Don’t Tell Me About Yourself

In this episode live from TalentSphere, we talk with our guest Kyle Lagunas Founder of Kyle & Co about what AI interviewers are, how they are being used in real hiring processes, and what risks companies face if they deploy them without structure or governance. We break down independent research evaluating 12 AI interviewer platforms, explain why inconsistent implementation creates legal and ethical exposure, and outline how to use AI in interviews responsibly. If you are asking whether AI interviewers are worth it, compliant, or fair, or you like to listen to people who randomly break out in song this conversation is for you.

Keep up with Kyle on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kylelagunas

Link to Kyle & Co research report: https://resources.kyleandco.com/CategoryCompass_AIInterviewers

Key Takeaways
AI interviewers are rapidly emerging across screening and technical interviews.
Video avatar AI is less common and often disliked by candidates.
Voice-based AI is generally perceived as more natural and acceptable.
There is no single best AI interviewer; tools vary by use case.
Some tools are built for high volume yes or no screening, others for advanced behavioral probing.
Inconsistent deployment across teams increases legal and compliance risk.
Automated candidate disposition based solely on AI can create liability if not tightly governed.
Strong client success and implementation support differentiates vendors.
AI interviewers can improve structure by preventing off-script or biased questioning.
The teams that succeed with AI optimize their process before automating it.

Timestamps
00:00 Why AI interviewers are emerging now
01:07 Researching 12 AI interviewer platforms
02:33 Candidate reactions to video versus voice AI
03:00 Different types of AI interviewer use cases
04:00 Why there is no best in class tool
04:41 Legal and liability concerns in AI interviews
05:09 Using AI in a highly human centric process
06:22 Inconsistent deployment and startup risk
07:48 Automated disposition and governance issues
08:44 Process optimization before automation

Keywords
AI interviewers
AI in hiring
automated interviews
candidate experience
hiring compliance
HR technology research
structured interviews
automated candidate screening
AI governance in HR
talent acquisition technology

In this episode, we chat with our guest Natalie Stones Co-Founder of Talent Collective and creator of the Talent Sphere event about how to design a conference that people actually want to attend. We break down what makes a retreat-style conference different from traditional large industry events, how to build practitioner-led sessions that deliver real takeaways, and how to create an environment where talent acquisition leaders can learn, connect, and leave refreshed instead of burned out.

Key Takeaways
The concept was built around creating an event the founder wished already existed.
A retreat-style conference can still deliver serious business value.
Practitioner-led sessions create more relevant and current insights.
Speakers are selected based on real, current experience in the role.
First-time speakers can add fresh perspectives when given a safe space.
Smaller, curated groups create deeper connections than large expos.
Wellness elements can enhance learning without sacrificing business outcomes.
Sponsors can lead solution-focused sessions without doing product demos.
Bundling hotel and ticket pricing simplifies the business case for employers.
Providing structured session notebooks increases practical implementation after the event.

Follow Natalie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nataliestones/

Check out Talent Collective: https://www.talentcollectiveco.com/

Timestamps
00:00 Why create a retreat style conference
02:11 How venue and environment shape the experience
03:00 Why practitioner led sessions matter
03:51 What makes a strong conference speaker
05:31 Adding wellness without losing business value
07:28 Why smaller conferences create stronger connections
08:08 Key differences from the first year
09:39 How to justify attendance to your employer
11:19 Building real training and team learning
12:02 Intentional swag and thoughtful attendee experience

Keywords
retreat style conference
talent acquisition conference
practitioner led sessions
conference planning strategy
talent collective community
conference business case
small curated events
wellness at conferences
sponsor integration strategy
TA leader networking

Fake candidates are no longer rare headlines. They are a growing risk in remote hiring. In this episode, you will learn why hiring fraud is increasing, how AI is making it easier to fake qualifications, what whisper coaching and proxy interviews look like in real time, and how to protect your company without turning interviews into interrogations. You will walk away with practical guardrails, clear red flags to watch for, and a reminder that structured interviews and strong follow-up questions are still your best defense.

Key Takeaways:

Why one in three hiring managers report encountering fake candidates

How remote hiring removes natural identity verification moments

The difference between acceptable AI assistance and employment fraud

What whisper coaching is and how it shows up in interviews

How proxy interviews and identity swaps happen

Early interview red flags such as polished but shallow answers

Why organized hiring fraud can create serious system access risk

How to use structured interviews to expose inconsistencies

Why documentation and cross-interviewer visibility matter

How to design hiring processes that make fraud harder without harming candidate experience

Timestamps:

00:00 Why structured interviews still matter

01:10 Hiring fraud statistics and growth

02:00 How remote hiring changed verification

05:00 Who benefits from fake candidates

09:00 Organized fraud and system risk

12:30 What whisper coaching looks like

14:00 Application stage red flags

18:00 Early interview warning signs

23:00 Inconsistencies across interview rounds

29:00 Building guardrails that prevent fraud

Keywords:

Hiring fraud

Fake candidates

Deepfake interviews

Whisper coaching

Proxy interview

AI in hiring

Structured interviews

Follow-up questions

Identity verification

Remote hiring

AI is everywhere in hiring, but it’s not fixing broken processes — it’s accelerating them. In this episode, we break down how AI actually shows up in the hiring process, what it amplifies on both the candidate and company side, and why blaming the tool misses the real issue. You’ll learn where candidates unintentionally hurt themselves using AI, where companies break trust with automation, and how to use AI in ways that improve hiring without sacrificing judgment, fairness, or candidate experience.

