Carlton Gates, Global Director of Talent Acquisition at Aeris, stands out as a prominent leader in the field of recruitment and talent acquisition. His extensive background in business development, resource planning, and project management positions him as a key figure in driving organizational success.
Carlton’s exceptional interpersonal and communication skills enable him to build and lead productive teams effectively. His strategic approach to recruitment not only boosts organizational efficiency but also enhances profitability, marking him as a crucial player in shaping Aeris’s talent landscape.
Carlton’s adeptness at navigating complex recruitment challenges, implementing innovative strategies, and balancing operational efficiency with a strong focus on candidate experience underscores his reputation as a transformative leader in the talent acquisition industry.
From Tech Sales to Recruitment Leadership
Carlton Gates began his career in tech agency recruiting with firms such as Aerotek and Teksystems, motivated by a desire to enter technology sales — a field known for its limited entry points. He transitioned to technology sales at Peoplesoft (now Oracle), but a pivotal moment in his career led him back to talent acquisition.
Carlton recognized a unique opportunity in recruitment to “see the whole enterprise of a company” and gain valuable insights into various departments, including legal, finance, engineering, HR, and operations. This comprehensive understanding allowed him to grasp the intricate workings of a business and contribute more effectively to its overall success.
His career reflects a strategic blend of sales expertise and a deep understanding of organizational dynamics, positioning Carlton as a leader capable of driving transformative change in talent acquisition.
Enhancing Recruitment Efficiency and Employee Engagement Through Strategic Innovation
As the Global Director of Talent Acquisition at Aeris, Carlton Gates spearheads transformative strategies to boost recruitment efficiency and effectiveness. He identifies that before his arrival, the company lacked a structured hiring plan and requisition approval process.
“Prior to my arrival, the company did not have a process for planning for hiring. The company also did not have a requisition approval process,” Carlton notes. Facing limitations from existing systems, he creatively leverages internal tools to implement these essential controls, addressing gaps and streamlining recruitment processes.
Carlton’s most significant achievement involves establishing clear guidelines for transitioning positions to external agencies. “Creating clear lines for when we take a position outside the internal TA team to Agency,” he explains, has led to substantial cost savings.
These savings allow Carlton to reallocate funds towards enhancing employee engagement through initiatives like social hours and catered meals. This strategic move not only improves the company’s overall performance but also fosters a more engaged and satisfied workforce.
Through his leadership, Carlton has transformed Aeris’s talent acquisition landscape, implementing a robust hiring process that supports operational goals while fostering a more positive company culture and employee well-being.
Strategic Approaches to Navigating Talent Shortages and Market Shifts
Carlton addresses the persistent challenge of talent shortages and market shifts with a strategic and adaptable approach. He recognizes that “talent shortages always exist for the best talent,” a reality that becomes especially pronounced during times of market upheaval.
Reflecting on the pandemic-induced surge in demand for mobile engineers, Carlton remarks, “Shifts in the market, such as the one that occurred during the pandemic when every company had to beef up their mobile apps by expanding their mobile engineering teams, was daunting because it increased the cost of hire.”
To effectively navigate these challenges, Carlton underscores the critical importance of a well-defined strategy. He emphasizes, “In these instances, the importance of knowing what skills you really need, a clearly defined process —which is rapid, and compensation that is competitive give you the edge to win.”
By focusing on these elements, Carlton ensures that Aeris remains both agile and appealing to top talent, even amid a fluctuating job market. This approach not only helps the company stay competitive but also aligns its recruitment efforts with evolving industry demands.
Elevating Team Dynamics and Productivity Through Engaging Leadership
Carlton recalls that at Walmart, his leadership of a team of over 80 recruiters significantly enhanced team dynamics and productivity. Shifting focus from top-down directives to engaging team meetings, he fostered camaraderie and respect among his team members. “We made sure that our team meetings were focused on the team and not just what was coming from the executive branch,” Carlton explains.
By incorporating activities such as spotlighting team members, playing music, hosting trivia games, and sharing videos, he created an atmosphere of joviality, light-heartedness, and mutual respect. This engaging environment strengthened team bonds and lifted everyone’s productivity.
Carlton’s approach ensured that the team felt valued and connected, leading to increased motivation and cohesiveness. As a result, the recruiters became more effective in their roles, contributing to the overall success and efficiency of the recruitment process at Walmart.
This method of leadership not only improved individual performance but also enhanced the collective output of the team, demonstrating Carlton’s ability to drive positive change and foster a thriving work culture.
Clear Communication Key to Positive Candidate Experience
Carlton ensures a positive candidate experience at Aeris by maintaining clear and consistent communication throughout the hiring process. He outlines the process, timelines, and expectations from the very beginning, aiming to minimize any surprises at the offer or decline stages.
“Ensuring that we are always connecting with candidates on what the process will be, how long it should take, what their expectations are, and looking to match up with those to reduce surprises at the offer phase or decline phase,” Carlton explains.
