In this week’s episode of The Chad & Cheese Podcast, hosts Joel Cheesman, Chad Sowash, and career expert J.T. O'Donnell unpack a whirlwind of industry news with their signature wisdom and wit. Kicking things off, they celebrate all-things Chicken Cock whiskey, Keith Sonderling's confirmation at the DOL, cry a little over layoff stories on TikTok and then dive into Remote’s launch of Recruit, a new hiring tool billed as a breakthrough for sourcing global talent, though some question its lack of features despite the glossy promo video, sparking a debate on its real impact.

Next, they tackle Deel’s latest move—acquiring Safeguard Global’s payroll division, its 11th buyout, bolstering its $12 billion valuation with a focus on global payroll expertise alongside prior grabs like PayGroup, PaySpace, and Atlantic Money; the gang muses if it’s strategic stacking or overkill, hinting at a potential Workday mega-deal given their deepened partnership. The crew then shifts to iCIMS’ winter release, featuring a GenAI chatbot, enhanced Indeed and LinkedIn integrations, and SMS upgrades, though layoff rumors cloud the vibe—Joel notes the company’s fresh leadership under Eric Connors and Jason Edelboim might finally be finding its footing after a long period of competition from players like Paradox.

Amazon’s AI push grabs the headlines, with a new AWS group driving agentic AI to boost consumer apps and enterprise automation, prompting some to spotlight Alexa+’s evolution and wonder if “McHire” is making a comeback in this tech arms race against Microsoft and Salesforce.

They also dissect the hype around Manus, Butterfly Effect’s “agentic” AI with 138,000+ Discord fans, questioning if it’s the future of job search or just noise—especially as Google’s search relevance dips among Gen Z per a Vox Media survey. Wrapping up, J.T. takes on “career catfishing,” a Gen Z trend of accepting jobs then ghosting due to confrontation fears, with CV Genius’ 2025 Future of Work Survey showing one in three Gen Zers admitting to it; she urges employers to adapt rather than stereotype, suggesting a simple email could replace awkward calls.

Chapters

00:00 - Celebrating Eight Years of Podcasting

02:56 - Reflections on the Podcast Journey

05:50 - Insights from Congressional Hearings

09:12 - The Impact of Social Media on Job Loss

12:01 - Sponsorships and Promotions

14:57 - Industry News and Acquisitions

18:14 - Competitors and Market Dynamics

22:51 - The Evolution of Remote Work

27:53 - Challenges Facing Legacy Platforms

30:45 - Amazon's AI Investment and Future Prospects

35:10 - The Rise of Agentic AI

43:27 - Career Catfishing Among Gen Z

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.

The Chad & Cheese Podcast looks to tackle immigration now that Trump is back in the Oval Office, roping in Wharton's Dr. Zeke Hernandez and VanHack's Ilya Brodsky for a wild ride through the immigration circus at home and abroad.

They kick things off with the U.S., where the immigration system’s stuck in a time warp—deportations are up, sure, but it’s the same old song and dance despite politicians flapping their gums like over-caffeinated auctioneers. Globally, tech talent’s hotter than a jalapeño in a microwave, yet countries like Canada are tiptoeing back from their “come one, come all” tech party—blame the housing crisis that’s got folks sleeping in igloos made of unpaid bills. The gang hails immigrants as the unsung heroes plugging labor gaps and stuffing tax coffers, while torching the tired “immigrants = crime” myth with a flamethrower of facts—sorry, vigilante wannabes, the data’s not on your side.

The U.S. and Canada get a rib-tickling roast for their immigration laws, which are so tangled they’d make a plate of spaghetti jealous—federal honchos and local yokels can’t agree on whether to roll out the welcome mat or a bear trap. Canada’s tweaking its rules to dodge a housing meltdown, while the U.S. is drowning in red tape thicker than a bureaucrat’s rulebook, leaving skilled workers to sneak around in a talent black market like it’s Prohibition all over again.

The crew cackles over the economic chaos of kicking out immigrant labor—outsourcing’s no magic fix, unless you think “Ctrl+Alt+Delete” grows crops or fixes your plumbing. VanHack’s out there playing matchmaker for software geeks, but the real punchline? Everyone agrees we need reform faster than you can say “fix the system, change the laws,” yet the gears grind slower than a sloth on a treadmill.

