262: What HR Leaders Really Look for in Top Talent with Bruce Wallace

Curious what really makes those elusive HR professionals' brains itch? Us too. So we knew we had to bring in the big guns to ask. In this episode, we sit down with Bruce Wallace, Chief People Officer at Newman’s Own.  Bruce became Chief People Officer at Newman’s Own in September 2020, overseeing Human Resources for both Newman’s Own, Inc. and Newman’s Own Foundation. He brings over 25 years of HR experience across industries including healthcare, retail, consumer products, and financial services. Before joining Newman’s Own, Bruce served as VP and Senior HR Business Partner at Prudential Financial, where he provided HR support to key areas such as Product & Pricing, Sales, and Operations. His career began in sales and sales management before transitioning into HR, where he gained experience working with start-ups and Fortune 50 companies. Bruce holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theater from the University of Connecticut, a Master’s in Human Resources and Finance from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and an executive coaching certification from Columbia University. On the personal side, Bruce has three daughters -- two taxer-payers, and one college junior – and lives in the Greater Hartford area with another HR professional, his wife of 25 years.   Some of the things you'll hear are: - What he believes is the Career Advancement Conundrum and how to get through that - The #1 thing he looks for when he's keeping an eye on talent that'll rise - The biggest misstep you can make in an interview - Newman's Own's innovative 50% Ruled initiative - The 3 things he needs every day to make work suck less   Connect with Bruce on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bruce-wallace-0613/ Newman’s Own LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/newmans-own/mycompany/  If you’d like quick tangible tips and practical corporate career advice to level up your authentic leadership, download the 10 simple “plays” to stop selling out and start standing out at https://bauthenticinc.mykajabi.com/freebie   To connect with Erin and/or Nicole, email: hello@bauthenticinc.com  If you like jammin' with us on the podcast, b sure to join us for more fun and inspiration!  Follow b Cause on Twitter (really it's mostly Nicole)    Follow Erin on LinkedIn or Instagram   Join the b Cause Podcast Facebook Group     Take our simple, fun and insightful"What’s your workplace superhero name?”quiz   Unleash your Authentic Superpower with Erin’s book,"You Do You (ish)"  Check out our blog for more no-BS career advice  Work with Us Or just buy some fun, authentic, kick-ars merch here DISCLAIMER: This episode is not explicit, though contains mild swearing that may be unsustainable for younger audiences. Tweetable Comments "As long as you're learning and staying open to where each step can take you, you'll remain adaptable in how you grow and apply your experience. This flexibility allows you to move within an organization without being locked into one path." “Everyone has different perspectives. So it's really just allowing the perspective of each person to contribute to the success of the organization.” "The best days I have are when I get three belly laughs." "Our number one job as leaders is to knock down barriers and give people the things they need."