Industry veterans Joel Cheesman and Chad Sowash are here to punch the recruiting industry right where it hurts, complete with breaking news, brash opinion, and loads of snark. Chad & Cheese discuss a wide variety of topics and current news stories around recruiting, human resources, and employment. Hiring companies, employers, and vendors tune in for insights from practitioners, vendors, startups, and more.
Listeners of The Chad & Cheese Podcast that love the show mention: talent acquisition, hr, recruiting, great stuff, solid, informative, guys, learn, keep up the great, insightful, funny, good, work, new, best, love, listening, sorry i m late.

This week's episode opens with a layoffs avalanche that could bury a small HR department. Nestlé slashes 16,000 jobs—mostly white-collar, as AI now crunches numbers faster than accountants can say “chocolate river.” Meta cuts 600 from its super-intelligence team (the irony writes itself), Paycom drops 500 engineers (guess the bots finally learned to code), Handshake axes over 100 (pivoting to “AI-centric tech” = fancy talk for “we're toast”), and even programmatic darling Appcast trims 32. The hot acquisition pitch? JobGet should buy Handshake and rebrand it Handjob.com—because nothing screams “career move” like a domain that triggers every corporate filter. The bullshit meter detonates. Facebook resurrects its job board after killing it in 2023—rumor has it Zuck's prepping AR glasses where “Starbucks is hiring” beams directly into your latte-fueled daydreams. X quietly buries its LinkedIn-killer tab (Elon's too busy monetizing outrage). Adzuna unveils a “revolutionary” search that's basically ZipRecruiter's Phil minus the creepy spokesperson—half-baked, no employer-side matching, and it begs for your email like a desperate Tinder bio. Metaview's Chicago billboard (“Who says hiring has to be fair?”) gets flayed: four-second glance, logo smaller than a South Park punchline, and DEI messaging dumber than a rock. Fix? “Effective AI. Giant Logo. Metaview.com.” Done. Stop torching $35M on ego art. Funding fireworks: Findem.ai pockets another $51M, hitting $105M total (Intello 2.0, now with agent spice—same data warehouse, new flavor packet). Deel raises $300M, pushing its war chest to $1.3B at a $17.3B valuation—enough to buy a mid-sized nation and still tip the barista. Armstrong grabs $12M for AI dish-washing robots (Taco Bell's drive-thru is about to ghost human order-takers faster than you can say “Doritos Locos”). Jack & Jill scores $20M for conversational job alerts—talk to your laptop, get emailed Indeed links. Groundbreaking… if it's 2001. Economy's a K-shaped tire fire: Hamburger Helper sales spike 14% (flashbacks to salty 70s trauma: “Dad tried to fix it with more salt—burned my mouth and my will to live”). Freight rates up 20%, subprime auto delinquencies worse than COVID, Great Recession, and dot-com bust combined. White Castle flips fully autonomous in Ohio—farewell, drive-thru jobs; hello, robot flipping your sliders while you doom-scroll in sweatpants. Finale: OpenAI green-lights erotic ChatGPT for verified adults starting December (the internet was literally built on the promise of pixelated nipples—Sam Altman's just cashing the OG check). Age-gating? Cute. Show me a 10-ft wall, I'll show you an 11-ft ladder and a forged ID. They also launch ChatGPT Atlas, an AI browser with a sassy sidebar—because Chrome's 2:38 median tab time and 11.4 open tabs (recruiters: double that, easy) needed a drunk-texting career coach. Google infused Gemini; OpenAI counters by making browsing feel like your browser just joined a group chat.Buckle up—2026 will be wilder than a Meta glasses app that undresses your LinkedIn connections in AR. Chapters00:00 Introduction and Recap of Reckfest02:18 Reflections on MTV's Impact and Evolution04:57 The Changing Landscape of Job Platforms07:36 Layoffs and Industry Shifts10:09 The Future of Recruiting Technology13:08 Meta's Job Platform and Advertising Strategies15:42 Critique of Adzuna's New Search Features18:04 Closing Thoughts and Future Predictions26:35 The Power of AI in Recruiting30:44 Funding Frenzy in the Recruitment Tech Space34:59 The Impact of Automation on Fast Food Jobs42:49 Economic Indicators and Their Implications48:06 The Intersection of AI, Browsers, and Adult Content

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 interview Barry Wolfe, a former Fortune 500 HR leader turned consultant and author of It's All In Your Head: Why Psychology Doesn't Help Your Employees Deliver Value – And What Can (2025). Wolfe critiques the "bullshit psychology industrial complex," comparing tools like Myers-Briggs and DISC to 19th-century phrenology, arguing they're unscientific and fail to predict performance. He blames executives' desire for easy answers for their reliance on these flawed methods, even as AI risks amplifying the problem with recycled "gibberish." Instead, Wolfe's Value-Centric Leadership model urges leaders to define business value through a “same page” document and replace appraisals with “success maps” focusing on measurable deliverables. HR, he suggests, can lead by demanding clarity on 3-5 value-added results per role. The candid, humorous discussion, peppered with banter about a Napoleon-era jacket, targets HR pros and leaders, urging them to ditch platitudes for results. Wolfe plugs a free Chapter 3 at argoshr.com/book, and the hosts endorse the book as “anti-bullshit.”