Cultural vibes and employer pleas get a nod, with a wink to future policies dodging political curveballs—because nothing screams comedy like desperately needing Haitians to keep the wheels turning while lawmakers bicker over who gets the last donut.

Chapters

00:00 - Introduction to Immigration Perspectives

02:01 - Current State of Immigration in the US

08:33 - Global Immigration Trends and Tech Talent

12:10 - Economic Impact of Immigration on Local Communities

19:04 - Debunking Myths About Immigrants and Crime

22:06 - The Fallacy of Immigration Laws

24:30 - Canada's Immigration Challenges and Reforms

28:10 - Future of Immigration in Canada and the US

30:15 - The Disconnect Between Federal and Local Perspectives

35:32 - The Economic Impact of Immigration

37:41 - Cultural Perspectives on Immigration in Canada

Live from the Shaker Green Room at RecFest USA, Chad & Cheese chat with Ashten Fizer, a dynamic talent brand creator, who brings fresh insights on employer branding to the table.

What’s Inside:

✅ The real deal on why authenticity beats overproduced videos in today's branding world.

✅ How effective branding needs cross-department collaboration and creative design systems.

✅ Surprising insights into global recruitment strategies (Hint: LinkedIn isn’t always the answer!).

✅ How a genuine DEI approach can broaden talent pools and drive innovation.

If you’re looking to craft a brand that speaks to diverse audiences and embraces transparency, this episode is a must-listen!

🎧 Tune in now and dive deeper at www.HeyAshten.com!

In this episode of The Chad & Cheese Podcast, hosts Joel and Maureen trade barbs and insights like a comedy duo on a caffeine bender before diving into heavier stuff like mental health in a world gone wacky, in addition to the latest news around the world of work.

In a rollercoaster of a month, U.S. companies slammed the brakes on hiring, with ADP’s February private payrolls report showing a measly 77,000 jobs added—half of what the eggheads predicted and a steep drop from January’s beefy 186,000. Meanwhile, Employ snatched up Pillar, an interview intelligence tool, probably hoping to outsmart the hiring slump.

Over at ZipRecruiter, Q4 was a bloodbath—revenue tanked 18% to $111 million, with 2024’s full-year haul down 26.6% to $474 million, flipping a $49.1 million profit into a $12.9 million loss; the stock hit rock bottom, leaving only Severance fans to pick up the pieces—cue the sad trombone. Commenters on X are cackling that the Four Horsemen (Google, LinkedIn, automation, AI, and freelancing) are galloping in, with one suggesting ZipRecruiter go private or sell out, while another whispers Paradox might be the real job-board slayer.

On the AI front, HeyMilo ($2.2M) and Alta ($7M) scored seed funding to flex their virtual agent muscles—HeyMilo’s screening candidates like a nosy aunt, while Alta’s chasing global sales domination; Mo’s probably picking Alta because, duh, bigger bucks. LinkedIn’s still the envy swamp, with Vice noting Gen Z’s drowning in “Director of Ego” vibes—users are bailing to escape the cringe, though employers keep them chained to it like a corporate ball-and-chain.

Finally, HiBob’s survey dropped a buzzkill: only one in three women feel empowered at work, less than 10% have mentors, and men are hogging raises and promotions—34% to 22% and 46% to 32%, respectively. Commenters mutter about crab bucket mentality, wondering if women hold back to avoid the claw-back from their own squad. Mo’s take? “Trump’ll fix it, maybe.” Sure, lady, and I’ll hire a crab as my next intern.

Chapters

00:00 - Introduction and First Impressions

03:07 - Mental Health and Current Events

06:00 - Oscars and Entertainment Trends

08:53 - Corporate Responsibility and Consumer Choices

11:58 - Meta's Internal Issues and Whistleblowers

14:55 - Mark Zuckerberg's Transformation

17:59 - Charitable Contributions and Corporate Image

20:02 - Job Market Trends and ZipRecruiter's Struggles

26:18 - The Future of Job Boards

27:46 - Who'd You Rather: AI Startups Showdown

29:00 - Concerns About AI in Recruitment

33:24 - LinkedIn Envy: The Professional Comparison Trap

42:26 - Women Empowerment in the Workplace

48:04 - The Crab Bucket Phenomenon: Women Supporting Women

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 & Cheese Podcast, hosts Joel Cheesman and Chad Sowash team up with the marketing maestro, Gina Alioto from Shaker Recruitment Marketing, to dive into the wild world of experiential marketing. They chat about how this approach can turn brand experiences into something you'd remember even if you had the memory of a goldfish, by tickling all your senses.

