I want to chat about something that’s been swirling in my mind for the last week – antifragility in talent acquisition. You know how sometimes life throws curveballs that make you stronger? Well, that’s kind of what antifragility is all about.

I was first introduced to this concept through Matt, Automattic’s CEO, in Nassim Nicholas Taleb’s book Antifragile: Things That Gain from Disorder (first in 2013, a couple of times in 2020, and a number of times in our internal company communication). The basic idea? Some things don’t just resist shocks—they actually get better because of them. Makes sense to me!

Antifragility came up again last week in conversation, and it got me thinking: how does this concept apply to the teams that work on attracting, engaging, sourcing, assessing, and hiring talent? What about employer brand and candidate experiences? What does an antifragile Talent team look like across all these functions? Here’s my take:

1. Flexible: An antifragile team is always ready to pivot. We constantly reassess and tweak our approach based on the needs of the environment. It’s like how I adjust my watercolor technique based on the mood I’m trying to capture (sorry not sorry for including a watercolor reference)—always adapting.
2. Multi-talented: Everyone brings something different to the team; some love data analysis, others have amazing networks, and others can make sense of chaos and put processes together. Together, we’re ready for anything.
3. Knowledge seekers: For this, we go to the Automattic Creed. We never stop learning at Automattic; we learn when we get something right, we learn when we mess up, we learn when we have crucial conversations, it never stops. An antifragile team is a learning machine, staying ahead of the curve on new tech and recruitment strategies.
4. Data-informed: We don’t just go with our gut – we use data to make decisions and refine our processes. And thusly, we’re able to try new things and see what works and what doesn’t.
5. Dynamic: Our processes are flexible and ready to change at a moment’s notice. Scale up? Got it. Scale down? No worries. Well, maybe a little worry, but that’s a natural human thing; we just don’t let it block us.
6. Tech-savvy: We leverage tech to enhance our efforts. We also embrace experimentation, piloting new things, keeping what works, and moving on from what doesn’t.
7. Optimistic: Challenges? We see opportunities. It’s all about our outlook.
8. Team players: We don’t work in silos. We’re closely connected with other areas of the business, so we stay on top of what’s important to our colleagues.
9. Curious: We play out different scenarios to keep us ready for whatever comes our way.
10. Brand builders: We are always working on making the company look like a place people want to work, like curating your LinkedIn but for your employer brand.
11. Champions: We know that every interaction with a prospective candidate matters. We are all about creating experiences that make people want to join the team.

Building an antifragile talent acquisition team isn’t easy. It takes time, effort, mistakes, and a willingness to embrace change. But in a world as unpredictable as a watercolor wash, it’s the key to surviving and thriving.