taylor desseyn

My team at Zapier made more hires in the first half of 2025 than we did in all of 2023. We're on track to make more hires in 2025 than we did in all of 2023 and 2024 combined, and I'm already seeing that hiring is going to be strong going into 2026. I wanted to share what I'm seeing from the amazing people who are landing offers: 1. They are REALLY well qualified for the roles they're applying to. I know this is hard for those career changers or people making pivots, but as a remote company, we aren't able to be as hands on with training, AND we have very competitive candidate pools which means teams don't have to compromise too much. 👉 Read through the "about you" section and make sure that you check off most if not all of the boxes. 2. When they don't check all the boxes, I find that they have automation and AI experience, and really strong founder/start-up fit to compensate for the lack of relevant experience. If you have a track record of building complex solutions on Zapier, leveraging AI to accelerate productivity, or getting a lot done in resource constrained environments, this can really appealing to a hiring manager. 👉 Make sure that you showcase these experiences in your resume or application! 3. They show how they will make us better. Zapier has evolved a lot - from an automation platform to one focused on AI orchestration, from a product for small businesses to one for enterprise customers, from a single product to multiple products. So the people who join us need to be people who can help us evolve too. I see people who show off their agility, ability to navigate ambiguity, and a strong record of results in a variety of contexts doing particularly well. 👉 Think through examples that showcase attributes like these to highlight throughout your interview process. I hope this helps as you consider joining us!! P.S. I will probably plug ZapConnect a lot this week because it's a fantastic way to get to know us better as a product AND company!!

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There's a quiet revolution happening in enterprise hiring, and most VPs of TA already feel it. We’ve seen this pattern across 15 years of training the world’s best TA teams. You've invested millions in recruiting tech. Your team has every tool imaginable. Yet Monday morning brings the same reality: inconsistent interviews, hiring manager frustration, and that nagging feeling that despite all the technology, your hiring decisions aren't getting smarter. What if we've been solving for the wrong problem? We keep adding more tools when what we really need is more intelligence. Not just data and AI for the sake of it, but actionable insights that make every interview count. Here's the truth: The companies winning the talent war aren't the ones with the most tools. They're the ones who've figured out how to make every single interview as good as their best interview. Next week, we'll show how to turn every interview into your competitive advantage. And it’s going to spark a new way of thinking about hiring excellence. The future of hiring isn't about doing more. It's about doing it right, every time.

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𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗜 𝗛𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝗮 𝗖𝗖𝗢? 🤔 In the fast-paced start-up world, the timing of your first CCO hire can make or break market entry. ⚠️ 𝗧𝗼𝗼 𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆 → you burn cash on premature infrastructure ⚠️ 𝗧𝗼𝗼 𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲 → you scramble for market access just as FDA approval lands Key pressures every founder/CEO faces: ⏱️ 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗰𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗸𝘀 → 510(k) vs PMA vs De Novo create very different windows 🏥 𝗦𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝘀𝗮𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗰𝘆𝗰𝗹𝗲𝘀 → VACs, IDNs and GPOs demand structured economic + clinical evidence 💸 𝗥𝗲𝗶𝗺𝗯𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗹𝗮𝗴𝘀 → median 5.7 years from FDA to Medicare coverage for novel tech So when is the right time to hire for success? 🌱 𝗦𝗲𝗲𝗱 → 𝗘𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆 ��: keep it fluid - market development, KOL engagement, support to CEO/Board 🚀 𝗟𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗔 → 𝗘𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝗕 (~𝟭𝟴–𝟮𝟰𝗺 𝗽𝗿𝗲-𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲): bring in a hands-on leader to build pricing, VAC readiness + reimbursement strategies 🏗️ 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗕 → 𝗖 (𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗮𝗹 ≤𝟭𝟮𝗺): CCO shifts to architect + operator of the full commercial engine. Remember: 𝗛𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗖𝗖𝗢 𝟭𝟮–𝟮𝟰 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁 𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝘆. I’ve put together a short deck breaking down the timing, triggers, and capabilities that matter most. Check it out ⤵️ #ExecutiveSearch #ExecutiveRecruitment #Medtech #MedicalDevice #CCO #CSuite #CLevel #BoardSearch #Healthtech #Hiring #Startups #VentureCapital #Recruitment #Innovation

