HR Interviews Playlist

AI has profoundly impacted talent acquisition in 2024, but its influence has been far from uniform. In some areas, little has changed, while in others—such as high-volume hiring—there has been nothing short of a revolution. Automation has dramatically accelerated recruiting processes, improving the candidate and hiring manager experience in ways previously unimaginable. These advancements are sign...

From the Shaker Green Room at RecFest USA, Julie Sowash, executive director of Disability Solutions, survived Chad & Cheese’s snarkapalooza to talk AI ethics, data transparency, and why hiring underrepresented talent is more than a checkbox exercise. She preached the gospel of blending tech with human connection (shocking, we know) and reminded companies that “diversity commitment” isn’t code for...

Welcome back to HR's Most Dangerous Podcast, where Chad and Joel serve up spicy takes and recruiting truths hotter than a Nashville summer. This week, they wrangle Courtney Dempsey, the tech-savvy maestro behind Southern Rock Restaurants’ hiring empire. With 160 restaurants and a hiring strategy sharper than a deli slicer, Courtney spills the secret sauce: targeting job seekers while the rest of u...

In this episode of The Chad and Cheese podcast, Joel and Chad discuss various topics including their experiences with Chipotle and the implementation of Paradox, the impressive growth of their podcast as highlighted by Spotify's year-end wrap-up, the rise of social commerce particularly through TikTok, and the potential for LinkedIn to enhance job applications through video content. They also touc...

Brace yourselves: The Chad & Cheese Podcast is back, this time with retired Lieutenant General Russell L. Honoré—who proves you can train and lead half a million troops and drop some epic truth bombs on HR, AI, and America’s obsession with cheap stuff. In this spicy episode, we cover: HR Meets Boot Camp: General Honoré schools us on why leading people isn’t about asking, “You’re good, right?” and...

John Graham, Shaker’s VP of Employer Brand Strategy, hit RecFest USA with a mic drop on recruitment marketing and employer branding as we careen into 2025. His talk? A mix of AI hype, DEI drama, and a reality check for those clinging to the idea of "jobs for life" like it's still 1985. Graham’s big reveal: employer branding is less about forever and more about for now, pivoting to a launchpad for...

With organizations now having to navigate the rapid changes brought about by geopolitical instability, economic uncertainty, the ongoing climate emergency, and the surge in technology, it is clear that different ways of thinking about talent are needed.  So, how can organizations adapt to this complexity and prepare for a future where the old rules no longer apply? What should they consider when r...

Transforming a business function is a difficult process. It can become impossible if no one knows what the function is transforming into. It is vital that anyone undertaking a TA Transformation develops a clear vision to generate buy-in and set the direction of travel. With so much disruption going on, there has never been a better time to create bold, innovative visions that take TA Acquisition i...

Athletes, Burnout, and Plumbing Emergencies Grab your popcorn and buckle up for this episode of the Talent Chasing Podcast! Jasper, Brian, and Chad dissect their interview with the legendary sports agent Debbie Spander in this latest Film Room session—a mix of insightful commentary, hilariously sharp quips, and, naturally, a side tangent on Europe's plumbing crisis. Ever wonder why elite athletes...

After all the commentary and debate about AI and talent acquisition over the last two years, we are finally starting to see what this brave new world might look like as many technology providers roll out new AI-driven products and services. While it is clear that massive changes are coming to the way companies hire talent, there are still many unanswered questions and contradictory views on what t...

After many years of being seen as tactical, TA has the unique opportunity to reposition itself as a strategic function with insights to shape business strategy. However, this will only happen with a significant degree of transformation, and those TA teams that stick to doing what they have always done are at risk of further downsizing or being automated away altogether.  So, what do TA Leaders nee...

From the SmartRecruiters booth at the HR Tech conference, the guys interviewed Stefan Premdas, who transitioned from a background in biomedical engineering to HR, focusing on talent operations and recruitment at various firms before joining sweetgreen. Stefan discussed the evolving HR landscape, introducing the concept of "people experience" and how his team at sweetgreen manages the entire employ...

Company culture is a fundamental selling point for attracting the right talent to an organization. However, in many cases, it is talked about in a cliched, inauthentic way during the hiring process. Culture is also often portrayed in terms of the working environment or via specific perks rather than being something that holistically represents the organization. So, how can TA teams use culture as...

