Trying to wedge your way into Midtown’s toniest glossies? You’ve probably courted Bucky Keady, Time Inc.’s VP of talent management. Here’s the full download on what kicks your résumé to the top of the pile and what will kick you out of the running. Plus! Stay tuned for another dishy dose of intel tomorrow, from the top talent-sifting power at the Hearst Tower…
What’s your backstory?
I did HR at Smith Barney for six and a half years. Fashion has always been kind of my thing—I was noncorporate but still appropriate. One random day, I got a call from a headhunter who said, “There’s an opening in HR at Condé Nast, and I heard you dress well.” I took an interview and was offered a job the same day. I was at Condé Nast for five years, took five years off to have children, went back for five years, then Time Inc. came calling.
What’s your recruitment strategy?
Since we broke away from Time Warner and went public eight months ago, our approach to talent has changed dramatically. We’re going from a traditional media company to launching new businesses that don’t necessarily have hard content components, like tech or e-commerce plays. We look for talent in more nontraditional places than we have in the past.
How so?
We’re totally reinventing our technology team, so we go to Amazon, Microsoft, Yahoo, and startups. I now use social media constantly to look for talent. I’ve made four hires off of Instagram. They found me! Also, if I see people doing really cool stuff on Instagram—often beauty and fashion stylists—I’ll call them. I recently ran across an amazing catalog, and then checked out who styled it and who laid it out.
How many interviews are usually on your docket?
Three or four a day. My team focuses on junior and mid-level hires, and I focus on executives. I don’t just hire for editorial, I do sales, marketing, technology…
How do you just know that you absolutely have to hire someone?
When it doesn’t feel like an interview! When it’s a fluid conversation. Once I’ve checked that they have the necessary tools, I look for a cultural fit and chemistry fit.
What shows you a candidate will jive with Time Inc.’s culture?
They should be very scrappy, entrepreneurial, extremely smart, and driven to take chances. We don’t want people who say, “Gee, I miss the old Time Inc. I heard you used to do it this way…” If I had an ejector button on that chair, that’s when I’d hit eject.
Is it difficult to bring people to the company during this transitional time?
Definitely, but I’ve been doing this long enough that very few people say no to an interview. You’ll read in the media that Time Inc. laid off so many people. But there’s reorganization, acquisition, new businesses—that’s where lots of really intense hiring is going on. I get asked, “How solid is the company? I’m hearing this; how accurate is that?” Sometimes I’ll offer up that information, in a positive way—because there’s nothing negative to tell right now—if the candidate is a really strong possibility.
Let’s discuss résumés.
Well, I hate B.S. résumés, where somebody goes into too much detail. I’m all about short, sweet, bullet points: what were the revenues, how many people did you work with, what did you accomplish.
Which roles are the hardest to fill?
Editors in chief! They’re now mini-CEOs, involved in acquisitions, brand extensions, e-commerce plays. Also, senior designers are hard to come by. There are amazing creative directors out there, but I worry that there aren’t enough bubbling up from the junior level.
Do you have a running list of dream hires?
Yes, but I can’t reveal that or I’d have to kill you! [Laughs] Are you kidding? I’m always setting new goals for myself.
How long are your interviews?
For more senior-level positions, it could be an hour, an hour and a half; I’ve even done two-hour interviews. It might be several long interviews. My best hires are the people I’ve kept in touch with for years and then call when something juicy comes along.
How do you feel about late interviewees?
Not cool. If there’s a subway problem, everyone understands, but there really is not an acceptable [time] window. I tell my kids to leave the house a half-hour earlier, even if it means sitting in the coffee shop across the street.
Which titles are hardest to hire for?
Fashion titles. You have to have the full package. You’re out socializing and representing a brand, so there’s a big PR play. But don’t forget, I cut my teeth on Vogue!
