Digital Recruiter Podcast

By Digital RecruiterBusiness Entrepreneurship Careers

Digital Recruiter Podcast episodes

November 02, 2025 #108- Rethinking ATS, Scaling RPO, and Why Talent Acquisition Needs a Seat at the Table
SUMMARY
Christine Nichlos didn’t set out to build an RPO and HR tech firm that would partner with some of the world’s most complex enterprises, she simply saw a better way to do recruiting. Since launching People Science in 1997, she’s stayed at the forefront of talent acquisition by staying relentlessly curious and customer-focused. In this episode, Christine joins Clark Wilcox to talk about the evolution of recruiting from paper resumes to AI-augmented systems, and what most leaders still get wrong about applicant tracking systems (ATS).
They dive deep into how her team developed Hire Gate, a recruiter- and candidate-tracking platform that augments existing ATSs to provide actionable intelligence. Christine explains why TA leaders need better data, not more tools, to make strategic decisions, and how platforms like Hire Gate are helping teams shift from reactive hiring to proactive workforce planning. She also shares why AI alone can’t save you, how her team pilots tools before implementation, and what true recruiter enablement looks like.
Christine’s passion is clear: if we don't fix talent acquisition, the economy can’t grow. This episode is a powerful reminder that TA isn’t just back-office HR, it’s mission-critical. Whether you’re an enterprise TA leader, agency recruiter, or HR tech buyer, this conversation will make you rethink your tech stack, your team structure, and your own influence.

CHRISTINE'S BIO
Christine Nichlos is the Founder and CEO of People Science and Hire Gate, a next-generation RPO and HR tech firm that specializes in solving high-volume, complex hiring challenges. With roots in talent advisory and a sharp focus on execution, Christine’s companies have supported global enterprises like Lucent, Verizon, and others in redesigning how they attract and retain talent. She is a passionate advocate for elevating talent acquisition as a business-critical function, and her firm’s platform Hire Gate helps TA teams plan, track, and optimize recruiter performance beyond what a traditional ATS allows. When she’s not designing systems to fix recruiting, she’s mentoring teams to think strategically and speak the language of business.
Connect with Christine on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/cnichlos/
Stop wasting money on lead-gen tools that don’t work. Learn how top recruiters are winning on LinkedIn with content, messaging, and automation—without spamming. Get live coaching, ongoing support, and a proven system to drive revenue inside Digital Recruiter Bootcamp. Join now: DigitalRecruiter.io/bootcamp
Get the best and most current digital recruiting insights, tips, and strategies every Sunday—straight to your inbox, for free: https://www.digitalrecruiter.io/drnewsletter
For more information about Digital Recruiter, click HERE ---＞ https://linktr.ee/thedigitalrecruiter
Make sure to sign up for the ERE Recruiting Innovation Summit on November 4th and 5th in San Diego. In person and virtual seats available.
Get 10% off your ticket by using code "DigiRec" at checkout: https://lnkd.in/ewQcNVEi

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
34 min
October 31, 2025 #107- How Larry Hernandez is Scaling Recruiter Brilliance with Custom AI Assistants
SUMMARY
In this episode of the Digital Recruiter Podcast’s ERE Summit Series, Clark Wilcox is joined by Larry Hernandez, founder of Recruiter DNA. With over 25 years in the industry, Larry now teaches recruiters how to build their own AI-powered workflows that boost productivity without sacrificing the human side of recruiting. His approach is grounded, tactical, and built for scale, making AI accessible to recruiters at any level.
Larry shares how he trains recruiting teams to use ChatGPT and generative AI as collaborative tools instead of replacements. He introduces the concept of “scaling brilliance” capturing the workflows of your top performers and turning them into custom AI copilots anyone can use. From intake meetings to writing job posts in your brand’s tone, Larry offers a refreshing and empowering take on AI’s role in modern hiring. This is a must-listen for anyone overwhelmed by AI and unsure where to start.