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A quiet shift is happening in recruiting software — and it’s not where most people are looking. We’re not playing the same game as others. We never have. Here’s how this market plays out over the next couple years: The traditional ATS will be replaced by the Talent Intelligence Platform (TIP) category — and that shift is already well underway. If you're still skeptical, you're already late. The momentum is impossible to stop. Over 30 recruiting software companies now list at least 5 of 6 core products that define a TIP on their website.  These are the required products in an end-to-end recruitment workflow, which is why the TIP is impossible to stop. Dozens more will enter the category and join the race in the years to come.   (Comment “TIP” if you want the full 150+ company breakdown.) The market has split into 3 camps: Camp 1: The Incumbents The legacy ATS vendors frozen in time who were the ATS marketshare leaders 10 years ago. They can’t evolve fast enough, even through acquisitions. Their bolt-on attempts haven’t worked — and won't. I explained why in a podcast 2 years ago (see first comment). Their customers know now: they’ll never become a true TIP. Camp 2: The Marketplace 150+ vendors are stuck in stagnation and declining growth. These aren’t innovators.  They only copy what they can see and what their customers ask them to build. Camp 2 used to be happy with small piece of the pie.  The problem is they are 7 years behind the curve of a disruptive category shift. They’re watching their customer bases erode. The pressure is on to build the 6 core TIP products… or find a buyer before value collapses. Once growth stalls and churn exceeds a tipping point, there’s no coming back.  Camp 3: The Startups New, well-funded players trying to “differentiate” with GenAI and flashy messaging. But they’re just reverse-engineering what’s already been built. Growth will come for a few years — then plateau, as they converge on the same 6 products and hit the same ceiling. Exit options for their investors will be limited. There are no returns in being #17 in a commoditized space, while 30 others are already ahead. At Loxo, we’ve been playing a different game from day one. We didn’t build six tools and stitch them together — we rearchitected the entire system from first principles. We’ve been solving real business problems, not feature gaps. Category leadership isn’t earned by being louder. It’s earned by being right. Right about the future. Right about the model. Right about the product. Right about the customer. Recruiting teams aren’t just adopting Loxo — they’re rebuilding their entire operations around it. It’s not just software anymore. It’s a new operating system for recruitment. And the delta is only getting wider. We're still early. But the compounding effects are accelerating. This is happening faster than most people think. The ATS is done. The Talent Intelligence Platform is inevitable. If you know, you know.

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HR is R&D. At Zapier, at least. And we’re not alone. I keep coming back to this article by Ethan Mollick. Ethan argues that instead of seeing AI as a downsizing tool, HR should treat it as a partner to enrich roles and go after business results that were traditionally unreachable. AI-enabled teams accomplish more, while routine tasks run in the background. In many cases, it’s up to HR to lead the way on boosting AI fluency across the org. This work has been incredibly energizing for our People team here at Zapier. Ethan also makes the case that everyday practitioners (including HR folks) are best-positioned to redesign work with AI. That makes sense. Practitioners are closest to the work, deeply understand the end-user, and have a solid handle on what excellence looks like. All-in, the AI transformation playbook is simple: 👉 Start small, focused on business impact vs. shiny new tools 👉 Pilot in a focused area (in this case, HR) 👉 Enable functional practitioners to lead the way 👉 Share and scale what works Each win builds confidence. Momentum and results follow. The side effect I love most? Engagement jumps when people become confident AI builders, not just recipients of change. Full article from Ethan here: https://lnkd.in/g6WZFka2

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In case you're hiring a recruiter from a startup... Do not judge them solely by their time-to-fill metrics or number of hires made Startup recruiting is more challenging and nuanced than hiring for established companies with strong employer brands 🧭 Here's what they have likely had to navigate: 1. No employer brand – they could not rely on name recognition to attract candidates 2. Low quality inbound – every hire required proactive sourcing 3. Unclear or ever-changing hiring needs 4. Leadership with unrealistic expectations 5. Hiring managers often lack hiring experience 6. No structured hiring process – they had to build it themselves 7. Unproven product or business model – they had to convince candidates to take a risk Only a small percentage of startup recruiters consistently meet hiring targets. (The ones that do are 🔥, don't get me wrong) If you're hiring a recruiter from a startup, look beyond the surface numbers and evaluate: - How they adapted to challenges - How they built or improved hiring processes - Their ability to sell opportunities to candidates - Their resilience in highly-ambiguous environments Anything you'd add?

