Recruiting Future with Matt Alder

Strategic partnerships in talent acquisition can mean the difference between incremental improvement and transformational change. But what does a true strategic partnership actually look like? How do you move beyond the traditional vendor-client relationship to genuine co-creation? My guests this week are Simon Bishop, Head of Talent Acquisition at SoftwareOne, and Ritu Mohanka, CEO at VONQ. Their partnership spans employer branding, recruitment marketing, and agentic AI deployment—all while Software One was navigating the complex integration challenge of merging two TA functions post-acquisition. Their collaboration was central to VONQ's recent launch of EQO, their agentic AI platform. SoftwareOne was a development partner, helping shape the product through real-world testing and feedback. You can watch the full launch on VONQ's LinkedIn page. In the interview, we discuss: How the partnership evolved over time Building employer brand in competitive markets Multi-channel brand-led recruitment marketing campaigns Piloting and implementing agentic AI The vital importance of transparency and explainability Managing change and recruiter adoption Candidate reactions to AI screening Navigating TA through a major acquisition What the future of talent acquisition will look like Follow this podcast on Apple Podcasts. Follow this podcast on Spotify.

If you've not listened to Roundup before, it's a short review of the episodes that I've published in the last month to make sure you don't miss out on the valuable insights that my guests are sharing. This month, Round UP returns to its live format, and this is a recording of my live conversation with Rhona Pierce about six of the episodes published in December 2025 Episodes featured in this Round Up: Ep 751: The Trust Problem In Recruiting Ep 752: Using Job Architecture TO Drive Value From AI Ep 753: Hiring Exceptional Executive Talent Ep 754: Finding Clarity In Recruiting Chaos Ep 755: Balancing Automation with Authenticity EP 756: TA Trends that Matter Follow this podcast on Apple Podcasts. Follow this podcast on Spotify.

There's something paradoxical happening with corporate careers websites right now. After years of broken links, mobile application nightmares, and clunky technology implementations, organizations are finally getting the basics right. Mobile experiences are improving. ATS systems are working properly. The longstanding problems we've talked about for years are finally being addressed. However, while we've been busy fixing problems from 2015, the world has moved on. Candidates now expect conversational AI that can answer their questions in real time. They want personalized experiences that adapt to who they are and where they are in the process. Increasingly, they're using tools like ChatGPT and Gemini to research employers before they even visit a career site. The question isn't whether your career site works anymore. It's whether it can deliver what candidates now expect. My guest this week is Bas van de Haterd, who runs the industry's largest continuous corporate career site research programme. In our conversation, he shares the surprising findings from his nineteenth year of research and explains what employers need to do to prepare their career sites for an AI-driven future. In the interview, we discuss: How careers sites have evolved in the last 12 months AI application policies A reduction in DEI content The low adoption rates of conversational AI Improved mobile experiences and solving long-term problems Delivering a personalized experience Making career sites visible to AI tools How to make career sites fit for the future Follow this podcast on Apple Podcasts. Follow this podcast on Spotify.

Last year brought plenty of AI hype, but actual adoption in talent acquisition remained tentative. Some organizations ran pilots, most watched from the sidelines, and expectations stayed cautiously low. The technology advanced rapidly, yet widespread implementation lagged far behind the headlines. Now, heading into 2026, there's a genuine opportunity to move beyond experimentation. But extracting real value won't come from simply buying the tools. It requires building entirely new capabilities around continuous workforce transformation and reskilling. The organizations that crack this will pull ahead. Those waiting for AI to deliver results on its own will be left wondering what went wrong. So what actually needs to change for companies to see a return on their AI investments? My guest this week is Jonathan Kestenbaum, Managing Director at AMS. In our conversation, he shares his 2026 predictions for AI and outlines the transformation TA needs to make. In the interview, we discuss: The complexities of AI implementation Is workforce planning the missing link in AI transformation? Blockchain and identity Hiring manager experience as the new KPI The need for more context and the end of the resume Innovation is outpacing regulation Increasing velocity in internal mobility How will the technology develop over the next few years?

AI is the most disruptive technology we've seen in our careers, but most industry conversations stay at the surface level of use cases and future predictions. This special bonus episode goes deeper. These four interviews, taken from a behind-the-scenes film I recently made, explore how AI recruiting products actually get built. We're talking to the people who created SmartRecruiters' AI-first platform Winston to uncover the lessons TA professionals need for their own AI transformation. Featuring: Shefali Netke, VP of Design, on how design decisions shape AI adoption in enterprise recruiting Thibaut Allard, Global Data Privacy & AI Lead, on navigating AI compliance where global regulations and rapid innovation collide Dave Novak, Global Director of Managed Services, on what it actually takes to turn AI ambition into operational reality Nicole Hammond, VP, Center of Excellence, on building true AI readiness from early mindset shifts to sustained capability If you want to understand the architecture, the legal landscape, and the human side of making AI work in recruiting, this is the episode.

The pandemic forced organizations to rethink how they engage their people, with many old rules torn up almost overnight. Five years on, AI has arrived and changed the game again.  Leaders are now facing a new set of questions. How do you design experiences that attract and retain talent while driving the performance your business needs? And how do you prepare for a future that's increasingly impossible to predict? So, how do you build a truly future-ready strategy for employee experience? My guest this week is Jacob Morgan, author of the upcoming book The Eight Laws of Employee Experience. In our conversation, Jacob shares insights from over 100 CHRO interviews that he has conducted around employee experience and reveals the principles that separate thriving organizations from those struggling to keep up. In the interview, we discuss: What's changed about the employee experience in the last five years? Proactively planning for the future The eight laws of employee experience Empathetic excellence Using AI to amplify humanity Enablement and augmentation Personalization at scale Run culture like an operating system TA & the employee experience What are the biggest changes going to be in the next two years? Follow this podcast on Apple Podcasts. Follow this podcast on Spotify.

