Marjorie A. Ajero (She, Her)

What if TA could directly accelerate revenue? In this episode of the “Talent Acquisition Leaders” podcast, I’m joined by John Heyliger, VP of Global Talent Acquisition at Lockheed Martin. John shares how his team ties hiring speed to revenue recognition, measures candidate quality through NPS-style feedback and is building a skills-based foundation across a 120,000+ employee organization. We also dig into AI adoption, workforce planning and what it really takes to become a true talent advisor. Click the link in the comments for the episode. #Talent #Recruiters #HRTech

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Stories to and from exceptional leaders: Friday edition 🎄It’s the season of gratitude—and for some, the season of grief. Years ago, I sat with a CEO who had to deliver layoff news in early December. He asked, “Is there a way to do this with dignity?” The answer was yes—but it required courage, clarity, and compassion. If you’re facing this hard moment now, here’s what I’ve learned: ✨ Don’t delay hard news in the name of holiday cheer. Transparency builds trust—even when the message hurts. ✨ Deliver the message in person or live, not by email. People deserve to hear it from a human voice. ✨ Equip managers with talking points, emotional support, and follow-up resources. They carry the weight too. ✨ Offer outplacement, extended benefits, and a clear timeline. It’s not just about what you say—it’s what you do next. ✨ Acknowledge the emotional toll. For those staying, survivor’s guilt is real. For those leaving, identity loss is profound. Layoffs are never easy. But they can be humane. And how you lead through them will echo far beyond this season. If you’re navigating this now, I see you. Let’s make dignity the default. #Leadership #CHRO #CEO #Layoffs #OrganizationalCulture #HRLeadership #CompassionateLeadership

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🌟 AI has transformed the way I work as a Chief People Officer 👩‍💻 With the right prompts, I can: ✨ Draft a vision or strategy in minutes ✨ Explore new organizational designs ✨ Map future skills needs ✨ Analyze engagement patterns that once required heavy resources Talent intelligence tools now give me faster insights into where gaps exist and how to close them. Aligning our people strategy to the business with far greater agility. And here’s the thing 👉 these aren’t theoretical use cases. They’re part of my daily toolkit. Making my role more effective, efficient, and strategic. ⚡ But here’s the critical point: AI can accelerate the work… …but it cannot guarantee adoption. A beautifully crafted strategy document (even one powered by AI) doesn’t create change unless teams act on it and integrate it into how they work. AI might generate a job description… …but it won’t persuade a hiring manager to trust the process. AI can suggest smarter engagement actions… …but it won’t build the persistence needed to see them through. 💡 That’s where leadership comes in. That’s where People strategy matters more than ever. Because adoption isn’t just an AI challenge, it’s a human challenge. It requires: 🤝 Communication 🔑 Trust 💪 Persistence 🧭 Leaders who bridge technology with culture and behavior So, the real question for us as HR leaders isn’t just: ❓ What can AI do for me? But also: ❓ How do I ensure that what AI creates truly lands with my teams? 🚀 AI accelerates. Adoption transforms.

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This past weekend I listened to the SHRM People & Strategy podcast episode; “CHRO Alignment Series: Boardroom Synergy, Featuring Mastercard”, with Mo Fathelbab & Michael Fraccaro It got me thinking about the role of #HR and compensation committees, how they interface with the boardroom, and the kind of value HR leaders bring as board members. 🎯 My main learnings, which are also relevant for board chairs and Nominating & Governance/Compensation committees: • Trust & openness drive board/people team alignment • Listening is as important as advising • Embedding decency and ethics into leadership • HR/Comp committees must partner strategically • Board-people alignment supports enterprise transformation 📌 Why this matters for board candidates With a blend of global HR leadership, board service, teaching, and a deep passion for governance, culture and value creation, this episode made me think about: • The importance of executive HR/people-strategy experience that enables effective partnership with the CEO, CHRO and board. • Importance of understanding governance frameworks, committee responsibilities (including compensation/nom&gov) and having the fiduciary lens. • Commitment to continuous learning, thought leadership and bringing fresh insights into the boardroom. • Deep cultural immersion, inclusion, leadership development and transformation, which is often under-recognized yet pivotal in the boardroom. • Operating with integrity, a service mindset and an eye for business impact, which means blending people and business results. 🔍 HR strategy, business acumen, and governance readiness are relevant and critical skills that CHROs bring to the boardroom. In addition to the powerful leanings, my favorite comments from this episode were about: - The importance of reverse mentoring - How we can all help each other be great Thank you to the team at People & Strategy for a compelling and timely discussion. 💡 Question for those HR leaders serving on boards: What’s the one thing you believe the board needs to hear about people strategy today? #BoardService #Governance #CompensationCommittee #HRLeadership #CultureRisk #SuccessionPlanning #LeadershipDevelopment #BoardReadiness #PeopleStrategy #POVfromPrudende #SHRM https://lnkd.in/ep-Fd9gW

