SIA Global Power 150: Celebrating women leaders in staffing
To celebrate the incredible impact of women leaders in recruitment, we’re proud to sponsor Staffing Industry Analysts’ Global Power 150 Women in Staffing List, which honors a notable selection of female executives whose vision, achievements, and leadership are elevating and transforming a global industry.
“Congratulations to this year’s Global Power 150 Women in Staffing honorees. Despite a challenging market, these leaders continue to excel,” said Art Papas, founder and chief executive officer of Bullhorn. “Through their perseverance, mentorship, and leadership, these women have propelled their businesses and the broader recruitment industry forward together. We’re very glad to sponsor this award and celebrate these impressive leaders.”
We heard from a number of women on this year’s list with whom we’re proud to partner as Bullhorn customers:
- Anju Abel, CEO, LanceSoft
- Susan Ball, Executive Vice President, Chief Administrative Officer and General Counsel, Cross Country Healthcare
- Elisabetta Bayliss, Chief Operating Officer, Enterprise Solutions, Hays UK&I
- Sue Burnett, President and Founder, Burnett Specialists
- Tanya Cerniuk, Country Head, Adecco Canada
- Robin Mee, CEO and Founder, MeeDerby
- Kimberly Pope, COO, WilsonHCG
- Nicola Soares, President, Kelly Education
Below, learn more about the journeys, accomplishments, and words of wisdom these women have to share.
Responses have been edited and condensed for clarity.
This year has brought its share of economic challenges. How have you overcome these obstacles to achieve success?
Robin Mee: By focusing on culture. Everyone has a voice at MeeDerby, where we thrive on collaboration, provide great work-life flexibility, and celebrate every win.
Elisabetta Bayliss: The answer for me is looking after my customers and leveraging the loyalty that has been built over many years, always understanding the customer perspective and what’s important to them, and therefore finding a way of continuing to support the customers we have in a constantly changing and evolving market.
Susan Ball: I firmly believe people and culture are the foundation of every company. You’re not going to get the performance you want unless you have the culture to drive it. Culture has a tremendous impact on customer service, retention and branding, among other things. I think a large part of my job is developing my team and others at a very senior level, making sure that they have a path to developing their careers and reaching their individual goals, ensuring they are engaged in the success of the company, and that they are ambassadors of the company, both internally and externally.
Kimberly Pope: The resilience of the business community has certainly been tested this year. It’s not all doom and gloom, though. During periods of uncertainty, organisations tend to have a bit more time to prepare for the upswing. This year, for instance, many organisations have either made a start on their skills-first approach or have gotten further on in their journey – we have at WilsonHCG! Others have been reviewing and optimising their tech stacks and talent intelligence capabilities to ensure they’re fit for purpose when uncertainty lifts. Projects like these are easily overlooked when the economy is booming, as everyone is concentrating on business as usual. Periods of uncertainty give organisations a chance to pause so they can reassess and optimise their strategies to focus on the future.
Tanya Cerniuk: I’ve found that staying focused on what truly matters is the key to overcoming obstacles. To silence the noise, keep it simple. Three core principles that have helped drive success: open communication and transparency across the board, disciplined sales and delivery, and celebrating every achievement, big or small, to keep our teams motivated. I’m incredibly proud of our team’s resilience and optimism. With the right talent and strong leadership in place, we’ve been able to navigate uncertainty and continue to achieve success, even during challenging times.
Anju Abel: My mantra in life – “That glass is always half full, never half empty”.If you believe in yourself, you can go on and achieve anything. I believe when you trust in yourself 100%, work with your soul dedicated to it, and will not take defeat for an answer, the entire universe will come together to make it happen for you. You will succeed. Positivity breeds positive results. Make relationships that will yield to business in the near future. It’s the power of a positive mindset.
What recent accomplishment are you proudest of?
Sue Burnett: Houston Mayor John Whitmire named August 1 as Burnett Specialists Day in honor of our company’s 50th Anniversary.
Abel: Taking LanceSoft from a $49 million dollar company – that’s where we were when I started 8 years ago – to where we are today, in 33 countries, and at almost 420 million dollars in revenue. My greatest achievement, I would say, is that I’ve launched Tadah, which is an inclusive sourcing platform where we are tracking diversity at the candidate level. In the last 2 years through our fundraisers at CWS , “Ditch the party & Dive a Tadah”, we have raised $50k+ which has been donated to Dallas ISD and Thrive scholars seniors (students from underserved communities) . This money goes towards their college tuition.
