Why do good employees leave and what are executives getting wrong about hiring, leadership, and employee retention?

In this episode of The Hiring Confessional, recruiting expert Michael Hayes sits down with Mary Collum of Arizona Growth Advisors to discuss what business leaders often overlook when hiring, developing, and retaining their people.

Mary shares her perspective on working with mid-market business owners and C-suite executives, explaining why companies can succeed despite lacking clear systems, leadership alignment, and succession plans. Together, Michael and Mary explore the hiring mistakes that drive great candidates away, the importance of setting realistic job expectations, and why a poor onboarding experience can damage an employee's relationship with a company from day one.

The conversation also examines why good employees sometimes leave while underperforming or toxic employees remain, how company culture influences retention, and why leaders need to make faster, smarter hiring decisions. Mary explains how employee ownership, profit-sharing, leadership development, and a strong internal culture can help businesses build teams that want to stay and grow.

Michael and Mary also discuss private equity, the challenges of retaining skilled tradespeople, the role of fractional CFOs, and how executives can create a confidential environment where business leaders can address problems and become more effective.

In this episode:

• Why good employees leave and what leaders often miss
• The biggest hiring mistakes businesses make
• Why long, unrealistic job descriptions drive candidates away
• How AI screening can overlook qualified candidates
• Why recruiting should focus on people, not just resumes
• How poor onboarding can damage employee retention
• Why setting clear expectations before hiring matters
• How toxic managers can weaken company culture
• Why businesses need to make hiring decisions faster
• How employee ownership and profit-sharing can improve retention
• What executives should know about leadership development and succession planning
• Why company culture matters when hiring for fit
• How private equity can affect employees and business operations
• Why growing companies need the right financial leadership
• How behavioral interview questions can reveal more about candidates
• How leaders can improve employee engagement and accountability
• Why businesses should treat employees as importantly as customers
• How executive advisory groups help business owners grow

🔗 Connect with Our Guest:
🎙 Guest: Mary Collum – Arizona Growth Advisors
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marycollum/
🌐 Company: Arizona Growth Advisors

🔗 Connect with Our Host:
🎙 Host: Michael Hayes – Recruiting Expert and Founder of Momentum Hiring Solutions
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhayes100200/
🏢 Company: https://www.linkedin.com/company/momentum-hiring-solutions
🌐 Website: https://mtm2recruit.com/

🔗 Connect with The Hiring Confessional:
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thehiringconfessional
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thehiringconfessional/
🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thehiringconfessional
👍 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheHiringConfessional
🌐 Website: https://lnk.bio/thehiringconfessional

🎧 Listen to The Hiring Confessional:
https://lnk.bio/thehiringconfessional

👉 Subscribe to The Hiring Confessional for more honest conversations about recruiting, hiring, employee retention, leadership, workplace culture, and business growth.

💬 What's the biggest reason good employees leave a company: poor leadership, lack of opportunity, or a better offer somewhere else? Share your thoughts in the comments.

#Hiring #Recruiting #EmployeeRetention #Leadership #WorkplaceCulture #HiringTips #RecruitingTips #TalentAcquisition #EmployeeEngagement #BusinessGrowth #ExecutiveLeadership #Management #ArizonaGrowthAdvisors #TheHiringConfessional #MichaelHayes #MomentumHiringSolutions #MaryCollum

Hiring Veterans? What Employers Get Wrong About Veteran Hiring | Steve Weintraub

What does it really take to hire veterans successfully—and why can the wrong expectations drive great veteran employees away?

In this episode of The Hiring Confessional, recruiting expert Michael Hayes sits down with Steve Weintraub of Vet Tix to discuss veteran hiring, transitioning from military to civilian careers, workplace expectations, finding purpose, and the importance of creating the right fit between veterans and employers.

Steve shares his own experience transitioning from more than 32 years in the Marine Corps to the civilian workforce, including the challenges veterans can face when searching for meaningful employment.

Michael and Steve also discuss why veterans can bring valuable skills to the workplace, why simply placing veterans into entry-level positions can create frustration, and why employers need to clearly communicate company culture and expectations.

The conversation also explores the story behind Vet Tix, how the nonprofit provides event tickets to veterans and their families, the impact those experiences can have, and how businesses and event organizations can give back.