A Scotsman, two clowns and a whole bunch of TA professionals walk into a Chicken Cock speakeasy ... No, it's not a joke, it's Chad & Cheese recording live from their recent visit to Louisville, Kentucky for some of the finest bourbon around and a little industry chat with Dan Heverin, Talent Acquisition Manager at Humana and Jacqueline Carow, North America Agency Director at Havas People. Recording in front of a rowdy bunch of recruiting pros, the gang talks automation, employment branding, tech stacks, the future of recruiting and more. Grab a pour and enjoy. We're return to our regularly scheduled program next week.

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, the boys interview Malcolm Frank, former president of Cognizant Digital and current CEO of Talent Genius, a platform focused on AI-driven talent acquisition. Frank, an Ohio native, discusses his extensive experience in technology and consulting, highlighting Cognizant's growth from 10,000 to over 300,000 employees. He traces AI's rise in business, noting its "slow, then sudden" impact since ChatGPT's 2022 debut. Frank critiques CEOs for layering AI onto outdated structures, leading to poor ROI, as shown in an MIT survey, and advocates for first-principles thinking to redesign processes. He sees recruiting transforming with AI, cutting sourcing time (e.g., scanning 7.5 million profiles instantly) and improving cultural fit analysis, though human recruiters remain vital for emotional connection. Frank warns of AI scaling biases faster than humans, necessitating strong governance to avoid issues like predatory lending seen in early AI experiments. He discusses Talent Genius's “Agent Powered” platform, which helps workers leverage AI to amplify skills (e.g., becoming “5x” more effective), drawing parallels to historical job shifts like the iceman's obsolescence. The lively discussion, peppered with humor about Davos and Buckeyes, emphasizes AI's potential to turbocharge talent management if thoughtfully integrated, urging listeners to visit talentgenius.io for more. Chapters 00:00 - Introduction to Malcolm Frank 01:56 - The Rise of AI and Its Impact 05:20 - Challenges in AI Implementation 09:02 - The Future of Recruiting with AI 12:53 - Investing in Employee Development 17:19 - The Role of AI in Talent Acquisition 21:16 - Big Tech vs. Niche Vendors in HR Tech 24:48 - The Evolution of ATS and Recruiting Tools 28:51 - Bias in AI and Its Implications 35:23 - AI's Impact on Blue Collar Jobs 37:39 - The Vision Behind Talent Genius

This week, the gang dives into a grim economic landscape, tackling the week's bad news with their signature candor before scraping for some silver linings. The bad news hits hard: the U.S. government shutdown, now in its eighth day, is costing $7-15 billion weekly, furloughing 1.9 million workers and delaying critical jobs data, with ADP and Moody's signaling near-zero job growth in September, concentrated in healthcare and large firms. American farmers face bankruptcy risks as tariffs inflate prices and competitors like Argentina and Brazil snag deals with China. J.P. Morgan pegs recession odds at 40% by year-end, and tech stocks, puffed up by AI hype, teeter on the edge of a bust. Chad rants about tariffs, ICE raids, and H1B visa hikes pushing talent away, calling the economy “cataclysmic,” while J.T. laments the understated jobs crisis, with six-figure earners jobless for months. Joel highlights the plight of farmers, noting the regressive impact of tariffs on the poor and the absurdity of subsidizing competitors like Argentina. Switching to good news, the trio finds some hope: Upwork's CEO Hayden Brown reports a 50%+ surge in demand for AI skills like prompt engineering, with Gen Z poised to benefit from freelance opportunities. A Yale study suggests ChatGPT hasn't yet disrupted U.S. jobs significantly, and Workday's expanded real estate footprint and Netflix's $700,000 AI product manager role signal niche growth. J.T. sees promise in fractional work for seasoned professionals, while Chad warns AI is quietly automating tasks (like scheduling at GM, cutting 100+ jobs) and questions the longevity of roles like prompt engineering. Joel agrees, likening AI jobs to short-lived 90s webmaster roles, predicting they'll train systems to replace themselves.The episode also covers LinkedIn's lawsuit against Pro APIs for scraping millions of profiles with fake accounts, a growing headache as AI amplifies such schemes, and the launch of Filament, a $10.7M-funded, invite-only LinkedIn rival that Chad dismisses as redundant given existing group chats on WhatsApp and Slack. Finally, they tackle Gen X's financial woes, with only 25% holding retirement accounts and student debt crushing the rest. J.T. sees universal basic income (UBI) as a potential bridge for Gen X to pivot careers, but Joel balks at the idea, citing their fiercely independent ethos, while Chad ties the crisis to the shift from pensions to 401ks and broader systemic failures. The episode closes with a heated debate on whether UBI or corporate reinvestment in communities could stem the tide, leaving listeners with a mix of grim realities and cautious optimism for a creative, freelance-driven future. Chapters 00:00 - Introduction and Fall Vibes 03:32 - Shout Outs and Remembrances 09:51 - Economic Concerns and Job Market Analysis 18:57 - AI and Job Market Dynamics 27:31 - LinkedIn Lawsuit and Professional Networking 47:44 - Gen X Financial Challenges and UBI Discussion