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Has someone ever walked into your room while you’re doing a HireVue? 👀 Video interviews are awkward. You’re talking to a screen, there’s no real feedback, and any distraction can throw you off. But they’re becoming the norm from HireVue to pre-recorded assessments. Yesterday we hosted our CV Workshop and it was amazing to see so many young people taking the next step. Today we move on to video interviews. Here are 3 quick tips: 🎥 Treat it like a real interview. Dress the part and sit in a quiet space. ⌛ Practice timing. Most platforms only give you 30 to 60 seconds to think before recording. 💡 Show personality. Recruiters want to see you, not a memorised script. We’re running a Video Interview Session today to help you prepare. 👉 Join us here: https://luma.com/klbjisn3

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80 hour, 6 day onsite companies probably *aren't* outperforming you. Why? 🔭 𝐖𝐚𝐧𝐭 '𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲?'  DO: Set a big vision and mission that inspires folks to give 110%. DO NOT: Promote or confuse activity (office time, excessive, inefficient hours, extra cycles, slack posts, self-promotion) with results: efficient output and performance. 🧭 𝐖𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐲? DO: Hire at least 70% experienced guides who have pattern recognition and see around corners. They can build something spectacular in a week that takes learners a month. DO NOT: Hire 90% early career learners. You will need 80 hours/week to throw spaghetti at the wall to see what sticks, to produce anything you can ship. Your ops and GTM motion will sputter and churn through your TAM. Learner companies produce more cycles, not more viable output. 🎯 𝐖𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐡 𝐊𝐏𝐈𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐎𝐊𝐑𝐬? DO: Set clear goals, help your team understand the 'why,' and ask them to test every meeting, decision, and cycle against if this will get us closer to [goal]? DON'T: Set unnecessary 'how' metrics (office time; number of calls) 📣 𝐖𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧? DO: Maximize in-person time through smart norms that accelerate cycles (everyone in the same office the same days!). Set core-collaboration hours when everyone is maximally responsive. If distributed (including multiple offices), invest in systems, process, and people to ensure clear comms and documentation. DO NOT: Push decision and debates to inefficient slack threads, or hold status update meetings that belong in a dashboard. ⚓ 𝐖𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐧 𝐀+ 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐞𝐱𝐢𝐭? DO: Give people autonomy to operate as adults. Measure their impact and reward out-performance. DO NOT: Control your team, instead unleash them. Don't micromanage PTO, hours in office, hours worked, which hours they work (beyond core collab hours), if they have a family or other priorities..... unless these are the clear 'why' behind inability to produce impact. I've talked to many founders and executive leaders feeling pressure from the 'noise' to be 'more hardcore' or prescribe how their teams work without clear data or vision on how that will help attain goals. I'm here to give you permission to tune out your group chat noise and chase your company's vision with a team sold-out for achieving it. You'd be surprised how much follows. Need a helping hand on the journey? Send me a DM. ❤️

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Is your company brand strong enough to be using AI in interviews? I just spent weeks in deep conversation with some of America’s top recruitment mentors and it led me to two questions every founder, exec, and brand owner should ask before they touch AI interviewing. That’s what this video’s about. 👇

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💡 Let’s talk about talent density! A term that’s been buzzing in the startup world, but one that recruiting teams *really* need to internalize. At its core, talent density is the idea that the average quality of your team matters more than the absolute number of people you hire. A high-talent-density team can move faster, innovate better, and scale smarter than a larger team with mixed performance. For startups, this is mission-critical: 🚀 Speed to Impact: Every hire matters 10x more when the team is small. A single high performer can shift the trajectory; a mis-hire can stall momentum. 🎯 Focus on Fit: Recruiting isn’t just about filling seats, it’s about raising the bar with each new addition. 🔄 Compounding Effect: High performers attract other high performers. That’s the network effect of talent density. For recruiting teams, this means the job isn’t just about volume or speed. It’s about being deeply aligned with founders and hiring managers on what “great” looks like, having the courage to pass on “good enough,” and building processes that keep the bar consistently high. In other words: Talent density isn’t a nice-to-have. It’s the foundation of a startup’s ability to scale. #hiring #talentdensity #talentacquisition #startups

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The transparency gap in recruiting is real. Agencies claim they're transparent with candidates, but then those same candidates end up venting on Reddit about getting ghosted after multiple rounds. Rachelle Arnold's take: Stop assuming you're transparent and actually test it. Go through your own application process. Ask your top candidates how they really feel about you. Most agencies want to be transparent - they just need better systems to actually deliver it. Listen to my full conversation with Rachelle here: https://hubs.la/Q03zJBss0

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