In this episode:

• Why veterans can be valuable employees
• The challenges veterans face transitioning into civilian careers
• What employers often misunderstand about hiring veterans
• Why expectation management matters when hiring veterans
• Why veterans may leave when their skills are underutilized
• How employers can explain workplace culture to transitioning veterans
• The importance of finding purpose and passion in your career
• How Vet Tix gives back to veterans and their families
• How Vet Tix distributes donated event tickets
• How businesses and organizations can donate tickets
• The impact of meaningful experiences on veterans and families
• How technology and AI support Vet Tix
• Finding your career path when you don't know what you want to do

🔗 Connect with our Guest:
🎙 Guest: Steve Weintraub - Vet Tix
🌐 Website: https://www.vettix.org/

🔗 Connect with our Host:
🎙 Host: Michael Hayes - Job Recruiting Expert and Founder of Momentum Hiring Solutions
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhayes100200/
🏢 Company: https://www.linkedin.com/company/momentum-hiring-solutions
🌐 Website: https://mtm2recruit.com/

🔗 Connect with The Hiring Confessional:
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thehiringconfessional
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thehiringconfessional/
🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thehiringconfessional
👍 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheHiringConfessional
🌐 Website: https://lnk.bio/thehiringconfessional

🎧 Listen to The Hiring Confessional:
https://lnk.bio/thehiringconfessional

👉 Subscribe to The Hiring Confessional for more honest conversations about recruiting, hiring, careers, leadership, workplace culture, and professional success.

💬 What do you think employers need to understand better about hiring veterans?

#Hiring #Recruiting #VeteranHiring #Veterans #MilitaryVeterans #HiringTips #RecruitingTips #WorkplaceCulture #CareerAdvice #Leadership #TalentAcquisition #VetTix #TheHiringConfessional #MichaelHayes #MomentumHiringSolutions #SteveWeintraub

DEI, Ghost Jobs & Bad Hiring: What Companies Get Wrong About Hiring | Katee Van Horn

What actually makes a great workplace—and why are companies making hiring so complicated?

In this episode of The Hiring Confessional, recruiting expert Michael Hayes sits down with Katee Van Horn of VH Included Consulting & Coaching to discuss workplace culture, DEI, recruiting, candidate experience, and the hiring practices that can cost companies great employees.

Katee shares insights from nearly 27 years in HR, including why inclusion is about more than buzzwords, how companies can create fairer hiring processes, and why performance should matter more than relationships or office politics.

Michael and Katee also discuss ghost jobs, slow hiring, excessive interviews, complicated job postings, AI in recruiting, and why human connection still matters when you're trying to hire great people.

In this episode:

• The problem with ghost job postings
• What actually creates a great workplace
• Why DEI has become so polarizing
• Building fair hiring and promotion processes
• Why recruiting is also about selling the job
• How slow hiring loses great candidates
• Why candidate experience matters
• How to become a better interviewer
• AI vs. human connection in recruiting
• Why companies need to simplify hiring

🔗 Connect with our Guest:
🎙 Guest: Katee Van Horn - VH Included Consulting & Coaching

🔗 Connect with our Host:
🎙 Host: Michael Hayes - Job Recruiting Expert and Founder of Momentum Hiring Solutions
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhayes100200/
🏢 Company: https://www.linkedin.com/company/momentum-hiring-solutions
🌐 Website: https://mtm2recruit.com/

🔗 Connect with The Hiring Confessional:
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thehiringconfessional
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thehiringconfessional/
🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thehiringconfessional
👍 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheHiringConfessional
🌐 Website: https://lnk.bio/thehiringconfessional

🎧 Listen to The Hiring Confessional:
https://lnk.bio/thehiringconfessional

👉 Subscribe to The Hiring Confessional for more honest conversations about recruiting, hiring, careers, leadership, and workplace success.

💬 What do you think is hurting hiring the most today—ghost jobs, slow hiring, or overly complicated processes?

#Hiring #Recruiting #HumanResources #HR #DEI #WorkplaceCulture #GhostJobs #HiringTips #CandidateExperience #TalentAcquisition #Leadership #JobSearch #TheHiringConfessional #KateeVanHorn #MichaelHayes

He Got Fired After 13 Years on Radio - Then Reinvented His Career | Mark Asher

Getting fired from the career you've built for years can feel like the end—but what if it becomes the opportunity to build something completely new?

In this episode of The Hiring Confessional, recruiting expert Michael Hayes sits down with Mark Asher, former sports-radio host and now a wealth management professional, to talk about what happens when you're suddenly forced to rethink your entire career.

Mark shares how he was let go from radio at 37 after spending years building a successful broadcasting career. Instead of going back to radio, he made the difficult decision to reinvent himself and enter wealth management—even though he initially knew very little about the industry.

The conversation explores career change, starting over, transferable skills, networking, resilience, AI and the future of work, hiring challenges, workplace relationships, and why your personal network can become one of your biggest career assets.

