William O'Connor
Talent Acquisition
Conshohocken,Pennsylvania
Summary
Experienced talent acquisition professional with a proven track record of driving strategic hiring initiatives and enhancing recruitment operations. Adept at leading teams to achieve time-to-fill and quality-of-hire metrics, scaling organizations from mid-sized firms to enterprise-level operations. Expertise in implementing and optimizing Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, and leveraging data-driven approaches to streamline workflows. Recognized for spearheading cost-saving recruitment strategies, developing university partnerships to build robust talent pipelines, and successfully managing mission-critical hiring campaigns for technical and executive roles. Skilled in mentorship, recruitment analytics, and integrating AI technologies to transform hiring processes.
Overview
12
12
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Manager, Talent Acquisition
Norstella
Yardley, PA
12.2022 - 04.2024
- Led recruitment for key business functions, overseeing a team of 3 Talent Acquisition Partners and Specialists
- Conducted weekly 1-on-1 meetings to discuss individual pipelines, troubleshoot challenges, and ensure time-to-fill and quality of hire metrics were consistently met
- Directed recruitment strategy during the company’s expansion, reducing external agency reliance and achieving a 20% reduction in agency spend over two years
- Collaborated with senior leadership through weekly meetings with hiring managers and ad-hoc updates, providing detailed pipeline reports and driving strategic hiring decisions
- Instrumental in hiring senior and executive-level professionals, including Directors and VPs in Product and Technology, contributing to organizational development across multiple verticals
- Implemented and tested a proprietary recruitment dashboard linked to the ATS, enhancing data reporting capabilities and streamlining recruitment operations
- Optimized recruitment workflows by implementing the Workable ATS, which automated scheduling, offer letter generation, and candidate reviews, resulting in a 30% reduction in administrative tasks
- Spearheaded cost-saving initiatives by negotiating recruitment tool contracts and aligning tool usage with hiring needs, notably influencing decisions with vendors such as DocuSign
- Recognized by the General Manager of MMIT for successfully leading a software development hiring spree that filled mission-critical roles ahead of schedule
- Administered the Handshake platform, establishing partnerships with universities that had strong Healthcare Data Technology programs to build talent pipelines
Senior Talent Acquisition Partner
Norstella
Yardley, PA
01.2019 - 12.2022
- Played a pivotal role in scaling the company from 150 to 1500 employees, employing strategic hiring practices and quarterly hiring events for the Data team
- These events included coordinating up to eight testing sessions per event, resulting in approximately 25 new hires per quarter
- Enhanced the onboarding experience through initiatives such as a 'coffee check-in' program, meeting with new hires 30 days post-hire to foster engagement and address any integration challenges
- Championed diversity and inclusion efforts, contributing to the formation of a DEI panel and working to embed inclusive hiring practices throughout the recruitment process
- Drove employer branding by managing the company’s Indeed and Glassdoor profiles, updating content regularly to reflect company culture, and rolling out LinkedIn employee spotlights that highlighted staff in high-priority recruitment areas
- Maintained a strong focus on passive candidate sourcing, with 40-50% of hires coming from methods such as LinkedIn outreach, career fairs, college partnerships, and referrals
- Developed feedback mechanisms for continuous improvement, including creating surveys for hiring managers and candidates to assess the hiring experience, using data to refine processes
- Attended conferences such as Linkedin Connect to stay up to date on upcoming Recruiting technology
Sr. Technical Recruiter – IT Permanent Placement
The Judge Group
King of Prussia, PA
11.2016 - 11.2018
- Implemented mentorship programs for new recruiters, focusing on pipeline management, candidate engagement, and developing a deep understanding of client needs through hands-on training
- Managed full lifecycle recruiting for over 20 clients simultaneously, including Fortune 500 companies, mid-sized firms, and startups
- Adapted recruitment strategies to meet diverse client needs and priorities
- Recruited a variety of technical roles, such as software engineers, data scientists, IT project managers, business analysts, and QA specialists
- Focused on candidates with strong problem-solving skills and relevant industry backgrounds
- Exceeded placement and revenue goals by presenting high-caliber candidates, leading clients to create additional roles based on the quality of talent supplied
- Specialized in sourcing hard-to-find talent using Boolean searches and second-level connections on platforms like LinkedIn, Monster, and Dice
Technical Contract Recruiter
The Judge Group
Conshohocken, PA
05.2012 - 11.2016
- Led high-volume recruitment efforts, managing 20+ roles concurrently across technical fields with an average time-to-fill of 30 days, often outperforming industry standards
- Worked closely with account managers to craft effective job descriptions and recruitment strategies
- Held daily stand-up meetings to discuss pressing recruitment needs and update strategies as required
- Built a robust sourcing strategy utilizing Boolean searches, referral networks, and targeted outreach to secure candidates for challenging positions
- Collaborated with the sales team to prioritize recruitment for high-value accounts, ensuring optimal service for long-standing clients while building relationships with new accounts
Education
Penn State University - Communications Arts and Sciences, Business
Penn State University
01.2011
Skills
- Interviewing techniques
- Recruitment analytics
- Recruitment software implementation
- Team management
- Recruiting strategies
- Passive candidate engagement
Certification
- Generative AI for Leaders, Vanderbilt University
- Advanced Prompt Engineering, Vanderbilt University
- AI Fundamentals for Non-Data Scientists, University of Pennsylvania
Additionalprojects
- Led a fast-paced hiring campaign to fill 15+ software development roles within three months, earning recognition from senior leadership.
- Spearheaded relationships with colleges to expand early-career hiring in Healthcare Data Technology fields.
- Evaluated tools such as HackerRank and ZoomInfo and collaborated with hiring managers to implement AI-driven approaches for job description creation.
Timeline
Manager, Talent Acquisition
Norstella
12.2022 - 04.2024
Senior Talent Acquisition Partner
Norstella
01.2019 - 12.2022
Sr. Technical Recruiter – IT Permanent Placement
The Judge Group
11.2016 - 11.2018
Technical Contract Recruiter
The Judge Group
05.2012 - 11.2016
Penn State University - Communications Arts and Sciences, Business
Penn State University
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