Ball: I’m most proud of our Intelify product. It’s a talent management platform, and it has just been so incredibly successful. It’s been really good to see the business, and work together over the last two years to develop this product. You’ve got to keep up with technology, and I think Intelify is a great way for us to do that.
Nicola Soares: Services like ours provide a continuity of instruction in the classroom. [Note: Kelly Education provides recruitment for all levels of the education system.] To be able to be a part of an educational community of a school building or a school district is very rewarding for talent. I’m very proud that we’re this very unique provider that can support people. As a former educator myself, it’s really rewarding to see that.
Cerniuk: I’m most proud of what our team has accomplished together. Colleagues at every level of the organisation have rallied around our shared vision and purpose, collaborating to secure new clients, retain our top clients and provide a top-tier experience for our associates — truly putting customers at the heart of all we do. This dedication is reflected in our strong retention rate and NPS scores, and I’m honored to work alongside such a passionate team.
Mee: The MeeDerby team. They have, in spite of the economic challenges, driven growth way beyond industry standards.
Pope: I’d have to say our people at WilsonHCG. Despite the economic challenges in 2024, WilsonHCG has achieved a lot. And it’s all because of our people. Every single day, they go above and beyond delivering exceptional talent solutions that really do drive business results. We increased headcount in Latin America due to growing demand, launched our AI-powered labour markets – which was named a Top HR Product of the Year – and we were named to the 2024 Fortune Best Workplaces in Consulting & Professional Services™ List for the third year in a row. All those achievements – and there are plenty more – would not be possible without our people. I’m so proud to work alongside such a great team.
What career advice would you give women who are entering the recruitment industry?
Soares: What I would say is that recruitment or workforce solutions offer a lot of different opportunities to enter or proceed with your journey. Don’t be afraid to take those stretch assignments or do something completely different. Learn every aspect of the business, but also look forward in terms of potential disruptors that turn into opportunities. Try things that might not feel necessarily comfortable, but feel the fear and do it anyway, and leap into the next.
Burnett: It is a fantastic industry for women to be successful and move up in companies. Direct-hire recruiters and outside sales reps can make the most money, so try one of those jobs.
Ball: I would say find a mentor. Find somebody who wants to help you develop and do everything you possibly can. I’m a workhorse. I have my fingers in a lot of pies because I feel like the more I do, the more I’m gonna learn; the more I learn, the more valuable I am. I just feel like you need to take every opportunity you can.
Abel: The recruitment world is a very small world. Everybody knows everybody. Your career in recruiting is built on your credibility, your ability to deliver, and your ability to connect on a personal level. If you can build that credibility with your network, people will do business with you. Have fun with it, be honest with it, and go out, work, and be a champion.
Mee: Build your professional network in and outside of your company, find mentors, embrace constant professional development, get involved with the American Staffing Association’s (ASA) Women in Leadership interest group, and attend both THRIVE virtual and THRIVE Live, the bi-annual women in recruitment conference. Volunteer, work hard, have fun, and say yes to every feasible opportunity.
Cerniuk: Recruitment is much more than transactional—position yourself as a strategic partner to both internal stakeholders and the clients and communities we serve. It’s about bringing value through an understanding of their needs and actively contributing to their success. Embrace your entrepreneurial spirit. This industry is fast-paced and dynamic, so be prepared to take risks, try new approaches and challenge the status quo to drive innovation and growth. The best question you can ask when something doesn’t make sense is why. Even if you are asking yourself that question. Be intentional with your career. Explore different roles to gain a broader perspective, and don’t hesitate to pursue new challenges. And lastly, be your authentic self. Imposter syndrome can make us second-guess ourselves, but trust your intuition. Remember, true success comes from being unapologetically you and embracing new experiences.
Pope: Believe in yourself. Self-confidence is something that takes many years to develop. I have battled imposter syndrome, especially early on in my career. I realised I needed to shift my focus. So, I did. I realised that my diverse experiences weren’t a hindrance. Instead, they were an advantage. If you’re a woman who’s just entering the recruitment industry, find yourself a mentor or two – they’ll help you to believe in yourself. And as you progress in your career, don’t forget to pay it back. Empower other women to believe in themselves!
Bayliss: Recruitment is a sector that has suited women forever. The advice I would give anyone who is entering recruitment now is to care and understand perspectives as you match candidates and customers. The world of work has evolved so much with the level of flexibility that is now afforded to mothers and caregivers. I think the recruitment industry is very open and very flexible and agile in allowing people to achieve in their careers, in spite of whatever commitments they might have elsewhere. So go for it, ladies, is the message. Go get it!
Learn more about how Bullhorn is partnering with recruitment agencies to move forward together.
