Talking TA

In this episode, host Denise Chaffin sits down with Gina Riley, career transition coach and author of Qualified Isn’t Enough, to explore why great talent often gets overlooked—and how to fix it. Drawing from her “Career Velocity” framework, Gina shares a nine-step process that helps leaders clarify their unique value proposition, tell their career stories with confidence, and show up as “rare candidates” in a competitive market. They discuss the importance of storytelling, executive presence, and thought leadership as career-long strategies for visibility and growth. Whether you’re an executive seeking your next role or a TA leader coaching others through transition, this conversation offers a blueprint for standing out in the modern job market.

Key Episode Segments:

• The Rare Candidate Framework — Research, Align, Read the Room, Evaluate to prepare for interviews with clarity and intentionality.

• Your Story Is Your Edge — Craft a narrative that connects your career thread to future opportunities instead of just listing qualifications.

• Thought Leadership Matters — Becoming known for your ideas takes consistent effort (18–24 months) but keeps you visible and relevant.

• LinkedIn as Your Storefront — Executives and leaders must keep their profiles current to reflect both personal and company brand.

• Recruiters as Strategic Partners — TA leaders should embrace curiosity, business literacy, and storytelling to influence better hiring outcomes.

Recruiters beware — the future is already here. In this episode of Talking TA, host Denise Chaffin sits down with Gail Houston Associate Director at Grail and Jim Schnyder, President of Recruiting Advisors, to explore how AI is reshaping the recruiting landscape. As co-directors of the DFW Texas Recruiters Network, they’ve spent years training recruiters to stay on the leading edge — from the early days of social sourcing to the rise of ChatGPT and beyond.

Together, they unpack how recruiters can use AI for talent mapping, interview prep, and candidate evaluation while avoiding pitfalls like bias, hallucinations, and fake applicants. They also share practical examples of building custom GPTs, balancing automation with authenticity, and preparing the next generation of recruiters for an AI-driven world.

This is a masterclass for anyone navigating the new intersection of technology and talent acquisition — with insights straight from two of the industry’s most forward-thinking practitioners.

Key Episode Segments:

• AI Isn’t New — It’s Evolving: From early ATS automation to ChatGPT, recruiters have been using forms of AI for decades. What’s new is the speed and accessibility of today’s tools.

• Use AI, Don’t Be Replaced by It: Houston and Schnyder demonstrate how recruiters can use AI for talent mapping, screening, and preparation — without losing the human touch.

• Bias and Hallucinations Are Real Risks: Both experts stress the importance of training AI carefully and verifying results rather than relying on automated scoring.

• Fake Candidates and Deepfakes Are Rising: They share stories of interviewees using AI voice filters, fake faces, and automated answer tools — and how recruiters can spot them.

• Training Is the Bridge: Through the DFW Recruiters Network, they show how simplifying AI education helps recruiters adopt new tech without fear or confusion.

In this episode of Talking TA, host Denise Chaffin reconnects with longtime colleague Meredith Leitch, who transitioned from a 25-year career at Intel into a purpose-driven second act. Meredith shares her journey through Encore Fellowships with The Fedcap Group, where experienced professionals bring corporate expertise to the nonprofit sector.

They explore how retirement is being redefined—not as an ending, but as a chance to find new meaning, give back, and continue learning. Meredith discusses her work in nonprofit capacity building, intergenerational collaboration, and programs like Seniors Helping Seniors that connect generations in powerful ways.

The conversation also dives into the themes of ageism, reskilling, the rise of “people systems” over HR, and the evolving role of talent acquisition professionals in an AI-driven world. Drawing parallels from golf and even movies like The Intern, Meredith and Denise highlight how experience, adaptability, and purpose remain invaluable in today’s workforce.

Key Episode Segments:

• Redefining Retirement – Retirement doesn’t mean stepping away from impact; Encore Fellowships and nonprofit work create new paths for purpose.

• Generational Collaboration – Programs like Seniors Helping Seniors and Fedcap’s Code Generator show the power of combining wisdom with fresh perspectives.

• Ageism & Opportunity – Experienced professionals offer resilience, adaptability, and focus that are critical in high-demand projects.

• Talent Acquisition Shifts – TA roles are evolving from recruiting and sourcing to consultative partnerships, mirroring HR’s transition to business partners.

