Marriott’s Secret to Faster Frontline Hiring
Mon Feb 02 2026
In this episode of HR Famous, Tim Sackett sits down with one of the true originals of the show: Jessica Lee, Marriott’s Global Officer of Talent Acquisition and Associate Growth (aka: head of TA + learning… “just a small job” for a company supporting nearly 10,000 hotels). The vibe is classic HR Famous—smart, practical, and just the right amount of banter about being an “OG” (and whether the kids now call you “Unc”).
Jessica shares what it was like jumping back into leading a global talent acquisition team after time in broader HR and learning. Some surprises? A lot has changed…and a lot hasn’t. Recruiting is still recruiting: hiring managers still want to see every candidate, sourcing debates still rage, and stakeholder management remains the timeless recruiter superpower. But the real energy is in what’s new—especially the explosion of AI in recruiting, automation, and the opportunities to make recruiters faster, better, and more human in their conversations.
Tim and Jessica get into Marriott’s approach to recruiting technology and responsible AI. They talk stack (Marriott is an Oracle shop and layers in Paradox), and why Marriott has drawn a clear line between AI for automation (low risk) versus AI that makes decisions (higher risk, higher scrutiny, higher lawsuit headlines). Jessica offers a refreshingly candid view: it’s not always that employers don’t trust the tech—it’s that they don’t trust the world won’t sue them for using it. That leads to a bigger conversation on transparency, public perception, and why candidates want to know “what they’re being measured against,” even when that measurement has always been a bit of a black box.
One of the most fascinating parts: the future of interviewing. Jessica is fired up about “no interview notes” / digital interviewing tools—because when recruiters and hiring managers stop typing, they can start listening. Tim goes deeper on what AI-powered interview capture could unlock: consistency of questions, better summaries for hiring managers, improved quality control, and skill development based on real interview data (not guesswork).
Then they head into the realities of high-volume hiring at Marriott. Applications are surging—millions of candidates hitting the career site—so how do you prevent managers from drowning in volume without using AI to “decide”? Jessica breaks down the practical playbook: screening questions, assessments, shortlists, and human eyes where it matters. And yes, hiring managers still push back: “Why these three? I want to see all 200.”
Finally, Jessica shares how Marriott measures TA success beyond “faster is better.” Speed matters—especially frontline—but not at the expense of quality. She walks through the metrics that actually matter at scale: time to fill, turnover, retention, internal growth, cost, and a standout KPI: “quick quits” (first 90 days, including no-shows on day one). Plus, there’s nuance—luxury hotels may take longer to hire, but see lower turnover and stronger guest service outcomes.
If you’re leading TA, evaluating AI, or trying to balance speed, quality, risk, and candidate experience, this episode is packed with real-world strategy—and plenty of laughs along the way. Watch or listen, then connect with Jessica on LinkedIn to keep the conversation going.
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In this episode of HR Famous, Tim Sackett sits down with one of the true originals of the show: Jessica Lee, Marriott’s Global Officer of Talent Acquisition and Associate Growth (aka: head of TA + learning… “just a small job” for a company supporting nearly 10,000 hotels). The vibe is classic HR Famous—smart, practical, and just the right amount of banter about being an “OG” (and whether the kids now call you “Unc”). Jessica shares what it was like jumping back into leading a global talent acquisition team after time in broader HR and learning. Some surprises? A lot has changed…and a lot hasn’t. Recruiting is still recruiting: hiring managers still want to see every candidate, sourcing debates still rage, and stakeholder management remains the timeless recruiter superpower. But the real energy is in what’s new—especially the explosion of AI in recruiting, automation, and the opportunities to make recruiters faster, better, and more human in their conversations. Tim and Jessica get into Marriott’s approach to recruiting technology and responsible AI. They talk stack (Marriott is an Oracle shop and layers in Paradox), and why Marriott has drawn a clear line between AI for automation (low risk) versus AI that makes decisions (higher risk, higher scrutiny, higher lawsuit headlines). Jessica offers a refreshingly candid view: it’s not always that employers don’t trust the tech—it’s that they don’t trust the world won’t sue them for using it. That leads to a bigger conversation on transparency, public perception, and why candidates want to know “what they’re being measured against,” even when that measurement has always been a bit of a black box. One of the most fascinating parts: the future of interviewing. Jessica is fired up about “no interview notes” / digital interviewing tools—because when recruiters and hiring managers stop typing, they can start listening. Tim goes deeper on what AI-powered interview capture could unlock: consistency of questions, better summaries for hiring managers, improved quality control, and skill development based on real interview data (not guesswork). Then they head into the realities of high-volume hiring at Marriott. Applications are surging—millions of candidates hitting the career site—so how do you prevent managers from drowning in volume without using AI to “decide”? Jessica breaks down the practical playbook: screening questions, assessments, shortlists, and human eyes where it matters. And yes, hiring managers still push back: “Why these three? I want to see all 200.” Finally, Jessica shares how Marriott measures TA success beyond “faster is better.” Speed matters—especially frontline—but not at the expense of quality. She walks through the metrics that actually matter at scale: time to fill, turnover, retention, internal growth, cost, and a standout KPI: “quick quits” (first 90 days, including no-shows on day one). Plus, there’s nuance—luxury hotels may take longer to hire, but see lower turnover and stronger guest service outcomes. If you’re leading TA, evaluating AI, or trying to balance speed, quality, risk, and candidate experience, this episode is packed with real-world strategy—and plenty of laughs along the way. Watch or listen, then connect with Jessica on LinkedIn to keep the conversation going.