Sharee Rico

Sharee Rico

Director, Talent Acquisition - GTM, G&A and ANZ, UKG

Sharee Rico didn’t plan on a career in recruiting — she was pulled into it when her company suddenly needed to hire dozens of people fast.

Right out of high school, Rico worked at a call center, where she stayed for six years. At the time, there was no recruiting team — she was working as a front desk administrator when leadership landed a major new client and urgently needed to hire 50–75 employees.

Her VP gave her a simple directive: “I don’t care what you do — you need to get people.”

So she did. Rico promoted openings on the radio, posted on Facebook, reached out to friends, and used every channel she could think of. After successfully hiring the entire group, leadership asked if she wanted to become the company’s first recruiter.

“I didn’t even really know what that meant,” she says. “But it came with a pay raise — so I said yes.”

That unexpected opportunity launched her recruiting career.

Learning the Craft

After discovering she genuinely enjoyed recruiting, Rico moved into a recruiting coordinator role at Harbor Freight’s corporate office in Calabasas. While technically a step back in title, she considers it a crucial learning phase.

Because she had been “thrown into” recruiting initially, this role allowed her to understand the coordination side of talent acquisition — scheduling, logistics, and process — giving her a more complete foundation.

About 10 months later, she relocated back home and joined Mindbody as a Customer Success Recruiter. She spent four years there and experienced her first IPO — a milestone that shaped her perspective on high-growth environments.

Finding Her Niche in High-Growth Companies

After having her first child, Rico began looking for more flexibility and her next challenge. She joined Procore as a Customer Success Recruiter and stayed for nearly nine years.

Her time at Procore became a defining chapter of her career. She moved from recruiting into talent acquisition enablement, where she focused on systems and processes — an area she naturally gravitated toward as a self-described “systems and process person.”

Still, she missed the direct impact of recruiting. After discussing it with leadership, she stepped into a high-volume Recruiting Manager role, overseeing hiring for BDRs, SMB AEs, Customer Success, and other fast-scaling functions.

Over time, she grew into the Global Director of Go-to-Market and G&A Recruiting, leading hiring efforts across regions without regional leadership layers. During her tenure, she went through her second IPO in 2021.

“I realized I really love the build phase,” Rico says. “The energy, the growth, the problem-solving. Once companies get very corporate and layered, that’s not where I thrive most.”

A New Chapter at UKG

That self-awareness led her to UKG, where she joined as Director of Go-to-Market & G&A Recruiting for ANZ in late 2025.

Although UKG is a large organization, Rico was excited by the opportunity to help build and refine structure following major company integrations.

“There’s still so much growth and building that needs to happen,” she explains. “That’s the part that really motivates me.”

She currently leads a team of about 16, including two managers, within a broader TA organization of roughly 80 recruiters.

What Energizes Her Most

Right now, Rico is most energized by building stronger systems and processes.

She’s focused on helping her organization better leverage tools, refine workflows, and create more structure — not for the sake of rigidity, but to enable recruiters to work more effectively.

“I love the build phase we’re in right now,” she says. “Even in a big company, there’s still so much opportunity to improve how we operate.”

How Talent Leadership Is Evolving

When it comes to AI, Rico sees more evolution than revolution — at least for now.

“I think there’s still a lot of learning happening,” she says. “No one fully understands everything AI can do yet.”

She sees immediate value in using AI for efficiency, such as drafting outreach messages or automating repetitive tasks. But she’s clear that technology must not replace the human side of recruiting.

“You can’t automate connection,” she says. “Candidates remember when someone takes the time to update them, give feedback, and really engage with them. That human touch is still critical.”

For Rico, the future of recruiting lies in balance: using AI to save time while doubling down on relationship-building and candidate experience.

Advice for Talent Leaders in 2026

Rico’s advice for other talent leaders is grounded in mindset and leadership presence.

“Control the controllables,” she says. “There’s so much happening in the market that we can’t influence — hiring slowdowns, budget shifts, organizational changes.”

Instead, she encourages leaders to focus on how they show up for their teams.

“Your team needs psychological safety, honesty, and trust. Be open. Be as transparent as you can. And remember — you hired adults who know how to do their jobs. Trust them.”

By leading with vulnerability, clarity, and consistency, Rico believes talent leaders can build resilient, high-performing teams — no matter what the market brings.