Hi there, welcome to Episode 756 of Recruiting Future with me, Matt Alder. Recruiting Future helps Talent Acquisition teams drive measurable impact by developing strategic capability in Foresight, Influence, Talent, and Technology. This episode is about Foresight. Making sense of talent acquisition right now feels impossible. Every week brings new technology announcements, shifting economic signals, and conflicting advice about what comes next. It's tempting to chase the latest headline or follow gut instinct, but reactive decision-making rarely ends well. Understanding key patterns helps separate signal from noise, and this is where genuine trend analysis grounded in real data becomes invaluable. So what trends are shaping TA heading into 2026, and how should leaders respond? My guest this week is Susan De La Vega, SVP Global Tech and Client Experience at Korn Ferry. Korn Ferry has just published their 12th annual TA trends report, built from interviews with over 1,600 global talent leaders, and Susan shares what the research reveals about where talent acquisition is heading. In the interview, we discuss: The biggest TA challenges we have seen this year Methodology behind Korn Ferry's TA Trends Report Changing attitudes and approaches to AI Why your next hire might not be human The importance of mapping tasks Investing in future talent Can TA get a seat at the table? Breaking the silos in the talent function Advice to TA Leaders on strategies for 2026 What does the future look like in 3 years' time? Follow this podcast on Apple Podcasts. Follow this podcast on Spotify.

We've been talking about automation in recruiting for a long time. The AI developments of the last two years have significantly shifted the landscape of what is possible with automation, making it a strategic imperative rather than a nice-to-have. However, the current situation is pretty problematic. Some recruiters and TA teams are doing it poorly, particularly in outreach, inundating candidates with generic, obviously AI-generated messages that all sound the same. Meanwhile, many recruiting teams are resisting automation entirely, concerned about losing the human connection that actually fills roles. At the same time, in a world of AI sameness, brand, reputation, and genuine relationships with a talent pool are becoming the real competitive advantage and the key factor that actually drives response. So how do recruiters balance automation with authenticity while building the credibility that cuts through the noise? My guest this week is Mark Whitby, founder of The Resilient Recruiter podcast. In our conversation, he discusses what should be automated, what must remain human, why investing in your brand now will determine your future success, and the role external recruiters can play in rebuilding trust in the hiring process. In the interview, we discuss: The current situation with automation in recruiting Reticence, bad strategies, and poor implementations The importance of the personal touch What are the essentially human parts of the hiring process? Multi-touch and multi-channel outreach How external agencies can help build trust with candidate How will AI change the agency market? The vital importance of brand and relationship building What will the future look like? Follow this podcast on Apple Podcasts. Follow this podcast on Spotify.

If you've not listened to Roundup before, it's a short review of the episodes that I've published in the last month to make sure you don't miss out on the valuable insights that my guests are sharing. I hope you have been enjoying the live Round Up episodes we've been doing over the last few months. This month sees a brief return to the old school format, but don't worry, Round Up Live will return in January Episodes featured in this Round Up: Ep 742: Aligning Hiring with Values Ep 743: The Talent Acquisition Revolution Ep 744: How Job Ads Impact Quality Of Hire Ep 745: Recruiting Excellence In Disruptive Times Ep 746 Building Digital Trust In Hiring Ep 747: Rethinking Fairness in Hiring Ep 748: The Real Value Of AI Agents Ep 749: Recruiting Past, Present, and Future (Live at TA Tech) Follow this podcast on Apple Podcasts. Follow this podcast on Spotify.

It's easy to feel overwhelmed by the pace of change in talent acquisition. AI developments, vendor mergers and acquisitions, a confusing technology landscape, and shifting candidate behaviours are just some of the current trends making everything feel chaotic. But if we take a step back and look carefully, patterns start to emerge. There are clues everywhere to what the future will look like. So how do we make sense of it all? My guest this week is Adam Godson, General Manager of Paradox at Workday. In our conversation, Adam cuts through the noise, explains how the agentic future is taking shape, discusses what Workday's acquisition of Paradox means for the market, reviews the predictions he made on the show this time last year about 2025, and shares where he thinks things are heading in 2026 In the interview, we discuss: Whether Adam's predictions from this time last year were accurate Workday's acquisition of Paradox The power of end-to-end employee lifecycle data The potential power of agentic AI Frontline hiring and how it has evolved AI development Will candidates have their own career agents? The confusing TA and HR technology marketplace What will the future look like? Predictions for 2026 Follow this podcast on Apple Podcasts. Follow this podcast on Spotify.

Despite the challenging economic landscape and wave of layoffs across many sectors, finding exceptional senior talent remains a challenge, and many employers are making it worse for themselves. Trust has eroded with lengthy interview processes, poor candidate experience, and misaligned employer branding are pushing top talent away. With as many as one in four workers set to be over 55 by 2031, age-related biases are also causing employers to overlook exactly the experience they need The best insights always come from looking at things from the job seeker's point of view, and that is precisely the insight my guest this week can offer us. Loren Greiff, Founder of Portfolio Rocket, is a career strategist for C-Suite executives. In our conversation, she reveals how top candidates assess roles, what builds and destroys trust in executive hiring, and why your process might be filtering out your best prospects. The frameworks Lauren discusses will also be very relevant to TA leaders navigating their own career moves. In the interview, we discuss: The current state of the market Cutting through the noise Identifying urgent and expensive problems Use of AI in the executive job search The hidden cost of age bias Highlighting the trust issue Ability, agility, and adaptability The future of careers and jobs Follow this podcast on Apple Podcasts. Follow this podcast on Spotify.