• AI and Human Skills – AI may change processes, but empathy, intuition, and durable skills remain irreplaceable.

In this special annual panel discussion, host Denise Chaffin welcomes back Courtney Schuelke, Jamie Starner, and Michael O’Brien to revisit the state of work in 2025. Together, they share insights across industries—retail, restaurants, and technology—highlighting rising turnover rates, the challenge of employee ghosting, and the creative ways companies are trying to retain talent. Courtney discusses Sephora’s attempts at flexible scheduling and her own career pivot into finance. Jamie reflects on the restaurant industry’s struggles with closures, staffing shortages, and consumer cutbacks. Michael shares firsthand experiences of ghosting in tech recruiting and a transition into construction tied to semiconductor and AI infrastructure. From shifting job markets to the critical role of employee development, this conversation offers candid, cross-generational perspectives on navigating today’s workforce.

Key Episode Segments:

• Restaurants under pressure – Operators face closures, bankruptcies, and persistent turnover, with fewer people willing to return to frontline roles.

• Retail burnout & new models – Sephora’s “flex” program showed both promise and pitfalls, underscoring the need for innovation in staffing and retention.

• Career pivots are rising – Guests shared real stories of moving from retail to finance, restaurants to manufacturing, and tech to construction.

• Ghosting persists – Candidates still report being ghosted during interviews, damaging employer brands and highlighting the need for respectful communication.

• Employee development matters – Companies investing in growth, training, and mental health resources are retaining talent and building loyalty.

Rebecca Carr, CEO of SmartRecruiters, joins Denise Chaffin to discuss the company’s recent acquisition by SAP and what it means for the future of talent acquisition technology. Rebecca shares her journey from recruiter to product leader to CEO, her perspective on the ATS market’s evolution, and how AI is reshaping recruiting workflows. She explains how SmartRecruiters is pioneering AI-driven solutions like Winston, an agent designed to handle workflow orchestration and recruiter support, while emphasizing the importance of humanizing hiring in the age of automation. The conversation explores industry consolidation, recruiter skill evolution, misconceptions about AI, and what TA leaders should do now to stay ahead.

Key Episode Segments:

• SAP’s Acquisition of SmartRecruiters: A milestone that signals increased consolidation in the HR tech space and accelerates AI-driven innovation.

• ATS Evolution 3.0: The shift from supply-chain-inspired systems to cloud-based platforms to AI-enabled, no-UI recruiting experiences.

• Winston, the AI Recruiting Agent: Designed to integrate into daily workflows (Slack, Teams, ATS) and coordinate with other AI agents across the recruiting ecosystem.

• Recruiting Roles Are Changing: AI will take over 82% of administrative tasks, allowing recruiters to become true talent advisors.

• Practical Advice for Leaders: Start experimenting with AI now (begin with interview scheduling) and retire the mindset that automation alone equals AI.

Joseph Burns, CEO of Lupa, joins Denise Chaffin to share why the future of hiring isn't about replacing recruiters with AI, but empowering them. Drawing from personal experience building and shutting down an AI recruiter, Joseph walks through the trade-offs, risks, and realities of automation in TA. He shares how Lupa uses AI to enhance decision-making, how cultural context matters in global hiring, and why his team blends human empathy with tech-powered efficiency. This episode delivers a grounded look at AI’s limits—and what thoughtful innovation really looks like.

Key Episode Segments:

• AI Isn't the Solution—It's a Tool: Joseph shares why his AI recruiting startup failed and how candidates rejected being interviewed by AI, especially top talent.

• Augmentation Over Automation: At Lupa, AI is used to support recruiters with better processes, scorecards, and prep—not to replace the human element.

• Cultural Intelligence in Global Hiring: Joseph explains why Latin America can’t be treated as a monolith and how onboarding with cultural understanding leads to better outcomes.

• Tech Stack Strategy: Lupa’s success comes from blending thoughtful AI with strong personal branding, categorizing prospects, and engaging meaningfully via LinkedIn.

• Caution Over Hype: Joseph predicts a swing back from AI recruiting hype as companies realize the real risks—negative selection bias and shallow assessments.