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.

When SEO legend Rand Fishkin walks into HR's Most Dangerous Podcast, you know it's not gonna be another “AI is taking all our jobs” pity party. Rand calls BS on the tech bros, drags lazy journalists chasing clicks, and explains why Google, LinkedIn, and Elon's “Xperiment” have turned the internet into a zero-click wasteland. He even serves up career advice for young marketers — build something real, specialize later, and never let a platform own your ass. It's insight, irreverence, and a side of pasta.

This week, the boys sling hot takes like baristas slinging lattes, diving into HR tech, AI, and corporate shenanigans with their signature wit. Kicking things off, they set the stage with a vibe check, chuckling over the wild ride of recruitment tech while side-eyeing the economic chaos of startups chasing venture capital like kids chasing ice cream trucks. No military leadership talk here, but they roast corporate missteps with the gusto of drill sergeants. The spotlight lands on JuiceBox, an AI-powered recruiting tool that snagged $36 million, including a $30 million Sequoia-led Series A. Chad's jazzed, calling it the “Capri Sun of HR tech” for its catchy name and $10 million revenue rocket. He wonders if they'll build a platform or get gobbled up in an acquisition faster than you can say “merger margarita.” Joel, the grumpy cat of the duo, sniffs history repeating, comparing JuiceBox to 2010s sourcing flops like Entelo. “Build fast, sell faster, or get squashed by LinkedIn,” he grumbles, predicting a big-tech beatdown. Next, they geek out over AI agents revolutionizing recruitment. Chad raves about Hackajob's agents that dig through applicant databases like treasure hunters, saving cash and recruiter sanity. Joel dreams of Chrome's new free Gemini AI turning browsers into job-search genies, scaring HR tech vendors like a horror flick. Chad warns, “Free? You're the product, kids!” as they lament job scams and hope AI security saves the day. LinkedIn's new Learning Career Hub gets a roasting—Chad calls it a “half-baked LinkedIn loaf” compared to slick competitors like Degreed. Joel likens it to Apple's VR headset: a panicked hedge against being left behind. They also torch Reid Hoffman's claim that work-life balance is a “red flag,” with Chad snapping, “Want me to work like a CEO? Pay me like one!” Joel laughs it off as Silicon Valley hot air, like a CEO dropping truth bombs after one too many kombuchas. Ford's CEO Jim Farley's $5 million pledge to train 15,000 workers by 2026 gets a collective eye-roll. Chad calls it “couch cushion change,” comparing it to Apple and Tesla's billion-dollar China training sprees. “Farley's begging for government handouts like a kid at a candy store,” he scoffs. Joel agrees, noting it's chump change next to a Super Bowl ad, and both warn U.S. companies are losing the EV race to China's manufacturing muscle. Finally, a Waymo self-driving car's illegal U-turn leaves cops stumped—no driver, no ticket! Chad, fresh off a Spanish speeding ticket by camera, wonders why the U.S. can't keep up with “Star Trek-level” tech. Joel predicts local governments will milk Google for fines to fund football fields. With automation on the rise, they're all in—just don't expect Robocop to sort it out anytime soon. Chapters 00:00 - Introduction 02:21 - Reflections on Current Events and Military Leadership 05:19 - Job Market Insights and Economic Concerns 09:13 - Cultural Commentary and Sports Events 16:11 - Tech Innovations in Recruitment 22:56 - Closing Thoughts and Future Outlook 25:06 - Evolving Market Strategies 27:13 - The Role of Agents in Recruitment 31:00 - Google's AI Integration and User Behavior 40:10 - LinkedIn's Challenges and Opportunities 46:32 - Ford's Workforce Development and EV Challenges 52:26 - Accountability in Autonomous Vehicles

