Susan Burke is the Vice President of Talent Acquisition for PeaceHealth. During the conversation, they (Marcus and Susan) delve into Susan’s journey in the field of recruitment, the importance of building internal stakeholder relationships, and strategies for strategic talent acquisition. The podcast delves into the nuances of the recruitment process, highlighting the crucial role of recruiters as consultants and emphasizing the importance of creating a high-quality candidate experience.

In the initial segment of the podcast, Susan talks about her professional journey in the recruitment sector from agency recruitment to being the VP of Talent Acquisition. She underscores the importance of exposure to diverse industries and the ability to flex recruiting styles to achieve success in corporate talent acquisition.

In the middle section of the conversation, Marcus and Susan discuss the qualities they look for in recruiters, such as passion, persistence, resilience, and the ability to build relationships. They also emphasize the challenges in building internal partnerships, highlighting the critical importance of investing time in understanding business needs. Susan also elucidates on the intake session and the crucial role of recruiters in understanding the business and representing it to potential candidates accurately.

Towards the end, the conversation focuses on the importance of ensuring a positive candidate experience throughout the recruitment process, from maintaining continuous communication during the feedback loop to providing constructive feedback to candidates about their interviews.

The 3 biggest takeaways from the podcast were:
1. The role of recruiters is not just about sourcing and submitting candidates but also about understanding the business and functioning as consultants to the hiring managers.
2. Building internal stakeholder relationships is crucial for smooth recruitment processes. It is essential to invest time in understanding the business needs to find the right candidate for the job effectively.
3. Ensuring a positive candidate experience is essential for maintaining a good employer brand in the market. This includes providing constructive feedback to candidates and maintaining open lines of communication throughout the recruitment process.