Skills, tasks, jobs, activities. These terms get used interchangeably across HR and talent acquisition, but they mean fundamentally different things. Skills are attributes of people. Tasks are components of work. Jobs are bundles of activities.  Having clarity here matters more now than ever. As AI begins reshaping how work gets done, organisations need a precise understanding of their workforce at the task level. Without clear taxonomies, it becomes impossible to understand how to effectively implement AI for automation and augmentation. So how should companies be preparing to take the most advantage of the inevitable shifts AI will bring? My guest this week is Ben Zweig, CEO of Revelio Labs and author of the new book Job Architecture. In our conversation, he explains how to build effective taxonomies cheaply and scalably with LLMs and why this foundation is critical for navigating change. Ben also teaches Data Science and The Future of Work at NYU Stern and talks through an invaluable framework for assessing the likelihood of AI-driven job displacement. In the interview, we discuss: Why grouping people is the core of any HR analysis. What we get wrong about skills, jobs, tasks, and activities Why skills aren't the right unit of observation to analyse jobs AI automates tasks and activities, not jobs and skills. The vital importance of taxonomies Using LLMs to build taxonomies cost-effectively at scale. What are the advantages of doing this properly? The three forces that help measure the potential for AI-driven job displacement What does the future look like Follow this podcast on Apple Podcasts. Follow this podcast on Spotify.

Uncertain economic times, high volumes of layoffs, and easy access to AI tools mean many employers are dealing with an unprecedented number of applications. Recruiters are overwhelmed, candidates are getting ghosted, and trust in the recruiting process is suffering. But are TA teams doing all they can to relieve the pressure at the top of the funnel and give job seekers the clarity they need? Employers want candidates to be more intentional about applying for the right roles for them, but often post roles with unclear requirements and don't approach hiring strategically. So what should TA leaders be doing to fix the process and rebuild vital trust with job seekers? My guest this week is Catherine Wylie, Senior Talent Acquisition Business Partner at Mavericks Recruiting On Demand. Catherine has recently joined the business after a six-month job hunt. She has some incredible, valuable insights and advice to share for both employers and other TA professionals in job search mode. In the interview, we discuss: Catherine's recent job search experience Dealing with the extreme level of volume at the front of the recruiting funnel Lack of clarity, unclear requirements, and the importance of transparency Speed to delivery versus speed to quality Why the matching process is broken How employers can be intentional and hire holistically Which companies are actually doing this well Restoring trust in the hiring process Advice to TA job seekers What should the future look like Follow this podcast on Apple Podcasts. Follow this podcast on Spotify.

SAP's recent acquisition of SmartRecruiters has generated considerable interest across the talent acquisition community. The deal brings AI-native recruiting capabilities into a broader HR suite, creating complete visibility into data across the entire employee lifecycle. For recruiters, this means seeing what happens after a hire is made with the potential to connect talent acquisition decisions to performance, retention, and engagement outcomes. This is where AI agents become significant. When agents can access and act on a complete, harmonized data set spanning the whole employee journey, entirely new possibilities open up for how work gets done across the talent function. Yet despite the rapid pace of innovation, AI adoption is still lagging. Vendors are shipping capabilities faster than most organisations can implement them, held back by regulatory concerns, change management challenges, and uncertainty about where to start. So how can Talent leaders close this gap and take advantage of what is a huge strategic opportunity? My guest this week is Lara Albert, Chief Marketing Officer at SAP SuccessFactors. In our conversation, she discusses the SmartRecruiters acquisition, explains how agents working across the employee lifecycle could reshape HR, and shares her advice on how employers can get started. In the interview, we discuss: Why SAP acquired SmartRecruiters and what happens next Connecting recruiting data to employee outcomes Layering Agentic AI on top of people intelligence What's holding back AI adoption Regulation, change management, and mindset TA and HR have a once-in-a-career opportunity to lead transformation Business cases, buy-in, and getting started What will the future look like?

This is a special episode, recorded live on stage at TA Tech Europe in London earlier in November. It's a wide-ranging discussion about the state of our industry and where it's heading with one of recruiting's true pioneers, Jeff Taylor, the founder of Monster.com and the soon to be launched Boomband, . We debate AI's true impact on hiring, discuss why traditional tools and approaches are failing, and explore what recruiting could become. In the interview, we discuss: The story behind Monster How Monster almost bought LinkedIn Why has Jeff returned after two decades out of the industry What has changed in recruiting in the last 20 years, and what hasn't Why resumes and job postings are failing AI's real impact on jobs What is Boomband? Rebuilding trust in recruiting Follow this podcast on Apple Podcasts. Follow this podcast on Spotify.