Gina drops some knowledge bombs on why employer branding feels like it's stuck in the '90s compared to today's marketing, and she highlights the importance of Shaker's Vision Report. They also tackle the notion of investing in your brand during economic rollercoasters - because, why not, right?

The conversation veers into how tech and analytics could make recruitment as personalized as your grandma's knitting, the ever-evolving DEI scene (which is more complex than assembling IKEA furniture), and why sustainable innovation should be as integral to your business strategy as coffee is to your morning routine. The episode wraps up with a rallying cry for talent leaders to not just sit on their hands but to grab the steering wheel and drive some change, because as we all know, standing still in business is about as useful as a chocolate teapot.

Chapters

00:00 - Introducing Gina

02:52 - The Essence of Experiential Marketing

06:07 - Bridging the Gap in Employer Branding

09:04 - The Vision Report: Insights and Themes

11:56 - Investing in Brand: A New Perspective

15:09 - The Role of Technology in Recruitment

18:07 - Analytics and Measuring Success

21:01 - Navigating DEI in Today's Landscape

24:07 - Sustainable Innovation in Recruitment

Buckle up, job nerds—Chad Sowash and Joel Cheesman are back with J.T. O'Donnell, serving up the week’s employment chaos with a side of snark. Joann’s 800 fabric havens are kaput after 80 years—no buyer, 19,000 pink slips.

DOGE is slashing like it’s Black Friday: 75,000 “voluntary” goodbyes, 1,000 at Veterans Affairs, 1,300 at Energy, 700 at the CDC—pundits say the total could top 100K, while Blue Origin (1,000) and Starbucks (1,100) join the layoff party, and Polywork’s a December corpse.

Buy or Sell: Mercor’s 21-year-old Thiel babies nabbed $100M, hit a $2B valuation ... Joel's screaming "SELL" ‘cause remote work’s deader than disco. Perfect’s $23M AI dream promises hires while you nap; J.T.’s all "BUY" for their 44-person squad surfing the consolidation wave. Loxo’s $115M talent tech flex? Joel’s like, "SELL—big hype, but the founder’s greener than a lime Slurpee."

Indeed yanked search fields from its homepage, forcing logins—Alex Chukovski’s jazzed, but Chad’s cackling, “Monster 2.0, meet your doom!” And Musk’s AI grading federal job essays? J.T.’s rolling her eyes—unions are raging, and it’s sketchier than a back-alley job board. Laugh, cry, and listen up!

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Uncertainty in the Job Market

01:00 The Rise of Deep Fakes and Their Implications

04:08 Job Seekers' Struggles in a Changing Economy

10:17 Corporate Accountability and Leadership Failures

18:41 The Impact of Layoffs on the Workforce

23:19 The Future of Employment in an Automated World

24:09 Economic Pressures and Education Choices

27:42 The Rise of AI in Recruitment

30:12 Challenges in AI Recruitment Tools

34:20 The Future of Job Platforms

38:16 Indeed's Strategic Shift

47:21 AI's Role in Employment Decisions

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.

This week on The Chad & Cheese Podcast, we’re joined by Donald Knight, the People & Culture mastermind from Warner Bros. Discovery. We talk about:

💰 The 2022 job market sequel—spoiler: execs are playing musical chairs, and salaries are getting wild.

🤖 AI panic in HR—why some CHROs are still clutching their pearls while others are stealing all the talent.

🎨 Recruiting as an art form—because if you’re not painting with AI yet, you’re about to get left in the dust.

🎭 Hollywood vs. The Machines—yes, AI can spit out a screenplay, but can it really write the next cult classic? (Looking at you, Beetlejuice 2.)

If you like bold opinions, job market chaos, and just the right amount of HR blasphemy, hit play now. Or don’t—just don’t cry when your competition outsmarts you. 🎧🔥