2025 April- TLIX Deep Dive

Our most recent Deep Dive discussion regarding early talent and university recruiting was lively. As one member stated - what they’re doing now with university recruiting is fine, but it’s hugely expensive given factors such as very high applicant volume, assessment tools/tech, internship/development programs, and the need to keep campus hires warm for many months between offer accept and start dates. At the strategic level, members shared whether they have a global or targeted strategy. That varied, but all desire to be more intentional with their investments based on business prioritization and ROI. When discussing AI’s impact on hiring this talent, a key unifying theme emerged: many are looking for talent that is agile or ‘ambidextrous’ as one leader described it. Given the uncertainty around future skill needs, many cited a higher prioritization of general skills, such as critical thinking or problem solving, over specific technical skills. Similarly, fewer companies are utilizing leadership development/rotation programs which may overpromise future opportunity. We closed with a great discussion about technologies that our members are using for selection, assessment, and recruitment of this critical talent and how companies are navigating changing DEI positioning with students.