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Remote work has expanded access to talent in meaningful ways. It has also surfaced a challenge many TA leaders are navigating: authenticity. Across the industry, we are seeing more candidates misrepresent experience, outsource interviews, or apply at scale with little regard for fit. That reality has pushed TA teams to evolve, not just to move faster, but to hire smarter. At Bamboo Health, our TA team has made real progress through innovation. We have strengthened verification, rethought interview design, and built tighter alignment across the hiring process. Hiring in a remote first world looks different today, and better because of it. Talent Acquisition has always been about people. Increasingly, it is also about discernment and design. Curious how other TA leaders are continuing to adapt. What is working for you?

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As a Chief People Officer and advisor, I’ve spent my career helping organizations align talent with mission, and few spaces are more mission-driven—or more ripe for innovation—than women’s sports. The key take away from A New Era for Women’s Sports panel today was “Women’s sports isn’t a moment—it’s a movement.” Many thanks to David Hall, Kim Stone CEO of Washington Spirit, Lorine Pendleton, and Emma Rodriguez-Ayala for sharing their commitment to women in sports through investing in athletes, business, fans, and data. My own path in sports began with JV soccer in high school (where there were cuts!), and continued into grad school research at the University of Pennsylvania with John Ratey on the link between physical health and individual performance. Today, that belief informs how I guide executive teams: people strategy is business strategy—especially in high-growth, high-potential sectors like women’s sports. 🏀 ⚽️ 🎾 🏐 🏄‍♀️ Highlights from the panel: • ⚽ 320% projected growth in women’s sports by 2030—we’re still in inning one • 🧠 Women’s sports fans are younger, more educated, and more loyal to sponsors • 🤖 AI-driven analytics and ops are revolutionizing talent management on and off the field • 🏢 Modern leadership is essential—from succession planning to AI activation strategy to media engagement • 💡 Culture and storytelling are driving valuation as much as player stats • 🚀 “Success favors the bold”—and bold orgs are investing in front office talent, youth pipelines, and sports-enabling businesses If we want this movement to endure, we need to stop retrofitting old models (such as testing products on rats — rats don’t even get their period — one insight from today’s panel) and start designing business and talent systems that are as modern and powerful as the players themselves. PS - I had to take a picture (below) with former Washington Spirit player Tori Huster!! #WomensSports #FutureOfWork #ChiefPeopleOfficer #TalentStrategy #SportsInnovation #HRLeadership #WashingtonSpirit #RiseOfTheRest #ArielInvestments #NWSL #AIinSports #MovementNotMoment #SuccessFavorsTheBold

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We’re entering an era where salary secrecy is no longer strategic - it’s a liability. In the latest blog post from TalentTech, we unpack the global shift toward pay transparency, from NYC’s “good faith” salary laws to Australia’s ban on pay secrecy clauses. But it’s not just about compliance. It’s about trust, equity, and competitive edge. 🔍 Why it matters: 👉 75% more candidate engagement when salary is disclosed. 👉 WGEA’s employer-level pay gap data is changing the game in Australia. 👉 Remote work complicates fairness—should Bali and Boston earn the same? Transparency isn’t just a legal trend—it’s a cultural one. And if you’re still posting $0–$2M salary ranges, you’re not being clever. You’re being ignored. Read the full post to explore how real transparency can transform hiring, retention, and reputation. https://lnkd.in/gShCNngf #PayTransparency #FutureOfWork #RemoteWork #HiringStrategy