From the Shaker Green Room at RecFest USA, Dean Da Costa joins Chad & Cheese to share fresh recruitment advice. He urges recruiters to challenge norms, verify AI-generated data, and focus on the human touch. Da Costa emphasizes personal branding, as candidates often research recruiters, and suggests exploring platforms beyond LinkedIn to reach diverse talent. He highlights the irreplaceable value...

Live from the SmartRecruiters booth at the HR Tech conference in Las Vegas, the boys hosted a session with Patti Tabris, Senior Director of Talent Acquisition at ResultsCX, who shared insights into leveraging employee referrals for recruitment. With 20,000 employees, ResultsCX has seen tremendous success by generating over 400,000 referrals in two years, highlighting referrals as a potent yet ofte...

Whenever we talk about recruiting automation, there is always a persistent narrative in favor of retaining the human touch in some way, shape, or form. While technology now enables us to interact in increasingly conversational ways, there's still an irreplaceable quality in human-to-human, face-to-face dialogue that no machine or video can fully replicate. So, how can we enhance the effectiveness...

I know that many of you would agree that we are now beyond saturation point with the hype around AI in TA. It's clear that one way or another, gen AI is going to become ubiquitous in the software that we use. So, rather than discussing it as a topic on its own, we need to look carefully at the current and future impact on TA in terms of use cases, innovation, and the potential to rethink hiring. S...

Get ready to dive into the wild world of sports biz with Debbie Spander, the CEO of Insight Sports Advisors—a boutique sports media agency where deals happen, dreams are made, and retired athletes try not to be the “Remember that guy?” stories! Debbie’s gone from slinging legal briefs as a sports lawyer to negotiating contracts as a sports agent, and she’s spilling all the tea. She tackles the big...

Broadcasting from the ever-glamorous Shaker Green Room at RecFest USA, Chad & Cheese sit down with the powerhouse of DEI herself, Novonda Lilly, Director of DEI Campus and Community Engagement at Vanderbilt Health. Novonda schools the guys on how to navigate the choppy waters of diversity in hiring, especially with 2025 looming large. Spoiler alert: it’s not as simple as slapping a rainbow on your...

In this episode of Firing Squad, Josh Sklüt, co-founder and Chief People Officer of My Standard, discusses the innovative approach of his company as a Web3 alternative to traditional job platforms like LinkedIn. He explains how My Standard empowers users to control and monetize their professional data while addressing the shortcomings of existing recruitment methods. The conversation delves into t...

This "Talent Chasing" podcast episode provides a look at Shohei Ohtani, his historic baseball journey, and the broader impact on the business of baseball. Hosted by former MLB player and scout Brian Johnson, journalist Jasper Spanjaart, and recruitment industry veteran Chad Sowash, the conversation explores Ohtani’s unique dual-role as both a top-tier pitcher and hitter—a feat that has transformed...

Live from the Shaker Green Room, Mary Battle Broxton from Tractor Supply Company joined The Chad & Cheese at RecFest USA to talk AI, authenticity, and hiring without the ‘lazy applicants.’ ‘Embrace the robots, or get left in the dust,’ as Mary urges talent leaders to dive headfirst into AI tools like Paradox. Forget the old-school ways; it's all about tech-fueled, authentic candidate experiences n...

Round up is the monthly show on The Recruiting Future Podcast channel that highlights episodes you may have missed and gives you my take on some of the key learnings from the guests. Episodes mentioned in this Round Up: Ep 644: AI, Innovation & HR Tech Ep 645: Recruiting Nirvana Ep 646: Skills Intelligence Ep 647: Attributes Ep 648: Unstoppable Transformation Ep 649: Building A Personalized Candid...

Live from the SmartRecruiters booth, Tracey Parsons, the CEO of Flockity, shared insights at the HR Tech conference in Las Vegas, drawing from her extensive 20-year background in recruitment marketing and employer branding. She highlighted the sluggish pace of change within the industry, attributing it to stakeholder resistance and a pervasive lack of genuine listening, which deteriorates candidat...

I've done a lot of research this year around the move to skills-based hiring and skills-based organizations. Having spoken to a large number of employers on this journey, it is very clear that success is predicated on looking at skills strategically, holistically, and in the context of both business and personal growth. Ultimately, employers need to think fundamentally differently about talent and...