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BMC Software may not be a household name, but it powers the infrastructure behind many that are. From global logistics and air travel to finance and healthcare, 86 percent of the Forbes Global 50 rely on BMC to keep their operations running smarter, faster and more securely.
Behind the scenes, BMC’s talent acquisition team is just as essential, aligning recruitment strategies with long-term business goals and future workforce needs to ensure the organization has the talent it needs to deliver.
At the #AvatureUpfront EU conference in London, Jen Corio, BMC’s Director of Talent Acquisition, joined Avature CEO Dimitri Boylan on a new episode of the Talent Transformation Podcast. Together, they explored strategies to future-proof workforces by leveraging emerging technology, cultivating curiosity and relying on solid, honest storytelling.
Read on to discover what we learned from their encounter.
Talent Acquisition at the Strategic Table
For BMC, talent acquisition isn’t a standalone function—it’s integral to the organization’s strategic planning. “It isn’t just about hiring, but preparing for what’s next,” explained Corio, and described how her team works to address current needs while planning for future workforce challenges, particularly in specialized areas like AI.
Boylan agreed with this perspective: “When we’re thinking about entering a new market or scaling operations, the first question I ask is, ‘Is there talent there?’ Talent acquisition isn’t just a support function—it’s a driver of business decisions.”
Corio highlighted the critical role of talent acquisition leaders in business planning sessions. But her team’s discussions with the business extend beyond hiring to encompass development goals, future skill needs and anticipated changes. Will a new initiative drive a surge in hiring or slow it down? These are the types of questions they strive to answer.
By aligning recruitment with strategic goals, BMC ensures people remain at the forefront of these critical discussions. “We’re fortunate to be part of an organization that prioritizes this approach,” she said.
Preparing Talent for Emerging Tech
Workforce planning is one key area in which technological evolution presents challenges. Recruiting talent with expertise in emerging fields like AI often means searching for candidates who may not yet exist in sufficient numbers.
Corio shared a specific example that her team has been facing recently: “We have a mainframe section to our business, which is predominantly labeled as the dying technology, but it still powers a lot of the world. And in the space, we are seeing quite a high demand for mainframe experience with AI and machine learning skills.”
The combination of legacy and emerging technology skills is hard to come by, and this is the kind of market knowledge that Corio and her team can bring to the table:
If you’re looking for an exact match for a specific role, there might be only three people in the world who qualify. But the talent pool expands significantly if you’re willing to compromise a little.”
Jen Corio
Director of Talent Acquisition, BMC
Beyond strategic advisory, the organization has introduced initiatives such as upskilling its workforce and collaborating with universities to integrate targeted courses into their curricula. Thus, it builds a steady pipeline of skilled professionals and effectively tackles talent shortages proactively.
We realized we had to start earlier. By working closely with educational institutions, we’re preparing young talent for niche roles before they even enter the workforce.”
Jen Corio
Director of Talent Acquisition, BMC
Leveraging AI to Enhance TA
BMC’s business is cutting-edge tech, so it’s no surprise that the conversation turned to leveraging AI in talent acquisition. “BMC was founded on a deeply felt principle: help customers maximize their technology and drive better business outcomes. We do that by connecting and optimizing digital operations to create an AI-powered engine for continuous innovation,” said Corio.
She shared her head-on approach to acknowledging recruiters’ natural fear about AI’s impact on their roles, stressing the need to provide learning opportunities around emerging technologies:
“We’ve focused heavily on enabling their understanding of AI versus sitting back and allowing recruiters to come to their own conclusions,” she explained. In her opinion, recruiters are embracing AI’s potential to increase efficiency, allowing them to concentrate on what they do best: engaging with candidates and stakeholders.
Boylan agreed with her take and cautioned against over-reliance on technology:
Recruiting used to be about conversations—getting to the heart of what makes a candidate tick. But with so much technology, some recruiters have lost touch with that art.”
Dimitri Boylan
CEO of Avature
Skills like curiosity are pivotal for navigating rapid technological changes. And so is ongoing professional development, an attitude that BMC encourages through podcasts, videos and hands-on training. “The way we consume information has changed—it’s dynamic now. But curiosity remains essential,” she said. Of course, those lacking a desire to learn may struggle in an AI-driven recruitment landscape.
All of the development areas are around utilizing those human skills. We’ve got a brilliant team that engages with stakeholders really well. That edge to always being in the conversation will become even more critical in the future.”
Jen Corio
Director of Talent Acquisition, BMC.
As AI continues to shape the future of talent acquisition, Corio’s team is focused on ensuring meaningful connections remain central to the talent journey. “There’s still a lot of concern, and I think that’s natural. But there is definitely much more desire for the human element”.
Crafting Authentic Narratives
Solid storytelling is one of the human elements Corio hopes her team can continue to focus on in this dynamic landscape. That’s why genuine narratives are key to effectively engaging talent: “A compelling story attracts the right talent and ensures they stay because they genuinely connect with the mission,” Corio explained.
In this context, authenticity is non-negotiable. Mismatched narratives can lead to costly turnover and organizational disruption. To mitigate this risk, Corio explained that BMC builds trust by collaborating with hiring managers to ensure recruitment stories align with the organization’s realities.
Boylan expanded on this, emphasizing the winner-takes-all nature of recruiting. Since organizations compete not just for talent but also to tell a better story that resonates more deeply than their contenders’, recruiters need to craft messages that cut through the noise and address what truly matters to candidates.
What The Future Holds
With the market on the brink of becoming AI-centered, Corio emphasized that she’ll be focusing heavily on tuning up their talent acquisition strategy over the next three to six months. “We need to stay in step with the industry and maintain momentum.”
Closing the conversation, Boylan reflected on the importance of agility paired with a human-centered approach: “Transformation is happening faster than ever. The organizations that thrive are the ones that adapt their strategies in real time while keeping people at the center.”