In this episode, Denise Chaffin sits down with David Manaster, the longtime CEO and founder of ERE Media, to reflect on the past, present, and future of talent acquisition. With over 25 years at the forefront of recruiting media, David shares stories from the early internet days, the rise of job boards, and the massive shifts brought by AI. They dive into the evolution of sourcing, the changing nature of industry conferences, and how recruiters can adapt—or pivot—to thrive in an increasingly tech-driven field. From full-desk recruiting to competitive intelligence, David offers thoughtful insight into what remains timeless and what’s transforming rapidly in TA.

Key Episode Segments:

• Historical Perspective: David started ERE Media in 1998, originally creating an email discussion list for recruiters that evolved into a major media and events company.

• Tech Cycles & Parallels: He compares the current AI wave to the early internet revolution—both disruptive, both overhyped, and both ultimately transformative.

• Sourcing Evolution: While the term “sourcing” rose recently, the skillset is shifting from standalone roles to part of every recruiter’s toolkit thanks to advanced software.

• TA Conferences Have Changed: Conferences have exploded in number post-COVID, but many are now vendor-driven or pay-for-play, which shifts the learning environment.

• Futureproofing Talent: David sees early tech adopters in TA—especially sourcers—transitioning successfully to broader roles, including competitive intelligence and advisory positions.

In this episode of Talking TA, Denise Chaffin sits down with Jared Bruss, Enterprise Account Executive at Gem, to explore the transformation of the recruiting industry through the eyes of a sales leader. With over a decade of experience at ZipRecruiter and Gem, Jared shares unique insights into how technology—particularly AI, CRMs, and talent harvesting tools—is reshaping workflows, improving sourcing, and helping teams manage increasing demands. They discuss the evolution from inbound applications to proactive outreach, the importance of analytics that capture the full funnel, and the emerging challenge of AI-generated fraudulent resumes. Together, they map the industry's shift from transactional recruiting to strategic talent engagement.

Key Episode Segments:

• Inbound to Outbound: Recruiting has moved from passive application review to active sourcing and relationship building—requiring new tech and tactics.

• CRMs Are Crucial: Traditional ATS platforms are no longer enough. CRMs now serve as indispensable systems to manage long-term candidate engagement.

• Tool Fatigue Is Real: Recruiters face a dizzying number of platforms; consolidation and proper training are key to adoption and success.

• AI’s Double Edge: While AI helps streamline sourcing and analytics, it also introduces the risk of resume fraud and demands new safeguards.

• The Knowledge Economy Requires Better Hiring: Success in today’s world depends on hiring smarter, not just faster—highlighting the value of full-funnel analytics and strategic outreach.

In this episode, Denise Chaffin is joined by Phil Strazzulla, founder of SelectSoftware Reviews, to dive deep into the world of HR technology. Phil shares how HR leaders can avoid costly mistakes when selecting software, why incentives shape product quality, and how AI is shifting what’s possible in recruiting and performance management. From the value of open APIs to the ethics of automation, this episode offers practical advice for navigating the ever-evolving HR tech landscape.

Key Episode Segments:

• Not All Software Is Created Equal – Phil explains how vendor incentives impact software quality, and why niche startups often outperform big suite providers.

• API Openness Matters – Tools like Greenhouse have excelled by being early adopters of open APIs, unlocking a robust third-party ecosystem.

• Ask Smarter Questions – HR leaders should go beyond “Do you integrate?” to “What does that integration actually do?”

• AI Is a Tool, Not a Decision-Maker – While automation can streamline tasks, final hiring and performance decisions still require human judgment.

• Don’t Fear the Tech — Learn It – As AI reshapes recruiting, embracing new tools is essential to stay relevant and effective.

Shannon Milhollin, founder of Empower Your Event, joins the podcast to unpack how internal and recruiting events can drive real business results. She discusses the ROI of experience, how purposeful design influences culture, and why comfort, connection, and creativity should be central to every internal event. From rethinking job fairs to aligning HR and sales teams, Shannon brings a fresh, strategic take on event planning that goes far beyond logistics.

Key Episode Segments:

• ROI of Experience: Events must move beyond logistics and deliver emotional, cultural, and business value.

• Connection Drives Retention: A single meaningful relationship can influence an employee’s decision to stay.

• Culture Isn’t Accidental: Thoughtful event design creates experiences that align with company values.

• Rethinking Job Fairs: Swap booths for immersive zones, brand stories, and real employee engagement.

• Metrics That Matter: Internal events should track ROI and ROE—retention, motivation, and team engagement.