Key takeaways

- AI is not good or bad; it amplifies the quality of your existing hiring process

- Strong interview structure and trained interviewers make AI more effective

- Candidates should use AI, but unedited, copy-paste outputs are easy to spot

- If AI rewrites your experience so well you can’t explain it, you’re setting yourself up to fail

- Using live AI during interviews can lead to poor hiring matches and distrust

- Generic, AI-written job descriptions weaken employer brand and clarity

- Automated rejections without human review damage trust and miss great talent

- AI-generated interview questions often produce canned, low-signal answers

- The safest, highest-value AI uses are scheduling and interview note-taking

- Interview training and process design matter more than adding new tools

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Keywords

In this episode, you’ll learn how common interview “icks” subtle phrases, behaviors, and broken processes quietly push great candidates away. We break down the most frequent red flags candidates notice instantly, why they happen, and how hiring teams can fix them using one simple principle: if it would feel weird for a candidate to do it, don’t do it as an interviewer. You’ll walk away with practical ways to create interviews that feel respectful, human, and effective for both sides.

Key takeaways:

Why certain interview phrases instantly signal bad culture

How vague corporate language creates mistrust with candidates

The most damaging interviewer behaviors candidates never forget

Why treating interviews like therapy sessions backfires

How body language and distractions change power dynamics

The hidden process flaws that create anxiety and drop-off

Why surprise panels and group interviews hurt performance

The real impact of unpaid homework assignments

How salary secrecy wastes time for everyone

Candidate behaviors that unintentionally hurt their chances

Timestamps:

00:00 What interview “icks” really mean

01:17 Why candidate experience affects offer acceptance

01:41 The four categories of interview icks

02:34 Phrase icks and verbal red flags

08:17 Behavior icks interviewers overlook

13:28 Process icks hiding in plain sight

15:08 Surprise interviews and group interviews

16:41 Homework assignments and free labor

19:31 Salary transparency and late-stage surprises

22:10 Candidate behaviors that give interviewers the ick

Keywords:

interview icks

bad interview experiences

hiring mistakes

candidate experience

interviewer behavior

interview process problems

salary transparency

job interview red flags

hiring best practices

recruiting mistakes

Many hiring teams think interviews are just conversations, but poor interviewer behavior can actively push away top candidates and damage employer brand. In this episode, you’ll learn how common interviewer mistakes hurt hiring outcomes, how candidates actually interpret interview behavior, and what separates red flag interviewers from high-quality hiring managers who create strong candidate experiences and better hiring decisions.

Key Takeaways

Negative interview experiences directly impact acceptance rates and employer reputation

Most bad interviewer behavior comes from lack of training, not bad intent

Talking too much prevents real candidate evaluation

Power dynamics and ego damage trust and candidate perception

Rapid-fire questioning creates stress but doesn’t improve hiring accuracy

Non-job-related or illegal questions create legal and brand risk

Candidates share negative experiences far more often than positive ones

The best interviews feel like two-way conversations, not interrogations

Preparation and presence signal respect and professionalism

Transparency about process and role increases candidate trust and acceptance

Timestamps

00:00 Real example of inappropriate interview question

01:18 Why interviewer behavior impacts hiring outcomes

01:33 The four bad interviewer types overview

01:54 The Rambler explained

03:38 The Power Tripper explained

06:00 The Interrogator explained

08:39 The Walking Red Flag explained

11:33 What makes a green flag hiring manager

15:24 Why candidates remember interview experiences long term

18:24 Real candidate stories and interview mistakes

Top Keywords

interview mistakes

bad interviewers

candidate experience

hiring manager training

illegal interview questions

how to interview candidates

interview red flags

interview best practices

employer brand interviews

improving hiring decisions

Welcome to to the pod - we're glad you're here!

A bad interview doesn’t just lose candidates — it damages your employer brand, your reputation, and your future hiring pipeline. In this episode, we break down the four most common types of interviewers who unintentionally (and sometimes intentionally) sabotage the interview process: the Rambler, the Power Tripper, the Interrogator, and the Walking Red Flag.

Through real stories, hard data, and firsthand experience, we unpack why these interviewer behaviors persist, how they show up in real interviews, and what they signal to candidates about company culture. We also flip the script and define what a green flag hiring manager actually looks like — and how small behavior changes can dramatically improve hiring outcomes, candidate experience, and long-term trust.

If you hire people, interview candidates, or coach hiring managers, this episode is your field guide.

Timestamps

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