Have you listened to the most recent episode of the Product Ops Chronicles?🌟 Graham Reed, Antonia Landi, and May Wong explore the profound effects of layoffs and the challenging journey to find new employment amid mental health strains and financial burdens. Our speakers highlight the critical role of product operations in organizational change, focusing on: 💡 The impact of layoffs and the struggles faced by those affected 🔥 The future of product management and operations roles 📈 Gradual job market recovery and optimism for job seekers 🌐 The importance of product operations in supporting employee retention, well-being, and career growth 🙌 Adapting product operations to the unique challenges of each organization Tune in now and stay ahead in the evolving world of product operations! #productops #productoperations #layoffs #job #jobhunt #product

Most people don’t know this about me, but… I began recruiting at the age of 17. I had no idea that my first “real job” would become my long-term career path, and eventually be what I built my first business around. I sometimes wonder… what has kept me in the game for so long? The answer is simple: No two clients and candidates are the same. I get to have interesting conversations every day, hear people’s stories, their triumphs and their challenges… I get to learn the ins and outs of my clients’ businesses. Their processes, their culture, their values and vision. I get to help them manifest their dreams into the world by connecting passionate people with other passionate people. Since January I’ve made 17 hires across 6 clients. And we’re just getting started. Follow along if you’re curious about how I’m building DotConnect 2.0!

LAST TIME YOU WERE PART OF A GREAT TEAM ...do you remember when that was? I've been working solo for a long time now but I never forget the times when you're really 'in the zone' with a group of people who are aligned on what needs to be done and how to do it. Last time for me was when I was working in building product - our product iteration rate was so rapid mainly because we have zero communication overhead, clear vision on where we were going and had skills, personality types and working styles which complimented each other perfectly. We had 'great fit' as a team, and it's great to see companies now building new tech which might help us find people who connect in this way more systemically. Our buddies at Fama Technologies Inc. (good luck Micole Garatti, MBA!) are one of those and they are at Early Access launch of their Instant Fit product so get on the waitlist here (https://lnkd.in/e7kenSBY - 👈 early access) if you want tooling to support recruiters to do this more systematically and without depending on the sheer good fortune of meeting the right people, at the right time. When was the last time you were in a great team? What is your theory as to why that worked so well? #magicoffit #recruiting #culture

☣️ Cons vs Pros 🏆 The public flyer below was sent by my friend (and talented 3D artist) Shaun Dunn the other day. Some of us have probably heard through the media of staff changes (i.e layoffs) happening in studios and companies such as Paramount (Nickelodeon) & The Walt Disney Company. While in different corners of the Americas 🌎.. We share some of the same questions many of us with 15+ years of experience do worldwide as professionals in the digital realms of arts, #marketing, finance, media, data analysis and projects today. 1) Where is this all going with jobs and the #economy? 2) How should we better position ourselves as professionals or entrepreneurs in relation to new developments in #technology? 3) Why is nobody properly questioning change and coming up with real solutions anymore? For those who "came of age" in the digital industry.. 👀 Curiosity 🌱 Creativity 🧬 Adaptability 🤹🏻♂️ Versatility ..were always essential qualities for achieving some form of excellence. But so were to a high degree.. - Out-of-the-box thinking; - Problem-solving; - Consistency The last 3 last items seem to have been "lost in the ether" of complacency. 1) How can a professional's consistency prevail when there's a form of "tech cancer" disturbing the balance of #startups, entrepreneurs and job stability? 2) Where can remote work strive to its full potential when there's some kind of "political cancer" locally crippling borderless collaboration between digital projects, #innovation and access to markets globally? 3) When will we go back to think outside the box, connecting the dots and actually solving problems when there's a "gaslighting epidemic" in hiring and #humanresources by companies in the digital industry? Luckily, we still have friends, colleagues and others who share some of the same experiences to help us navigate and "weather the storms" of the digital industry, seeking answers to our questions and ultimately finding solutions. “Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes.” — Carl Jung Balance is the reason.🧘🏻♂️ Borderless is the way. 🕉️ Eventually everything connects. 🌐 #management #careers #future

Marvel Edition 🔥 In the corporate realm, the "Thanos Snap" refers to a dramatic approach to layoffs inspired by the infamous Marvel villain, Thanos, who sought to restore balance by eliminating half of all existence. Similarly, this business strategy involves sweeping, large-scale layoffs designed to slash costs and boost profitability in one fell swoop. This method often comes into play during periods of financial turbulence, major restructuring, or when companies pivot towards a leaner, tech-driven model. While it can swiftly trim the bottom line, it frequently leaves a trail of demoralized employees and a weakened company culture. The "Thanos Snap," though effective in the short term, ignites debate over the delicate balance between financial survival and ethical responsibility. #CorporateLayoffs #BusinessStrategy #CostCutting #WorkplaceRestructuring #EmployeeMorale #FinancialManagement #BusinessResilience #WorkplaceCulture #StrategicPivot #LeadershipChallenges

