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The Breakthrough Hiring Show: Modern Recruiting, AI, and Talent Strategy

The Breakthrough Hiring Show: Modern Recruiting, AI, and Talent Strategy

Written by: James Mackey
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Welcome to The Breakthrough Hiring Show: Recruiting, AI, and Talent Strategy, a podcast for leaders building better hiring systems and stronger teams.


Hosted by James Mackey, the show features conversations with founders, CEOs, talent leaders, and recruiting experts on how great companies hire, scale, and adapt as technology changes the talent landscape.


Episodes cover talent acquisition strategy, recruiting operations, AI, automation, candidate experience, hiring analytics, and executive decision-making.


You will learn how to build scalable hiring systems, use AI and recruiting technology effectively, improve the hiring process, and make talent acquisition a competitive advantage.


Built for founders, executives, talent acquisition leaders, recruiters, and hiring teams.


Thank you to our sponsors, SecureVision and June, for making this show possible.

© 2026 SecureVision
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Episodes
  • EP 226: Navigating Modern TA Operations in 2026
    Aug 18 2026

    In this episode, host James Mackey talks with Jeremy Lyons, Co-Founder of RecOps Collective, about what recruiting operations really includes, why AI rollouts often fail without clear context, and how hiring culture shows up in the data. They discuss scheduling automation, the hidden cost of automating entry-level roles, and practical ways to stay credible while working with vendors and partners.




    Thank you to our sponsor, SecureVision, for making this show possible!


    Follow us:
    https://www.linkedin.com/company/82436841/

    SecureVision: #1 Rated Embedded Recruitment Firm on G2!
    https://www.g2.com/products/securevision/reviews

    Thanks for listening!


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    39 mins
  • EP 225: From Animal Behavior to Talent Teams: Leading with Positive Reinforcement
    Aug 4 2026

    Host James Mackey sits down with Jennifer Anker, a talent acquisition executive who has built and led recruiting organizations at Illumio, Twilio, Wiz, and Okta. Long before recruiting, Jennifer studied animal behavior and worked with marine mammals - an experience that shaped the calm, positive-reinforcement leadership style she still uses today.

    Jennifer and James explore how to deliver direct feedback with empathy, use positive reinforcement as a genuine management philosophy, and build teams that feel empowered to challenge ideas - including their leader’s. They also discuss overcoming imposter syndrome, creating a culture of “disagree and commit,” and adapting coaching to what motivates each individual.

    The conversation closes with a practical look at AI in recruiting, from note-taking tools to custom AI agents, and why recruiters who learn to work alongside AI will have a significant advantage over those who don’t.


    Thank you to our sponsor, SecureVision, for making this show possible!


    Follow us:
    https://www.linkedin.com/company/82436841/

    SecureVision: #1 Rated Embedded Recruitment Firm on G2!
    https://www.g2.com/products/securevision/reviews

    Thanks for listening!


    Show More Show Less
    48 mins
  • EP 224: The Coaching Mindset Behind Great Hiring
    Jul 21 2026


    We sit down with Michael Prem, Head of Recruiting at Skyflow, to explore how growing up across Sri Lanka, Zambia, and Toronto shaped his coaching-first approach to hiring and leadership. He explains why he values hard work over “perfect-for-the-moment” talent, especially in fast-moving startup environments where priorities shift every few months. Along the way, we connect competitive sports, startup pace, and the rise of AI in recruiting to one core idea: adaptability and trust win over time.




    Thank you to our sponsor, SecureVision, for making this show possible!


    Follow us:
    https://www.linkedin.com/company/82436841/

    SecureVision: #1 Rated Embedded Recruitment Firm on G2!
    https://www.g2.com/products/securevision/reviews

    Thanks for listening!


    Show More Show Less
    34 mins
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