor more Hiring University episodes tune into your favorite podcast player or visit us at www.ursusinc.com

Episode #30: Cheryle Peikert, Lori Kwan, Cristina De La Cruz - Ursus, Inc.

Episode #30: Cheryle Peikert, Lori Kwan, Cristina De La Cruz - Ursus, Inc.

On this 2022 International Women's Day we welcome three members of the Ursus executive management team to the show. Cheryle, Cristina, and Lori share what they've over their careers that led them to the executive leadership positions. "What may seem like a failure today can be a stepping stone to something better tomorrow." - Cheryle Peikert - Chief Financial Officer"Listen and learn. I think if you really listen to what everyone wants to teach you, you will be so much better." - Lori Kwan - Vice President of Recruiting & Delivery"Trust your gut and use your voice. I think that is one of the biggest things that has served me well over the years is just always using your voice." - Cristina De La Cruz - Vice President of SalesFor more Hiring University episodes tune into your favorite podcast player or visit us at www.ursusinc.com

Episode #29: Wen Stenger - CEO & Co-Founder - Omni Inclusive

Episode #29: Wen Stenger - CEO & Co-Founder - Omni Inclusive

Wen Stenger, CEO, and Co-Founder of Omni Inclusive joins the Hiring University podcast to discuss diversity and inclusion in the staffing industry. Before founding Omni Inclusive, Wen led contingent labor programs at leading enterprises including Best Buy and Thompson Reuters. Before founding Omni Inclusive she ran the contingent workforce programs at household enterprise companies like Best Buy and Thompson Reuters, she is a retired U.S Air Force veteran and has been recognized by the staffing industry with the following distinctions:· 2021 SIA DEI Influencer. · 2021 LinkedIn Diversity Champion Talent Award. · 2019 & 2020 SIA Contingent Workforce Game Changer leading process and change in external workforce ecosystem. "When it comes to the contingent workforce, it takes a village process. Regardless of who "owns" the data or the technology or the process, everybody has to have a hand in understanding that information and using it to address the challenges at hand." - Wen StengerFor more Hiring University episodes tune into your favorite podcast player or visit us at www.ursusinc.com

Episode #28: Adam Nicholson - VP of Product - AgileOne

Episode #28: Adam Nicholson - VP of Product - AgileOne

Adam Nicolson, VP of Product at AgileOne joins the Hiring University podcast to discuss new technology trends in the staffing industry, specifically the tools of today and the future that will allow suppliers, buyers, and candidates to access more relevant data and approve the overall supply chain experience. Adam is a 20+ year staffing veteran who brings a wealth of experience, wisdom, and vision to this episode! "We'll handle the strategy. You worry about the business! If you can get the VMS to a place where it's super user intuitive and it's doing a lot of the manual work that you're doing today you've added huge value." - Adam NicholsonFor more Hiring University episodes tune into your favorite podcast player or visit us at www.ursusinc.com

Episode #27: Jan Jedlinski- CEO and Co Founder - Gustav

Episode #27: Jan Jedlinski- CEO and Co Founder - Gustav

Jan Jedlinski, CEO and Co-Founder of Gustav, Candidate.ly, and the World Staffing Organization joins the Hiring University podcast to discuss new technology trends in the staffing industry today and what we should expect in the near future. “There is a huge opportunity in the staffing market right now to adopt technology that doesn’t necessarily mean the death of recruiters. AI and automation, the Uberization of staffing, and other technology adoption should improve the user experience for the employer and candidate even though it will look different.” -Jan Jedlinski For more Hiring University episodes tune into your favorite podcast player or visit us at www.ursusinc.com