Josh Fialky
Havas Media Network
“As a leader, I'm nothing without my team. Showing appreciation goes a long way.”
Josh Fialky has been named to the Talent 100, Class of 2026, the annual award recognizing up to 100 leaders in each category of talent acquisition. Honorees are nominated by peers or found by committees that look for excellent work wherever it happens, then chosen for the depth of their craft and their impact on hiring. This is Josh's story.
For Joshua Fialky, Executive Director, Talent Acquisition at Havas Media Network, recruiting was not the career he originally planned, but it became the perfect way to combine two passions he had developed throughout his professional journey.
Before entering talent acquisition, Joshua spent nearly two decades building a successful career in media, advertising, digital marketing, and search strategy. “I had been in media and advertising for almost 20 years,” he explains. “Then I realized I wanted to try something different.”
After years of leading teams, managing businesses, and hiring talent as part of his leadership responsibilities, he decided to take a step back and reassess what he wanted his next chapter to look like. He spent a year as a stay-at-home dad while his children were in elementary school, using the time to focus on family and reflect on his career. It was during that period that a friend who ran a staffing firm suggested he consider recruiting as a profession. “You’ve built teams, managed people, hired talent, and grown businesses,” she told him. “Why not try recruiting?”
Joshua joined a staffing firm and quickly discovered he genuinely enjoyed talent acquisition. While he appreciated the agency side of recruiting, he realized what excited him most was being part of an organization’s long-term success. “I wanted to help build a culture and bring people into a company where they could grow,” he says. Nearly a decade ago, he joined Havas, where he found the opportunity to combine his deep media expertise with his passion for recruiting and talent leadership.
The Power of Helping People Build Careers
For Joshua, talent acquisition is about much more than filling positions. He believes recruiters play a meaningful role in some of the most important decisions people make in their lives. “Finding a job is one of the biggest decisions people make,” he says. “Along with buying a home, getting married, and deciding whether to have children.”
Because career moves happen relatively infrequently, many candidates enter the hiring process without confidence or recent interviewing experience. Joshua sees recruiters as advocates who help candidates navigate those moments, and his greatest source of motivation continues to be helping people find opportunities where they can grow, succeed, and make the most of their skills.
“Being able to help someone find one of the most important things in their life feels really good,” he explains. That sense of purpose has remained a constant throughout his recruiting career and continues to drive the work he does today.
Navigating a Challenging Talent Market
As the recruiting landscape continues evolving, Joshua believes talent acquisition professionals are operating in one of the most challenging hiring environments in recent years. Economic uncertainty, shifting workforce dynamics, changing hiring practices, and increased competition for opportunities have created a market that requires candidates to be more proactive than ever before.
His advice is clear: invest in relationships. “Networking is more important now than it has ever been,” he says. He encourages job seekers to identify companies they admire, connect with people who share common backgrounds, and actively build relationships within their target industries. Online applications remain important, but meaningful connections, in his view, often create opportunities that candidates might never discover otherwise.
At the same time, he emphasizes the importance of balancing persistence with professionalism. “There’s a difference between being persistent and being a pest,” he explains. For recruiters and talent leaders, the lesson is similar. Building strong relationships, maintaining communication, and treating every interaction as an opportunity to create a positive impression can have lasting effects.
Advice for Talent Leaders Heading into 2026
As organizations continue adapting to changing markets, new technologies, and evolving workforce expectations, Joshua believes the fundamentals of recruiting remain unchanged. Relationships matter. People matter. And appreciation matters. His advice to talent leaders is to stay focused on building meaningful connections, supporting their teams, and remembering the human side of the hiring process. “Keep your chin up,” he says. “It’s a tough market, but opportunities are out there.”
He also encourages leaders to continue investing in the development of others, recognizing that some of the most rewarding moments in recruiting come from watching people grow over time. One of his favorite memories is seeing a former intern who joined Havas nearly a decade ago return after graduation and build a successful career within the company. Watching that individual grow into a leadership role remains one of the most fulfilling experiences of his career.
For Joshua, that is what talent acquisition is ultimately about: helping people discover opportunities, grow into their potential, and build careers they are proud of. By combining empathy, gratitude, relationship-building, and a genuine passion for helping others succeed, Joshua Fialky continues to demonstrate the lasting impact great talent leaders can have on both individuals and organizations.
The Talent 100 exists to celebrate the people shaping the future of how the world hires, and few embody that better than Josh. We are honored to welcome Josh Fialky to the Talent 100, Class of 2026, and grateful for the experience, perspective, and craft they bring to this community. Congratulations, Josh. Welcome to the Talent 100.
About the Talent 100
The Talent 100 is an annual list spotlighting the leaders who push HR and talent acquisition forward, organized by Noon AI. Honorees are selected through peer nominations and independent selection committees. Selection is entirely merit-based, with no fees or pay-to-play requirements.
