How to Build Credibility with Hiring Managers Before You Even Speak with Caroline Kiesler and Kearstin McGinnis

Recruiting is No Joke

In this live episode of Recruiting is No Joke, recorded at RecFest 2025 inside the Purple Acorn Tent, Joel Lalgee sits down with two powerhouse recruiting leaders, Caroline Kiesler, Director of HR at Workwear Outfitters, and Kearstin McGinnis, Recruitment Leader at TekSynap, to explore what it really takes to stay relevant in today’s rapidly evolving talent landscape.

Caroline shares her inspiring journey from staffing recruiter to HR executive and breaks down how recruiters can transition into broader people roles by understanding compensation philosophy, succession planning, and leadership development. She challenges recruiters to stop chasing time-to-fill metrics and start building strategic credibility with hiring managers by leading with insights, not just job requisitions.

Then, Kearstin dives into how AI is reshaping the recruiting process inside government contracting and why keeping the human touch matters more than ever. From nurturing long-term candidate relationships to adapting outreach for Gen Z talent, she offers real-world advice on personalization, conference networking, and building meaningful connections in a noisy digital world.

In this episode:

• [00:00] Welcome to RecFest 2025

• [00:34] Meet Caroline Kiesler: HR director at Workwear Outfitters

• [01:00] Caroline’s journey from recruiting to HR

• [01:48] Advice for transitioning from TA to HR

• [03:10] The importance of compensation philosophy

• [04:22] Reflections on RecFest

• [05:27] Fireside chat preview: TA through the lens of HR

• [08:20] Building credibility with hiring managers

• [12:58] Connecting with Caroline Kiesler

• [14:16] Introducing Kearstin McGinnis: recruitment for GovCon IT

• [14:41] Biggest changes and growth in AI

• [15:09] Implementing AI in recruitment

• [16:46] Maintaining human connection in recruitment

• [17:38] Engaging with candidates on social media

• [23:05] Maximizing conference experiences

• [25:28] Choosing the right vendors

• [27:13] Connecting with Kearstin McGinnis

• [27:54] Final thoughts

About the Guests

• Caroline Kiesler is the Director of Human Resources at Workwear Outfitters, overseeing global HR strategy across talent acquisition, engagement, and development. With a foundation in recruiting, Caroline is passionate about building cultures that invest in people and long-term growth.

• Kearstin McGinnis leads recruitment for TekSynap, a government contracting IT firm operating across five countries. Known for her relationship-first approach, she focuses on humanizing candidate experience and embracing AI with authenticity and care.

About Joel Lalgee

Joel Lalgee is an internationally known recruitment leader and coach who has helped thousands of recruiters build their brands online. In 2015, Joel started recruiting for a small start-up agency in Milwaukee. He quickly found his passion for recruitment. In 2019, he discovered content marketing, publishing his first posts on Linkedin. Since then, he has grown to over 400k followers, and his content has been seen over 1 billion times. In 2023, he started a business specializing in coaching recruiters, marketing consulting, and influencer partnerships.

Recruiting is No Joke Social Media

• LinkedIn

• Website

• Instagram

• TikTok

• X (formerly Twitter

Caroline Kiesler Social Media

• LinkedIn

• Workwear Outfitters

Kearstin McGinnis Social Media

• LinkedIn

• TekSynap

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