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 boys welcome Tiffany Anton, a sex therapist, to discuss the implications of workplace relationships, particularly in light of a recent affair involving a CEO and an HR employee at a Coldplay concert. Tiffany shares her insights on the dynamics of affairs, the power structures at play, and the societal shifts in understanding relationships. The conversation also touches on the challenges of modern dating, the role of platforms like OnlyFans in addressing loneliness, and the need for companies to rethink their policies on workplace romances. Tiffany emphasizes the importance of emotional connection and the evolving nature of relationships in today's world. Chapters 00:00 - Introduction to Tiffany Anton 02:22 - The Coldplay Affair: A Therapist's Perspective 05:31 - Understanding Affairs: Causes and Consequences 08:26 - Power Dynamics in Workplace Relationships 11:29 - The Impact of Affairs on Company Culture 14:23 - Navigating Modern Relationships: A Societal Shift 17:11 - Dating in the Digital Age: Challenges and Insights 20:13 - The Role of OnlyFans in Addressing Loneliness 23:00 - Rethinking Workplace Relationships 26:11 - Future of Relationships: Hope and Challenges

This week, hosts Chad and Joel, joined by career guru J.T. and Emi, sling snark and wisdom like a comedy roast for the recruiting world. They dive into The Muse's shady “acquisition” drama, where a LinkedIn post from an engineering honcho claims a buyout, but with zero press release or website proof, it smells more like a corporate ghosting than a deal—think two dinosaurs slow-dancing as meteors rain down. The crew then skewers Trump's H1B visa fee hike to $100,000, a move that lets tech titans like Google and Meta flex their fat wallets while startups choke, sending America's “brain gain” packing to Canada and Europe. J.T. drops a truth bomb: job security's a myth, so job seekers better channel their inner influencer and monetize their skills on social media, because full-time gigs are fading faster than a bad Tinder date. Meanwhile, Indeed's playing mafia boss, slashing agency commissions and strong-arming them into direct-apply schemes, prompting Chad to call it “agency castration by 10,000 paper cuts.” IBM's AI saga gets a laugh—8,000 HR folks got the boot for a chatbot, only for the company to rehire for creative roles when AI couldn't handle the human touch, proving even robots can't fake empathy. Finally, they tackle LinkedIn job scams, with losses skyrocketing from $90 million to $501 million in four years, blaming desperate job seekers, apathetic employers, and a government too busy to care. Chad's three-legged stool metaphor—job seekers, employers, government—falls flat when all three are slacking. Chapters00:00 - Introduction and Podcast Overview00:33 - Trump's Controversial Remarks on Europe01:58 - Chad's Return from Europe and Personal Reflections04:18 - Emerging Content Creators and the Knowledge Economy11:36 - Industry Ethics and Accountability15:26 - Celebrating Milestones and Upcoming Events19:36 - Industry Events and Networking Opportunities23:13 - The Muse Acquisition Controversy28:18 - The Impact of H1B Visa Changes34:24 - The Future of Work and Job Security37:11 - Indeed's Strategic Moves in Recruitment40:13 - The Agency Dilemma45:00 - The Evolution of Recruitment48:10 - AI's Role in Workforce Changes52:47 - Job Scams in a Tight Market

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.

Time management coach Elizabeth Grace Saunders discusses the complexities of flexible work schedules and their potential to lead to burnout. She emphasizes the importance of defining personal boundaries, understanding emotional drivers, and the need for effective communication in both professional and personal relationships. The conversation explores the cultural differences in work-life balance, the impact of remote work on productivity, and the necessity for employers to foster a supportive work environment that encourages employees to disconnect and recharge. Chapters 00:00 - Introduction to Time Management and Flexibility 01:43 - The Genesis of Flexibility and Burnout 04:52 - The Emotional Side of Time Management 08:34 - Defining 'Enough' in Work-Life Balance 10:52 - The Role of Employers in Work-Life Balance 12:40 - Flexibility vs. Productivity in the Workplace 18:03 - Cultural Differences in Work-Life Balance 21:29 - Societal Pressures and Burnout 28:27 - Navigating Relationship Dynamics in Remote Work

