Companies can't find the talent they need – and cities around the world are feeling the pressure to attract and retain a skilled workforce. Talent Wars goes inside the global battle for talent and what cities, regions, states, and countries are doing to attract and retain the workforce they need. Host Patience Fairbrother sits down with experts and community leaders on the front lines of the talent challenge to bring you data-driven insights, tips, case studies, and a few cautionary tales along the way.
In a world of remote work, digital connections and expanding career flexibility, it's easy to assume that geography matters less than it once did. But according to LinkedIn's data, where we live continues to shape our career opportunities in powerful ways.
On this episode of Talent Wars, host Patience Fairbrother Wallace sits down with Casey Weston, senior manager of public policy and economic graphs at LinkedIn, to explore how networks, place and opportunity remain deeply connected.
Drawing on research from LinkedIn's Economic Graph and its Cities on the Rise analysis, Casey shares what emerging communities can learn from places experiencing strong growth and why some cities are outperforming expectations when it comes to attracting talent and creating opportunity. He explains how growing communities are building on existing strengths rather than chasing the latest trends, and why the most successful economic development strategies start with understanding the assets already in place.
The conversation also explores the role of professional and social networks in shaping career outcomes, why geography still matters in an increasingly digital world and how communities can create stronger ecosystems that help both people and businesses succeed. Casey shares LinkedIn's latest perspective on AI, workforce trends and the skills that will be most valuable in the years ahead, while offering reassurance for young professionals entering a rapidly changing labor market.
From the future of work to the power of community connections, this episode offers practical insights for economic developers, talent attraction professionals and community leaders working to create places where people and careers can thrive.
Tune in to hear why opportunity is about more than jobs, what LinkedIn's data reveals about the communities on the rise and how place leaders can build stronger ecosystems for talent.
15 Sept 2026
From the Archives: Leading with Authenticity to Attract Talent to San Diego
On this episode from the archives of Talent Wars, originally aired in Season 1, host Patience Fairbrother Wallace interviews San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation's Senior Director of Communications and Community Engagement, Bree Burris (https://www.linkedin.com/in/bree-burris/), to discuss the "San Diego: Life. Changing (https://sandiegolifechanging.org/)." campaign. Bree shares insights on the EDC's two-pronged approach that encompasses talent attraction and retention and how a focus on authenticity and owning San Diego's narrative has played a major role in the success of the EDC's talent initiatives. Tune in for inspiration from San Diego and insights on how to know when it's time for a rebrand, understanding the importance of owning your community's challenges and best practices when it comes to equipping your employers with the tools and messaging they need to attract and retain talent.
1 Sept 2026
The New Rules of Digital Talent Attraction
The digital journey to a new place is no longer a straight line. People are discovering communities through social media, search, AI tools and the stories shared by the people who already live and work there. So, what does it take to cut through the noise and build trust?
On this episode of Talent Wars, host Patience Fairbrother Wallace speaks with Hanna Gbordzoe, vice president of digital at DCI, about what these changes mean for talent attraction. Together, they explore what makes digital content resonate, how communities can build trust online and where place marketers should be focusing their efforts as the digital landscape continues to evolve.
From knowing when to follow a social trend to understanding how AI is changing the way people find information, Hanna offers a practical look at what's changing, what still matters and what communities may need to rethink.
If you're trying to attract talent in an increasingly crowded digital landscape, this conversation offers a fresh perspective on how to stay relevant without trying to do everything.
Tune in to hear what's next for digital marketing in talent attraction and what communities can do now to keep up.
Inside a recent episode
AI, Wage Transparency and More: 2026 Hiring Market in Focus
Published 26 May 2026 · Transcript excerpt
[…] And how is that changing the way that they're operating their businesses? You know, as it relates to pay, pay... It's typically the purview of comp teams, but also the purview of recruiting teams. So if you're looking at attracting talent into your company, recruiters are expected to know what's the going rate for given jobs. And they're expected to be able to work with hiring managers to set competitive rates. And anymore, it's no longer good enough to say, I've got this budget for this job. And so go find me a candidate or a slate of candidates for it. If the budget for the job is out of touch with what the market is doing, the recruiting team's not going to have much success doing that. […]
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