In this episode of the Total Talent Podcast, host Edan Haddock dives into the future of Talent in Australia and why our HR industry is leading the global transformation. From the electric energy of ATC at Fed Square to the reflective strategic depth of Ashton Media’s HR Retreat at Cape Schanck, Edan explores how homegrown events are shaping a new era in workforce design.

He takes listeners behind the scenes of augmented Talent teams where Humans and AI agents (including his digital colleague, Joel) work together to create stronger candidate experiences, meaningful culture, smarter workforce planning, and more human connection.

Australia and New Zealand are not following global trends, we’re defining them. This is a bold conversation about community, innovation, and why HR here is more advanced, more values-driven, and more future-focused than the world realises.

If you care about the future of work — belonging, wellbeing, digital capability and what truly makes organisations thrive, this episode is unmissable.

Mental health matters. Movember is working to help men stay mentally healthy, but they can’t do it alone. Please donate to my Movember efforts and support men's health.

AI-generated résumés. Voice-cloned interviews. Dark-web fraud rings plotting to infiltrate your payroll. Sounds like a cyber-thriller, right?

This episode of Edan Haddock – Total Talent rips the mask off the panic narrative and calls out the fearmongering. Candidate fraud isn’t new, and organisations with strong hiring fundamentals already shut most of it down without breaking a sweat.

Edan argues that obsessing over AI-assisted deception distracts Talent teams from the real mission: leading the shift to Workplace 5.0, building smart governance, levelling up AI literacy, and designing hiring experiences where authenticity wins every time.

Instead of playing talent police, we need to play talent pioneers.

If you’re ready to turn down the fear, crank up the strategy, and rock a future where humans + tech = unstoppable, this one is for you.

Mental health matters. Movember is working to help men stay mentally healthy, but they can’t do it alone. Please donate to my Movember efforts and support men's health.

Edan Haddock dives deep into the messy reality of boundaries in modern Talent work. From 24/7 LinkedIn messages to global-time-zone burnout, he calls out the culture of constant availability - and offers raw, practical ways to protect your energy, your creativity, and your career. A sharp, honest, rock-and-roll reminder that doing meaningful work starts with respecting your own limits.

Mental health matters. Movember is working to help men stay mentally healthy, but they can’t do it alone. Please donate to my Movember efforts and support men's health.

In this episode of Edan Haddock – Total Talent, Edan Haddock takes Talent teams behind the curtain on how to research, design, and select a Talent Tech Stack that actually works.

Forget the glossy vendor pitches and consultant playbooks — Edan lays down practical, no-nonsense tips that cut through the noise. He unpacks why every stack should start with the HRIS, how to test platforms through a total talent lens, and why teams should be cautious of “open API” promises and modular upsell traps.

Listeners will also hear how to negotiate like a headliner by using PR as leverage, why short-term contracts are smarter than five-year anchors, and why going live with an MVP beats chasing perfection.

Edan delivers it all with the trademark rock-and-roll edge of Total Talent — bold, clear, and built for Talent pros who want tech that amplifies strategy rather than slows it down.

Mental health matters. Movember is working to help men stay mentally healthy, but they can’t do it alone. Please donate to my Movember efforts and support men's health.

In this episode of Edan Haddock – Total Talent, Edan takes a sledgehammer to one of the most toxic myths in Talent Acquisition: that leaders in 2025 must “do more with less.” Instead, he flips the script — showing how the future of TA is about working smarter, not harder.

Edan dives deep into the productivity revolution, exploring how AI agents, smarter HRIS platforms, and integrated talent ecosystems are rewriting the playbook. He unpacks why “strategy-only” leaders are at risk as data automation begins to shape strategy itself, and why being on the tools, building and delivering, is where the human edge remains.

From Talent Advisory to the Total Talent methodology, from automation guardrails to bold predictions for 2027, this is a raw, edgy, and unapologetic call to arms for every TA leader ready to reject the old rules and lead the new productivity era.

Mental health matters. Movember is working to help men stay mentally healthy, but they can’t do it alone. Please donate to my Movember efforts and support men's health.