Getting hiring RIGHT is hard. It’s easier to get BETTER at it instead. When we’d just started Runway, hiring was a real challenge. But we kept hiring people who were a little bit better than our average, and a little better still. Our product kept improving too, making it easier to hire even better people. I remember reading about it in the Netflix culture deck years ago: as a company grows, talent density usually goes down. And the way to mathematically make sure yours doesn’t is to keep increasing the average. So we kept raising our bar to make hiring harder. Last month's ‘great’ became this month's ‘okay.’ Our bar was so high that our head of talent Alexander Forman, who is a phenomenal recruiter and was Principal Recruiter at Uber before he joined us, complained about it. He said it was “unachievable” even by Uber’s standards. I told him that’s exactly where it needed to be. Hiring should always feel hard. If it feels easy, you're not hiring the best people you can. To make sure we were moving in the right direction, we looked beyond things like being good at the job or being a good communicator or coding well. Those are table stakes — that’s where you start; not where you stop. With each new candidate, I asked myself these questions: 1. Would I want to work for this person someday? (The answer had to be yes.) 2. Is this person better than our average person? (That’s how your average talent density goes up.) 3. Will they attract even more exceptional candidates? (That’s how they push your standards higher.) 4. Are they a high-agency person? When something bad happens to them, do they blame the world or take responsibility? (Taking responsibility helps you turn “bad luck” into a skill issue, keeping you from repeating the same mistake over and over again. It also reinforces the belief that you have control over your life.) 5. Are they good at storytelling? (Good communicators are just articulate, but good storytellers have good ideas.) 6. Are they ambitious? (Do they work to live, or do they see work as a calling that gives them purpose?) That kept us going in the right direction, and helped bring in people who keep raising the bar at Runway.

It's been a wild ride... 2016: 2-person team in a sunroom, first recurring client. 2017: Hit our first $100k month. 2018: Reached our first $1M year. 2019: Growth spiked, team soared to 40. 2020: Covid happened, went full remote, no layoffs. 2021: Introduced a 4-day workweek to support our team better. 2022: Bear market, Lost our biggest client but learned resilience. 2023: Focused on major realignments and recalibrations. 2024: Exciting merge with RED The Agency. We've always played the long game, focusing on people—both our team and our clients—and still, every day is the best day. Operating a business is more than just milestones; it’s about the experiences that shape us, the resilience we build, and the joy we find in every new challenge and achievement. Here's to continuing this incredible journey, with hearts and minds wide open. #itsaboutpeople

This quote from Walt Disney is a timeless reminder that action is the foundational key to all success. 🚀 It encapsulates the drive and determination that are critical in the fast-paced tech industry - a sector where innovation and execution lead the way. In recruitment, we see the power of this principle every day. Whether it's a candidate taking the leap into a new role or a client reshaping their tech team, success begins with that first decisive step. 💼👣 For nearly three decades, I've supported tech professionals and companies to not just dream, but to act and achieve their goals. At Opus Resourcing, we champion this 'doer' mindset - helping to build tech teams that are not afraid to dive in and drive change. So, what's the first step you're going to take today towards your goals? Share your thoughts, or reach out at www.opusresourcing.com for specialized support in the tech recruitment space. Let's turn talk into action together! #Innovation #Recruitment #TechnologyJobs #technology #ITrecruitment #opusresourcing

This quote from Walt Disney is a timeless reminder that action is the foundational key to all success. 🚀 It encapsulates the drive and determination that are critical in the fast-paced tech industry - a sector where innovation and execution lead the way. In recruitment, we see the power of this principle every day. Whether it's a candidate taking the leap into a new role or a client reshaping their tech team, success begins with that first decisive step. 💼👣 For nearly three decades, I've supported tech professionals and companies to not just dream, but to act and achieve their goals. At Opus Resourcing, we champion this 'doer' mindset - helping to build tech teams that are not afraid to dive in and drive change. So, what's the first step you're going to take today towards your goals? Share your thoughts, or reach out at www.opusresourcing.com for specialized support in the tech recruitment space. Let's turn talk into action together! #Innovation #Recruitment #TechnologyJobs #technology #ITrecruitment #opusresourcing

As I saw the news of more lay-offs last week at Disney and Paramount, I was struck with just how powerfully I felt. Anyone who has followed the Hollywood press knows that the legacy media companies have all made their share of mistakes in trying to compete with the streaming services. The current wave of job reductions is yet another result of compounded missteps that has hastened the cannibalization of cable for potential returns in their own struggling streaming services. As someone deeply invested in VoiceOver talent development, I knew the layoffs would further curtail the creative ecosystem that nurtures innovation and artistry. Let me start by saying that I began in representation by being one of the first agents to ever work in on-air promotions. I was fortunate to have almost immediate success because of hundreds of executives, writers and producers who had faith in me. I learned so many valuable lessons at that time and one of the predominant ones was just how talented so many of the writers and producers actually were. I watched budding writers and producers become everything from executives in the largest entertainment companies to television and film writers and directors to even an Academy Award winner. I’m not suggesting everyone was exceptional but so many of the writers/producers that my clients serviced were so uniquely gifted. Their creativity made everything seamless as the process was not only fun for me but just as engaging for my clients who were incredibly invested in the process. I bring this up because the recent layoffs are not just about numbers and corporate bottom lines. They represent a significant shift in an industry that has long been a foundation for so many careers and creative endeavors. When you consider the breadth of talent that has been let go, it's hard not to reflect on the untapped potential and creativity that has been sidelined. And my advice to the “sidelined,” would be the same for any voice talent who has lost a job: • Embrace Diversification: Whether it’s diversifying skills or exploring new avenues, the next iteration of a career will very likely appear different than the previous. • Foster Relationships: Everyone has mentors and colleagues who have been instrumental in their careers so do everything you can to augment and strengthen those connections to help pivot into the next opportunity. • Rededicate Yourself to Learning: Between AI and Quantum Computing, there will be incredible creative possibilities for those who have embraced them. In the meantime, I’m seeing some great personal recollections detailed on LinkedIn and I encourage more. The work you’ve created has touched millions and your memories remind us how valuable your services are. While the present might appear daunting, most of you know that your journey in the entertainment industry is far from over. We look forward to your inspiring recollections as your new horizons await.