Mary Price has spent her career building and scaling talent functions inside household companies that were still becoming what they are today. Companies like Apple, LinkedIn, Slack, Abnormal AI, and OneTrust. She sat down to talk about what it actually means to be a builder in recruiting, how data and systems create leverage, and why human judgment remains irreplaceable even as AI reshapes the workflow. RecOps is here to stay, and Mary’s outlook and leadership in this conversation outline why this is the hottest topic in Talent Acquisition going into 2026.
Mary shares concrete examples from building amazing organizations on how Recruiting earns trust with executives, how talent acquisition connects to onboarding and development, and how strong systems prevent hiring chaos when the market shifts. She even shares a few leadership tips from none other than Steve Jobs during her time working with him.
In this episode we cover:
A clear explanation of how recruiting systems, not heroics, determine hiring outcomes at scale
Practical guidance on blending talent acquisition with talent management to influence post-hire success
A grounded perspective on where AI genuinely helps recruiters and where it cannot replace human judgment
Real examples of using data to reset hiring manager expectations and avoid endless “purple squirrel” searches
Insight into how strong recruiters build long-term talent density, not just short-term pipelines
Timestamps:
00:03–06:00
Mary shares how moving from Apple retail into corporate recruiting changed her life and shaped her belief that recruiting is a responsibility, not just a function.09:30–13:30
What it means to be a builder in talent, and why joining companies during growth phases creates the most opportunity to add real value.15:00–18:00
A thoughtful breakdown of AI use cases in recruiting, including where automation increases capacity and where it should stop short of human connection.18:00–22:00
How Mary operationalizes talent acquisition and talent management as one system that influences onboarding, development, and performance.26:00–29:30
Using structured interviews, math, and interview intelligence to improve hiring quality, speed, and accountability.34:30–37:30
Coaching hiring managers with data, widening the aperture, and replacing wishful thinking with realistic market signals.
Thanks, Mary, for sharing your experience with honesty and clarity. This conversation reflects what strong recruiting leadership looks like when it is grounded in systems, empathy, and accountability, and I appreciate the depth and thoughtfulness you brought to it. I’m all for fast friendships and can’t believe we spoke for another hour after the recording. You’re truly a mentor so many this industry aspire to be. You rock.
Connect with Mary: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pricemary/
Special thanks to our sponsor, Grayscale. The AI Assistant for all your hiring needs. Grayscale helps you move fast, automate the busywork, and deliver an exceptional candidate experience, all from inside your ATS.
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Your Hype Man,
Brando ✌️