The AI agent marketplace has become a confusing landscape full of chatbots and co-pilots that aren't agents, claiming revolutionary capabilities. But genuine AI agents represent something fundamentally different. They're digital workers that can handle complex, multi-step processes independently, making decisions and adjustments along the way. The technology is already here and working, and the employers succeeding with it are focusing on change management, not just on technology deployment. So what are the early results looking like, and how will agentic AI change recruiting in the months and years to come? My guest this week is Tom Zrubecky, founder and CEO of Talent Pilot. In our conversation, he shares case studies demonstrating how AI agents are reshaping recruitment workflows and what autonomous hiring looks like. In the interview, we discuss: What an AI Agent is and what it isn't Building responsible AI with human oversight These are change management projects not technology ones The power of instant job interviews Where are employers getting the most value from agents The importance of pilot project Building a super recruiter What does the agentic future look like? Follow this podcast on Apple Podcasts. Follow this podcast on Spotify.

Many organizations treat accessibility as just a compliance checkbox, checking the box to meet legal requirements and then moving on. But this mindset misses massive opportunities. When companies design truly inclusive hiring processes, they don't just help candidates with disabilities, but also improve the experience for everyone. Forward-thinking employers are discovering that accessibility drives innovation, expands talent pools, and creates competitive advantages, so how do you move from minimum compliance to genuine inclusivity, and how do you do that at scale? My guests this week are Business Psychologists Brittany Davies and Laura Kate Ruttle from Talogy. In our conversation, they share valuable advice on building an accessible assessment strategy, and we discuss how AI is shaping a whole new future for inclusive hiring. In the interview, we discuss: The current challenges around accessibility and fairness in hiring The significant benefits to employers of going beyond the basic legal requirements Improving hiring for everyone Best practices for encouraging disclosure How AI can help How do you implement inclusive hiring at scale? Advice to TA leaders on what to prioritise The potential of personalized adaptive assessment What might the future look like? Follow this podcast on Apple Podcasts. Follow this podcast on Spotify.

The recruitment experience is undergoing a fundamental transformation with AI and automation playing an increasingly larger role. It's essential to recognise the consequences of lost human connection. Trust is an absolutely critical element here, and employers need to ensure they aren't losing the emotional intelligence and genuine connections that build trust with candidates. So how do you create authentic connections when AI does the screening and robots send the emails? My guest this week is Gal Borenstein, CEO of Borenstein Group. In our conversation, he talks us through his framework for building genuine digital trust in an increasingly automated world. In the interview, we discuss: The rapid digitalization and automation of business communication The jolt into a new era for employer branding The digital trust framework How to use AI to help build trust rather than erode it The importance of emotional intelligence A vision for the future Follow this podcast on Apple Podcasts.

Talent acquisition is being tested like never before. Teams are continually being asked to do more with less, hiring volumes remain unpredictable, and technology is evolving faster than organizations can adapt. AI promises transformation but often delivers confusion, with some vendors labeling simple automation as intelligence, while, at the same time, genuinely disruptive AI capabilities are emerging that could reshape everything we do. Meanwhile, the fundamentals haven't changed. TA leaders still need to deliver the right people at the right time in a cost-effective way. But how do you build that capability when the ground keeps shifting? How do you create structure, repeatability, and continuous improvement during constant disruption? My guests this week are Tony De Graaf and Marcel Rütten, co-founders of the Recruiting Excellence Foundation. In our conversation, they share their framework for building high-performing TA teams and explain how to pursue recruiting excellence even in fast-moving, uncertain times. Also listen out for details on how you take part in the forthcoming Global State of TA Report, and by getting your own free maturity assessment. In the interview, we discuss: The Recruiting Excellence Methodology Defining your North Star Focusing on and optimising every TA touchpoint Key challenges What stops TA being more strategic? Why automation is critical Agentic AI disruption What does the future look like? Get your free TA maturity assessment here Follow this podcast on Apple Podcasts. Follow this podcast on Spotify.

Application volumes are continuing to rise, but finding quality hires remains a challenge. The usual suspects that tend to get the blame are candidates using AI, economic uncertainty, and a continuing decline in job board effectiveness. However, research suggests a more fundamental issue that many organizations overlook. The words in job descriptions matter more than most teams realize. Non-inclusive language is actually a key factor that stops many qualified candidates from applying. At the same time, regulations around pay transparency and anti-discrimination are proliferating across the US and EU, creating complex compliance requirements for job ads that vary by market. Many employers are also outsourcing their job ad creation to generic LLMs that have more potential to amplify bias than they do to eliminate it. So, how should employers utilize technology to ensure inclusivity, compliance, and a high-quality response from their advertising My guest this week is Pil Byriel, CEO and co-founder of Lyser. In our conversation, Pil shares research on how language shapes candidate behavior, why LLM reinforces bias, and the growing complexity of job ad compliance around the world In the interview, we discuss: The impact of language on applications from qualified candidates The human-led research behind inclusive communication Why generic AI LLMs amplify stereotypes and bias Compliance challenges across global markets What actually drives job ad performance Why structure, clarity, and transparency matter Building data-driven recruitment communication Follow this podcast on Apple Podcasts. Follow this podcast on Spotify.

