Don’t Tell Me About Yourself

In this live episode, you’ll learn how AI is already reshaping HR and why companies need to act now to keep up. Rosie Parra shares how her team is approaching AI with a focus on education, guardrails, and protecting the human side of work. This is a practical look at what leaders should be thinking about as AI adoption accelerates and expectations shift.

Key Takeaways:

AI is already here, not something coming in the future

Companies that delay AI adoption risk falling behind

AI should enhance employees, not replace them

Education is critical to help teams use AI effectively

Guardrails are necessary to protect sensitive data

AI adoption requires both internal and external learning

HR teams must balance speed with responsibility

Employee experience and retention still matter most

Engagement and tenure remain key HR priorities

Leaders need to proactively prepare for AI regulations

Keywords: AI in HR, AI adoption workplace, HR technology strategy, AI and employee experience, HR leadership AI, AI data privacy HR, workforce engagement metrics, HR innovation strategy, future of work AI, HR digital transformation

Follow Rosie at https://www.linkedin.com/in/rosie-parra-295aa831/

Sponsored by @shakerrecruitmentmarketing

Learn more www.shaker.com

In this live episode, you’ll learn why AI won’t fix your organization if you don’t understand it first. Tom McCarty shares how most companies struggle with fragmented, outdated data and why visibility into your organization is the foundation for better decisions. This is a practical look at how to prepare for AI, avoid costly mistakes, and refocus HR on higher-impact work.

Key Takeaways:

You need a clear view of your organization before using AI

Most companies rely on outdated, static data snapshots

Workforce planning requires real-time, accurate data

AI should remove administrative work, not replace people

Skills-based thinking is critical for the future of work

Not every part of a role can or should be automated

Missing small parts of a role can create major issues

HR should focus more on strategy, not spreadsheets

AI can help HR return to people-focused work

HR must lead change management in AI transformation

Keywords: workforce planning, HR data visibility, AI in HR, organizational design, HR analytics strategy, skills based workforce, HR transformation AI, people analytics, future of work HR, HR decision making

Follow Tom at https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-mccarty-9709426/

Sponsored by @shakerrecruitmentmarketing

In this live episode, you’ll learn why video is one of the most overlooked tools in recruiting and how it directly impacts hiring results. Omar Khatib shares how companies are using employee-generated video content to increase applications, improve conversion, and reduce reliance on expensive recruiting channels. This is a practical look at why video works, what most teams misunderstand, and how to start using it effectively.

Key Takeaways:

Keywords:

Follow Omar at https://www.linkedin.com/in/omar5ateeb/

Sponsored by @shakerrecruitmentmarketing

In this live episode, you’ll learn how to use AI in your organization without losing your culture or replacing your people. Peter Lynch shares why AI should be viewed as a tool to enhance employees, not eliminate them, and how a human-first approach is driving real adoption across his organization. This is a practical look at how to scale AI responsibly while protecting what makes your company work.

Key Takeaways:

Keywords:

Follow Peter at https://www.linkedin.com/in/realpeterlynch/

Sponsored by @shakerrecruitmentmarketing

In this live episode, you’ll learn how to use AI in recruiting without making your process worse. Stef Nikitas shares how her team improved hiring speed, reduced interview no-shows, and kept human decision-making at the center while using AI tools. This is a practical look at what actually works, what to avoid, and how to think about AI in hiring the right way.

Key Takeaways:

Keywords:

Follow Stef at https://www.linkedin.com/in/snikitas/

Sponsored by @shakerrecruitmentmarketing

In this live episode, you’ll learn why AI isn’t just another tool for HR, it’s forcing a complete shift in how teams think and operate. Zach Parris shares why HR needs to move from program-based work to product-based thinking, how non-technical teams can build with AI, and why usage is now the most important metric. This is a practical look at how AI is changing HR from the inside out and what leaders need to do to keep up.

Key Takeaways:

Keywords:

Follow Zach at https://www.linkedin.com/in/zacharyparris/

Sponsored by @shakerrecruitmentmarketing

In our last episode of Season 1, we break down one of the most common assumptions in hiring: that more interviews lead to better decisions. We explore how interview processes slowly expand over time, often without intention, and why that actually creates confusion, delays, and weaker hiring outcomes.

We dig into what’s really driving long interview processes, from lack of clarity and alignment to low confidence in decision-making, and how adding more people and opinions often creates noise instead of better data. Through real examples and research, we highlight where interview processes start to lose value and how they impact both hiring teams and candidates.

Finally, we share what to do instead, including how to structure a more effective interview process, define clear roles, and focus on better evaluation rather than more evaluation, as we wrap up the season and look ahead to what’s next. While this episode marks the end of Season 1 we will be releasing live episodes over the next few weeks, and Season 2 will return this fall.

Key Takeaways

Timestamps

Keywords

Follow Us @expertinterviewers

In this episode, we break down one of the most overused and least defined phrases in hiring: “not a culture fit.” We explore why it sounds thoughtful and professional, but often masks vague, subjective decision-making that isn’t tied to job performance.

