Takeaway 1

Use data to shape the plan before it is finalized 📊

Being invited into the planning process starts with being credible. Mario explains that credibility is built through data, not instinct. Strong talent leaders don't just raise concerns about unrealistic plans. They show why those plans won't work using hard numbers.

Why It Matters: When talent acquisition leaders rely on data instead of opinion, they earn the right to influence hiring plans. Bringing the right data to the table helps shape hiring strategy from the start rather than reacting once decisions are already made.

Quick Tips:

• Know your team’s recruiter capacity. Mario recommends tracking how many roles each recruiter can support at once. Use past performance to inform future hiring pace.
• Use time-to-fill benchmarks to drive sequencing. Historical data on how long it takes to hire certain roles gives you leverage when helping the business prioritize.
• Use comp data to challenge assumptions. Mario shared that hiring plans often assume top talent can be hired quickly and below market. Bringing compensation benchmarks by level or location helps reframe expectations before plans are locked in.

Takeaway 2

Clarify roles in headcount planning with a RACI model 🤝

If recruiting is involved but not clearly responsible for anything, value gets lost. Mario recommends using a simple RACI or DACI model to define ownership. This ensures talent acquisition is seen as a key contributor, not just a passive participant.

Why It Matters: Without role clarity, planning becomes chaotic. TA ends up reacting instead of guiding. Clear ownership means the right people are involved at the right time, which improves efficiency and helps hiring plans align with business goals.

Quick Tips:

• Introduce a project plan early. When Mario joined a new company as head of talent, he brought his own headcount planning doc. It outlined how he planned to contribute and what inputs TA would need to be successful.
• Don’t let assumptions define your role. Mario pointed out that finance and ops often move forward assuming they own prioritization and sequencing. If TA doesn’t clarify where it fits, the answer gets decided without them.
• Frame your inclusion as a business decision, not a visibility play. Mario was clear that being in the room isn’t about optics. It’s about making hiring plans more realistic, more efficient, and more likely to succeed.

Takeaway 3

Learn the business metrics behind the hiring plan 🧠

To influence planning, you have to understand what the business is solving for. Mario shares how, in his first head of talent role, he quickly realized he needed to understand the full picture. That meant understanding the company’s revenue targets, customer goals, and product roadmaps in addition to knowing what roles were open.

Why It Matters: Hiring doesn't happen in a vacuum. When TA leaders understand company metrics like ARR, CAC, and sales ramp time, they can connect headcount to outcomes. This earns trust from cross-functional leaders and helps TA recommend better hiring strategies.

Quick Tips:

• Ask what business goals are driving headcount. Mario encourages talent leaders to ask about ARR targets, new market expansions, and product timelines. That context informs who, when, and where to hire.
• Use ratios to tie headcount to outcomes. Metrics like ARR per AE or customer coverage per CSM help frame hiring needs in business terms. They shift the conversation from requests to impact.
• Make your planning inputs business-first. Instead of asking how many engineers are needed, ask what outcomes the team is accountable for. Then build the hiring plan around that.

What Hiring Excellence Means to Mario

For Mario, Hiring Excellence starts with structure. That means well-run intakes, clarity about who owns what, and recruiting processes that earn trust. He believes structured hiring creates better experiences for hiring managers and candidates. It sets expectations early, aligns the team around what good looks like, and helps recruiting operate with confidence and consistency.

>> Watch the Clip

Mario's Recruiting Hot Take 🔥

Posting vague, catch-all job reqs hurts more than it helps. Mario believes these roles create false hope for candidates and waste time for recruiters. Unless you have a talent community strategy in place and the systems to engage at scale, don’t publish generic openings. They damage your brand and rarely result in quality hires.

>> Watch the Clip

Timestamps

(00:00) Introduction

(02:36) The role of leaders in headcount conversations

(04:48) Growing skill sets in talent leadership

(09:05) Understanding the market as a talent leader

(11:18) Establishing credibility in headcount planning

(17:08) The importance of data in talent acquisition

(24:05) Structuring conversations with leadership

(27:04) What hiring excellence means

(30:17) Mario’s recruiting hot take

(34:09) The impact on talent brand