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Information Harvesting in Interviews: The Unspoken Reality Let’s talk about a quiet dynamic in hiring that’s getting louder: information harvesting. We all know interviews are two-way streets: companies assess talent, and candidates evaluate fit. But increasingly, candidates are noticing a pattern: ➡️ They're being asked very specific, strategic questions. ➡️ Their ideas, insights, and even frameworks get deep follow-ups. ➡️ But after the interview? No callback. No feedback. It starts to feel less like an interview and more like a free consulting session. Worse still, some companies are now intentionally posting ghost jobs (roles that don’t exist) solely to engage high-caliber professionals in interviews and extract knowledge, strategies, and competitive insights. Let’s call that what it is: exploitation, not recruitment. While not every company does this, and many truly want to hire, the collective effect of interviewing dozens of skilled candidates, each sharing their best thinking, is the passive (or sometimes intentional) accumulation of competitive intelligence. Candidates are adapting. They’re learning to hold back the “secret sauce.” Not from lack of enthusiasm, but from wisdom. They’re choosing to spark curiosity, not hand over playbooks. If you're hiring: ✅ Respect the boundary between evaluation and extraction. ✅ Build trust before diving deep. ✅ Show reciprocity. If a candidate shares value, reflect some back, even if they’re not selected. The best interviews leave both sides better off, not just one. Let’s raise the bar on ethical hiring! #Hiring #Recruitment #GhostJobs #CandidateExperience #EthicalWork #FutureOfWork #TalentStrategy #Interviewing

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Last week, Guild released the first-of-its-kind Talent Resilience Index, a quantitative benchmark of workforce mobility and adaptability across the US labor market, in partnership with Lightcast. What it shows? Workforce mobility is a powerful signal of systemic resilience in our country and across our industries, and it's hit its lowest point since 2016. The aggregate data tells a compelling story, but I'm left thinking about resilience at the individual level. I've gotten pretty curious about resilience as a skill - in our personal lives and professionally. It's the "bounce back" ability - the capacity to withstand or recover from challenges or failures, and come back stronger. You can't build resilience without facing difficulty or setbacks. As a people manager, I used to think of my role as being responsible for removing roadblocks for my team, for minimizing the possibility of failure, for helping bear the weight of challenges. When I consider this in the context of resilience, I wonder if this approach yields easier wins but less resilient teams. There is a balance to be struck between removing obstacles and cheering on your colleague when they face the obstacle head-on, fall down, and do that beautiful bounce back. People managers, does this resonate? How do you build resilience in your teams and organizations? Tagging in some favorite leaders for hot takes 🔥: Kristie Griffin Allison Van Voorhis Bridget Hopkins LeShanda D. Liz Longenecker Nathaniel Cole Stafford Brunk Josh Hadden-Leggett Jonathan Marek Sveta Dawant Chandler K. Jay Nancarrow Abby Hollern Crissy McConnell Claire M. Casey Boyles https://lnkd.in/gxjzCfPV

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I had the opportunity to speak with Sharon Wu, CFEI® Wu from USA TODAY about the best strategies employers can use to address the root causes of hiring friction. From ghosting to “ghost jobs,” both sides are navigating a hiring landscape shaped by layoffs, AI-driven recruiting, and evolving expectations. As I shared in the article, bridging this gap requires: Dropping generational stereotypes Closing the feedback loop Prioritizing human-to-human connection Showcasing real career growth paths We’re leading in a five-generation workforce for the first time in history — the best policies meet people where they are, not where we wish they were. 👉 How are you rethinking hiring practices to build trust with the next generation of talent? https://lnkd.in/gkFWfZW7

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When I think about the conversations that matter most in the boardroom right now, they all come back to one thing: Talent. Human capital now sits at the center of strategy, culture, and long-term value creation. For boards this shows up as questions like: - Do we have a clear, actionable succession plan for the CEO and key leadership roles? - Are we building a strong, diverse talent bench two layers down? - What is our culture really enabling or getting in the way of? - How are AI and technology reshaping roles? In my view, talent oversight works best when these questions are frequently on the board’s agenda. When boards regularly connect human capital to business outcomes, they are better positioned to manage risk, support leadership, and sustain the culture employees experience every day. How often does your board spend time on talent beyond updates on compensation or headcount metrics?

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Grateful to HrTech Cube for the opportunity to share this perspective on the “big small firm.” It’s not a tagline. It’s a business model — and a way of being. How we scale — and what we protect in the process — ultimately drives long-term value. Scale and soul can coexist. But only by deliberate design. #BigSmallFirm #ScaleWithSoul #FirmStrategy #ValueCreation #Leadership

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Indeed is changing the rules, and TA teams will be feeling it soon. Indeed is raising minimum spend requirements, asking for deeper access to ATS disposition data, and tightening how jobs are distributed. Some may say that none of this is inherently wrong. Platforms evolve, and business models change. True, but when pricing, visibility, data access, and distribution are controlled by one channel, it raises a bigger question for everyone involved: How resilient is your hiring strategy when the rules shift? Frontline hiring is too critical to rely heavily on a single job board as one of the main sources of talent or visibility. The organizations and agencies that navigate this well will be the ones that diversify early and invest in talent sourcing channels they can influence, not just rent. Because platforms change. But ownership, relationships, and trust compound over time. And one of the most powerful ways to build those is Employee Referrals.

