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Most hiring failures do not start in the interview.

They start much earlier, when the role is poorly defined, success is unclear, candidates are not given the right context, and managers inherit a process that was never built to set anyone up to succeed.

In this episode, I sit down with Ashley Herd, former employment lawyer, HR executive at McKinsey and Yum Brands, and author of The Manager Method, to break down where hiring really goes wrong and what leaders need to fix before they open their next search.

We get into why most job descriptions fail to define success, how bad hiring decisions are often design failures rather than selection failures, and why the candidate experience so often promises one environment while the job delivers another. Ashley also shares her “tight jeans vs oversized sweatpants” framework for management, and we unpack what structured autonomy actually looks like in practice.

We also go deep on onboarding, executive failure, the role HR should play versus the role it often gets left with, and the question more leaders need to ask now: should this role even exist in the form we are hiring for?

If you hire, lead, or build teams, this conversation will change how you think about role design, interviewing, onboarding, and management.  

In this episode, Ashley Herd joins me to unpack why so many hiring decisions go wrong long before a candidate enters the process.

We explore the real root of hiring failure: poorly defined roles, vague success criteria, copy-paste job descriptions, and interview processes that generate very little signal. Ashley explains why most organisations are still hiring for tasks and years of experience instead of outcomes, future context, and the behaviours that actually drive success.    

We also get into one of the most useful frameworks from the conversation: tight jeans vs oversized sweatpants management. Tight jeans managers over-control. Oversized sweatpants managers create ambiguity. The goal is somewhere in the middle: structured autonomy.  

We cover:

• Why most hiring failures are really role-design failures
• What job descriptions miss when they describe activity instead of success
• Why unstructured interviews produce weak hiring decisions
• How candidates are often sold one environment and dropped into another
• Why hiring should be treated as the first phase of onboarding
• Why executive hires fail faster and more often than most leaders realise
• How to think about AI when redefining roles and headcount
• Why hiring works best as a partnership between HR and the business

Key ideas from the episode

• Most jobs are defined too loosely to hire well against
• Success should be defined at 90 days, 6 months, and beyond
• The interview process should reflect the real working environment
• Managers need guidance, not just responsibility
• If you do not define the role properly up front, the failure cascades later

Follow Ashley Herd: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleyherd

Get The Manager Method: https://www.managermethod.com/book

Follow Konstanty Sliwowski on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/sliwowskik/

For more insights check out www.schoolofhiring.com and newsletter.schoolofhiring.com

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Should AI be in the room? Not "can it take notes" — but what actually happens when an AI system is listening to your leadership meetings, hiring interviews, and performance check-ins? When is that powerful? When is it a risk? And what guardrails do you need before you invite it in?

My guest is Artem Koren, co-founder and Chief Product Officer at Sembly AI, a meeting intelligence platform he founded in 2019. Artem has spent years thinking about how AI can enrich the way humans work — rather than replace the human judgment at the centre of it.

We dig into the "invisible colleague" problem — what happens to trust and psychological safety when people don't know whether AI is listening. We discuss why EU data protection regulations are making works councils push back against AI note-takers in performance reviews and hiring. And we unpack the hiring question: why most managers have never been trained to interview well, how AI can reduce bias and improve decision quality, and why AI should inform decisions but never make them.

🎙️ TOPICS COVERED • The real fears leaders have about AI in meetings — and whether they're justified • The invisible colleague problem: what it means when AI attends without full transparency • GDPR, EU data protection, and AI note-takers in sensitive workplace conversations • Psychological safety by design: building trust when AI is present • AI in hiring: reducing bias, enforcing structure, and what the research shows • Who's accountable when AI sits in your interview and you still make a bad hire? • Why general LLMs (ChatGPT) are not the same as purpose-built meeting intelligence tools • What good AI-assisted leadership looks like in 3–5 years

🔑 KEY INSIGHTS → AI in a meeting is like a hidden participant on Zoom — the discomfort is valid, and the answer is transparency, not avoidance. → Trust in AI tools mirrors trust in people: you need context, track record, and clarity on who sees what. → Under GDPR, employees and candidates can request the data collected on them — which changes what "behind closed doors" means for hiring. → AI consistently outperforms untrained human interviewers at predicting performance — because structure beats instinct. But the more AI is visibly involved, the lower candidate acceptance rates become. The optimal design: AI in the background, human conversation in the foreground. → AI should never decide who gets hired, promoted, or managed out. It should surface what humans miss and organise evidence for better human decisions. → Uploading CVs into ChatGPT and asking "who should I hire?" is not meeting intelligence — it's uncontrolled data exposure with no guardrails.

