In this hilarious installment of The Chad & Cheese Podcast Does Europe, Lieven joins the boys as they embark on a wild ride through Europe, sharing tales of cultural faux pas and giving shout-outs that'll make you spit out your coffee. Buckle up as they dive into Belgium's bold new laws for sex workers - because who knew bureaucracy could be so sexy?

But wait, there's more! They tackle the elephant in the room, or should we say, the AI in the workplace? ChatGPT's on the scene, and it's not just for writing your grandma's birthday cards anymore. It's revolutionizing recruitment, turning headhunters into tech-hunters.

Then, it's a somber stroll through Germany's economic woes - because nothing says "comedy gold" like discussing inflation in the land of beer and pretzels. Nicht gut!

Prediction time! Lieven dons his prophetic hat to predict the staffing industry's future in 2025 from a European POV, where AI is the new HR MVP. Then they navigate the GDPR minefield on LinkedIn, where American tech giants are learning that in Europe, privacy is not just a suggestion ... especially in Ireland.

The episode rounds off with a look at the new kids on the recruitment block - startups that might either be the next big thing or just another flash in the pan, including CoachHub, Popp AI and Talentium. All this, served with a side of their signature snark and belly laughs

Chapters

00:00 - Introduction and Setting the Scene

03:01 - Cultural Observations and Travel Experiences

05:59 - Shout Outs and Humor in European Contexts

09:01 - Legislation and Rights for Sex Workers in Belgium

12:03 - Technological Innovations: ChatGPT and Scheduled Tasks

15:00 - Economic Challenges in Europe: Layoffs and Market Trends

22:00 - Predictions for 2025: The Future of Recruitment and AI

25:34 - Optimizing Job Applications with AI

30:00 - LinkedIn's GDPR Challenges and Implications

40:02 - Buy or Sell: Evaluating New Recruitment Startups

57:01 Closing Thoughts and Humor (So Much Humor)

In the latest episode of The Chad & Cheese Podcast, J.T. O'Donnell crashes the party, diving headfirst into the chaotic whirlpool that is today's job market and recruitment tech. They start by roasting the good ol' resume, with J.T. proclaiming it's about as useful as a screen door on a submarine in this AI-driven world.

Next up, they tackle the plight of Harvard MBA grads, who apparently can't even buy a job in this economy. One in four of these overachievers are sitting at home, probably wondering if their fancy degrees are just expensive wall decor.

The show then takes a detour into corporate shenanigans, spotlighting DHI Group's Dice and ClearanceJobs, which are cutting costs like they're prepping for a zombie apocalypse. Layoffs? More like "strategic headcount adjustments," am I right?

On the acquisition front, Shaker Recruitment Marketing gobbled up JobAdX, which might make Appcast lose sleep, assuming JobAdX goes on the offensive ... unlike Joe Shaker's beloved Chicago Bears this season.

The tech talk doesn't stop there; LinkedIn's new AI tools are supposedly going to make job hunting as easy as swiping right on Tinder, plus help small to medium-sized businesses use LinkedIn for hiring where they looked to ZipRecruiter or Indeed previously. And then there's TikTok, teetering on the edge of oblivion, potentially turning all those TikTok millionaires back into regular folks with regular jobs.

Lastly, they zero in on Mark Zuckerberg for some Big Meta Energy, whose recent decisions at Meta scream either "mid-life crisis" or "I've lost the plot" ... take your pick. They speculate on AI's future, with middle managers on high alert, fearing their cushy jobs might soon be as relevant as a fax machine. So, grab your popcorn (or your resume, for nostalgia), and tune in for a snarky, humorous breakdown of the job market's latest and greatest.

The Shred is a weekly roundup of who’s raised funds, who’s getting acquired and who’s on the move in the world of recruitment. The Shred is brought to you today by Jobcase.

Gerry Crispin crashes into the Chad & Cheese podcast live from the Shaker Green Room at RecFest USA. With a cool 53 years in recruiting under his belt, Gerry takes us through his career, where he picked up a few nuggets of wisdom along the way, all while sticking to the golden rule of fairness—thanks, Johnson & Johnson! After dipping his toes in J&J, Roche, and a fancy boutique executive search firm, he’s got stories for days, each one teaching him more about this wild recruiting world.

When it comes to advice, Gerry’s simple: master the basics, like understanding comp and benefits. If you’re not on top of that, you’re basically flying blind. Sure, recruiting’s a grind, but Gerry’s still loving it, crediting job shadowing (even some low-key undercover ops) for helping him truly get the lay of the land.

As for the whole "AI is coming for your job" panic, Gerry’s not worried. AI’s impact is more "enhancer" than "job destroyer," he says, and it’ll just make everything smoother by crunching numbers and improving the candidate experience. But he’s seriously annoyed that Talent Acquisition leaders aren’t jumping on the AI bandwagon fast enough. Get with the times, people!