LARRY'S BIO
Larry Hernandez is the founder of Recruiter DNA, a training and AI strategy firm for modern recruiting teams. With a background spanning agency, in-house, RPO, and consulting roles at companies like Zappos, Microsoft, and Twitter, Larry now helps TA leaders and recruiters build practical, no-code AI assistants using the tools they already have. He specializes in demystifying AI and helping teams scale their top performers' knowledge through custom GPT workflows.
Connect with Larry on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/larryhernandezrecruiter/
Stop wasting money on lead-gen tools that don’t work. Learn how top recruiters are winning on LinkedIn with content, messaging, and automation—without spamming. Get live coaching, ongoing support, and a proven system to drive revenue inside Digital Recruiter Bootcamp. Join now: DigitalRecruiter.io/bootcamp
Get the best and most current digital recruiting insights, tips, and strategies every Sunday—straight to your inbox, for free: https://www.digitalrecruiter.io/drnewsletter
For more information about Digital Recruiter, click HERE ---＞ https://linktr.ee/thedigitalrecruiter
Make sure to sign up for the ERE Recruiting Innovation Summit on November 4th and 5th in San Diego. In person and virtual seats available.
Get 10% off your ticket by using code "DigiRec" at checkout: https://lnkd.in/ewQcNVEi

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
31 min
October 31, 2025 #104- How Mike Dickinson Digitized NHS Hiring and Tackled One of Healthcare’s Toughest Talent Gaps
SUMMARY
In this episode of the Digital Recruiter Podcast’s ERE Recruiting Innovation Summit Series, host Clark Wilcox sits down with Mike Dickinson, Director of Recruiting at NHS Management. Mike shares the story of transforming hiring at a skilled nursing organization that had been operating with paper applications as recently as 2020. With over 40 long-term care facilities under NHS’s umbrella, the stakes were high—and the changes had to be practical, fast, and scalable.
Mike walks through how he took the organization from manual job posts and outdated systems to a modern tech stack using UKG, Chattr, and AI-enhanced workflows. He breaks down what’s worked, what hasn’t, and why change management matters more than the tools themselves. They also discuss why frontline healthcare hiring is one of the hardest challenges in TA today, and how to recruit with heart, clarity, and a long game mindset. Whether you’re in healthcare or not, this is a masterclass in moving from reactive to strategic recruiting inside a complex system.

MIKE'S BIO
Mike Dickinson is Director of Recruiting at NHS Management, where he leads talent acquisition for over 40 skilled nursing and rehab facilities across Alabama, Florida, and Arkansas. He’s known for guiding NHS through a digital hiring transformation during COVID, introducing ATS, AI tools, and content strategy into an industry segment often slow to modernize. Mike brings a hands-on, honest perspective on healthcare hiring and the real-world lessons of driving change in a high-stakes environment.
Connect with Mike on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-dickinson-4b296b1/
Stop wasting money on lead-gen tools that don’t work. Learn how top recruiters are winning on LinkedIn with content, messaging, and automation—without spamming. Get live coaching, ongoing support, and a proven system to drive revenue inside Digital Recruiter Bootcamp. Join now: DigitalRecruiter.io/bootcamp
Get the best and most current digital recruiting insights, tips, and strategies every Sunday—straight to your inbox, for free: https://www.digitalrecruiter.io/drnewsletter
For more information about Digital Recruiter, click HERE ---＞ https://linktr.ee/thedigitalrecruiter
Make sure to sign up for the ERE Recruiting Innovation Summit on November 4th and 5th in San Diego. In person and virtual seats available.
Get 10% off your ticket by using code "DigiRec" at checkout: https://lnkd.in/ewQcNVEi

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
25 min
October 31, 2025 #106- How Nick Livingston Is Rewriting the Recruiter Playbook with Interview Intelligence
SUMMARY
In this episode of the Digital Recruiter Podcast, Clark Wilcox talks with Nick Livingston, co-founder and CEO of Honeit, a platform built to modernize and streamline one of the most neglected parts of the recruiting process: the interview. Honeit doesn’t just record calls or generate transcripts, it creates a complete interview intelligence system that helps recruiters run better conversations, submit stronger candidates, and speed up hiring without sacrificing quality.
Nick explains the gap Honeit was built to fill between sourcing and the ATS, why AI should be used to elevate, not replace, recruiters, and how automation can empower every recruiter to perform like an executive search pro. The two explore how Honeit helps recruiters turn phone screens into high-value interviews, submit with one click, and share insights that accelerate stakeholder buy-in. This is an inside look at how smart tech is making recruiters better, not obsolete.

