HR Interviews Playlist

The acceleration of AI in talent acquisition has sparked both excitement and concern across the industry. While many fear automation might make recruiting more mechanical and impersonal, what if the opposite were true? Traditional recruiting processes already force candidates and recruiters into transactional relationships - with endless applications, screening calls, and administrative tasks leaving little room for meaningful human connection. At the same time, increasing expectations for personalized experiences are putting pressure on talent teams who don't have enough hours in the day.

So, can AI actually make hiring more human rather than less?

My guest this week is Diana Tsai, Co-founder and CEO of Upwage, a company building AI interviewing agents that have been proven to reduce turnover by as much as 48%. Diana shares valuable insights from working with employers to deploy over 4,000 AI agents. We also discuss her recently published book "AI For Good", which maps out a positive vision for the future of recruiting where AI doesn't replace human connection but creates space for it to flourish. 

In the interview, we discuss:

• Why Diana wrote a book about the positive future of AI in recruiting

• How the role of recruiters is evolving with AI empowerment

• Where will the data come from to power advanced AI talent systems?

• How to ensure AI reduces bias rather than amplifying it

• The human-AI balance and what AI will never replace

• Key signals that indicate the transformation of recruiting is accelerating

• What will recruiting look like in 2035?

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I firmly believe that AI is the most significant technological transformation of our lifetime. What will separate talent acquisition professionals who'll thrive in this new world from those who'll get left behind? The answer isn't about the technology itself, but our mindset towards it. 

Viewing AI as an opportunity rather than a threat might be your most important career decision this decade, determining whether you'll lead or follow as this revolution unfolds.

So, how do we transform our mindset from panic and denial to opportunity and strategy in a way that positions us to thrive alongside AI?

My guest this week is Ronsley Vaz, author of the brilliant book "Amplify AI." Ronsley's background as a software engineer and subsequent career in business and podcasting means that he brings a uniquely valuable perspective to this conversation,

In our discussion, we talk about the psychological barriers that can prevent us from thinking about AI strategically. We explore how TA professionals can shift their mindset from fear to opportunity and build on their existing expertise to develop practical approaches to AI adoption that emphasize courage and strategic thinking.

In the interview, we discuss:

• Why AI is the biggest and most significant technology shift in our lifetimes

• Moving from panic and denial toward opportunity and strategy

• How AI can augment and amplify your expertise

• Hype versus reality and is the pace of innovation sustainable?

• Assistant versus Agent

• The biggest mistake people make using LLMs

• Courage, Collaboration, and Connections

• How to understand and keep up to date with the AI revolution

• What does the future hold?

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Research consistently shows that happy employees are more engaged, more productive, and stay with their companies longer. While many organizations recognize this connection, they often lack the data and insights needed to make meaningful improvements in their workplace culture. With different generations having different expectations from work and regional variations in what contributes to happiness, reliable metrics are essential for making the right decisions.

So, how can employers better understand workplace happiness and use this data to attract and retain talent?

My guest this week is Matt Ward, Head of Recruitment Services at WorkL. For their latest research report, WorkL surveyed 400,000 employees in 26 industries across 100 countries on the key drivers of workplace happiness. The results give us some fantastic insights that can help make talent acquisition and retention strategies significantly more effective.

In the interview, we discuss:

• The findings from WorkL's latest workplace happiness report 

• The six key elements that contribute to workplace happiness

• Why workplace happiness is rising globally 

• Variations across generations and genders

• What is driving flight risk?

• The continued importance of flexibility at work

• How can Talent Acquisition teams leverage happiness data for competitive talent advantage?

• What does the future look like?

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Understanding today's complex labor market requires accurate data rather than just following headlines or anecdotes. For businesses and talent professionals, having reliable insights into hiring trends, wage movements, and worker expectations is essential for making informed decisions in these uncertain times.

My guest this week is Jack Kennedy, Senior Economist at Indeed; drawing from Indeed's real-time analysis of millions of job postings, CVs, and marketplace behaviors, Indeed Hiring Lab's research provides a unique window into what's happening in the job market. We're focusing on the UK market in this conversation, but Jack does provide some broader global insights and highlights the many global commonalities when it comes to worker motivations, aging populations, and the impact of AI

In the interview, we discuss:

• The state of the UK labour market in early 2025

• How geopolitical issues are impacting hiring trends globally

• The surprising resilience of wages despite market cooling

• Primary motivators for job seekers in today's market

• The truth about remote and hybrid work trends versus media narratives

• How AI is already reshaping employment and creating new opportunities

• A growing focus on neurodiversity in job postings

• Preparing for demographic challenges and an aging workforce

• The Labour market outlook for the next 12-18 months

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The pace of AI adoption is accelerating rapidly, yet most organizations aren't integrating it effectively into talent acquisition—and they certainly aren't thinking big enough about its implications. Many companies are simply automating existing processes rather than reimagining what recruitment could become in an AI-driven world. 

So, how can talent acquisition leaders think exponentially bigger about AI's potential, moving beyond incremental improvements to envision and create an entirely new paradigm for talent strategy?

My guest this week is Richard Bradley, who has decades of experience in the RPO space and the wider staffing and TA ecosystem. Richard challenges us to think radically bigger about AI's impact, arguing that most organizations are severely underestimating the scale of transformation ahead. He explores how forward-thinking TA leaders must move beyond automating processes to reimagining the entire concept of recruitment.

