Hope you like it a little light and a little dark! This week's episode kicks off with some casual fashion talk before taking a sharp turn into the biggest April Fool’s joke that wasn’t—Val Kilmer’s passing. The hosts pay tribute to his legendary roles before diving into politics, where Cory Booker’s marathon filibuster gets mixed reactions: Mo is impressed, Chad shrugs it off like a casual jog, and Joel speculates he’s gunning for the Democratic throne while Gavin Newsom plays nice with conservatives.

Then, things get spicy with a corporate espionage scandal straight out of a bad spy movie. Former Rippling employee Keith O’Brien went full double agent for Deel CEO Alex Bouaziz, leaking company secrets in exchange for crypto payments. Rippling caught on, set a trap with a fake Slack channel, and watched O’Brien panic so hard he literally took an axe to his phone. The hosts mock Bouaziz' bumbling attempt at corporate espionage, calling him “Bozo” and predicting a not-so-relaxing vacation in prison.

The economy isn’t looking much better—278,711 layoffs in Q1, a 25 percent drop in European tourism, and Canadian border crossings plummeting by 45 percent. Chad calls it an economic disaster, Mo wonders if voters are feeling the regret yet, and Joel insists it’s all part of a grand geopolitical chess match—though Chad thinks it’s more like a checkers game gone wrong.

In tech news, Elon Musk pulls a Musk move by having X AI buy X for $33 billion, a deal that smells like self-dealing to everyone but Musk. Meanwhile, TikTok is days away from a ban unless it finds a new sugar daddy, with Amazon and even someone connected to OnlyFans in the running. The hosts agree TikTok’s algorithm is the real prize and speculate Trump might push the deadline—because what’s social media drama without a little political plot twist?

Shout-outs go to TalkPush for a prank, Corporate Bro for a spy drama skit (which, ironically, is more believable than Deel’s real-life spy drama), and Wendy’s for crushing it on Snapchat. Meanwhile, a listener flags CareerBuilder’s traffic tanking faster than a bad startup pitch, proving the job market is as unpredictable as ever.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Hosts' Banter

02:36 RIP Val Kilmer

09:41 Gavin Newsom's Strategic Conversations

10:53 April Fool's Day Pranks and Corporate Humor

20:07 Corporate Espionage: The Rippling and Deal Connection

21:39 The Espionage Chronicles Begin

27:50 The Downfall of O'Brien

29:18 Reflections on Corporate Stupidity

33:31 Trust and Reputation at Stake

37:07 Political Landscape and Economic Implications

48:32 Geopolitical Tensions and Military Strategy

51:00 Economic Implications of Defense Policies

52:56 America's Isolationist Approach

55:54 The Future of Manufacturing in America

56:27 The X and X AI Deal

01:02:40 TikTok's Algorithm and User Base Dynamics

The Shred is a weekly roundup of what’s making headlines in the world of employment. The Shred is brought to you today by Jobcase.

In this riotous episode of The Chad & Cheese Podcast, the boys drag Dr. Jessica Kriegel, Culture Partners’ Chief Strategy Officer, into the clown car of post-COVID work woes. They tackle the return-to-office (RTO) brouhaha like it’s a bad slapstick routine—is it a heroic charge back to the water cooler, or are we all just pratfalling into 2019 with pants that don’t fit anymore?

Dr. Kriegel’s swinging the “adapt or flop” hammer, dubbing RTO a dusty VHS tape in a streaming world. The gang cackles over how Gen Z’s “work-from-bed” energy is giving Boomer bosses heartburn, while leading via Zoom feels like herding cats on a dial-up connection. RTO’s sneaky sucker punch to diversity and inclusion gets a guffaw too—turns out mandating face time might mean fewer faces that don’t look like the CEO’s golf buddies.

Dr. Kriegel lays it on thick: COVID flipped the script on everyone, and companies still doing the pre-pandemic tango are basically dancing with a mop. She paints a hilarious picture of the C-suite vs. HR showdown—CEOs chasing shareholder high-fives like it’s a pie-eating contest, while HR’s stuck mopping up a mental health meltdown with a paper towel and a prayer. Tech’s the unsung hero keeping remote work from being a total farce, but those corporate silos?