NICK'S BIO
Nick Livingston is the co-founder and CEO of Honeit, a platform built to empower recruiters with interview intelligence and modern communication workflows. With over a decade of experience in recruiting and HR tech, Nick has been a long-time voice in the innovation space, regularly contributing to conversations at SourceCon, ERE, and beyond. He’s passionate about using automation and AI to elevate human interaction, not remove it.
Connect with Nick on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicklivingston/
Stop wasting money on lead-gen tools that don’t work. Learn how top recruiters are winning on LinkedIn with content, messaging, and automation—without spamming. Get live coaching, ongoing support, and a proven system to drive revenue inside Digital Recruiter Bootcamp. Join now: DigitalRecruiter.io/bootcamp
Get the best and most current digital recruiting insights, tips, and strategies every Sunday—straight to your inbox, for free: https://www.digitalrecruiter.io/drnewsletter
For more information about Digital Recruiter, click HERE ---＞ https://linktr.ee/thedigitalrecruiter
Make sure to sign up for the ERE Recruiting Innovation Summit on November 4th and 5th in San Diego. In person and virtual seats available.
Get 10% off your ticket by using code "DigiRec" at checkout: https://lnkd.in/ewQcNVEi

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
25 min
October 31, 2025 #105- How Aaron Wang and Alex.com Are Helping Teams Interview Everyone Without Burning Out
SUMMARY
In this episode of the Digital Recruiter Podcast, Clark Wilcox talks with Aaron Wang, co-founder and CEO of Alex.com, one of the most exciting AI platforms in recruiting today. Just weeks after announcing their $20M Series A, Aaron joins the show to break down how Alex is helping companies run autonomous interviews, shorten time to hire by over 80%, and let recruiters focus more on human connection.
Aaron shares how Alex.com is transforming talent acquisition at some of the largest accounting firms, Fortune 100s, and staffing agencies in the country. More than a screening tool, Alex acts as an AI recruiting partner, handling phone screens, candidate outreach, and real-time ATS updates while surfacing the best talent. The conversation also dives into the real impact of automation on recruiter roles, what skills will matter most over the next decade, and why personal connection still beats any software feature.

AARON'S BIO
Aaron Wang is the co-founder and CEO of Alex.com, an AI recruiting platform that automates high-volume screening, outreach, and candidate engagement. Since launching just two years ago, Alex has raised $20 million in venture capital and is being used by some of the most recognized brands in staffing, finance, and hospitality. Aaron is a passionate advocate for combining automation with empathy, helping recruiters do more of the work that actually drives hiring success.
Connect with Aaron on Linked in at https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronjwang/ and explore Alex at alex.com
Stop wasting money on lead-gen tools that don’t work. Learn how top recruiters are winning on LinkedIn with content, messaging, and automation—without spamming. Get live coaching, ongoing support, and a proven system to drive revenue inside Digital Recruiter Bootcamp. Join now: DigitalRecruiter.io/bootcamp
Get the best and most current digital recruiting insights, tips, and strategies every Sunday—straight to your inbox, for free: https://www.digitalrecruiter.io/drnewsletter
For more information about Digital Recruiter, click HERE ---＞ https://linktr.ee/thedigitalrecruiter
Make sure to sign up for the ERE Recruiting Innovation Summit on November 4th and 5th in San Diego. In person and virtual seats available.
Get 10% off your ticket by using code "DigiRec" at checkout: https://lnkd.in/ewQcNVEi