Buckle up for The Chad & Cheese Podcast, where Joel Cheesman, Chad Sowash, and Maureen Clough dive into HR's wildest waves with their signature no-filter banter! This episode tackles the HR tech consolidation frenzy: Workday's $1.1B Sana acquisition, paired with recent Paradox and Flowise buys, signals a bold AI-driven strategy to streamline everything from sourcing to onboarding with a slick, unified dashboard. It might be Workday's “peanut butter and jelly” integration but execution's the key. Meanwhile, iCIMS grabs Apli (or is it Aptly? Nobody knows! Not sure it matters) for frontline hiring, but it may be a desperate “last girl at the bar” move to keep up in the conversational AI race. The crew also mourns layoffs: Fiverr's 250 job cuts and ZipRecruiter's axing of 80 in Israel, with Chad slamming Zip's post-IPO pivot to a dud chatbot, Phil, and Mo decrying Fiverr's dystopian AI push that kneecaps freelancers. Gen Z's “revenge quitting” and “great lock-in” trends spark debate—Mo and Chad urge caution, while Joel's all “life's tough, kids!” Starbucks' dress code drama (no Crocs, tattoos, or piercings!) ignites a fiery clash: Mo and Chad call it discriminatory nonsense, while Joel insists baristas can just take their hustle to Arby's. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Podcast Overview08:10 Job Market Challenges for Older Workers11:15 Technology and the Future of Work18:46 Sneak Preview of Chicken Cock Whiskey HQ24:11 Acquisitions in the HR Software Sector29:44 Workday's Strategic Moves and Market Positioning35:00 The Future of Work and AI's Impact41:00 Industry Layoffs and AI Transformation51:25 Gen Z's Workplace Challenges and Trends59:18 Starbucks Dress Code Controversy

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.

AI isn't fairy dust you sprinkle on your ATS latte—it's duct tape on 20-year-old tech, sold to you with a shiny new buzzword. Enter Matt Charney, the HR-tech cynic who's seen it all: Monster, SmartRecruiters, Employer.com, and enough bad vendor decks to wallpaper Vegas. In this episode, Charney calls BS on: Vendors selling “AI” that's really just 2003 automation in a new hoodie HR's obsession with “a seat at the table” (spoiler: the table's cold, and nobody saved you a chair) Why being “first to market” with AI is usually just a great way to bleed out on the cutting edge And the hilarious reality of candidates getting rejection emails before they've even finished hitting submit

In this episode of The Chad & Cheese Podcast, with Chad Sowash sipping ouzo on a Greek beach, Joel Cheesman and guest J.T. O'Donnell dish out spicy takes on the workforce with their trademark snark. They kick off with a riff on empathy—or lack thereof—in today's rage-fueled world, joking that community resilience is basically folks bonding over Wi-Fi outages. Corporate layoffs get a roasting, with job security shakier than a Jenga tower at a frat party, and fractional employment pitched as the future for those who love working three jobs to afford one coffee. OpenAI's shiny new job platform sparks eye-rolls, as they dunk on job boards so outdated they might as well be faxing resumes. AI's role in job matching gets a nod, though they quip it's less “perfect match” and more “swipe left on bad fits.” Labor market woes are dissected, with job seekers facing hurdles higher than a toddler's tantrum, and generational gripes about work sound like Boomers and Zoomers arguing over who gets the last slice of avocado toast. Economic data? They trust it about as much as a used car salesman's handshake. Indeed and LinkedIn's AI tools get a playful cage match comparison, while Shaker and Radancy's acquisition drama is served with a side of corporate soap opera. They wrap up cackling about autonomous vehicles, wondering if truck drivers will soon be replaced by robots who honk worse than your uncle at a tailgate. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Current Events 02:25 The State of Empathy and Rage 05:19 Shout Outs and Community Resilience 08:33 Corporate Layoffs and Job Security 11:22 The Future of Work and Fractional Employment 14:22 OpenAI's New Job Platform 17:06 Cynicism Towards Job Boards 20:11 OpenAI's Impact on Job Searching 27:16 AI in Job Matching and Job Seeker Education 29:06 Labor Market Insights and Economic Realities 30:50 Demographics of Job Seekers and Their Challenges 33:04 Generational Perspectives on Employment 35:19 Trust in Economic Data and Its Implications 36:29 AI Tools in Recruitment: Indeed vs. LinkedIn 46:52 Acquisitions in Recruitment Tech: Shaker vs. Radancy 53:57 The Future of Autonomous Vehicles and Job Displacement

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.

Tim Sackett is back, and he's not here to sugarcoat your broken recruiting process. From running a family staffing biz (yes, his mom started it—nepotism FTW) to launching the HR Tech 100 Fund, Sackett's got opinions, and Chad & Cheese are here to poke the bear. Inside this episode: Why most HR tech still runs on vaporware and broken promises The Sackett philosophy: If you suck at recruiting, AI just helps you suck faster “Scale Your Suck” – his accidental book title that SHRM will never publish Why recruiters might have 18 months before AI eats their lunch (and their jobs) How execs keep saying “do more strategic work” when nobody knows WTF that actually means The coming extinction-level event for recruiters who think “tallest dwarf” = top talent This isn't a kumbaya “AI will save us all” chat. It's Sackett unplugged—equal parts brutal honesty, dad jokes, and career counseling for recruiters about to be replaced by bots that actually give candidates feedback. Grab a stiff drink. Season 3 is here, and it's coming for your job description.

