At This Time

At This Time, Eric sits down with longtime colleague and friendly rival Nicole Wellman Noble — a charter school talent veteran who traded her in-house seat at Bright Star for the consultant life. Nicole gets real about what it actually takes to make that jump (hint: it's more than just a LinkedIn rebrand), why imposter syndrome never fully disappears, and how her work is evolving alongside some of the most heated contract negotiati...

At This Time, Eric DeSobe sits down with talent expert and reality TV enthusiast Joanna Belcher to unpack the hiring lessons hidden inside the Bachelorette's season cancellation — and yes, it gets surprisingly insightful. From the "always be cultivating" mindset to the game-changing 10-reference strategy, Joanna breaks down why charisma and ratings potential (in TV and hiring) can blind you to red flags hiding in plain sight. She m...

At This Time, we're diving into one of the most niche — and fascinating — hiring challenges in education: recruiting Mandarin-fluent teachers from overseas. Henry Liu, Director of Talent & HR at Yu Ming Charter School, one of California's top public schools, breaks down what it actually takes to hire internationally, navigate visa sponsorships, and set teachers up for success in a U.S. classroom they've never stepped foot in be...

At This Time ... we're sitting down with Dave Tassone, a former Teach For America educator turned healthcare talent leader, who made a career pivot that most people wouldn't see coming — from charter school management to a mental health agency serving people navigating the criminal justice system. Dave shares how a bond with a student who became incarcerated during his first year of teaching never quite left him, and eventually pul...

At This Time... Emily Gaines, Head of Talent, HR & Learning at SESI Schools, joins us for a candid conversation about building an HR function from scratch across 16 states, hiring 2,500 specialized education employees a year, and why going fast too soon almost cost her everything. She breaks down SESI's AI-powered phone screening tool — processing 50,000–70,000 applications annually — and shares why the retention data genuinely...

At This Time ... Zainab Ali breaks down fresh survey data on what really drives teachers’ decisions — and spoiler alert: it’s not flashy perks. It’s the basics done well: fair pay, safety, coaching, stability, growth, and transparency.

But here’s the kicker — a surprising number of young teachers don’t even know what a charter school is. If educators can’t clearly see who you are or what you offer, they can’t choose you. This episo...

At This Time ... what happens when a former education recruiter steps into the fast-paced world of pediatric healthcare? Trinity Dubriel shares how she’s navigating high-volume hiring, specialized roles, and competitive talent markets—while still insisting on one thing: keeping the human touch. From manually reviewing hundreds of resumes (yes, really) to prioritizing mission alignment and retention over quick hires, Trinity makes t...

At This Time we’re stepping inside recruitment season at KIPP SoCal Public Schools, where Jason Alagha is hiring the people who shape what happens after the final school bell rings. From coaching first-time job seekers through their very first interview to staffing 20 schools with wildly different personalities, Jason breaks down what it really takes to find talent that can lead a room of 10 kids (and survive the chaos).

We talk st...

🎧 Summary:

At This Time ... Brandon Amoroso is scaling way more than just dinners — he's scaling the entire recruiting process. From hosting 50+ exclusive talent dinners across the U.S. to building Scaleless, an all-in-one recruiting platform that actually learns, Brandon shares how he's bridging the gaps in hiring caused by clunky legacy systems and chaotic AI overload. Hear how his platform eliminates keyword spam, streamlines c...

At This Time … we catch up with Kayla Snowden, a former teacher and school recruiter who made the leap from education to tech—and now sorts through 400+ resumes per job in the corporate world. She spills on what shocked her most about recruiting outside of schools (spoiler: format matters), how she crash-coursed her way into tech lingo, and why AI-generated resumes can be a one-way ticket to rejection. If you've ever wondered what ...

🎧 SUMMARY: At This Time … we dive into the wild world of education talent with Jessica Edelman, who’s been filling school roles for nearly a decade and still can’t find enough brave souls for 7th grade science. She talks TFA, teacher residencies, and how growth mindset is still the ultimate green flag in interviews. Plus, the shift from “no excuses” to restorative discipline, and why AI-written cover letters better come spellcheck...

At This Time… recruiter and accidental LinkedIn star Bonnie Dilber joins to share how she went from teaching kindergarten to running talent at Zapier — and building a wildly influential LinkedIn presence along the way. She spills on using LinkedIn like a pro without turning into a cringe content machine, why job-seeker scams make her furious, and how being visible online opened surprising doors (including the New York Times). Wheth...

At This Time ... we're going behind the scenes of the hiring process with Ashlee Fletcher, a seasoned recruiter at KIPP who’s interviewed literally over a thousand candidates. She spills on the biggest resume red flags, what makes a candidate unforgettable, and why mission alignment matters way more than you think. From calming nervous applicants to coaching her own family through job hunts, Ashlee keeps it real, human, and hilario...

At This Time … we’re diving into the world of first-time teachers, five-minute demo lessons, and job interviews that start on LinkedIn and end at Prank Bar. Emarciano Perez joins us to unpack how he spots future educators—no credential required. From resume coaching for family to turning group interviews into bonding moments, Emarciano shares what really matters when you're hiring for heart and hustle. Also, he might not be deep on...

At This Time … we’re talking costume parties, career pivots, and clean resumes with recruiting superstar Arica Watford. From pitching teaching gigs in alien ears to building genuine connections that last long after onboarding, Arica shares her magic formula for talent scouting in LA. She dishes on what not to say in interviews, why TikTok might be your next hiring channel, and how AI is helping (not replacing) recruiters have bette...

At This Time ...

Eric and Ryan dive into the evolving state of education recruitment, where the vibes are slightly more optimistic—but no one's popping champagne yet. Ryan shares what’s actually working to keep educators around (hint: it’s not just pay), how AI is quietly reshaping the hiring game, and why texting beats email every time. From accidental career pivots to the eternal hunt for high school science teachers, this episod...

At This Time, Cristina De La Cruz drops a masterclass in modern recruiting, unpacking her 20-year journey from publishing sales to a game-changing embedded recruitment model at ISG Partners. She explains how today’s hiring leaders are ditching traditional RPOs in favor of flexible, month-to-month recruiters who feel like internal teammates. From legal staffing trenches to startup growth sprints, Cristina shares real talk on what’s ...

At This Time … we’re tracing Theo Smith’s journey from high school math teacher to talent leader and fractional executive matchmaker. From learning the ropes of recruitment under a TFA alum legend to proving his nonprofit chops translate in the for-profit world, Theo breaks down how he leveled up his skill set—without losing his passion for professional development. Now at VChief, he’s helping leaders do less… so they can lead more...

At This Time ... we're diving into the billion-dollar shakeup happening in college sports with former D1 basketball coach and NetChasers host, Brian Rosario. After 26 years on the sidelines, Brian’s now helping programs rethink how they fund, recruit, and retain talent in the wild world of NIL and revenue sharing. From managing locker room culture to navigating crazy parents, Brian reveals how today’s coaches are more like GMs than...