Recruiting Future Round Up is back in a brand-new live format. Round Up has always been a quick way to catch up on the most important insights from the month's Recruiting Future interviews. Now we're taking it further, streaming live on LinkedIn, Facebook, and YouTube so you can join the conversation in real time. In this recording (previously live) Matt is joined by special guest Rhona Pierce, as they look back at October's eight interviews.  Episodes featured in this Round Up: Ep 734 Why Skills Really Matter https://recruitingfuture.com/2025/10/ep-734-why-skills-really-matter/ Ep 735: AI's Impact On Recruitment Marketing https://recruitingfuture.com/2025/10/ep-735-ais-impact-on-recruitment-marketing/ Ep 736: Trust, Influence & The Future Of Recruitment Marketing https://recruitingfuture.com/2025/10/ep-736-trust-influence-the-future-of-recruitment-marketing/ Ep 737: Building A Team Of Talent Partners https://recruitingfuture.com/2025/10/ep-737-building-a-team-of-talent-partners/ Ep 738: How to Implement AI Successfully In HR & TA https://recruitingfuture.com/2025/10/ep-738-how-to-implement-ai-successfully-in-hr-ta/ Ep 739: TA's Challenges and Priorities for 2026 https://recruitingfuture.com/2025/10/ep-739-tas-challenges-and-priorities-for-2026/ Ep 740: Are We Really Ready For AI? https://recruitingfuture.com/2025/10/ep-740-are-we-really-ready-for-ai/ Ep 741: The Competitive Advantage Of Neuro-Inclusion https://recruitingfuture.com/2025/10/ep-741-the-competitive-advantage-of-neuro-inclusion/

The recruiting technology landscape is transforming at an unprecedented speed. AI Tools that seemed like far-fetched concepts just a few years ago are hitting the market and delivering results. But adoption is messy and uneven. Some employers are experimenting with AI-driven interviews, while others worry about bias and legal risks. High-volume recruiters are automating entire processes while executive search remains deeply human. Everyone's trying to figure out which tools actually work and how to integrate them without breaking what already exists. So how should talent acquisition leaders navigate this revolution? My guest this week is Josh Bersin, one of the world's leading HR technology analysts. In our conversation, he reveals why this transformation is inevitable and what smart TA leaders should be doing today. In the interview, we discuss: Why TA is facing a reckoning Time, resources, and human error Where AI currently has the most impact Mass personalization Regulatory risks What role should human recruiters be playing? Superworkers AI Fluency versus amount of work experience The impact on an already bloated TA Tech Stack Technology mergers and acquisitions What does the future look like? Follow this podcast on Apple Podcasts.

Most hiring currently focuses on assessing a mix of skills and experience. However, there's a deeper layer that often gets overlooked. Companies talk endlessly about culture and values, yet few know how to genuinely assess them.  This matters especially for purpose-driven organizations. Whether it's a B Corp, a sustainability-focused business, or any company with a strong mission, finding people whose values are truly aligned isn't just nice to have—it's essential.  So how do you find genuinely aligned candidates, and where does technology help, and where does it hinder My guest this week is Leon Richards, founder of Good Talent, an Executive search & leadership advisory consultancy for values-led organizations. In our conversation, he explains how values-based recruiting actually works, why human judgment matters, and what responsible AI use looks like. In the interview, we discuss: Values, purpose, and mission-driven organizations The importance of alignment  Why cultural fit is often missed How to assess for values alignment AI, human skills, and accountability The "moral crumple zone" What does responsible AI look like? The future of TA

As many as 1 in 7 people are neurodivergent, with brains that process information, communicate, and work differently. Many have ADHD, autism, dyslexia, or other conditions they've hidden throughout their careers, masking to fit workplace norms. But creating environments where these individuals thrive isn't about expensive accommodations or special treatment. Instead, it's about designing work that helps everyone perform better. So how do you move beyond awareness training to actually embedding inclusion in daily operations, and how can this benefit everyone in the workforce? My guest this week is Pamela Kavanagh, Chief People Officer at Exogen. In our conversation, she shares practical strategies for creating workplaces where everyone can do their best work. In the interview, we discuss: What neurodivergence actually means at work Performance enhancers instead of reasonable accommodations Creating psychological safety for disclosure Small things that make big differences and help everyone. Embedding inclusion in everyday operations Making recruiting better for everyone  Why eye contact shouldn't determine capability Making the business case to leaders AI and the future Follow this podcast on Apple Podcasts. Follow this podcast on Spotify.

We've lived through technology revolutions before. Personal computers. The Internet. Smartphones. Social media. Each felt transformative at the time, reshaping how we work and communicate. But something fundamentally different is happening now. AI learns from every interaction and improves with each release. Yet the signals are confusing. Some pilots are failing, and the hype levels are off the scale. Meanwhile, some companies are reporting the potential for hundreds of millions in savings, capability benchmarks are doubling every seven months, and entire organizational structures are being reimagined around human-AI collaboration. So how do employers cut through the noise and prepare for such a fundamental shift? My guest this week is Michael Tchong, a futurist and founder of Ubertrends Academy. In our conversation, Michael explains what makes this revolution different, how to spot true long-term trends beyond the hype, and shares practical strategies for navigating the transformation ahead. In the interview, we discuss: Are we prepared for the coming disruption? Signals and Uber trends Why AI is unlike past revolutions Separating the hype from the real transformation signals Early adopters versus mainstream users Building hybrid human-AI organizations The coming wave of job displacement Practical upskilling strategies you need to implement Follow this podcast on Apple Podcasts. Follow this podcast on Spotify.