💬 GUEST Artem Koren | Co-Founder & CPO, Sembly AI sembly.ai

📌 RESOURCES MENTIONED • Sembly AI — sembly.ai • SHRM: only 23% of managers have had formal interview training • EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

This episode is for HR leaders, hiring managers, executives, and anyone deciding where AI belongs in high-stakes people conversations.

Keywords: AI meeting intelligence, Sembly AI, AI in hiring, interview bias, psychological safety AI, GDPR AI meetings, AI note-taker, structured interviews, AI hiring tools, meeting AI, invisible colleague, AI leadership, works council AI, EU data protection AI, AI accountability

Follow Konstanty Sliwowski on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/sliwowskik/

For more insights check out www.schoolofhiring.com and newsletter.schoolofhiring.com

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Is the resume dead? Should the job interview be?

In this episode, Konstanty Sliwowski sits down with James Terry, Head of US Revenue at Indeed Flex, to dismantle two of recruiting's most sacred tools — the CV and the interview — and ask a simple question: do they actually work?

The data says not nearly as well as we think. Hiring managers spend an average of 6 seconds reading a resume, roughly 70% of candidates lie on them to some extent, and the typical 30-minute interview predicts job performance about as well as a coin flip.

So what's the alternative?

James makes the case for a verified, crowdsourced worker rating system — think Uber driver ratings, but for the entire workforce. Indeed Flex is already building this: workers are rated on specific skills after every job by verified employers, building a real-world track record that replaces the self-reported CV. Top performers get first access to the best opportunities. Best employers attract the best workers. A genuine meritocracy.

But Konstanty pushes back hard. What about gaming the system? What about manager bias? What about Germany, where negative references are illegal? And if we just wanted an online profile, haven't we already got LinkedIn?

The conversation opens up into something bigger: the idea that AI-driven, neutral skills assessments could be the missing piece — a way to test actual competencies rather than relying on either self-reported CVs or potentially biased ratings. Konstanty also proposes a feedback loop that James confirms Indeed Flex is actively building toward: using data on how companies rate their own top performers to match them with candidates who score on exactly those dimensions.

They also dig into the state of the job market in early 2026 — Indeed data shows 30% more job searches than just weeks earlier, with job openings per unemployed person now below 1.0 — and what that means for how companies need to screen at scale.

This is a conversation that will make you question everything you thought you knew about how hiring works.

—

Konstanty Sliwowski is the founder of School of Hiring. He has founded three companies, conducted 12,000+ interviews, and made over 1,000 hires.

📩 Newsletter: newsletter.schoolofhiring.com
🔗 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sliwowskik

James Terry is Head of US Revenue at Indeed Flex, the workforce technology platform backed by the world's most visited job site.

🔗 linkedin.com/in/james-terry-33023717
🌐 indeedflex.com

Follow Konstanty Sliwowski on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/sliwowskik/

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Hung Lee is the founder and editor of Recruiting Brainfood, and one of the sharpest observers of how hiring actually works.

Two years ago, Hung joined me to talk about the future of recruitment and what AI might do to talent acquisition. This time, we are past predictions. AI is in the workflow, shaping sourcing, screening, and candidate experience. The focus now is what is working, what is quietly breaking, and what leaders should do next.

We start with a thought that used to sound far fetched: a company’s AI speaking to a candidate’s AI. Now it is starting to look normal. From there, we unpack where AI genuinely creates value across the hiring funnel, how to maintain trust when automation becomes the first touchpoint, and what leadership needs to own when AI influences selection decisions.

If you lead Talent Acquisition, hire as a manager, or sit on a leadership team making choices about AI adoption, this is an essential listen.