In the interview, we discuss:

• How does AI in 2025 compare to the Internet revolution of the late '90s

• Ask & Generate vs Search & Consume

• The risks of automating bad processes with AI rather than reimagining them

• How TA technology needs to evolve to be fit for purpose

• Durable soft skills

• The shift from traditional recruiters to talent strategists

• Why TA will evolve rather than disappear

• What the TA team of the future will look like 

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There have never been as many forces driving change in Talent Acquisition as there are in 2025. Skills-based thinking, economic pressures, the rise of AI, and the resulting change in both C-Suite expectations and Job Seeker behavior, to name a few.

Unsurprisingly, then, TA Teams are scrambling to demonstrate the impact they have on and the value they drive for their business. However, this is much easier said than done with the relentless increase in the pace of change.

So, how can TA Leaders harness 2025's winds of change to demonstrate their teams' impact and the value they drive? 

Where better to get expert insights, shrewd commentary, and actionable advice than Transform? For those of you who are unaware of Transform, it is one of the best industry conferences out there, and I recently got back from Transform 2025.

While there, I asked a range of people what they thought TA should be doing to make a measurable impact in 2025. Here are a selection of the answers. Get ready to hear from Daniel Chait - CEO at Greenhouse; Allyn Bailey - Senior Director of Brand Experiences and Communications at SmartRecruiters; Mike Stafiej - CEO at Erin; Jocelyn King - CEO of Virgill HR; John Baldino - President at Humareso and v- CEO at Elayne.

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The talent acquisition landscape is fundamentally transforming. AI and automation are eliminating repetitive tasks and creating space for recruiters to become true strategic partners. This shift demands that TA professionals evolve beyond transaction-focused activities to provide consultative guidance backed by data and their unique expertise. 

So, how can TA leaders successfully guide their teams through this transformation from transactional order takers to valued talent advisors?

My guest this week is Mike Aronson, Global Head of Talent Acquisition Operations at Johnson Controls. With over 20 years of experience in talent acquisition evolution, Mike shares practical insights on leading transformational change and proactively planning for the future.

In the interview, we discuss:

• The shifting power dynamic in TA

• The current impact of AI

• Elevating the skills of TA Teams to be more strategic

• Change mindset instead of change management

• How do Talent Advisors add value to the business?

• The critical importance of skills-based hiring

• How can TA Leaders drive transformation?

• Building a hyper-personalized recruiting experience 

• What does the future look like?

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The conversation around AI in talent acquisition often focuses on incremental improvements and point solutions – better job descriptions, faster candidate matching, or automated interview scheduling. But this limited view dramatically underestimates the fundamental transformation that's already underway. While many are still debating whether AI is overhyped, there is growing evidence that it is actually significantly underhyped, with implications far beyond what most TA leaders are preparing for.

So, how can TA move beyond tactical AI implementations to develop the strategic capabilities that will soon be essential?

My guest this week is Jonathan Kestenbaum, Managing Director of Tech Strategy at AMS and a long-time trusted authority in work tech innovation. Jonathan cuts through the noise to explain why current industry discussions around AI are missing the bigger picture – a future where talent acquisition transforms into strategic orchestration and the way organizations attract and deploy talent is fundamentally reshaped .

In the interview, we discuss: 

• The unprecedented speed of change compared to previous tech cycles 

• The current AI use cases that hint at a much more significant transformation ahead

• Why recruitment processes need a complete redesign, not just automation 

• The split between humans and machines and the impact on jobs

• Skills based firing

• Moving from talent acquisition to talent orchestration 

• What do TA Leaders need to do right now

• What does the TA Tech stack of the future look like

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Live from the Shaker Green Room at RecFest USA, The Chad & Cheese Podcast welcomes Paige Elliott, Global Employer Brand Manager at Veeam Software. Paige shares why authentic diversity stories are critical to employer branding and how aligning internal culture with external messaging attracts talent.

She offers practical tips on using video, written content, and audio to amplify diverse voices and build a sense of belonging. The conversation also delves into the growing scrutiny of DE&I commitments, strategic partnerships with organizations like Out & Equal and Women in Tech, and the importance of pay transparency and open dialogue in recruitment.

Tune in for insights on creating a workplace where values and culture shine through every action!

The traditional approach to developing employer value propositions can often be complex and time-consuming. While this in-depth methodology might work well for large, complex organizations, many employers invest months or even years in exhaustive research and complex frameworks only to often end up with EVPs that sound remarkably similar to their competitors. At the same time, there's growing pressure to activate employer brands quickly to address immediate talent needs, leaving organizations vulnerable to missed opportunities if they get caught in endless cycles of research and refinement.

So, how can companies develop distinctive EVPs that genuinely differentiate them while moving quickly enough to address urgent talent challenges?

My guest this week is Sam Monteath, founder of research and insights consultancy Reason Why, a research and insights consultancy. Sam shares valuable insights on how organizations can take a more agile approach to EVPs, avoiding the bloat and unnecessary complexity that often characterizes these projects.

In the interview, we discuss:

• [01:22] The key differences between employer brand, employer branding, and EVP

• [04:58] Why some EVP development processes have become unnecessarily complex

• [06:54] How organizations can balance speed with rigor in developing their EVPs

• [09:55] What is a minimum viable EVP?

• [12:28] Why so many EVPs sound similar, and how companies can genuinely differentiate themselves

• [15:38] How employer branding has evolved over the past decade

• [18:57] The role of AI and technology in transforming employer brand strategy

• [20:52] How AI is revolutionizing qualitative data analysis for EVP insights

• [22:21] The shift toward more dynamic, evolving EVPs connected to business objectives

• [23:53] What does the future of employer branding look like

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