He wraps up with a classic Gerry line: find a company that matches your values, take the initiative, and stay positive. He’s still in the game with CareerXroads, bringing optimism and action to the recruiting table—no room for negativity here!

Live from the Shaker Green Room at RecFest USA, Joe Shaker dropped recruitment truth bombs with a side of optimism. Want to know the secret to winning the talent war? Or how MarTech is set to shake up hiring in 2025? Joe’s insights might just save your branding strategy—and your sanity.

In this uproarious episode of the Chad and Cheese Podcast, our dynamic duo, Joel and Chad, dive into their holiday escapades—think less about eggnog and more about egg on their faces from last year's predictions. They gleefully dissect their 2024 forecasts, celebrating the rare victories and lamenting the epic fails with the finesse of a stand-up comedian bombing on stage.

They then throw the mic to some guests:

Each bravely offers their crystal ball takes for 2025, proving that diversity in thought might just save us from another year of looking like fools. The chat veers into the ever-evolving world of recruitment, where automation and AI are the new cool kids on the block, turning the job hunt into something from a sci-fi flick.

They ponder the future of work, asking if resumes will go the way of the dodo, replaced by digital dossiers or perhaps just a well-timed TikTok dance. Among the 2025 predictions: a parade of IPOs, European startups becoming the new Silicon Valley, and programmatic ad spending shifting like sands in an hourglass.

In the end, it's all about adapting to tech that's moving faster than your grandpa at an all-you-can-eat buffet, and meeting the job seekers' expectations, which are now as high as Cheese's hair on a good day. Tune in for laughs, learning, and maybe a little life-changing tech talk.

00:00 - Welcome Back and Holiday Reflections

03:01 - 2024 Predictions Recap

05:56 - Guest Predictions for 2025

26:30 - Lars Schmidt

28:06 - The Future of Work: Automation and AI

29:52 - The Role of Technology in Hiring

36:06 - Automation in Recruitment: Perspectives from Industry Leaders

41:06 - Candidate Experience and the Evolution of Hiring Practices

44:00 - The Death of the Resume: A New Era in Job Applications

47:01 - Predictions for 2025: IPOs and Market Trends

51:56 - The Future of European Startups

54:55 - Programmatic Ad Spending: Trends and Predictions

The Shred is a weekly roundup of who’s raised funds, who’s getting acquired and who’s on the move in the world of recruitment. The Shred is brought to you today by Jobcase.

In this episode, we chat with Chris Forman, founder of Appcast, about building a recruitment tech powerhouse while avoiding the classic startup trap of “too many ideas, not enough brains.”

We cover Appcast’s rise from "rail builder" to Stepstone acquisition (thanks, "Daddy Warbucks" Axel Springer) and the buzzworthy Bayard deal. Was it genius strategy or just IPO window dressing? Chris doesn’t hold back—and might admit to ruffling some agency feathers.

We also dive into why recruitment tech still struggles with basics like “Does this candidate meet the job requirements?” and whether industry leaders are the next Blockbuster in a Netflix world. Plus, Chris answers the big question: What even IS Appcast?

Packed with sharp insights, laughs, and maybe a cheese joke (Chris loves dairy farms), this episode is a must-listen for HR pros, tech geeks, and anyone curious about the chaos behind the scenes.

"Live from the Shaker Green Room at RecFest USA, Jason Pistulka—Assistant VP of Talent Acquisition Operations at HCA Healthcare—graces us with his presence to drop some truth bombs on recruitment. Spoiler alert: he's not here to hand out AI participation trophies. Jason throws shade at the industry’s blind faith in AI as a recruitment savior, arguing that maybe, just maybe, getting your operational act together would be a better idea.

He spills the tea on HCA's branding game—giving their hospitals local names to charm their markets—and flexes their scale and healthcare cred like a boss. Oh, and remember the COVID hiring apocalypse? HCA brought on 200 new recruiters like it was nothing. Now that the chaos has died down, it all seems almost quaint.

Jason also calls out vendors for struggling to grasp the size of HCA’s operation (hint: it’s big) and says they need a crash course in "How HCA Rolls." He’s all about their talent transformation roadmap and teases some snazzy automation initiatives to make recruitment smoother and data capture less of a dumpster fire.

As for AI picking candidates? Nah, Jason’s not buying the hype. But he’s here for automation that makes life easier, proving that even skeptics can be pragmatic. It’s an insightful chat—if you’re into operational excellence, vendor rants, and the occasional AI side-eye."

In this special year-end recap, Chad and Cheese revisit the biggest moments and most talked-about episodes of 2024. Packed with insights, hot takes, and snarky commentary, this episode delivers a curated journey through the stories that defined the HR tech industry over the past year.

Featured Highlights:

Chad and Cheese also hint at exciting plans for 2025, promising new voices, brash opinions, and more in-depth analysis. Whether you’re an industry insider or just love the drama, this episode is a must-listen wrap-up of a game-changing—and occasionally ridiculous—year in HR tech.