Brandon Samuel

Brandon Samuel

Talent, Public Policy - Anthropic

For Brandon Samuel, recruiting was never part of the original plan.

Like many talent leaders, his path into talent acquisition emerged through a series of unexpected opportunities. Early in his career, Brandon explored broader human resources roles, working for an oil company before transitioning into a federal government position as a statistician and analyst. While the work was valuable, he found himself drawn back toward the people side of business.

That curiosity ultimately led him to a career fair at his alma mater, where he met representatives from a staffing agency that would change the course of his career.

“I originally approached them because I thought they might help me find an HR role,” Brandon recalls. “Instead, they introduced me to recruiting.”

The more he learned about the profession, the more it resonated with him. Recruiting offered a unique combination of business strategy, relationship building, and the opportunity to positively impact people’s lives.

Starting in the agency world, Brandon supported a diverse range of hiring needs across government contracting, marketing, healthcare, and administrative functions. The experience exposed him to professionals from every stage of their careers and provided an early lesson in the power of connecting people with opportunities.

“It gave me the chance to speak with so many different people and help them find opportunities they might not have otherwise discovered,” he says.

That foundation would eventually lead him into a series of increasingly influential talent acquisition roles at organizations including Blackboard, Facebook, Mozilla, HackerOne, and now Anthropic.

Building Organizations Through Talent

While many recruiters are energized by filling roles, Brandon finds his greatest motivation in helping shape the future of organizations.

Throughout his career, he has been drawn to environments experiencing rapid growth and transformation.

At Blackboard, he helped build global teams across regions including Colombia and the Czech Republic, contributing directly to the company’s international expansion efforts. Later, at Facebook, he joined during a period of significant investment in Reality Labs and emerging technologies, supporting hiring efforts for teams focused on wearables, policy, and regulatory initiatives.

Today, at Anthropic, he continues operating at the forefront of one of the most transformative technologies of the modern era.

“What excites me is helping shape where an organization is going,” Brandon explains. “You feel like you have ownership in the company’s growth and the impact it’s creating.”

Equally important is the opportunity to change individual lives.

Whether sourcing passive candidates who have never heard of a company before or helping professionals take the next step in their careers, Brandon finds purpose in connecting people to opportunities that align with their goals and aspirations.

“You’re helping people see a vision they may not have seen before,” he says. “When they become believers in that mission and decide to join, that’s incredibly rewarding.”

Recruiting in the Age of AI

Having worked at organizations deeply connected to technology, cybersecurity, privacy, and artificial intelligence, Brandon has witnessed firsthand how AI is reshaping the recruiting landscape.

While much of the industry conversation focuses on productivity and automation, Brandon believes recruiters must also pay close attention to the new risks that accompany technological advancement.

“We have a lot more vigilance that has to take place now,” he explains.

As AI-generated content and sophisticated online identities become more common, recruiters are increasingly responsible for validating candidate authenticity and protecting organizations from potential security risks.

At organizations focused on privacy, security, and advanced technology, that responsibility becomes even more critical.

“You have to be intentional about your due diligence,” Brandon says. “You’re often the first point of entry into the organization, and that comes with responsibility.”

At the same time, he believes AI should be viewed as a tool that enhances human thinking rather than replaces it.

For Brandon, the future belongs to professionals who remain curious, challenge assumptions, and leverage technology thoughtfully while maintaining independent judgment.

“We want people who have opinions,” he says. “People who ask questions, challenge ideas, and help us get to better answers.”

Staying Agile in a Rapidly Changing World

As organizations continue adapting to new technologies, shifting business priorities, and evolving market conditions, Brandon believes adaptability has become one of the most important qualities for talent leaders.

“The biggest lesson is to stay open,” he says.

In a world where hiring plans, organizational strategies, and technology landscapes can shift rapidly, recruiters must remain flexible and responsive.

“The plan from three months ago may not be the plan today,” Brandon explains. “You have to be willing to pivot.”

That adaptability extends beyond processes and tools. Brandon encourages recruiters to remain empathetic to the pressures facing business leaders and stakeholders as organizations navigate uncertainty and change.

To be effective partners, talent professionals must understand the broader business context and evolve alongside it.

“In order to be the right partner to the business, you have to change with the business,” he says.

Advice for Talent Leaders Heading into 2026

Looking ahead, Brandon encourages talent professionals at every level—from individual contributors to senior leaders—to embrace flexibility and maintain a growth mindset.

He believes recruiting has become increasingly strategic, requiring professionals to balance business priorities, technological innovation, and human connection simultaneously.

Most importantly, he advises recruiters to remember that their role exists within a much larger ecosystem.

“It’s bigger than you,” Brandon says. “You have to stay flexible to the program.”

For Brandon Samuel, great recruiting is not simply about filling positions. It is about helping organizations grow responsibly, protecting what matters, and creating opportunities that positively impact both businesses and the people who power them.

As technology continues to transform the world of work, he remains focused on the principle that has guided his career from the beginning: staying curious, staying adaptable, and always keeping people at the center of the process.