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Interesting SHRM article this week. Amazon is reportedly considering a significant reduction in its workforce (including within its People function) as it advances an AI-first strategy backed by a $100B investment. For People leaders, this raises some important questions: 1. What is the future work of the People function? 2. What skills will HR professionals need now? 3. And how do we lead transformation instead of simply reacting to it? From my perspective, this moment isn’t simply about “fewer People roles.” It signals a fundamental shift in the HR operating model - toward deeper focus on leadership capability, manager effectiveness, organizational clarity, and true business partnership. We have to be part of the transformation. People leaders must be both architects and participants. That requires credibility, communication, and a clear, compelling narrative about what’s evolving and why. The future of HR doesn’t need to be smaller. It needs to be more strategic, more integrated and absolutely more human. Article link: https://lnkd.in/ecc-pqd3

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The strongest transformations I’ve led didn’t hinge on HR or Finance. They hinged on a real CHRO–CFO partnership. At Quarterra, the moments that mattered most weren’t about headcount or budgets in isolation. They were about: • Translating strategy into workforce reality • Aligning incentives with outcomes • Making tradeoffs together, not in silos That’s why SHRM's People and Strategy podcast episode about alignment between the CHRO and CFO resonated (November 2025). When the CHRO and CFO trust each other, speak each other’s language, and challenge each other productively, the business moves faster — and smarter. People are the numbers. And the numbers tell a people story. #Leadership #CHRO #CFO #PeopleStrategy #BusinessTransformation #ExecutiveAlignment #AskNikkiHR

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As HR leaders, we spend a lot of time thinking about how to support employees when they need care. But the reality is that even the best benefits can feel overwhelming if people don’t know where to start. That’s why the combination of CirrusMD and Quantum Health is so exciting. Instant access to virtual care paired with a team that helps guide people through the healthcare system can make the experience much simpler for employees and their families. I appreciated hearing Dayne Williams, CEO of Quantum Health, and Jamie Hall, President of CirrusMD, talk about the opportunity ahead. Read more here: https://hubs.ly/Q045cWDl0

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Rhonda Morris is one of those inspiring leaders who can distill the most complex challenges—from massive organizational change to the rise of AI—into simple, powerful truths that are rooted in humanity and authenticity. As a longtime friend (and fan!) of Rhonda’s, I was delighted to sit down with her to discuss what it means to be an “agile CHRO” during this transformative time. https://lnkd.in/gaVB4bqz Here are a few takeaways from our conversation:  🌟 Lead From the Heart ❤️: Prioritizing empathy and support builds profound loyalty and confidence. This is the foundation that keeps your teams resilient through change. While technology evolves, the value of human connections in the workplace is irreplaceable.  🌟 Embrace 'User Zero': Don't wait for all the answers on AI. Start testing and learning now, because the HR function is an essential engine for enterprise-wide transformation in the age of AI. 🌟 Test for Understanding: When communicating massive change, a single message may not be enough. Be honest and vulnerable about what you don't know, and ensure your message is landing with clarity. It’s about building trust in the face of uncertainty. Thank you for sharing your invaluable insights, Rhonda!

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Honored to contribute to Dice's latest piece on the unwritten rules of tech job searching. The article captures something crucial: the job market has fundamentally changed, and the old playbook doesn't work anymore. My biggest takeaway from contributing to this piece: The spray-and-pray approach isn't just ineffective - it's actively harmful. Modern ATS systems remember everything. Apply to 5 random positions at the same company? You're flagged as unfocused. That flag follows you. Forever. But here's what struck me most while discussing these insights: We've created a system where being human is a disadvantage. • Generic resumes get through ATS filters • But generic resumes get rejected by humans • Personal connections matter more than ever • But ghost jobs waste everyone's time The paradox: You need to be systematic enough to beat the robots, but human enough to connect with people. Three insights that didn't make it into the article: 1. Thursday mornings - That's when most new tech roles post. Set your alerts accordingly. 2. The 60% rule works - If you meet 60% of requirements, apply. Companies list their dream candidate, not their minimum. 3. Your competition isn't who you think - For roles over $96K, you're not competing with other applicants. You're competing with internal candidates and referrals. The full article breaks down all 8 rules in detail. Worth reading if you're actively searching or planning your next move. Which unwritten rule surprised you most?

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