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
21 min
October 30, 2025 #103- Why Candidate Experience Still Wins (Even When No One's Hiring) with Kevin Grossman
SUMMARY
In this episode of the ERE Recruiting Innovation Summit Series, Clark Wilcox sits down with Kevin Grossman, VP of Candidate Experience Benchmark Research at Survale and the driving force behind the CandE Awards. With over 14 years of research into candidate sentiment, Kevin shares why the current job market is one of the roughest for professionals in decades and what that means for recruiters, hiring managers, and employer brands.
They explore why even in a market where companies aren’t hiring aggressively, candidate experience still matters. Kevin explains how poor communication, slow feedback, and ghosting can damage long-term brand loyalty, while thoughtful rejections, feedback for finalists, and timely follow-ups can actually create advocates out of people you don’t hire. The episode also touches on the real impact of AI screening, the importance of interview training, and what companies can do now to reduce candidate resentment.

KEVIN'S BIO
Kevin Grossman is Vice President of Candidate Experience Benchmark Research at Survale and President of the Talent Board. For over 14 years, he has led the CandE Awards program, working with hundreds of companies to measure and improve every aspect of the candidate journey. Known for his data-backed insights and clear-eyed analysis, Kevin is a trusted voice on what actually moves the needle in talent acquisition.
Connect with Kevin on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinwgrossman/
Stop wasting money on lead-gen tools that don’t work. Learn how top recruiters are winning on LinkedIn with content, messaging, and automation—without spamming. Get live coaching, ongoing support, and a proven system to drive revenue inside Digital Recruiter Bootcamp. Join now: DigitalRecruiter.io/bootcamp
Get the best and most current digital recruiting insights, tips, and strategies every Sunday—straight to your inbox, for free: https://www.digitalrecruiter.io/drnewsletter
For more information about Digital Recruiter, click HERE ---＞ https://linktr.ee/thedigitalrecruiter
Make sure to sign up for the ERE Recruiting Innovation Summit on November 4th and 5th in San Diego. In person and virtual seats available.
Get 10% off your ticket by using code "DigiRec" at checkout: https://lnkd.in/ewQcNVEi

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
24 min
October 30, 2025 #102- Jen Jones on Becoming an AI-Powered Recruiter: Confidence Over Confusion
SUMMARY
In this episode of the ERE Recruiting Innovation Summit podcast series, host Clark Wilcox sits down with Jen Jones, Senior Technical Recruiter at Cedar. While new to AI, Jen has quickly transformed her workflow by adopting automation and practical tools. She went from a curious learner to a team trainer in less than a year. Her upcoming session, “AI Fundamentals for Recruiters: Building Confidence, Not Confusion,” is tailored for those who feel overwhelmed by AI but want to use it effectively.
Jen shares how one bootcamp sparked her journey into AI, leading her to create a writing assistant that mirrors her tone and helps her draft content faster. She has since trained her team and built a library of tools that make AI practical and approachable. The conversation dives into real recruiter challenges, from fake candidates to optimizing processes with limited resources. Jen shows how AI helps recruiters become more human and strategic, not less.

JEN'S BIO
Jen Jones is a Senior Technical Recruiter at Cedar and an emerging voice in the AI-for-recruiting space. Since early 2023, she has embraced AI tools to optimize her work, train her team, and share practical workflows that anyone can use. She is also the wife of Josh Jones, the ERE Summit organizer, giving her a unique insider view of the event. Jen is known for her relatable, no-jargon approach to AI and is passionate about helping other recruiters build confidence with technology.
Connect with Jen on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/recruitradical/
Stop wasting money on lead-gen tools that don’t work. Learn how top recruiters are winning on LinkedIn with content, messaging, and automation—without spamming. Get live coaching, ongoing support, and a proven system to drive revenue inside Digital Recruiter Bootcamp. Join now: DigitalRecruiter.io/bootcamp
Get the best and most current digital recruiting insights, tips, and strategies every Sunday—straight to your inbox, for free: https://www.digitalrecruiter.io/drnewsletter
For more information about Digital Recruiter, click HERE ---＞ https://linktr.ee/thedigitalrecruiter
Make sure to sign up for the ERE Recruiting Innovation Summit on November 4th and 5th in San Diego. In person and virtual seats available.
Get 10% off your ticket by using code "DigiRec" at checkout: https://lnkd.in/ewQcNVEi

