In this episode of Take the Stage, Brad Bialy sits down with Paul Petersen to unpack why the candidate black hole still exists in recruiting and how human-centered, tech-enabled recruiting can finally fix it.

Paul Petersen is a fractional CHRO and executive workforce strategist with more than 30 years of experience helping organizations modernize talent acquisition, HR technology, and workforce strategy across global enterprises. He’s known for blending deep HR tech expertise with a relentless focus on the human experience for both talent and hiring managers.

Speed without intention creates invisible talent.

Screening out is easier than building trust—but far less effective.

Communication is the real differentiator in modern recruiting.

Technology should amplify recruiters, not replace them.

Great recruiters act like agents, not gatekeepers.

[00:23] – Why the candidate black hole still exists

[02:54] – Screening out versus screening in explained

[05:16] – When “speed to hire” becomes the wrong metric

[06:48] – The two personas that actually matter

[08:35] – Can AI really fix the candidate experience?

[10:33] – The Domino’s pizza tracker analogy for recruiting

[14:02] – Why talent pools are massively underutilized

[16:26] – Predicting talent needs before jobs open

[20:53] – Paul’s 300-application job search story

[25:11] – Why recruiters should think like sports agents

[30:37] – The hiring manager’s missing voice in HR tech

[35:27] – Integrity as a long-term recruiting advantage

Brad Bialy is a trusted voice and highly sought-after speaker in the staffing and recruiting industry, known for helping firms grow through integrated marketing, sales, and recruiting strategies. With over 13 years at Haley Marketing and a proven track record guiding hundreds of firms, Brad brings deep expertise and a fresh, actionable perspective to every engagement. He’s the host of Take the Stage and InSights, two of the staffing industry’s leading podcasts with more than 200,000 downloads.

Take the Stage is presented by Haley Marketing. For a limited time, we're offering 50% off a brand new staffing website. Just message Brad Bialy on LinkedIn and mention the Crazy Website Promo.

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