We dig into what hiring teams actually mean when they say “culture fit” (hint: it’s usually just a feeling), and how this creates space for bias, inconsistency, and missed opportunities. We also share a real story that highlights how relying on “fit” can lead to overlooking top performers who don’t match the existing mold.

Finally, we talk about what companies should be focusing on instead from defining culture through behaviors and motivators, to using evidence-based interviewing  and how to shift from “culture fit” to a more intentional, measurable approach to hiring.

Key Takeaways

Culture fit is often a vague feeling, not a measurable criterion

If you cannot define it, you are not evaluating it

Culture fit decisions are commonly driven by similarity bias

Hiring for fit can exclude high-performing and diverse candidates

Candidates can easily fake culture fit in interviews

Culture fit is not job-related or defensible in decision-making

Many hiring mistakes come from prioritizing likability over performance

Strong interviews focus on skills, motivation, and evidence

Defining culture through behaviors creates better hiring outcomes

Asking for evidence improves hiring decisions and consistency

Timestamps

Keywords: culture fit hiring, hiring bias, interview mistakes, structured interviews, candidate evaluation, hiring decisions, recruiting strategy, behavioral interviewing, talent acquisition, interview process improvement

Follow Us @expertinterviewers

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@expertinterviewers

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/expertinterviewers/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lornaerickson/

In this episode, we break down one of the most common — and least questioned — steps in the hiring process: reference checks. We explore why so many companies still rely on them, despite the lack of evidence that they actually predict job performance.

We talk about how reference checks often act as a “security blanket” for hiring teams, why they rarely change hiring decisions, and what they’re actually measuring (hint: it’s not skill or performance). We also dig into how this step can create unfair disadvantages for candidates and what it signals about your interview process if you feel like you need them.

Finally, we cover when references might make sense — and what hiring teams should be focusing on instead if they want to make confident, data-backed hiring decisions.

Key Takeaways:

Reference checks have low predictive value for job performance (around 13%).
Most reference checks don’t change hiring decisions — offers are made anyway.
References often act as a “security blanket” rather than a meaningful evaluation tool.
They primarily measure a candidate’s network, not their ability to do the job.
Candidates are unlikely to provide references who would speak negatively.
Reference checks can disadvantage candidates with poor past managers or experiences.
Lack of a reference can unfairly hurt a candidate’s chances.
If you rely on references to make a decision, your interview process likely has gaps.
Structured interviews and clear evaluation criteria are far stronger predictors of performance.
References may be useful after hiring to understand how to best support a new employee.

Timestamps:

00:00 Why reference checks may be a sign your process is broken
01:30 Do reference checks actually add value?
02:15 The data behind reference checks (and why it’s weak)
03:15 References as a “security blanket” in hiring
03:40 What reference checks are really measuring
04:20 Why references are unreliable and subjective
05:30 Are references transferable to a new role or environment?
06:10 The disadvantage for candidates without strong advocates
07:20 Why references don’t measure ability
08:00 How reference checks impact candidate experience
09:00 The bias built into reference checks
09:35 When lack of a reference becomes a problem
10:20 Why reference checks can feel unfair
11:00 Fear and tradition as drivers of reference checks
12:00 Do reference checks ever change hiring decisions?
12:45 When references might make sense (fraud, verification)
14:00 The real issue: lack of intention in hiring processes
15:15 Why companies don’t question this step
16:00 What actually predicts performance
17:20 Structured interviews vs. reference checks
18:00 The “culture fit” argument (and why it falls apart)
19:00 “That one time it worked” — luck vs. reliability
19:40 When references can actually add value (post-offer)
21:00 A better way to use references to support employees
22:00 What to focus on instead of references
22:45 Are reference checks dead?

reference checks, hiring process mistakes, structured interviewing, hiring bias, interview best practices, candidate experience, recruiting strategies, hiring managers, interview process improvement, talent acquisition

Follow us:

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@expertinterviewers
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/expertinterviewers/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lornaerickson/

In this episode, we break down what actually makes someone a great interviewer and why it matters more than most companies realize. We talk about the difference between “gut feeling” interviewing and structured interviewing, why preparation is the foundation of good hiring decisions, and how green flag interviewers create better candidate experiences and stronger hiring outcomes. This episode walks through the behaviors, questions, and preparation that separate strong interviewers from the ones who accidentally sabotage their hiring process.

Key Takeaways

Great interviewers prepare before the interview begins.

Defining success in a role helps teams evaluate candidates objectively.

Interviewers should identify both ability and motivation for the role.

Interviews should be a two-way evaluation between candidate and employer.

Green flag interviewers only ask job-related questions.

Hypothetical and leading questions reduce interview accuracy.

Behavioral questions reveal real past actions instead of guesses.

Gathering information and evaluating candidates should be separate steps.

Clear communication and timelines improve candidate experience.

Structured interviews reduce bias and improve hiring decisions.

Timestamps

00:00 Why great interviewers matter in hiring

Keywords

green flag interviewer, how to interview candidates, interview training for managers, structured interviewing, behavioral interview questions, hiring best practices, candidate experience, hiring manager training, interview preparation, recruitment interviewing techniques

Follow us @expertinterviewers

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@expertinterviewers