Casey Welch, the Co-founder, President, and CEO of Tallo, a platform connecting talent with opportunities speaks to us in this latest TecHRseries interview to share his experience and key learnings in HR Tech. Casey talks about some of the biggest flaws affecting modern-day recruitment and how to effectively leverage HR Tech to build a continuous talent pipeline.
Don’t miss his predictions on the future of work!
Hello, Casey! Walk us through your professional journey. Tell us about the story behind Tallo.
I grew up in a small town, where I experienced firsthand the challenges companies and colleges face in connecting with talent from rural areas. I had the very specific talent of being able to kick a football far, so I was recruited to play football at Purdue University. Because of that recruitment process, I was able to earn both my bachelor’s and master’s degrees from a four-year college. This process got me thinking: what if we recruited for careers the same way we recruit for athletics? So that’s why we created Tallo, to serve as a digital ecosystem where students and professionals can showcase the talents they’re most proud of, and companies and colleges can discover them and foster early connections.
What according to you are some of the biggest flaws in recruitment within the B2B/Tech marketplace?
Something that we see a lot is talent seekers recruiting on behalf of a company, rather than on behalf of a specific opportunity. Our research shows that members of Generation Z, those born after 1996, care more about connecting to an opportunity that’s the right fit, than connecting with a company they’re already familiar with. In fact, 88% reported that they would pursue an opportunity that is a clear fit for them even if they are unfamiliar with the company, while only 44% of Gen Z are likely to work for a company they have heard of, if the opportunity isn’t a clear fit. Recruiters will have more success if they’re able to micro-target available opportunities to the right set of talent.
Read More: TecHR Interview with Ciara O’Keeffe, VP of Customer Experience at StaffConnect
How can companies use HR technology more effectively to help solve issues like creating a continuous talent pipeline?
Micro-targeting the right group of talent to make them aware of specific opportunities is only the first step. Companies should also be maintaining continuous one-on-one communication with talent. This is part of what makes the athletic recruiting process so effective. Communicating with talent early and often will pay off when it comes time for them to make big decisions about continuing their education or moving forward in the workforce. Members of Generation Z are hungry for connections, and certainly aren’t just waiting around: A recent Tallo survey showed that 96% of Gen Z believe in the importance of networking even when a company does not have an immediate job opening.
What are some of your predictions regarding the future of work and the future of HR Tech?
I think we’re going to see some changes in several ways. First off, as students and their parents get more fed up with our current student debt crisis – Americans currently owe more than $1.5 trillion in student loan debt – young people are going to be more aware of education and career pathways that may be less expensive than a traditional four-year degree. We’ve worked with some companies and higher ed institutions that have found a lot of success in offering these alternative work and study programs, like apprenticeships. Additionally, with the increased popularity of professional networking sites like LinkedIn and Tallo, Generation Z and Millennials are making more and more professional connections online. With this, we’re going to see shifts away from traditional in-person recruiting events, like college and career fairs.
How do you think typical roles in B2B and Tech will evolve given the influence of HR Tech/Tech?
No one needs to be told how quickly technology is changing – there’s evidence of that all around us. Employers and managers can embrace these rapid advancements by building up a versatile team. Pay attention to employees’ skills and strengths beyond just their core role. As tech quickly changes, internal roles may have to shift as well. Know where your employees can go and encourage them to continuously develop a diverse skill set.
Read More: TecHR Interview with Nina Cofer, Product Marketing Manager at BreezyHR
What hiring tips would you share for evolving roles in Marketing/Sales (roles that are now changing due to the influence of SalesTech/Martech etc)?
Pay attention to how people want to communicate and ask questions upfront about what motivates them. In the exciting, fast-paced world of tech, it may not be hard to get people in the door, but the real payoff comes when you invest time to keep them there. And no matter what, make sure your sales and marketing team members’ passions align with what they’re selling or marketing. If they are, they’ll put in the extra effort.
What’s your smartest productivity hack?
Simple: I surround myself with people who are smarter than me!
Tag (or mention/write about) one person in the industry whose answers to these questions you would love to read.
I think Corlis Murray, the SVP of Quality, Regulatory, and Engineering Services at Abbott would offer great insight. Abbott is focusing on some really progressive ideas when it comes to recruiting and facilitating meaningful high school internship opportunities in the STEM field, and Corlin has been instrumental in blazing that trail.
Share your favorite hiring/leadership/HR tech quote.
I have two that really inspire me:
“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more, you are a leader.” – John Quincy Adams
“Earn your leadership every day.” – Michael Jordan
Thank you, Casey! This interaction was both fun and informative; hope to see you again on TecHR Series soon.
Read More: TecHR Interview with Lilia Stoyanov, CEO of Transformify
Everyone has a skill, interest, or ability that someone else is looking for. What’s missing is the connection. That’s why Tallo came into being. To give the next generation of talent the ability to overcome traditional boundaries and connect with opportunities anytime, anywhere. Tallo believes that a happy workforce fuels innovation, growth, and prosperity. The vision is to live in a world where everyone loves their career, because they followed a path where their passions and opportunities aligned.
Casey Welch is the president, CEO and co-founder of Tallo, a digital platform that’s connecting 700,000 students and professionals to opportunities offered by colleges, companies, and organizations. Before co-founding Tallo, Casey was recruited to play football at Purdue University, where he earned his B.S. in technology, All Big-Ten honors and his master’s in engineering/technology education. As a graduate student, Casey taught multiple courses and received the Indiana Outstanding Future Educator Award before starting his career at Citigroup, where he served as Lead of the Fortune 50 company’s Global Policy Management Group.