Aparna Jain
Aparna Jain
Director - Talent, Tiger Analytics
For Aparna Jain, recruiting began with a realization that she wanted to be closer to people.
Her first role was in core HR, focused on areas such as HR policies and payroll. While the work gave her exposure to the HR function, Aparna quickly realized it was not the right fit.
“I honestly felt that it was very boring,” she says. “I’m a people person. I like to connect with people.”
That changed when she had the opportunity to help hire for several roles within her company.
Through those conversations, Aparna found herself speaking with candidates who were much more senior than she was. They shared insights into their roles, industries, and what made their work meaningful.
Those conversations sparked her interest in talent acquisition.
That experience motivated her to move from core HR into recruiting, where she could combine her interest in people with her curiosity about business, industries, and leadership.
Learning From Leaders Who Shaped Her Career
Looking back, Aparna credits several leaders with helping shape her approach to recruiting and leadership.
One of the first was Shailaja Dutt, her first manager in talent acquisition and the leader of Stellar Search in India.
Aparna was still early in her career when she joined Shailaja’s team. Many on the team were freshers or had only a few years of experience, yet they were interviewing senior candidates for director-level and head of HR roles.
Shailaja taught them how to carry themselves with confidence, professionalism, and credibility.
“She taught us how to have meaningful conversations,” Aparna says.
Another important influence was M.R. Singh, an executive search leader Aparna worked with earlier in her career.
What stood out most was his deep network and ability to build relationships across the industry.
“He knew people by name,” she says.
For Aparna, watching him leverage relationships, references, and industry knowledge showed her the power of building a strong network in recruiting.
Her current manager has influenced her in a different way.
While earlier leaders taught her about recruiting, Aparna says her current manager has taught her about leadership.
“She gives me complete ownership,” Aparna says. “She does not micromanage.”
That trust has helped Aparna grow as a manager and develop her own leadership style.
Navigating AI in Recruiting
Aparna sees AI as both an opportunity and a challenge for talent teams.
On one hand, AI is becoming a useful tool for improving internal systems and recruiting processes.
On the other hand, it has also made certain parts of recruiting more difficult, especially in technical hiring.
“AI is for everyone,” she says. “For talent leaders, recruiters, and people looking for jobs.”
One of the biggest challenges she is seeing is the rise of candidates using AI tools during interviews, as well as an increase in fake candidates.
For Aparna and her team, this has become a burning issue to solve.
Advice for Talent Leaders Heading into 2026
Aparna believes talent leaders need to stay aware of how AI is evolving and how different people may use it across different roles.
Her advice is to understand the latest developments, use AI thoughtfully, and prepare for both the benefits and the risks.
AI can help improve recruiting systems and processes, but leaders also need to be alert to the negative situations it can create.
For Aparna, the future of recruiting will require awareness, adaptability, and responsible use of technology.
By combining people-centered recruiting, strong relationship-building, and a thoughtful approach to AI, Aparna Jain represents the kind of talent leader helping organizations move forward while staying grounded in human connection.