Mark also shares how he went from studying for multiple financial exams and starting from scratch to finishing top 10 in the country among first-year advisors.

Whether you're a recruiter, HR professional, business owner, hiring manager, professional facing a career transition, or someone who's recently lost a job, this episode offers a powerful reminder that losing your career doesn't mean you've lost your future.

In this episode:

🔄 How to reinvent your career after getting fired
📻 Mark's journey from sports radio to wealth management
💼 Why losing a “forever job” doesn't mean it's over
🎯 How transferable skills can help you start a new career
🤝 Why your network and relationships matter
📈 How Mark built a new career from scratch
🔥 The mindset required to keep going after a major setback
🤖 AI, jobs, and the future of the workplace
👥 Why human connection still matters in business
💡 What employers should look for beyond a resume
🏢 Building strong teams and long-term relationships
📞 Networking vs. traditional cold calling
💪 How to handle a career setback without giving up
🌟 Why there's still a light at the end of the tunnel

🔗 Connect with our Guest:
🎙 Guest: Mark Asher - Financial Professional at Southwest Wealth Strategies
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-asher-703144b/
🏢 Company: https://www.linkedin.com/company/southwest-wealth-strategies/

🔗 Connect with our Host:
🎙 Host: Michael Hayes - Job Recruiting Expert and Founder of Momentum Hiring Solutions
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhayes100200/
🏢 Company: https://www.linkedin.com/company/momentum-hiring-solutions
🌐 Website: https://mtm2recruit.com/

🔗 Connect with The Hiring Confessional:
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thehiringconfessional
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thehiringconfessional/
🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thehiringconfessional
👍 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheHiringConfessional
🌐 Website: https://lnk.bio/thehiringconfessional

🎧 Listen to The Hiring Confessional:
https://lnk.bio/thehiringconfessional

If you've ever been fired, forced to change careers, or found yourself wondering “What do I do now?”—this episode is for you.

👉 Subscribe to The Hiring Confessional for more honest conversations about recruiting, hiring, careers, leadership, and workplace success.

💬 What would you do if you suddenly lost the career you'd spent years building? Tell us in the comments.

#CareerChange #CareerReinvention #GettingFired #CareerAdvice #JobSearch #CareerGrowth #Hiring #Recruiting #Leadership #Networking #Resilience #Workplace #HumanResources #TalentAcquisition #Business #FinancialAdvising #TheHiringConfessional #MarkAsher #MichaelHayes

Finding qualified employees has never been more challenging—but what if the solution has been overlooked all along?

In this episode of The Hiring Confessional, recruiting expert Michael Hayes sits down with Jeff Swanson, CEO of One Step Beyond, to discuss why employers should rethink where they search for talent.

Jeff shares how adults with intellectual disabilities are becoming dependable, hardworking employees across industries, why retention starts with hiring people who genuinely care, and what businesses often get wrong about recruiting today.

The conversation also explores nonprofit leadership, internships, AI in recruiting, hiring trends, candidate experience, workplace culture, and why employers need to move faster if they want to attract top talent.

Whether you're a recruiter, HR professional, business owner, hiring manager, nonprofit leader, or job seeker, this episode offers practical insights that can change the way you think about hiring.

In this episode:
👥 Why employers are overlooking an incredible talent pool
♿ Hiring people with intellectual disabilities
🔥 Recruiting for passion instead of perfect resumes
🔄 Why retention is more important than constant hiring
❌ The biggest mistakes companies make on Indeed
🎓 How internships create stronger employees
🤖 AI, hiring, and where technology falls short
🤝 Creating an inclusive workplace
🏆 How nonprofits compete for talent
🌟 What great employers do differently

🔗 Connect with our guest:
🎙 Guest: Jeff Swanson - CEO, One Step Beyond
🔗 LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/jeff-swanson-284a016
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/one-step-beyond-inc/
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/onestepbeyondinc/
🌐 Website: One Step Beyond, Inc. ( https://osbi.org/ )

🔗 Connect with The Hiring Confessional:
🌐 Website: https://lnk.bio/thehiringconfessional

🎧 Subscribe for more conversations on recruiting, hiring, leadership, and workplace success.

#Hiring #Recruiting #HumanResources #Leadership #Business #TalentAcquisition #HiringTips #Recruitment #Careers #Management

Everyone is talking about AI replacing jobs—but what does the data actually show?

In this episode of The Hiring Confessional, Michael Hayes sits down with Mary Foote, Director of Arizona's Office of Economic Opportunity, to discuss what the workforce data really says about artificial intelligence, the fastest-growing careers, skilled trades, apprenticeships, healthcare, remote work, and the skills employers are looking for today.