The economic, demographic, and technological forces of change are continuing to drive disruption, confusion, and chaos. Against the backdrop of this ever-shifting landscape, TA Leaders are expected to deliver greater value to their organizations than ever before. So how are they planning to do this in the next 12 months? What are the strategic priorities, how are budgets being impacted, and where and how is AI being deployed to help? My guest this week is Sven Elbert, Head of Analyst Services at Fosway Group. Fosway recently published TA Realities Research, a survey of European TA Leaders on their strategic priorities and budgets for the coming year. In our conversation, we dig into the details, discuss surprising results, and identify a significant issue with how AI is currently being used. In the interview, we discuss: TA's challenges and shifting priorities Budget pressure and significant implications for agencies How will TA deliver value to their organizations in 2026? The AI adoption cycle and cutting through the hype Why isn't AI being used to solve strategic problems? Basic AI features versus transformational AI features What does the future look like? Follow this podcast on Apple Podcasts. Follow this podcast on Spotify.

Most organizations approaching AI are struggling and running pilot projects that go nowhere. The common assumption is that the technology itself is flawed, over hyped, or too complex. However, the employers that are succeeding with AI have discovered something different. The technology isn't the problem, and the real barriers are human. Employee resistance, fear about job security, and the inertia of doing things the way they've always been done. What makes the difference between AI projects that fail and those that transform how teams actually work? My guest this week is Taylor Bradley, VP Talent Strategy & Success at Turing. In our conversation, Taylor shares how he built grassroots adoption in his team by starting with simple prompt libraries, the framework for deciding what should be automated, what should be augmented, and what should be left to humans, and why every AI project is really a human change management project in disguise.. In the interview, we discuss: Unlocking AI's full potential The most significant challenges when implementing AI in HR and TA Why AI pilots fail AI projects are actually human change management projects The inertia of the status quo Talent use cases When to augment and when to automate Breaking down roles into tasks Surprising measures of success How HR and TA roles need to evolve Considering adverse impacts What will the future look like? Follow this podcast on Apple Podcasts. Follow this podcast on Spotify.

To survive as a function, it's clear that TA teams need to become strategic partners to their businesses rather than service providers. But what does that really mean in practice? It's easy to talk about being strategic, but the execution is where most teams struggle. The challenge isn't just about new processes or technologies. It's about fundamentally different ways of communicating with hiring managers and stakeholders. It's about asking better questions, listening more effectively, and knowing when to challenge decisions without creating unnecessary friction. So, how do you build a TA Team of Talent Partners? My guest this week is Jeff Soto, Vice President Talent Acquisition (Americas) at Sony Music Entertainment. In our conversation, Jeff reveals the specific techniques his teams use to partner with the business and why communication skills matter more than ever in our age of technology-driven disruption. In the interview, we discuss: The essential skills required in TA right now. Talent Advisory versus Talent Partner Adopting a coaching mindset Active listening, clarity, and summarizing  Persuading with data, analytics, and insights Challenging hiring managers in non-adversarial ways What will the TA team of the future look like? Follow this podcast on Apple Podcasts. Follow this podcast on Spotify.

Something fundamental has shifted in how people find work. Job boards that dominated for decades are losing their effectiveness. Candidates are overwhelmed and skeptical. Employers are drowning in applications that are all the same. The old playbook simply isn't working anymore. Meanwhile, the TikTokification of communication and the rise of the creator economy are reshaping the marketing landscape. People trust other people more than corporate messaging and want to hear authentic voices, not polished PR. So could this approach work for hiring? My guests this week are Tracey Parsons, CEO of Flockity, and J.T. O'Donnell, founder of Work It Daily. In our conversation, they explain how the influencer model not only has the potential to transform talent attraction but could also fundamentally change the way recruiting works. In the interview, we discuss: What's gone wrong with job boards and the job search The loss of trust The reality of interest-based algorithms The growth of the knowledge creator economy Using influencers to promote jobs How job seekers and employers feel about influencer marketing Why the recruiting process needs radical updating Inserting the right friction points in a seamless experience What does the future look like? Follow this podcast on Apple Podcasts. Follow this podcast on Spotify.

Recruiting Future Round Up is back in a brand-new live format. Round Up has always been a quick way to catch up on the most important insights from the month's Recruiting Future interviews. Now we're taking it further, streaming live on LinkedIn, Facebook, and YouTube so you can join the conversation in real time. In this recording (previously live) Matt is joined by special guest HR Analyst Mervyn Dinnen, as they look back at September's seven interviews.  Episodes featured in this Round Up: Ep 727 Becoming A Long-Haul Leader Ep 728: The Problem With Bias Ep 729: Using AI Responsibly In TA Ep 730: Is Recruitment Marketing Stuck In A Rut? Ep 731: Recruiting Top AI Talent Ep 732: Are Job Interviews Obsolete? Ep 733: Making Sense of HR Tech's AI Explosion Follow this podcast on Apple Podcasts. Follow this podcast on Spotify.

Recruitment marketing is undergoing a fundamental shift as AI transforms the way work is done and who does it. Marketing automation is evolving at a rapid pace and will drive significant, efficient gains, but what is the impact of originality, creativity, and strategic thinking? So how are recruitment marketers evolving, and what should employers now expect from their recruitment marketing teams and agencies?  My guest this week is James Whitelock, Managing Director at ThinkinCircles Recruitment Marketing. In our conversation, James reveals what employers should demand from modern recruitment marketers, which skills remain irreplaceable, and how to build teams that leverage AI without losing human creativity. In the interview, we discuss: How AI is democratising recruitment marketing The ever-growing scale and scope of automation Strategy and creativity How can employers stand out from the AI-generated "slop" Brand building, story telling and tech orchestration What skills are now needed in recruitment marketing Building out capability Can AI help recruitment marketing to be properly strategic? What does the future look like? Follow this podcast on Apple Podcasts. Follow this podcast on Spotify.

