Talentless

Data. Data. Dada. However you say it, one thing is clear: not all data is created equal.

In this episode of Talentless, Ashley King and Desiree Goldey break down what data actually matters in talent acquisition and why most TA teams are stuck reporting numbers that don’t move the business forward.

This is a practical, no-fluff conversation about data literacy, business impact, and why knowing how to interpret data is the real leadership unlock for recruiters.

We cover:

Why data literacy is the real glass ceiling in TA

The difference between symptoms and root causes in recruiting data

Why attrition and retention matter more than time-to-fill

How pass-through ratios expose alignment (or misalignment) with hiring managers

Why volume-based recruiting metrics are misleading

How to monetize recruiting activity so executives actually listen

Using qualitative + quantitative data together to drive better hiring outcomes

If you’ve ever felt like TA is stuck at the “reporting numbers” stage instead of influencing decisions, this episode is for you.

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What if the problem with talent acquisition isn’t recruiters… it’s how we set them up?

In this episode of Talentless, Ashley King and Desiree Goldey dig into recruiter enablement and why it’s quickly becoming the difference between TA teams that survive and those that actually move the business forward.

We unpack what recruiter enablement really means (spoiler: it’s not just more tools), why measuring ROI in recruiting is long overdue, and how TA leaders can build smarter partnerships with the business instead of operating like an internal agency no one fully understands.

We also get into:

Why most recruiting tools never prove their value

What recruiter performance should be measured on

How data can help or hurt, depending on how it’s used

The role of psychological safety in unlocking high-potential talent

Why education and strategic scaffolding matter more than hustle culture

This is one of those episodes that might make you rethink how your TA org is built and why recruiters burn out when enablement is missing.

If you care about outcomes, not just activity, this one’s for you.

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 Subscribe so you don’t miss what’s next

We talked about the realities of recruiting right now, what actually makes this industry fun again, and why relationships still matter more than whatever new tool launched this week. There were laughs, hot takes, and a few “did we really just say that?” moments that make live conversations so damn good.

It was candid. It was chaotic. It was very RecFest.

"HR Conferences” is our love letter and side-eye to the events that are supposed to move this industry forward. Desiree and Ashley break down what conferences should be about – community, real education, and true innovation – and why too many of them have turned into overpriced vendor parades with celebrity keynotes no one asked for.

We talk about safety (especially for women), inclusion, accessibility, and what it actually looks like to come home with something you can use at your desk on Monday, not just a hangover and a swag bag.

Catch the full episode below and hear how Desiree and Ashley are challenging HR conferences to do better for the people who keep this industry running.

Jim Miller is a global People Operations leader with over 20 years of experience scaling recruiting and people teams across tech giants and hyper-growth startups including Google, FullStory, and now Ashby, where he serves as VP of People & Talent.

From leading 200+ recruiters worldwide to advising on product, process, and people tech, Jim has built his career around one central truth: productivity in recruiting isn’t about doing more, it’s about doing smarter.

In this episode, Jim joins Talentless to break down what productivity really looks like for recruiters in 2025, the data, the burnout, and the brutal myths we keep telling ourselves about “hustle.”

Tune in as we unpack:

Why recruiter productivity has become a broken metric

How tech and tooling (like Ashby) can elevate, not replace human judgment

What real efficiency looks like when hiring at scale

The future of People Ops leadership in an AI-driven world

Smart, funny, and deeply experienced, Jim brings clarity to a conversation most of us are too busy to have.

Katrina Kibben is a leadership speaker, LinkedIn Top Voice, and founder of Three Ears Media known for transforming how companies attract talent and build healthy team cultures. With over 15 years at global brands like Monster.com and Randstad, Katrina brings real talk on leadership, belonging, and what it means to show up as yourself at work.

In this episode, Katrina joins Talentless to talk about leading with authenticity, navigating change, and why hiring should always start with empathy.

Tune in for a smart, human conversation with one of the boldest voices in the talent industry.

“Clockout with Julia Arpag” is a story about building something meaningful at work and at home. Julia shares how she turned her love for connecting people into a business rooted in purpose, faith, and high-performance recruiting.

As founder of Aligned Recruitment, she’s proof that you can lead with heart, hire with intention, and still build world-class teams.

Catch the full episode below and hear how Julia redefined what a career in recruiting can look like.

“Clockout with Tejal Rives” is a conversation about finding power where the system told you not to. Tejal opens up about navigating the job search and promotion process as a woman of color and how that experience pushed her to change how hiring works—starting with transparency and empathy. From helping others decode what recruiters really look for to talking openly about DEI and neurodiversity, her story is as honest as it is empowering.

Catch the full episode below and hear how Tejal redefined what a career in recruiting can look like.

“Clockout with Erin Riska” dives into the unconventional path of a recruiter who refuses to play by the old HR rulebook. Erin shares how curiosity, flexibility, and a healthy dose of irreverence shaped her work as a fractional talent strategist and writer. From building better candidate experiences to designing people-first recruiting systems, her story is equal parts grit and wanderlust.

Catch the full episode below and hear how Erin redefined what a career in recruiting can look like.

In this episode of Clockout, we sit down with Joel Lalgee — podcast host, executive recruiter, content strategist, and longtime friend of the Talentless Podcast.

Joel has been shaping conversations in recruiting and content long before it was trendy, and his journey is full of lessons for anyone trying to stand out in the talent space. From building an authentic voice online to navigating the realities of executive search, Joel shares insights you won’t get from a playbook.

If you’ve ever wondered how to blend storytelling, recruiting, and real human connection, this one’s for you.