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
23 min
October 29, 2025 #101- Jay Olson on AI, Empathy, and the Future of Talent Acquisition at Medtronic
SUMMARY
Jay Olson didn’t just ride the wave of recruiting trends, he’s been shaping them for decades. From the dot-com boom to today's AI revolution, Jay brings a seasoned, thoughtful perspective as the Director of Global Talent Acquisition at Medtronic. In this conversation with host Clark Wilcox, Jay opens up about the real challenges and opportunities AI presents for recruiting leaders and why it’s not about replacing people but enabling them.
The episode explores Jay’s role on the upcoming ERE panel “A Practical AI Framework for Smarter Recruiting” and dives into the emotional rollercoaster of hiring. He shares why empathy is still the recruiter’s superpower, how feedback (when done right) builds trust, and why automation must serve, not replace, human connection. If you're navigating modern hiring while trying to keep it real, this one’s for you.

JAY'S BIO
Jay Olson is the Director of Global Talent Acquisition at Medtronic, one of the world’s leading medical technology companies. With a career spanning both agency and corporate recruiting, Jay has witnessed and influenced the evolution of TA from faxed resumes to AI-driven workflows. Known for his emotionally intelligent leadership style, he champions a people-first approach to hiring and organizational culture. Jay will be speaking on the general session panel at ERE San Diego, “A Practical AI Framework for Smarter Recruiting.”
Connect with Jay on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayolson/
Stop wasting money on lead-gen tools that don’t work. Learn how top recruiters are winning on LinkedIn with content, messaging, and automation—without spamming. Get live coaching, ongoing support, and a proven system to drive revenue inside Digital Recruiter Bootcamp. Join now: DigitalRecruiter.io/bootcamp
Get the best and most current digital recruiting insights, tips, and strategies every Sunday—straight to your inbox, for free: https://www.digitalrecruiter.io/drnewsletter
For more information about Digital Recruiter, click HERE ---＞ https://linktr.ee/thedigitalrecruiter
Make sure to sign up for the ERE Recruiting Innovation Summit on November 4th and 5th in San Diego. In person and virtual seats available.
Get 10% off your ticket by using code "DigiRec" at checkout: https://lnkd.in/ewQcNVEi

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
41 min
October 28, 2025 #100- Brian Fink on AI, Ethics, and the Bold Future of Recruiting
SUMMARY
In this high-energy episode of the Digital Recruiter Podcast, Clark Wilcox sits down with the ever-electric Brian Fink, Managing Partner at the WeWork Group and MC of the upcoming ERE Recruiting Innovation Summit. Known for his sourcing wizardry, bold AI workflows, and relentless optimism, Brian dives into what makes this event, and this moment in recruiting, so powerful.
The episode kicks off with Brian’s enthusiasm for ERE and why this smaller, 200-person gathering beats mega-conferences for real relationship-building. He shares what he’s most excited about: agentic recruiting, ethical AI adoption, building custom search engines, and having hallway conversations with the brightest minds in the space.
But this isn’t just a hype session. Brian brings insight after insight, from his "core four" recruiting values (curiosity, empathy, tenacity, mischievousness) to how recruiters should be thinking about AI legally, ethically, and tactically. Whether you're agency, corporate, or in career transition, this episode will fire you up and make you want to lean in, not back.