We have been discussing skills for so long that there is a temptation to dismiss anything skills-based as just another set of buzzwords. However, if anything, we aren't talking about skills enough and certainly not in the holistic way we need to be. Forward-thinking companies are already using skills-based approaches to solve critical business problems. These aren't abstract HR initiatives but data-driven transformations directly tied to revenue and operational outcomes. AI is helping to deconstruct jobs into tasks, map skills with precision, and deploy talent with unprecedented flexibility. So how are organizations making this transformation, and what does this mean for talent acquisition's role in driving business strategy? My guest this week is Craig Friedman, Talent Skills Transformation Leader at St. Charles Consulting Group and author of the book "Enterprise Skills Unlocked,". In our conversation, he shares how skills-based organizations are solving real business challenges and fundamentally changing how HR and talent acquisition deliver value. In the interview, we discuss: Definitions and drivers Moving from skills curious to skills ready A data-driven HR Transformation Building more effective talent processes by linking skills to people The workforce planning revolution Moving from headcount planning to capability planning True talent intelligence The role of AI Driving mobility and opening up talent markets Aligning HR and TA to business outcomes and strategy Getting started What the future will look like Follow this podcast on Apple Podcasts. Follow this podcast on Spotify.

I recently returned from my annual pilgrimage to the HR Technology Conference in Las Vegas. There are a ton of conferences in our industry, but HR Tech still remains the event to come to for the most comprehensive view of innovation in talent acquisition. It is clear that things are moving fast with technology; AI is already moving from narrow, single-use tools to orchestration layers and multiple agents that promise to revolutionise talent acquisition. Unfortunately, it is making the tech landscape very difficult to understand from a buyer's perspective, as traditional software categories are collapsing. At the same time, the legacy cornerstones of the recruiting process, resumes, interviews, and job descriptions, are looking increasingly inadequate, with candidates and employers caught in an AI arms race that is currently making the experience worse rather than better. So how can TA leaders cut through the noise, balance efficiency with fairness, and bring humanity back into recruiting while taking advantage of the enormous potential AI offers? What new skills will be needed to lead in this environment, and how do organisations avoid just using AI to do the wrong things faster? While I was at the show, I caught up with two of my regular podcast guests, Allyn Bailey, Senior Director of Brand and Communications at SmatRecruiters, and Daniel Chait, CEO of Greenhouse, both of whom offered some sensible guiding insights into what is becoming a very complex space. In the interviews, we discuss: Blurring categories of vendors is confusing for buyers. AI's next phase of orchestration layers and multiple agents The importance of open systems Will we finally see the end of resumes? The surge of AI interviewing Why the candidate experience keeps getting worse Balancing efficiency with fairness and keeping humans in the loop The new skills TA Leaders need Follow this podcast on Apple Podcasts. Follow this podcast on Spotify.

The job interview has been a part of the recruiting process for over 100 years, with Thomas Edison widely credited as the original architect of this central tenet of the recruiting process. But with so much change happening since then, are interviews still fit for purpose in their current format, and if they aren't, what should they be replaced with? My guest this week is Sarah Lamontagne, founder of Montagne Motion Consulting. Sarah has worked in all aspects of recruiting and talent acquisition and, based on her experience, strongly believes that employees should be moving away from interviews and looking at other methods of assessment to bring the recruiting process up to date. In the interview, we discuss: The significant challenges in hiring at the moment The origins of the job interview and why they are no longer fit for purpose How is recruiting slow to evolve What should replace interviews, and how do you enable candidates to demonstrate their skills at scale? The role of technology A new generation in the workforce who are driving change What does the future look like? Follow this podcast on Apple Podcasts. Follow this podcast on Spotify.

The ongoing slump in tech hiring is well-documented. However, the demand for talented AI professionals, particularly at the leadership level, is absolutely off the scale. With unprecedented salaries being promised by the leading AI players, how can other employers compete, and what do the TA team need to know to secure the talent their organisation needs? My guest this week is Rebecca Hastings, founder of Lucent Search. Rebecca has been hiring AI leaders for her clients for over a decade and a half, and Lucent Search recently published a research report investigating what top AI Leaders want from their jobs and careers. In our conversation, we explore some of the findings, and Rebecca offers some very valuable advice to TA teams looking for top AI talent. In the interview, we discuss: The rise of the Chief AI Officer and the reshaping of the C-Suite Career frustration and the loyalty penalty The perception AI Leaders have of talent acquisition Why humans are still critical in AI projects and transformations What motivates AI professionals to change jobs Which skills are most in demand? Where should AI transformation sit in the business? What does the future look like? Follow this podcast on Apple Podcasts. Follow this podcast on Spotify.

Jobseeker behavior is changing with Gen AI and social media becoming ever stronger forces of influencers in career choices. However, a lot of recruitment marketing activity is failing to keep up with employers stuck in a rut and not casting the net wide enough or in the right way. Shockingly, many TA teams still lack basic visibility into their recruitment marketing metrics and can't prove ROI to their CFOs. While candidates increasingly use ChatGPT for job searches, few employers have optimized their content for AI discovery, and many career sites still remain conversion killers. So what should employers be doing, and how can they prepare for 2026? My guest this week is Neil Costa, Founder and CEO of HireClicks. In our conversation, Neil reveals the stark reality of where most organizations actually are with their recruitment marketing efforts and offers some valuable advice on how they should be moving forward. In the interview, we discuss: The current challenges in recruitment marketing How employers need to stand out and appeal to a multigenerational audience Overreliance on Indeed and LinkedIn The role of search and social AI optimisation Getting a competitive talent advantage Keeping marketing momentum with reduced budgets The vital importance of metrics and ROI The importance of authenticity Dynamic personalization and the role of career sites What does the future look like Follow this podcast on Apple Podcasts. Follow this podcast on Spotify.

