In the latest episode of DREAM BIG With Big Dreamers, host Donna Serdula engages in a thought-provoking conversation with Tia Kleckner, co-founder of LinkTech. This episode dives into how LinkTech is transforming the talent acquisition landscape by embracing cognitive diversity and focusing on the unique stories and perspectives of candidates.

The Mission of LinkTech:

LinkTech is a forward-thinking talent acquisition agency committed to building cognitively diverse workforces. Unlike traditional diversity hiring practices that often focus solely on race, gender, and ethnicity, LinkTech digs deeper to understand candidates' thought processes and perspectives. This holistic approach ensures that the right people are matched with the right roles, benefiting both candidates and companies.

Tia's Inspiring Background:

Tia Kleckner's diverse upbringing in Montana, with a mixed-race family, shaped her unique outlook on life and career. Her story is a testament to the power of diverse perspectives. Tia's maternal grandfather, a farmer from North Dakota, taught her resilience and a strong work ethic, while her paternal grandfather, a celebrated musician, instilled in her the values of perseverance and creativity. These experiences have deeply influenced Tia's approach to diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

Diversity Unboxed: Beyond the Traditional Metrics:

LinkTech's Diversity Unboxed initiative challenges the conventional metrics of diversity hiring. Instead of placing candidates into predefined categories, LinkTech explores the deeper aspects of their identities and experiences. This approach not only fosters a more inclusive workplace but also drives innovation by bringing together varied perspectives and thought processes.

The Importance of a Human Connection:

In an era where AI and algorithms dominate the hiring process, LinkTech emphasizes the importance of human connection. Tia highlights the need for job seekers to celebrate their unique stories and skills, rather than relying solely on automated systems. By focusing on personal narratives, LinkTech ensures that candidates feel valued and companies find the right cultural fit.

Advice for Job Seekers:

Tia offers practical advice for job seekers navigating today's competitive job market. She emphasizes the importance of highlighting transferable skills and reading between the lines of job descriptions to stand out. Candidates should leverage AI for guidance but maintain their authentic voice and individuality to truly shine.

Conclusion:

This episode of DREAM BIG With Big Dreamers is a must-listen for anyone interested in diversity hiring, career growth, and the future of talent acquisition. Tia Kleckner's insights and LinkTech's innovative approach provide a refreshing perspective on building inclusive and dynamic workforces.

Connect with LinkTech:

Visit their website: www.thelinktech.com
Connect with Tia Kleckner on LinkedIn: Tia Kleckner's LinkedIn
Stay tuned for more inspiring conversations on DREAM BIG With Big Dreamers, and don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast for the latest episodes.

Craig joins us to discuss the five big themes that guided him in his career:

1. Know Yourself. Identify your foundation and avoid the trap of comparing yourself to others.
2. Question everything. Craig gives us the 4 questions he asks himself that guided his career
3. Play it big and don't shirk away from new opportunitites. It's all about overcoming limiting beliefs, trying new things, and the importance of getting out of our comfort zones.
4. It is never too late. It is important to bring optimism and curiosity to every situation and the importance of being a lifetime learner.
5. The importance of gratitude and humility. No one accomplishes anything alone.

It's time to dream big!

After much thought, I brought on two writers to help me (Dionne Carrick and Audra Hammer Ross), and I changed up our process. I created a fun but intensive branding questionnaire for clients to fill out. Once the client submitted the questionnaire, we scheduled an upfront interview to discuss their career, life, and future goals. The new process allowed us to write much more high-level and thoughtful profiles that showcased our clients and allowed them to see themselves in totally new ways. Clients would come back to me and say how much their lives change after their project with us. They were colliding with amazing opportunities, but they also felt better aligned to their real future (not the out-of-date one their brand had been clinging to), and they felt more confident in the value they offered the world.

It wasn't just their lives that changed from these sessions. I LOVED the interviews with these high-level professionals and executives. It was fascinating listening to their hopes and dreams, hearing their keys to success and the process they used to accomplish their desires. I found my own thinking starting to change, and as my thoughts changed, so did my life. Struggles that had kept me alone started to disintegrate, and I found my soulmate, got married, and had two children. I also began to realize that my team, our business, and I had so much more to offer, and we began to expand our branding services.

In the back of my mind, I always thought, "More people need to hear these interviews -- how can I harness the lessons, ideas, and insight from these conversations so others can hear it and blossom too?" The funny part is people used to tell me that I had a nice voice and I should start a podcast. I always dismissed it because I didn't think anyone would be interested in hearing me talk about LinkedIn for more than an hour.

Finally, in the summer months of the Covid Pandemic 2020, I began to think beyond LinkedIn. I realized that I could tap into my clients and other executives, entrepreneurs, and professionals and provide them a platform to tell their stories while helping people learn from their lessons and knowledge. I reached out to an old friend, Scott Kent Jones, and together we began to brainstorm ideas. I was a fan of his Give and Take podcast and loved his thoughtful questions and fearlessness in asking his guests deep questions that got to the root of who they were and why they do what they do. When he agreed to be my co-host, I knew we had something that had enormous potential.

What would be the name of our podcast? I remember, a few months before my father died in 2011, he said to me, "Donna, my biggest regret in life is that I didn't dream bigger." At that time, I didn't really understand the magnitude of what he was telling me. "Donna, dream big. The only thing that holds us back is our own thoughts and goals." I tucked that piece of advice in the back of my head and trudged forward. As the podcast concept began to take form in my mind, I kept thinking, "Dream Big... with our big dreaming guests... Dream Big with Big Dreamers!"

We interviewed our first two guests, Craig Coffey and Carol Schmekel, in October 2020. As the holidays loomed, coupled with the pandemic, we took a little time to really think about what we were trying to accomplish, and right after the new year of 2021, we hit the ground running. So far, as of this blog post, we've interviewed:

• Craig Coffey
• Carol Schmekel
• Scott Mesh
• Eric Bartosz
• Kristi Diemoz
• James George
• Cole Silver
• Larry Kaufman
• Nelson Squires
• David Marchi

As we roll out these interviews, I hope our audience will get inspired and find keys to guide them to new and different ways of thinking and dreaming bigger.