From Google's “flock of dead canaries” warning shot to Meta's latest identity crisis, this episode is jam-packed with chaos. Recruitix buys a mystery box, Nestlé boots its CEO over an office fling, and Taco Bell AI goes full waterpark mode. Oh, and Chipotle drones are now dropping burritos from the sky. You can't make this stuff up—so we didn't. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Overview of the Episode 03:52 Corporate Drama: CEO Dismissals and Scandals 06:10 A Tribute to Greg Louganis: Olympic Legacy and Challenges 08:53 The Fading Glory of Olympians 09:32 International Students and the Impact of Policy Changes 13:15 Upcoming Events and Networking Opportunities 15:34 Fantasy Football Draft Recap 19:14 Closing Thoughts and Future Topics 19:58 Google's Search Monopoly and Market Dynamics 22:42 The Impact of Workforce Imbalance 26:04 The Future of Google Search and Diversification 28:50 Recruitics Acquires Change State: A Strategic Move? 34:31 Meta's Leadership Shakeup and AI Focus 48:22 AI in Fast Food: Taco Bell's Experimentation

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.

What happens when you mix SmartRecruiters, a global AI pivot, and a comms pro who loves to “shake shit up”? You get Allyn Bailey dropping truth bombs on everything from why legacy ATS platforms should be left in a museum next to floppy disks, to how scheduling interviews is apparently the Mount Everest of HR tech problems. Joel and Chad dig into: Why “feature bloat” is killing platforms faster than a buffet kills willpower The rise of AI agents that make every TA leader feel “special” (just like their mom told them) How SmartRecruiters is “releasing the Kraken” on AI adoption—while trying not to terrify every compliance officer on Earth Why Kenya and Eastern Europe are quietly kicking everyone else's ass on AI innovation And yes… the most celebrated use case for AI in recruiting is still… scheduling. It's part therapy session, part roast, part masterclass in how to burn down old TA processes without getting fired. Strap in. Season 3 of The AI Sessions is here.

Strap on your helmets and tighten those chinstraps, Chad Sowash and Joel Cheesman are celebrating their 1,500th episode with more swagger than a Cracker Barrel parking lot brawl. Expect: -Trump cosplaying as a mob boss at Intel and Cracker Barrel-Kelce + Swift rumors getting the “wink-wink” treatment-Fantasy football team names that would make your grandma blush-Workday dragging Paradox into the modern era-Employ Inc.'s CEO carousel—because why settle for one clown when you can have the whole circus?-Dayforce's $12.3B private equity soap opera-Meta's AI drama (aka “Zuck being Zuck”) It's business, it's football, it's chaos—and it's all drenched in the unfiltered sarcasm you love. 1500 episodes later, the boys are still slinging takes hotter than a Browns fan's rage. Chapters: 00:00Celebrating 1500 Episodes 01:24Reflections on Current Events 05:53The Future of Restaurants 06:31AI in Business: The Human Factor 09:38Travis Kelsey and Celebrity Culture 11:14Fantasy Football Team Names 18:08Workday Acquires Paradox: A Game Changer 22:18The Rise and Fall of Jobbing 26:05Workday's Strategic Moves in AI 30:18The Future of Recruitment Tech 32:41Leadership Changes in Employee Tech 40:24Dayforce's Private Equity Acquisition 45:25Meta's AI Controversies and Hiring Pause Grab your popcorn and a sense of humor—this episode's a wild ride! Subscribe and checkout the eye candy at YouTube.com/@chadcheese and visit www.chadcheese.com today.

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.

Marriott's Tyler Weeks joins Chad & Cheese to unpack what it's like running HR for a million humans (and possibly a few Roombas). Expect: Ritz-Carlton ghosting Joel harder than his prom date. Why Marriott's HR is basically 9,000 mom-and-pop shops in a trench coat. The shocking discovery that AI doesn't make great recruiters greater—it just stops the bad ones from lighting themselves on fire. CFO ROI math so sketchy it belongs in a late-night infomercial. And the big AI fix for fake résumés and deepfakes? Drag ‘em into the lobby for an old-fashioned, in-person interview. This is hospitality meets HR Tech chaos—and Tyler's got the room service order.

Forget the Eiffel Tower, kids—we're climbing the recruitment rollercoaster instead. Upwork's shopping spree in Holland (Bupty? Buptie? Bupkis?), Denmark's going full Face/Off to keep Nic Cage off Viggo's jawline, and the UK is suddenly allergic to Fridays. Joel's out dropping Cole at college, so Chad is joined by Belgium's royal pain Lieven and Scotland's deep-fried-pizza poet Stephen McGrath. Loud Americans, entitled tourists, and the four-day work week—this one's got more punch than a Glasgow nightclub at 2 a.m.

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.

