A very good TA convo with... S3-E8. Amira Mahfoudhi

Moving beyond the "CV pusher"

Amira points out that the recruitment industry often suffers from an underdog perception. Too many business executives still view TA as a simple cost center where recruiters just "post a job and find CVs". However, she argues that modern recruitment requires layers of complex skills, including understanding the market, business strategy, candidate psychology, and compensation. Her solution to elevating the TA function is ensuring her team is not just pushing CVs, but taking full ownership of broader business projects like building freelancer pools or compensation benchmarking.

"If your job as a recruiter is to send CVs and just send CVs with a little presentation, you should be a little bit worried".

Staying hands-on in a split TA world

When asked what she disagrees with in the current TA landscape, Amira points to the strict splitting of TA functions - such as separating sourcers, recruiters, and coordinators. While she acknowledges that specialized sourcers are sometimes necessary, she believes the best TA leaders keep their hands dirty. If leaders step away from the tools, they lose their pulse on market insights, competitor movements, and employer branding.

"There's a lot of benefits to keep your hands all dirty... getting that little bite into 'let me go on whatever tool and really try and find and identify the role'... that's an exercise that we should all keep always".

ADC Consulting's culture of trailblazing

At ADC Consulting, a company focused on AI transformation, Amira helps hire people to do things that have sometimes never been done before. ADC's CEO refers to their team as "trailblazers" and "wayfinders". The culture is defined by highly technical, brilliant minds - often coming straight from PhDs - who lack the "crazy egos" Amira has seen elsewhere in her career. At its core, the company enables clients to be creative in solving incredibly difficult forecasting and platform challenges.

The people who thrive at ADC

Because technical coding can increasingly be done by tools, Amira is no longer just looking for basic coding abilities. The people who thrive at ADC are those who are genuinely excited to guide clients and translate their ambiguous questions into scientific AI solutions.

"It's not just problem solving skills, it's like they need to be happy to solve difficult problems. And the happiest I see the consultancy is like when they're in front of a whiteboard writing some gibberish".

Hiring executives through vision, not just skills

When it comes to executive search, Amira's process shifts. Executive hiring is less about assessing technical skills and more about matching personal visions with company projects. She looks for builders who will execute their plans alongside the team, rather than planners who just draw up a map and tell others to do the work. To find these candidates, she believes in using every avenue: posting the roles, mapping the market, leaving no stone unturned on LinkedIn, and tracking speakers at industry events.

From Big Tech to Wine

Amira's unique approach to recruitment was heavily shaped by her time in the "tech trinity". Uber taught her the value of bold experimentation, Booking.com showed her how to deeply embed culture into every step of the interview process rather than isolating it, and Netflix instilled a profound sense of ownership. Interestingly, after leaving Netflix, she actually used her exit bonus to lean into her French roots and launch a Malbec wine import business on the side.

"The moment you start having assumptions and not be curious about what you do, then it means you're not going to be good at interviewing, not going to be good at advising".

The takeaway

Amira’s message to the TA industry is clear: Don't fear AI, but let it force you to elevate your game. Automate the administrative scheduling work so you can focus on what machines can't do: negotiating offers, pushing back on hiring managers with strategic team insights, and building authentic relationships. For young recruiters starting out, her advice is to pick a specific niche early on to build credibility, and above all else, let curiosity be your ultimate superpower

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