Small business owners facing tight labor markets and AI-inflated resumes can gain a competitive edge by adjusting their hiring timing and language, according to Shannon Black, Chair of SCORE Austin, in Episode 82 of the Rock Solid: Round Rock Business Leaders Podcast. The episode, hosted by Bryan Eisenberg and published July 14, 2026, offers practical strategies developed from Black's experience as a former math teacher and founder of Sunrise Montessori.
Black emphasizes that job ad timing is critical. "The best time of the week to put an ad, to place it, is actually Sunday morning," she tells Eisenberg. "It takes Google and other search engines about 24 hours to go through and pick up the SEO in your ad. The number one time of the week that people look for jobs are Mondays during lunchtime." By posting Sunday morning, ads are indexed and ready to appear when job seekers are most active.
To improve visibility, Black recommends using 30 or more hashtags at the bottom of job listings to capture SEO without rewriting copy. She also advises avoiding "masculine" language that can deter female applicants. Her screening process includes a 10-minute Zoom pre-interview and unexpected questions like "What is your favorite color?" to reveal personality and fit.
The conversation also covers SCORE's free mentorship model, a national nonprofit that offers more than 1,000 workshops per month and virtual mentor matching at score.org. Black previews an upcoming women's conference, a trades conference on June 13, and a four-day workshop series on valuing and selling a business. She recounts helping a client named Justin launch a successful Austin clay studio, and points to entrepreneur Desiree Fox of V Wear Love as an example of the idea-stage founders SCORE serves.
Eisenberg shares his own home care agency hiring wins after applying Black's tweaks, plus a lease near-miss rescued by Round Rock realtor Bacha Porter. The episode arrives as small business owners nationwide continue to grapple with post-COVID hiring shifts, AI-inflated resumes, and the challenge of protecting company culture during rapid growth. Black's systematic approach, shaped by her math background and habit of experimentation, provides actionable insights for leaders looking to build and retain teams in today's competitive environment.
For small business owners, the implications are significant: by adjusting ad timing and language, they can attract more qualified candidates, reduce time-to-hire, and potentially lower recruitment costs. Black's methods offer a low-cost, high-impact way to improve hiring outcomes without expensive tools or agencies. As Central Texas continues to grow, these strategies could help local businesses thrive amid ongoing workforce challenges.