What we cover

• What has changed most in day to day recruiting since the early AI predictions, and what surprised Hung
• Where AI is genuinely creating value across the hiring funnel, and where teams are buying hope
• AI agents as the first touchpoint for candidates, and how to keep trust high when experience is automated
• Selection and high stakes decisions: decision quality, fairness, accountability, and practical guardrails
• What capabilities leadership teams should build for 2026
• How the recruiter role changes: what shrinks, what expands, and what becomes more important
• How Talent Acquisition evolves in the age of AI

Recruiting Brainfood: https://www.recruitingbrainfood.com/

Hung Lee: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hunglee/

Follow Konstanty Sliwowski on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/sliwowskik/

For more insights check out www.schoolofhiring.com and newsletter.schoolofhiring.com

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Everyone’s rushing to “AI-ify” their hiring process.

But if you’re just automating broken decisions, you’re not solving the problem. You’re scaling it.

In this episode of School of Hiring, I’m joined by Andreea Lungulescu— formerly global TA leader at Zalando, Wayfair, thermondo and the mind behind Talent Crunch, one of the few places where people in talent say what they actually think.

We dig into:

🤖 Why “Post-AI Good” hiring looks nothing like today’s playbook

🎯 What needs to stay human—and how to protect it

📈 How to shift from process execution to strategic ownership

🧠 And the big question: Who’s really leading AI in your org?

Andreea brings the clarity, challenge, and candor this conversation needs.

Follow Konstanty Sliwowski on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/sliwowskik/

For more insights check out www.schoolofhiring.com and newsletter.schoolofhiring.com

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Hiring isn’t about filling roles. It’s about solving problems. In this episode, Gwen Gayhart—psychotherapist turned Fortune 500 recruiting leader—joins Konstanty to rethink interviews as collaborative working sessions, not performances. Together, they dismantle outdated hiring norms and reveal how to turn interviews into real conversations rooted in trust, clarity, and co-creation.

What You’ll Learn

• Why every open role signals a broken system or a change that’s overdue
• How top-tier candidates don’t want to “perform”—they want to solve
• What most companies get wrong when framing roles (and how to fix it)
• The psychological drivers behind hiring decisions—and how to harness them
• The truth about “overqualified” candidates and how to unlock their potential

Highlights

• The candidate isn’t the only one being evaluated
• Résumés don’t close gaps—conversations do
• Employers must own the problem before anyone else can solve it

Gwen’s Message to Hiring Managers

Don’t ask who the candidate is. Ask what the problem is, and who can solve it—with you.

Perfect For

→ Hiring managers tired of transactional interviews

→ HR leaders building better training

→ Leaders who want to attract thinkers, not performers

Follow Konstanty Sliwowski on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/sliwowskik/

For more insights check out www.schoolofhiring.com and newsletter.schoolofhiring.com

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Most founders make the same million-dollar mistake when building teams.
They think it’s about hiring “the best.”

Peter Sorgenfrei (LinkedIn) disagrees — and he would know.

He’s built six companies across three continents, hired hundreds of people, and seen how elite talent can kill a company when the chemistry is wrong.

Here’s what we unpack in this week’s episode of the School of Hiring Podcast:

1️⃣ Cultural Blindspots

• European teams prize expertise
• American teams chase execution
• Asian teams value harmony
   Each works locally, but global scaling makes these differences collide.

2️⃣ The Talent Trap
Four FAANG “rockstars” don’t guarantee success.
Too many architects, not enough builders.
Too many visionaries, not enough executors.

3️⃣ The Real Secret
The strongest teams weren’t the most impressive on paper.

 They were the ones who:
 ✔️ Challenged each other constructively
 ✔️ Adapted to market shifts together
 ✔️ Put company success above personal wins

This episode is for founders, CEOs, and leaders who want to build global teams that scale.

👉 Follow Peter Sorgenfrei for more on leadership and scaling.
👉 Follow Konstanty Sliwowski for daily insights on structured hiring and team building.
👉 Learn more: School of Hiring | Klareda

Follow Konstanty Sliwowski on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/sliwowskik/

For more insights check out www.schoolofhiring.com and newsletter.schoolofhiring.com

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Most of us treat negotiation as a final hurdle. A back-and-forth after the offer’s made.