Skills-based hiring was once the rebel of recruitment. It tore down degree snobbery, broke open new talent pools, and promised a fairer future of work. 

But in Workforce 5.0, it’s already obsolete. In this episode of Edan Haddock – Total Talent, Edan rips into the myth of skills-based hiring, explains why static skills frameworks don’t survive in a world of AI and fluid roles, and lays out his theory: the future belongs to adaptability, fluid role design, and tech that amplifies human creativity. Expect rants, raw truths, and zero corporate fluff. 

If you’re still worshipping skills lists, it’s time to wake up.

Mental health matters. Movember is working to help men stay mentally healthy, but they can’t do it alone. Please donate to my Movember efforts and support men's health.

In this episode of Edan Haddock – Total Talent, Edan dives deep into a simple but powerful framework for building a Talent Acquisition and People Experience strategy: Partner → Inform → Transform.

Drawing on a recent Movember Strategy Day as a live case study, Edan shows how his team built trust (Partner), used insights and storytelling (Inform), and created bold, practical change (Transform)—all in just one day. Expect post-its, moustache props, bold ideas, and a roadmap any TA/People team could run tomorrow.

If you’ve ever felt stuck in the “reactive HR” cycle, this episode will give you a proven, energising way forward.

Mental health matters. Movember is working to help men stay mentally healthy, but they can’t do it alone. Please donate to my Movember efforts and support men's health.

In this episode of Edan Haddock – Total Talent, Edan dives deep into the hot topic of blind resumes and blind job applications. Sparked by two recent experiences—one colleague curious after reading about blind resumes, and a leading survey that framed them as “best practice”—Edan unpacks both sides of the debate.

He explores the promise of blind applications in reducing bias, but also the pitfalls: loss of context, dehumanisation, inefficiency, and the risk of making candidates feel like numbers. Drawing on candidate feedback, research, and real-world reflections, Edan argues that while well-intentioned, blind resumes aren’t the future.

Instead, he makes the case for hyper-personalisation in recruitment—approaches that make candidates feel seen, valued, and connected. This is a thought-provoking episode for anyone in talent acquisition, HR, or leadership, who wants to design fair, inclusive, and human hiring practices in 2025 and beyond.

Mental health matters. Movember is working to help men stay mentally healthy, but they can’t do it alone. Please donate to my Movember efforts and support men's health.

Host Edan Haddock unpacks how Talent Acquisition teams can step into the driver’s seat of succession planning.

Edan breaks succession planning into two sides of the coin:

• The Person – using the 6-Box Talent Grid to assess performance and potential, and identify who’s ready now and who’s still developing.
• The Role – using the Role Criticality vs Vacancy Risk matrix to understand which positions pose the biggest business risk if left unfilled.

Listeners will walk away with a practical blueprint to:

• Align internal bench strength with external hiring pipelines.
• Prioritise roles that demand proactive market mapping.
• Balance internal development with external diversity and innovation.
• Move from “reactive recruiters” to “strategic workforce architects.”

Packed with frameworks, case studies, and hands-on advice, this episode is a masterclass in how TA leaders can future-proof their organisations by owning succession conversations.

Mental health matters. Movember is working to help men stay mentally healthy, but they can’t do it alone. Please donate to my Movember efforts and support men's health.

In this episode of Edan Haddock – Total Talent, Edan unpacks the results of a recent LinkedIn poll on Agentic AI in recruitment interviewing – and the Talent Acquisition community is split. While some teams are already using or testing AI tools, nearly half said “No Way.”

Edan explores why this divide exists, the real benefits AI can deliver for candidates – from flexibility and accessibility to fairness and inclusion – and shares how Movember is using its friendly AI agent “Joel” to give candidates the choice between an AI or human-led interview.

Listeners will hear about the diversity impact, examples of AI being used well in the hiring process, the risks and concerns holding leaders back, and Edan’s view on where AI interviewing is heading next – and how to balance innovation with humanity.

Mental health matters. Movember is working to help men stay mentally healthy, but they can’t do it alone. Please donate to my Movember efforts and support men's health.