They’re like cubicle Berlin Walls—good luck getting a memo over ‘em. And don’t get her started on the “me first” corporate vibe—it’s less “teamwork makes the dream work” and more “every suit for himself.” The talent market’s a dumpster fire, unions are either flexing or fumbling like a bad stand-up act, and upskilling’s your only shot at not being the punchline when the layoffs hit. Takeaways? Trust your slackers have a pulse, morph your culture before it fossilizes, and don’t bank on CEOs sticking around—turnover’s so high they’re practically on a conveyor belt to the exits.

Chapters

01:32 - The Return to Office Debate

08:17 - Cultural Adaptation in the Workplace

12:44 - Leadership Challenges in Remote Work

18:10 - The Impact of RTO on Diversity and Inclusion

19:51 - Solutions for Equity and Employee Engagement

22:20 - The Pressure of Shareholder Value

23:48 -The Disconnect Between HR and C-Suite

25:56 - Technology's Role in Remote Work

28:43 - Breaking Down Silos in Organizations

32:16 - The Future of Unions and Worker Power

35:25 - Navigating the Talent Market Crisis

38:19 - The Role of Upskilling in Job Security

In the latest episode of The Chad & Cheese Podcast, hosts Joel Cheesman and Chad Sowash dive into a mix of serious industry shifts and quirky tangents. They unpack Indeed’s traffic decline—down due to a 10% drop in job postings and competition from platforms like LinkedIn—while noting its erratic market moves and a pivot to online courses that’s missing the mark with tech candidates.

History lesson alert! The duo traces job search evolution from simple boards to AI-driven tools, spotlighting generative AI’s potential to revolutionize applications despite hurdles like registration barriers.

Then it's a spirited battle of Who'd Ya' Rather? pitting Jolly against Lumber for who's the sexier option when it's 2 a.m. at the local watering hole. The boys actually disagree on this one, so be sure to check it out.

They debate Florida’s controversial child labor law changes, allowing 14-year-olds to work overnight to offset labor shortages worsened by immigration crackdowns, and lament the growing burden of emotional labor in workplaces.

Industry reflections include George Foreman’s legacy and the people-centric nature of recruiting, peppered with personal Chicago anecdotes. The episode wraps with a chuckle over custom coffins, like a Snickers-themed sendoff, highlighting humor in death.

Chapters

00:00 - Introduction and Show Highlights

11:00 - Industry Insights and Trends

12:45 - Indeed's Traffic Decline and Market Focus

21:00 - The Evolution of Job Search Platforms

22:29 - Generative AI and Job Search Innovations

23:51 - The Future of Job Listings and Corporate Partnerships

25:36 - Comparing Workforce Solutions: Jolly vs. Lumber

29:05 - Florida's Controversial Child Labor Laws

36:00 - The Impact of Immigration Policies on Labor

36:48 - The Burden of Emotional Labor in the Workplace

43:57 - Who Wants a Snickers Custom Coffins?

The Shred is a weekly roundup of what’s making headlines in the world of employment. The Shred is brought to you today by Jobcase.

Live from RecFest USA, The Chad & Cheese Podcast welcomes Orlando Haynes, North American talent acquisition lead at Mosaic. Orlando breaks down why personal branding is a game-changer for recruiters, offering practical tips on leveraging LinkedIn and navigating job searches after layoffs.

He also shares how a strong personal brand can transform employees into powerful company ambassadors, boosting recruitment and client attraction.

Catch this episode for smart strategies in today’s job market—listen now!

This week, Chad, Joel, and Emi sink their teeth into a juicy HR tech showdown: Rippling’s suing Deel, alleging an espionage plot. Rippling accused Deel of planting Irishman Keith O’Brien in its Dublin office, where he allegedly ran 6,000 Slack searches for trade secrets—busted by a fake “#d-defectors” Slack channel. Things escalated when O’Brien trashed his phone during a court-ordered seizure on March 19. Deel’s firing back, denying it all and pointing to Rippling’s own baggage, like alleged Russian sanctions violations.