Domino's isn't just delivering pizza in 30 minutes or less anymore—they're trying to deliver candidates, too. In this episode, we sit down with Matt King, Director of HR Tech at Domino's, to talk AI, ATS drama, and why franchisees always have “better ideas” than corporate. From killing off Kenexa (RIP, nobody misses you) to jumping into bed with SmartRecruiters, Domino's is betting big on speed, automation, and a sprinkle of chatbot charm. Matt spills on: Why hiring at Domino's must be as fast as ordering a pepperoni with extra cheese. How chatbots went from clunky decision trees to almost-human assistants (minus the dad jokes). What happens when franchisees get in a room with vendors. The eternal struggle between human touch and “just let the damn bot send the background check reminder.” And yes—we even asked about the Noid. Because if Domino's doesn't bring him back as a recruiting chatbot, what are we even doing here? It's tech, pizza, and questionable morals—just another day on The Chad & Cheese Podcast: AI Sessions.

Hold onto your headphones, folks, because the Chad and Cheese Podcast is serving up a hilarious, hot-mess buffet of insights that'll leave you laughing and maybe a little worried about your career! This episode, your hosts sling snarky banter like baristas tossing espresso shots, breezing through early chit-chat about travel woes, Coldplay's drama-fest, LinkedIn's questionable career tips, sports shout-outs, Walmart's employee discount PR stunt, free swag, and fantasy football. But the real meat hits after the 15-minute mark, where they dive into the chaos facing recent grads—think degrees collecting dust while the job market laughs. The future of work gets a roasting, with the creator economy shining as the cool kid at the career fair, while AI and economic shenanigans threaten to swipe jobs faster than you can say “pivot.” Teaching's future? It's AI's new playground. Silicon Valley's traded ping-pong tables for “purpose,” but don't get too cozy—tech employment's a rollercoaster, and global competition's got everyone sweating. Job boards like ZipRecruiter are wheezing in the dust, outrun by AI, and in a plot twist nobody saw coming, the hosts ponder if newspaper job ads might stage a retro comeback. It's a wild, witty ride through the workforce's new reality—adapt or get left behind, and maybe grab a newspaper just in case. Chapters 00:00 - Introduction and Banter 00:29 - Travel and Cultural Observations 02:26 - Coldplay Drama and LinkedIn Insights 04:12 - Shout Outs and Celebrating Progress in Sports 09:20 - Walmart's Employee Discount Initiative 11:00 - Free Stuff and Promotions 12:10 - Travel Plans and Upcoming Events 13:14 - Fantasy Football and Sports Culture 14:26 - Challenges for Recent Graduates 18:30 - The Future of Work and the Creator Economy 21:04 - The Impact of AI and Economic Factors on Employment 22:53 - The Future of Teaching and AI 24:49 - Silicon Valley's Shift: From Perks to Purpose 27:16 - The Changing Landscape of Tech Employment 30:21 - Global Competition and the Tech Industry 32:03 - The Decline of Job Boards and the Rise of AI 39:34 - Reviving Newspaper Job Ads: A Retro Solution? 48:27 - Closing Thoughts and Dad Jokes

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, the boys chat with Sarah Needleman, Business Insider's Leadership and Workplace Correspondent, formerly of the Wall Street Journal for 23 years. Her article, “If You Think Your Job Is Hard Right Now, Try Working in HR,” dives into HR's brutal post-2020 landscape: mass layoffs (like Microsoft's 9,000 cuts) burden HR with soul-crushing terminations, as Evan Loveless shared, facing tears and dashed hopes. AI automation shrinks HR teams, incivility spikes with employee backlash, and return-to-office mandates spark resentment over commutes and fairness. ICE raids and immigration fears—amped by Trump's “big beautiful bill”—disrupt workplaces, with HR crafting response plans. Political uncertainty, like tariffs pausing hires, and H-1B visa exits to Canada/Europe strain talent pools. Interest in HR jobs is waning on Indeed, hinting at future shortages. Yet, many HR pros see this as a “calling” to shine via support and outplacement.