Mary explains why AI isn't replacing people the way many believe, why communication and soft skills continue to matter, and why industries like healthcare, advanced manufacturing, and the skilled trades offer long-term career opportunities.

Whether you're a student, job seeker, hiring manager, employer, or business leader, this conversation is packed with practical insights backed by real workforce data—not headlines.

🎯 In This Episode

✔ Is AI really replacing jobs?

✔ What workforce data actually shows

✔ Why soft skills matter more than ever

✔ The future of skilled trades

✔ Why healthcare continues to grow

✔ Registered apprenticeships explained

✔ Remote work and career development

✔ How students and young professionals should prepare

✔ Why talking to real people still matters more than relying only on AI

⏱️ Chapters

00:00 Introduction

03:48 Meet Mary Foote

08:58 Is AI Really Replacing Jobs?

12:02 Careers with the Biggest Growth

13:46 "AI Replaces Tasks. It Doesn't Replace People."

15:35 Why Soft Skills Matter

17:51 Why Communication Wins

20:00 Remote Work & Career Development

27:23 The Truth About Apprenticeships

31:34 Skilled Trades & Hiring Challenges

36:35 Public Service & Optimism

44:43 Final Advice for Job Seekers

🔗 Connect with The Hiring Confessional

🌐 All Links (YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts & Socials)

The Hiring Confessional Link Hub

👤 Connect with Mary Foote

💼 LinkedIn

Mary Foote on LinkedIn

🎙️ About The Hiring Confessional

Hiring Confessional isn't your typical career advice podcast. Hosted by Michael Hayes, each episode features honest conversations with business leaders, recruiters, executives, and industry experts about hiring, leadership, career growth, workplace trends, and the future of work.

👍 Enjoyed this episode?

✅ Like this video

✅ Subscribe for more hiring and career insights

✅ Share this episode with someone planning their next career move

✅ Leave a comment: What surprised you most about AI and the future of work?

#AI #FutureOfWork #CareerAdvice #Hiring #JobSearch #Leadership #SkilledTrades #Apprenticeships #Healthcare #Employment #ArtificialIntelligence #TheHiringConfessional

Most job seekers think sending more applications is the answer. Hiring experts say otherwise.

In this episode of The Hiring Confessional, Michael Hayes sits down with Grand Canyon University students Kaitlyn Anderson and McKenna Martin to discuss what today's graduates are experiencing in the job market—and what employers actually want.

From networking and internships to LinkedIn, AI, communication skills, and multiple interview rounds, this conversation uncovers the career advice most colleges don't teach.

Whether you're a college student, recent graduate, young professional, or hiring manager, you'll learn practical strategies to stand out in today's competitive job market.

In this episode:

• Why networking beats online job applications
• The biggest mistakes new graduates make
• How to build a resume with little experience
• Why communication skills matter more than ever
• LinkedIn tips that can help you get noticed
• The truth about internships and entry-level jobs
• Should you take an unpaid internship?
• How AI is changing hiring and education
• Why employers care about problem solvers
• What recruiters actually look for during interviews

If you're trying to land your first job, switch careers, or hire better talent, this episode is packed with actionable insights.

From British Army to 150 Employees: The Leadership Rules That Built Air2O

What does it take to build a high-performance manufacturing company?

In this episode of The Hiring Confessional, Michael Hayes sits down with Tom Sullivan, Co-Founder and COO of Air2O, to discuss leadership, hiring, manufacturing growth, company culture, and the lessons he brought from the British Army into business.

Tom shares how Air2O grew from a small engineering startup into a global manufacturing company with 150+ employees, plans for a 6x facility expansion, and hundreds of new jobs on the horizon.

Topics include:

✅ Hiring for attitude over experience
✅ Why soft skills matter more than resumes
✅ Military leadership principles in business
✅ Building accountability and ownership at every level
✅ Scaling a manufacturing company through rapid growth
✅ Data centers, innovation, and mission-critical cooling technology
✅ Creating a culture where people take pride in their work
✅ The future of manufacturing and workforce development

Whether you're a business owner, hiring manager, entrepreneur, recruiter, or someone looking to grow your career, this conversation is packed with practical leadership insights.

Guest: Tom Sullivan, COO & Co-Founder, Air2O
Host: Michael Hayes, The Hiring Confessional

#Leadership #Hiring #Manufacturing #BusinessGrowth #Entrepreneurship #CompanyCulture #Recruiting #LeadershipDevelopment #Air2O #HiringConfessional #DataCenters #ManufacturingJobs