That’s a mistake.

Hiring doesn’t end with an offer. And negotiation doesn’t start with one.

In this episode of the School of Hiring podcast, Konstanty Sliwowski is joined by expert negotiator Stephen Hartley-Brewer to unpack one of the most misunderstood aspects of talent acquisition: the role of negotiation in the hiring process.

Stephen started his career in strategy consulting at BCG, then transitioned into high-stakes finance—negotiating complex deals at private equity firms like BC Partners and TPG-Axon. Today, he leads Hartley-Brewer Negotiation Consultants, advising law firms, financial institutions, and business services companies on how to negotiate with clarity, structure, and measurable outcomes.

Together, we explore:

• Why every hiring conversation is a negotiation—from the initial recruiter call to the final interview
• How “harmless” early questions about compensation can set damaging anchors
• Why candidates often signal one thing but mean another (and how to avoid misreading them)
• How to embed negotiation into every phase of the hiring process to avoid post-offer surprises and reduce mis-hires
• The psychology behind anchoring, misalignment, and missed signals—and how to counter them
• How to help candidates feel safe, seen, and understood while protecting your position

Whether you're a founder, CHRO, hiring manager, or candidate you'll walk away with new frameworks to improve offer acceptance rates, negotiate without friction, and secure hires that actually stick.

If you want to hire top talent with confidence—not chaos—this episode is a masterclass in negotiation for modern hiring.

Check out https://schoolofhiring.com and https://hartley-brewer.com/ for more.

Follow Konstanty Sliwowski on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/sliwowskik/

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What determines whether a senior hire becomes a high-impact leader or a costly misstep? In this episode, we explore the critical period of executive transitions—the first 365 days when newly appointed leaders are expected to build relationships, deliver results, and shape strategy, often without a clear roadmap.

Our guest, Navid Nazemian, is the author of the international bestseller Mastering Executive Transitions and one of the world’s top executive transition coaches. He has coached more than 100 C-suite leaders across Europe, Africa, and North America, and held senior HR roles at global companies including Vodafone, Adidas, and Roche. Navid has been recognized as HR's Most Influential Practitioner and Coach of the Year.

We discuss:

• Why clarity on success must start before the offer is made
• The risks of misalignment between boards and executive hires
• Why generic onboarding fails senior leaders
• How to apply the Double Diamond Framework® to de-risk transitions and accelerate impact

This conversation is a must-listen for founders, CEOs, HR leaders, and hiring managers who want to improve hiring decisions and ensure new leaders thrive.

Connect with Navid Nazemian: linkedin.com/in/navidnazemian

Connect with Konstanty Sliwowski: linkedin.com/in/sliwowskik

Follow Konstanty Sliwowski on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/sliwowskik/

For more insights check out www.schoolofhiring.com and newsletter.schoolofhiring.com

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Leadership isn’t about a title — it’s about influence, impact, and the ability to empower others. But for many talented leaders, especially women, climbing the leadership ladder comes with unique challenges: navigating bias, building executive presence, and leading without compromising authenticity.

In this episode of The School of Hiring, Konstanty Sliwowski is joined by Jill Avey, executive coach and founder of SisterSmart Leadership. Jill shares transformative insights on how women can break through leadership barriers and step confidently into VP and C-suite roles. From strategic self-advocacy to building high-performing teams, this conversation is a masterclass in modern leadership.

Tune in to discover:

• The most common leadership mistakes that stall promotions
• What executive presence really looks like in male-dominated spaces
• How to build influence without playing politics
• The hidden challenges women face — and how to overcome them
• How leaders can create empowered, high-performing teams

Whether you’re aiming for your next big role or helping others grow, this episode will change how you think about leadership growth.

Music: Smarties Outro - FMA Podcast Suggestion by Birds for Scale

Licence: CC BY-SA

Follow Konstanty Sliwowski on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/sliwowskik/

For more insights check out www.schoolofhiring.com and newsletter.schoolofhiring.com