ZipRecruiter’s in the spotlight—named a Fast Company innovator, dropping a not-so-novel scheduling tool. Their Job Seeker Confidence Index is tanking, with 41% of seekers gloomy about jobs. Joel adds their podcast’s still a dud—and Zip’s stock’s is down around 20 percent this month. Klarna’s IPO filing steals some thunder, boasting $2.8B revenue and $21M profit for 2024, but their AI-driven headcount slash (down to 3,422 from 5,527) raises eyebrows.

Finally, Nvidia’s GTC conference dazzles with GM’s self-driving deal, Yum Brands’ AI drive-thrus for 500 eateries, and a GR00T N1 humanoid robot. Is Nvidia still the gold standard? All signs point to Yes. From corporate espionage to AI tacos, it’s a wild ride this week on Chad & Chees.

Chapters

00:00 - Introduction

03:00 - Vegas Highlights

06:00 - Randy Rainbow and Political Satire

08:05 - Canada's Nuclear Option

13:49 - Espionage Story: Deal vs. Rippling

24:45 - The Deceit in HR Tech: Unraveling the Scandal

27:47 - The Russia Connection: Investigating Allegations

30:51 - Public Perception: The Impact of Shady Practices

32:00 - ZipRecruiter News: Innovation or Repackaging?

39:02 - Klarna's IPO: A Desperate Move?

44:58 - Nvidia's AI Revolution: Transforming Fast Food Ordering

The Shred is a weekly roundup of what’s making headlines in the world of employment. The Shred is brought to you today by Jobcase.

In this episode of The Chad and Cheese Podcast Does Europe, hosts Chad Sowash, Joel Cheesman, and the suavely named Lieven Van Nieuwenhuyze plunge headfirst into Europe’s recruitment jungle with all the grace of a tipsy tourist.

They kick things off with a chuckle-fest intro—because who doesn’t love a podcast that roasts itself?—before Chad regales us with tales of cultural clashes, fresh from his Champions League pilgrimage (think soccer, not superheroes). The trio then pivots faster than a Google algorithm to dissect JobIndex’s legal tango with the tech giant, sparking a spicy debate: is Europe’s innovation getting crushed under regulation’s heavy boot?

Chad, ever the optimist, defends rules like GDPR with a railroad metaphor—because nothing screams “cutting-edge” like 19th-century trains—while Lieven and Joel wrestle with privacy and the Sisyphean task of global data harmony. Next up, they poke at Randstad, the staffing behemoth caught in a midlife crisis: cling to its clipboard-and-handshake roots or swipe right on a tech makeover?

The hosts unpack Randstad’s tech-phobia, its snoozing innovation fund, and the Job.com flop that looms like a ghost story at a campfire. Meanwhile, plucky startups Alfa and Avery crash the party, shaking up recruitment as Europe’s stocks flex harder than the S&P 500—AI flexing its robot muscles all the while.

Takeaways? Randstad’s scared of the future, global partnerships are the hot new dance, and “follow the money” is the mantra as Europe woos investors. They cap it with a wink to AI’s takeover and a cliffhanger: will Randstad’s dusty legacy save it, or is it time for a glow-up?

Live from the Shaker Green Room at RecFest USA, The Chad & Cheese Podcast welcomes Paige Elliott, Global Employer Brand Manager at Veeam Software. Paige shares why authentic diversity stories are critical to employer branding and how aligning internal culture with external messaging attracts talent.

She offers practical tips on using video, written content, and audio to amplify diverse voices and build a sense of belonging. The conversation also delves into the growing scrutiny of DE&I commitments, strategic partnerships with organizations like Out & Equal and Women in Tech, and the importance of pay transparency and open dialogue in recruitment.

Tune in for insights on creating a workplace where values and culture shine through every action!