BRIAN'S BIO
For nearly two decades, Brian Fink continues to help startups, scale-ups, and global enterprises find the people who build the future.
Whether it's engineers architecting AI systems, marketers driving growth, or leaders defining culture, Fink specializes in recruiting talent that doesn't just fill a seat. They raise the bar.
Leading searches for companies ranging from early-stage ventures to Fortune 100s, partnering directly with founders, execs, and hiring managers to close hard-to-fill roles, Fink believes great recruiting isn't just about pipelines and platforms. It's about business acumen, storytelling, and knowing when to challenge the status quo.
Connect with brian on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianfink/
Stop wasting money on lead-gen tools that don’t work. Learn how top recruiters are winning on LinkedIn with content, messaging, and automation—without spamming. Get live coaching, ongoing support, and a proven system to drive revenue inside Digital Recruiter Bootcamp. Join now: DigitalRecruiter.io/bootcamp
Get the best and most current digital recruiting insights, tips, and strategies every Sunday—straight to your inbox, for free: https://www.digitalrecruiter.io/drnewsletter
For more information about Digital Recruiter, click HERE ---＞ https://linktr.ee/thedigitalrecruiter
Make sure to sign up for the ERE Recruiting Innovation Summit on November 4th and 5th in San Diego. In person and virtual seats available.
Get 10% off your ticket by using code "DigiRec" at checkout: https://lnkd.in/ewQcNVEi

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
27 min
October 27, 2025 #99- How Michael Vroman Went from Vintage Car Parts to Mastering the Talent Sourcing Hackathon
SUMMARY
In this special episode from the ERE Recruiting Innovation Summit series, host Clark Wilcox sits down with Michael Vroman, Senior Executive Talent Acquisition Researcher at Equinix, to unpack his unique journey into recruiting, his philosophy on sourcing, and his role in this year's SourceCon Hackathon. What begins with a childhood obsession with rare car parts evolves into a sourcing career defined by curiosity, technical precision, and AI-enabled strategy.
Michael shares how he sharpened his Boolean skills hunting for discontinued Volkswagen and Audi parts, a passion that became a surprising precursor to a sourcing career. From helping veterans land jobs to supporting space-tech talent needs, he discusses how tools like Perplexity and ChatGPT now help him go deeper, faster. This isn’t just about automation. It's about being a sharper, more informed problem solver.
The conversation dives into how sourcing has changed (and hasn’t), how AI is reshaping workflows without replacing core skills, and why events like the ERE Hackathon offer something irreplaceable: community, challenge, and growth. If you’ve ever felt like sourcing was a solo sport, Michael’s journey will remind you how collaboration and innovation fuel the next level.

MICHAEL'S BIO
Michael Vroman is the Senior Executive Talent Acquisition Researcher at Equinix, a global digital infrastructure leader. His journey into recruiting started unconventionally, searching online for rare vintage car parts. A U.S. Army veteran with a passion for sourcing puzzles, Michael built his chops across companies like Recruit Military, Macy’s, and Maxar Technologies. He’s a contributor to SourceCon, a sourcing competition veteran, and currently pursuing his master’s degree. When he's not sourcing or writing, you can catch him cheering on FC Cincinnati.
Connect with Michael on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/talent-sourcer-michael-vroman/
Stop wasting money on lead-gen tools that don’t work. Learn how top recruiters are winning on LinkedIn with content, messaging, and automation—without spamming. Get live coaching, ongoing support, and a proven system to drive revenue inside Digital Recruiter Bootcamp. Join now: DigitalRecruiter.io/bootcamp
Get the best and most current digital recruiting insights, tips, and strategies every Sunday—straight to your inbox, for free: https://www.digitalrecruiter.io/drnewsletter
For more information about Digital Recruiter, click HERE ---＞ https://linktr.ee/thedigitalrecruiter
Make sure to sign up for the ERE Recruiting Innovation Summit on November 4th and 5th in San Diego. In person and virtual seats available.
Get 10% off your ticket by using code "DigiRec" at checkout: https://lnkd.in/ewQcNVEi

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
23 min

About Digital Recruiter Podcast

From the publisher's feed

Welcome to the Digital Recruiter Podcast, where we dive deep into the recruiting world and share valuable insights and strategies for success in the digital landscape. Join our host, Clark Willcox, as he interviews industry experts, thought leaders, experienced recruiters, and agency owners to uncover what’s working, what’s not, and what’s on the horizon in the ever-evolving field of recruitment. Whether you’re a seasoned recruiter or just starting out, this podcast is your go-to resource for staying ahead of the curve and maximizing your recruiting efforts. Tune in and level up your recruitment game with us.

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Digital Recruiter Podcast

Digital Recruiter Podcast episodes

About Digital Recruiter Podcast