By keeping candidates well-informed and closely connected with their recruiters, Carlton effectively aligns expectations and enhances their overall experience. “Candidates always know where they stand and why,” he emphasizes, highlighting his commitment to transparency.
This approach not only reduces uncertainty but also fosters a sense of trust and reliability in Aeris’s recruitment process. Through his diligent efforts, Carlton ensures that each candidate feels valued and informed, contributing to a more positive and engaging hiring experience.
Strengthening Departmental Alignment Through Effective Communication
Carlton fosters effective communication and alignment between talent acquisition and other departments at Aeris by enhancing collaboration with Finance. He establishes regular discussions to review agency spending and contractor hiring, ensuring both transparency and budget adherence.
“For example, we have had to tighten our communication with Finance over our agency spending and contractor hiring,” Carlton notes. By setting up a regular cadence for these discussions, he ensures a clear understanding of hiring plans and prevents the over-extension of resources.
This approach allows Carlton and his team to “follow the money” and maintain a tight grip on budgetary constraints. By bridging the gap between departments, he ensures that all parties are aligned on financial and hiring strategies, contributing to more efficient and effective resource management.
His proactive communication strategy enhances overall organizational coherence and supports strategic hiring objectives at Aeris.
Overcoming Recruitment Challenges with Innovative Strategies
Carlton recalls facing a significant challenge at Oracle when the CEO aimed to hire 600 top college graduates, but graduation was imminent, and many students had already secured jobs. “Since we missed all of the career fairs,” Carlton recounts, “we had to get creative.”
To address the situation, he organized large auditorium-style presentations, complete with food and giveaways, to educate graduates about Oracle and its products. Following these events, a rapid interview process led to swift offers.
Carlton’s approach highlights a crucial lesson: the necessity of “getting on the university timeline early” and scouting target schools well in advance. This proactive strategy allows for better preparation for recruitment events and marketing efforts, ensuring that the company can attract top talent even in challenging circumstances.
Through his innovative thinking and timely action, Carlton has demonstrated how to effectively overcome recruitment obstacles and secure high-quality candidates.
Measuring Recruitment Success and Adapting to Industry Innovations
Carlton measures success in talent acquisition at Aeris by prioritizing the hiring of top talent and retaining high performers. He tracks key metrics such as offer acceptance rates, decline percentages, and the conversion rate from onsite interviews to offers. These indicators are crucial for assessing the effectiveness of recruitment outcomes and ensuring that the talent acquisition strategy meets organizational goals.
To stay updated with industry best practices and innovations, Carlton leverages social media platforms like LinkedIn to follow relevant discussions. “Using social media like LinkedIn to see what others are discussing,” he notes, “and then connecting with certain authors of content offline to get deeper understanding” helps him remain informed.
Recently, he has explored the adoption of AI tools, evaluating their effectiveness and cost-efficiency as part of his recruitment strategy. This proactive approach allows Carlton to integrate the latest advancements into his practice, ensuring that Aeris stays ahead in the competitive talent acquisition landscape.
Embracing AI and Leaving a Legacy of Effective Recruitment Practices
Carlton foresees a future where talent acquisition is increasingly driven by AI. He anticipates that AI tools will play a significant role in enhancing candidate sourcing, streamlining email scripting, optimizing scheduling, and executing targeted recruiting campaigns. “The use of AI will be greater,” Carlton asserts, noting that these technologies will improve various facets of the recruitment process at Aeris.
In preparing for these advancements, Aeris is integrating AI technologies to refine and enhance its recruitment strategies. Carlton’s vision for the future includes leaving a legacy of a well-defined and measurable recruitment process. He emphasizes the importance of understanding when to manage recruitment internally versus leveraging external agency support.
His leadership is guided by principles of urgency, transparency, and compassionate communication, ensuring that the talent acquisition process remains both effective and empathetic.
Advice on Building a Career in Talent Acquisition
Carlton advises those aspiring to build a career in talent acquisition to first “talk with someone in the TA community to make sure it is a job for you.” He underscores the importance of networking with established leaders in the field to secure an entry-level position, such as a recruiter, researcher, or coordinator.
According to Carlton, “These roles allow you to naturally grow in the role,” providing a strong foundation for a successful career in talent acquisition. This approach not only offers valuable industry insight but also helps aspiring professionals develop essential skills and gain relevant experience.
Conclusion
Carlton Gates’s journey in talent acquisition exemplifies a steadfast commitment to innovation, efficiency, and impactful leadership. Embracing emerging technologies like AI, he has refined recruitment processes and fostered a positive candidate experience.
His strategic approach addresses both current industry challenges and prepares Aeris for future trends. By integrating AI tools and maintaining a clear and effective recruitment process, Carlton sets a high standard for success in the field.
Carlton’s advice for aspiring professionals highlights the importance of thorough research, networking, and starting in foundational roles. His emphasis on these elements provides a solid foundation for building a meaningful career in talent acquisition.
As Carlton continues to shape the future of recruitment, his legacy will be defined by excellence, adaptability, and compassionate leadership, ensuring a lasting impact on the industry.
