Holly olson

About holly olson

Co-Founder and I/O Psychology Expert

Holly Olson has been working in the talent acquisition industry for over a decade. She spent the first portion of her career as an external consultant focused on utilizing pre-hire assessments to identify top performers and demonstrate return on investment to her clients. Next, she served as the Director of Talent Acquisition for a fast-growing senior housing corporation, leading the efforts to triple the company's size in 5 years. Most recently, she's worked with growing small businesses within the hospitality, finance, accounting, and professional services industries, driving recruitment efforts through strategic talent acquisition consulting. She uses her expertise to raise the bar on talent by immersing herself in a company's culture and criteria and then digging deep to find quality candidates for her clients. 

Holly sees the process of talent acquisition as a balance of science and practice. Her background in Industrial-Organizational (I/O) Psychology has given her the knowledge of research-based best practices. She uses this as a foundation on which to build for each unique organization. Being part of several businesses, and leading the talent acquisition efforts, has given her a broad perspective and appreciation of the nuances of each company. While she has learned several best practices over the years and willingly shares her knowledge with her clients, she approaches each new partnership with fresh eyes and creates customized solutions rather than out-of-the-box fixes. She is energized by the opportunity to learn and grow with each client she serves. She adapts her approach to each situation but is always guided by her academic background's ethical and scientific practices. 

Using her vast experience and knowledge, Holly takes an immersive approach to understanding your "people goals" and driving results through tenacity, integrity, and pride in her work. She thrives in high-growth environments working directly with company leaders and business owners to drive success. Holly has been recognized as a thought leader in the talent acquisition industry, speaking at professional conferences such as Society for Industrial-Organizational Psychology (SIOP) and the Beryl Institute. Olson's educational background includes a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Iowa (06) and a Master of Arts in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from the University of Northern Iowa (10). She is also pursuing her Doctor of Philosophy in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from Keiser University and expects to graduate in 2023.

Education

PhD in Industrial/ Organizational Psychology from Keiser University, Ex. 2023

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M.A. in Industrial/ Organizational Psychology, University of Northern Iowa, 2010

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B.A. in Psychology, University of Iowa, 2006