Katie Rakusin

About Katie Rakusin

Over my 15-year career in talent acquisition, I\'ve led significant organizational growth, built hiring processes designed to reduce bias, and focused on creating a better experience for candidates. I\'ve worked mostly in education and nonprofits, and I care deeply about equity in hiring. What I love about my jobI get to connect people with opportunities that can change their careers. I\'m passionate about building hiring processes that are fair, transparent, and consistent — and about treating candidates like people, not applications. Empathy matters in this work, and I try to bring it to everything I do. Resume & LinkedIn ReviewsI offer resume and LinkedIn reviews, full resume rewrites, and 1:1 coaching calls. You\'ll get honest feedback from a recruiter\'s perspective - what\'s working, what\'s not, and specific suggestions to help you stand out. Pay-what-you-can options available because quality career guidance shouldn\'t be out of reach.More info: buymeacoffee.com/katierakusin/extras‍ What you might see me post here: What actually happens behind the scenes in hiring Advice for job seekers navigating the market Insights on equitable hiring and candidate experience The benefits of remote work and the four-day work week Articles, podcasts, and resources I find interesting Beyond work:I\'m a mom to a seven-year-old, a voracious reader (about 100 books a year), and someone who subscribes to way too many magazines and newsletters. For partnerships or collaborations: k••••••••@gmail.com Feel free to connect!All views are my own and do not reflect the views of my employer.

Experience

1. Managing Director of Talent Acquisition

   Merit America

   Jan 2025 — Present

   Leading Merit America\'s talent acquisition strategy and team as we build a diverse, talented staff that powers our mission. My work focuses on:• Building and coaching our TA team to excel through clear goals and continuous development• Creating competency frameworks that work across all departments, giving us a consistent foundation for hiring and growth• Revamping our job architecture with clear levels and titles that make sense for our organization• Developing hiring approaches that are fair, inclusive, and focused on finding the right skills• Using data to make smarter decisions about where to find talent and how to improve our processes• Working with leadership to stay ahead of hiring needs as we grow• Training managers on how to interview effectively and reduce bias• Building flexible structures that help us handle hiring surges without compromising quality• Creating clear paths for internal mobility so we retain our best peopleMy focus remains on strengthening our inclusive hiring practices while developing systems that scale with our growth and support our mission of creating pathways to family-sustaining careers.

Education

• The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

  B.A., History

  2004 — 2008

Skills

• Youth Development
• Teaching
• Organizational Development
• Recruiting
• Teacher Training
• Staff Development
• Social Media
• Higher Education
• Classroom
• Nonprofits
• Lesson Planning
• Qualitative Research
• Student Affairs
• Curriculum Design
• Academic Advising
• Education Policy
• Microsoft Office
• Student Counseling
• Youth Mentoring
• Research
• Grants
• Educational Leadership
• Spanish
• Program Evaluation
• Classroom Management
• Fundraising
• Curriculum Development
• Event Planning
• Data Analysis
• Student Development
• Elementary Education
• Special Education
• Community Organizing
• Program Development
• Management
• Interviews
• Leadership Development
• Education Reform
• Public Speaking
• Volunteer Management