Hunter vs. Herder: Jeff Pierce on Why Recruiters Need a Marketer’s Mindset

In this episode of Talking TA, host Denise Chaffin sits down with Jeff Pearce, a seasoned recruiter and sourcing expert who led a game-changing mentorship program at Walmart Connect. Jeff shares the story of how he created a curriculum from scratch to train coordinators in strategic sourcing—and how it delivered real results, including multiple hires in just weeks. The conversation explores Jeff’s passion for ad tech, the evolving role of recruiters in the age of AI, and why becoming 'one with your client group' is a strategic advantage in talent acquisition.

Key Episode Segments:

• Structured Mentorship Delivers Results: Jeff’s curriculum-based program helped fast-track beginners into making successful hires within 40 hours—proving the power of hands-on mentorship.

• Know the Business, Recruit Better: Understanding the industry you're hiring for leads to smarter sourcing, stronger candidate alignment, and more trust with hiring managers.

• Keyword Matching Isn’t Enough: Recruiters must move beyond resume scanning and embrace contextual strategy to identify top talent effectively.

• AI Is a Tool, Not a Replacement: While powerful, AI can't replace human insight, personalization, or the recruiter’s unique voice in communication.

• Choose to Hunt, Not Herd: Modern recruiters must decide whether they want to lead talent strategy or simply process applicants—being a hunter makes the difference.