⏳ Why Hiring Feels Slower Than Ever

Happy Sunday!

I’ve seen firsthand how silos between HR and IT can leave teams stuck in outdated processes, missing chances to innovate. But what if we flipped the script? Moderna’s decision to merge HR and IT into a single powerhouse team shows how aligning people, technology, and workflows can unlock agility and innovation at scale.

For HR pros everywhere, it’s a call to think bigger: to break down barriers, harness AI, and design a workplace ready for constant change. Dive in to discover how you can lead this transformation — and ensure your teams thrive in the AI-powered future of work.

Upcoming In This Issue:

• 🎯 Turning Overqualified Candidates Into Opportunities

• 🤝 Case Study | HR + IT: The Future of Workflows at Moderna

• ⏳ Why Hiring Feels Slower Than Ever

• 🚀 Tips from HR Pros | Succeeding as a New Hire: Critical Advice for Early-Career Talent

Avoid Costly Mistakes With This HR Tip

🎯 Turning Overqualified Candidates Into Opportunities

By stepping into interviews ready to ask thoughtful questions, clearly outlining expectations, and offering meaningful challenges, we can transform perceived risks into extraordinary advantages.

All it takes is a willingness to shift our assumptions and embrace a recruitment mindset that sees overqualification not as a red flag, but as an opportunity to innovate and elevate our teams.

Key Insights

• 🔍 Assess true motivations — Overqualified candidates often seek stability, career shifts, or better balance; honest interviews uncover real intentions and fit.

• 🛠️ Proactively address concerns — Discuss career paths and growth opportunities early, easing fears of boredom or premature turnover.

• 🧠 Leverage advanced skills — Assign stretch projects and mentorship roles to harness their expertise for innovation and team development.

• 📈 Revise job postings & train managers — Craft ads highlighting growth potential; train teams to see overqualification as an asset, not a threat.

read the full 683-word article here

🤝 Case Study | HR + IT: The Future of Workflows at Moderna

I’ve seen firsthand how disconnected processes between HR and IT can slow teams down, frustrate employees, and stifle innovation.

When talent strategy and technology strategy are developed in tandem, teams can move beyond incremental fixes to fundamentally re-architect how work flows, making organizations more adaptive, resilient, and ready for whatever comes next. Let’s see how Moderna approached this challenge.

Key Insights

• 🔗 Merged departments drive agility. Moderna combined HR and IT into one team to align culture, technology, and workflows for faster, smarter execution.

• 🧑‍💻 AI central to transformation. A digital-first mindset led Moderna to embed AI early, including 3,000+ custom GPTs like ‘Ask HR’ for streamlined support.

• 📊 Insights fuel continuous improvement. Data from employee AI interactions helps Moderna identify gaps in policies and communication, then adapt proactively.

• 🚀 Adaptive systems are the goal. By 2030, Moderna aims for seamless collaboration between humans and AI agents to quickly realign work with evolving needs.

read the full 1,559-word article here

😄 Comic Relief (HR Edition)

 📰 Latest in HR News

• Bumble Layoffs Announced. Another Tech Giant Makes a Cut in 2025

• Employers warned of losing talent if they don't offer paid leave

• Debt collectors are coming for student loan holders. Affected employees may need HR’s help.

• Employment outlook for Q3 dips as employers face economic uncertainty

⏳ Why Hiring Feels Slower Than Ever

When missteps happen, like hiring someone who isn’t technically or culturally the right fit, the ripple effects can drain morale, spike turnover, and burn out already overworked staff.

To navigate today’s competitive landscape, we need hiring strategies that balance speed with thoroughness, while ensuring we don’t sacrifice quality for haste.

Key Insights

• 📊 Longer timelines confirmed. 93% of hiring managers say hiring now takes longer than two years ago, with delays across interviews and checks.

• 🚨 Mistakes worsen turnover. 30% admitted hiring mistakes in the past two years; 57% of those said it led to additional employee exits.

• 🕒 Use hiring metrics smartly. Tracking “time to fill” helps identify bottlenecks and shows where delays may damage productivity and morale.

• 🔍 Reevaluate recruiting steps. Reviewing metrics like applicant quality, sourcing effectiveness, and hiring costs can reveal where processes stall.

read the full 437-word article here

🚀 Tips from HR Pros | Succeeding as a New Hire: Critical Advice for Early-Career Talent

Starting out in today’s job market can feel like jumping into the deep end of a pool without knowing how to swim, especially with social skills disrupted by the pandemic and the pace of AI leaving many already behind.

I’ve seen how essential it is for early-career professionals to navigate these hurdles intentionally, soaking up every opportunity to learn in-person and bringing fresh ideas to the table.

Being proactive, present, and unafraid to pitch ideas can mean the difference between blending into the background and standing out as a future leader.

Key Insights

• 🏢 Show up in person — Early-career hires should prioritize time in the office; in-person interactions offer irreplaceable insights into how the company operates.

• 💡 Pitch new ideas often — Don’t wait for permission; suggesting innovative products or efficiencies helps build credibility and demonstrates initiative early on.

• 🎯 Highlight early experience — Don’t overlook part-time or unrelated jobs; those roles build soft skills like responsibility and communication that employers value.

• 🤖 Engage with AI — Younger hires are already the most AI-enabled; leaning into hackathons and experimentation helps both personal growth and company success.

read the full 536-word article here