The AI landscape in recruiting is evolving rapidly, with vendors racing to add AI features and many employers eager to embrace transformation. But navigating this shift successfully requires understanding what questions to ask and which foundations to build. From vendor transparency to compliance, from bias auditing to data governance, the path to effective AI implementation is not a simple one. What do TA teams need to consider to adopt a responsible approach to AI?   My guest this week is Martyn Redstone, a highly experienced advisor on AI governance for HR and Recruitment. Martyn has spent the last 9 years working with AI in recruiting and has some incredibly valuable advice to share. In the interview, we discuss: Getting the foundations right Why false AI confidence is dangerous Four key vendor evaluation areas Third-party auditing Shadow AI and data breaches Generative versus decision-based AI Global regulatory landscape challenges Why guardrails actually accelerate innovation The task-based future of work Follow this podcast on Apple Podcasts. Follow this podcast on Spotify.

Bias in recruiting isn't just unfair, it's also bad for business. Bias in the recruiting process means many employers miss out on top talent simply because they're not seeing the full picture. Most organizations focus their anti-bias efforts on the interview stage, but the real damage happens much earlier in the process. With AI as a new complicating factor, how can we properly address bias and make recruiting fairer for everyone? My guest this week is Bas van de Haterd, recruiting polymath and also now co-founder of TA Audit Institute. As usual, Bas brings a vast amount of data and research to the conversation. In our discussion, we explore where bias really lives in the process, why current solutions miss the mark, and what the future of recruiting could look like. In the interview, we discuss: The impact of biased hiring on employers How most bias happens at the start of the recruiting process Why current approaches to eliminating bias aren't working Research findings on gender bias Job experience versus job knowledge Open hiring Does AI make things better or worse? Potential solutions What does the future look like? Follow this podcast on Apple Podcasts. Follow this podcast on Spotify.

The modern workplace has created an epidemic of burnout that's quietly destroying careers and companies alike. Many professionals are quietly battling anxiety, sleep disruption, and physical exhaustion while maintaining a facade of having everything under control. TA leaders are currently navigating AI adoption, defending budgets, managing anxious teams, and are still expected to fill critical roles faster than ever.  So what kinds of systems can you put in place to prioritise your own wellbeing, while still making a lasting impact in your business? My guest this week is Chris Ducker, a serial entrepreneur and bestselling author. Chris suffered a severe burnout in 2021 and has used the lessons it taught him to develop a Life Operating System that sits at the centre of his new book "The Long-Haul Leader." I've known Chris for a while now, and the advice and insights he offers are very much grounded in the reality of modern working life In the interview, we discuss: Building long-term business impact in disruptive times Why self-care is strategic The myth of work-life balance Recognising the warning signs and avoiding burnout The four key areas of the Life OS and how they intersect to drive results The power of creative hobbies Why data and what you do with it is so important AI, friend or foe? What does the future of work look like? Follow this podcast on Apple Podcasts. Follow this podcast on Spotify.

Recruiting Future Round Up is back in a brand-new live format. Round Up has always been a quick way to catch up on the most important insights from the month's Recruiting Future interviews. Now we're taking it further, streaming live on LinkedIn, Facebook, and YouTube so you can join the conversation in real time. In this recording (previously live) Matt is joined by special guest, Rhona Pierce from the Workfluencer Podcast, as they look back at August's six interviews.  Episodes featured in this Round Up: Ep 721: Inside Zapier's AI Transformation Ep 722: Soft Skills, Hard Data – Making Predictive Hiring Work Ep 723: The Impact Of Career Gap Bias Ep 724: Search, Social, And Strategic Recruitment Marketing Ep 725: Making Neurodiversity Work Ep 726: How AI Is Finally Killing The Resume Follow this podcast on Apple Podcasts. Follow this podcast on Spotify.

Recruiting Future is currently on summer break, and the regular show will resume next week. I didn't want to leave you with nothing to listen to over Labor Day weekend, though… The Alder Hour is my show with Purple Acorn, which live streams on LinkedIn every Monday afternoon. Every show features an interview segment, and I wanted to share here three of the best interviews we've had so far, showcasing three of the smartest people in the industry. Keep listening to hear: Master Burnett from HireBrain discussing the ways AI can augment hiring Madeline Laurano, the founder of Aptitude Research, talking about the impact of AI on the vendor  landscape Laurie Ruettimann from Punk Rock HR warning us about the end of work as we know it.

Recruiting Future is taking a couple of weeks off and will return the first week in September. In the meantime, I've got some summer specials for you. As I don't need to tell you, AI is a massive topic at the moment and isn't going to change any time soon; it's only going to get bigger and more critical. With that in mind, I wanted to share my thoughts on where we are with AI at the moment, its future direction, and also share the outline of a framework I've developed for strategic AI implementation in TA. Earlier in the summer, I was a guest on the Saville Assessment Deep Dive podcast, talking about AI. The host, Hannah Mullaney, asked such great questions that I thought I would drop the whole episode into the Recruiting Future podcast feed for you to take a listen to. So, with thanks to Hannah and the team at Saville, here is a deep dive into my take on AI and the future of talent acquisition.