In this episode of The Chad & Cheese Podcast, hosts Chad Sowash and Joel Cheesman—HR tech's dynamic duo of snark and smarts—serve up a buffet of industry drama with their trademark banter that'll have you chuckling harder than a recruiter dodging ghosting complaints. They start by painting a gloomy economic picture, complete with workforce imbalances that feel like a bad Tinder match, plus a heartfelt nod to breastfeeding support at work (because who doesn't love a good "pumping up the team" pun?). Things get real with layoff laments, treating employees like yesterday's LinkedIn spam. Shout-outs go personal with fantasy football eulogies (RIP to those dream teams) and event plugs, alongside travel tips for jet-setting talent hunters—pro tip: pack extra patience for airport security feels. The meaty bits? SAP snapping up SmartRecruiters like it's Black Friday shopping for ATS upgrades, pondering if AI recruiting will finally make hiring less of a dumpster fire, and how it'll mesh (or clash) with SuccessFactors. Earnings chit-chat skewers Indeed and LinkedIn's numbers, roasting Indeed's Branded Boost as a "blast from the past" that's more regression than revolution. Wrapping up, they dissect the Workday lawsuit's AI bias bombshell—because nothing says "fun" like robots playing favorites—and the eerie rise of virtual hotel check-ins, where your front desk clerk might be outsourcing from halfway around the world. Chapters 00:00 - Introduction and Mood Setting 02:27 - Economic Concerns and Workforce Imbalances 05:23 - Breastfeeding Support in the Workplace 08:15 - Employee Treatment and Layoffs 11:13 - Fantasy Football and Personal Tributes 14:00 - Upcoming Events and Travel Info 16:59 - SmartRecruiters Acquisition by SAP 18:26 - Future of ATS and AI in Recruitment 24:16 - The Future of Success Factors and Smart Recruiters 28:51 - Earnings Season Insights: Indeed and LinkedIn 36:23 - Indeed's New Branded Boost: A Step Backward? 42:03 - Legal Implications of AI in Hiring: The Workday Case 46:33 - The Rise of Virtual Check-Ins in Hospitality

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, the boys chat with Jeff Pole, the big brain behind Warden AI, for a no-holds-barred chat about AI bias in talent acquisition. They sliced and diced a juicy report comparing AI's quirks to good ol' human prejudice, serving up some spicy legal takes on what happens when robots play HR. The trio threw shade at sloppy AI systems, stressing that vendors and employers better team up like superheroes to keep things fair and square—or risk a legal smackdown. They also peeked into the crystal ball for AI's hiring glow-up, while side-eyeing the political circus messing with AI rules and preaching the gospel of audits that go beyond just checking boxes for sex and race. Chapters 00:00 - Introduction to AI in Talent Acquisition 02:34 - Understanding AI Bias in Recruitment 05:29 - Comparing AI and Human Bias 08:28 - Legal Implications of AI in Hiring 11:24 - Vendor Responsibility and Compliance - Mobley v. Workday 14:17 - The Future of AI in Talent Acquisition 17:09 - Political Influences on AI Regulations 20:19 - Diversity and Inclusion in AI Audits 23:13 - Predictions for AI and Bias in the Workplace

Live from UNLEASH America 2025, we're serving up serious talent strategy with Meghan Rhatigan, VP of Talent Acquisition Experience at Marriott—and spoiler alert: job boards are dying, chatbots are rising, and recruitment will never be the same. Inside this episode:

In this episode, hosts start off with, what else, soccer snark, discussing Chelsea's Trump drama, then a little Tour de France trash-talk. Chad roasts Monster Europe's collapse, blasting Randstad and Apollo as "corporate cowards" ditching workers like bad dates. They dissect HelloWork's lawsuit against Indeed for yanking ATS feeds—Chad calls it a data domination plot, Joel bets on French PR patriotism trumping legal odds. "Buy or Sell" gets savage: MetaView's €30M note-taker? Chad and Lieven sell (no moat, just meh), Joel buys for human touch. Traxlo's €1.6M gig app? Joel and Lieven buy for retail grunt work, Chad sells (automation apocalypse incoming). Ordio's €12M deskless payroll? Joel and Lieven buy, Chad sells (pricing poultry—er, paltry). EQT X snags Adevinta's Spanish ops, InfoJobs included? PE panic—Chad and Joel scream "abandon ship!" And Paris-based Teleperformance gobbles up Agents Only, a Vancouver-based staffing company specializing in online workers for AI data annotation and customer service, which is a fancy way of saying "workers who check expiration dates on milk."

On this week's episode, Moe comes out hot and spills on "Coldplay-Gate," that viral kiss-cam fiasco where a couple (turns out, cheating execs from Astronomer) bolted like they saw a ghost. It's not just gossip—it's schadenfreude gold, highlighting how the C-suite plays by different rules. Joel highlights ZipRececruiter's most recent marketing strategy: Embracing old school linear TV by sponsoring a new show on Fox. Chad rants about the new $250 "integrity fee" for US tourist visas—because nothing says "welcome" like a cash grab that could tank tourism before the 2026 World Cup. Ashby news brings the fire, snagging a whopping $50M Series D, doubling customers (now 2,700+ like OpenAI and Shopify), boosting revenue 135%, and barely dipping into last year's Series C. Why more cash? To evolve "at the speed of AI," building all-in-one recruiting magic—sourcing, scheduling, analytics—that users call "beautiful software." No more tool sprawl; it's the startup darling dethroning clunky vets like Greenhouse. Chad's verdict: Finally, an ATS nobody bitches about—refreshing in a moan-fest industry! Then, drama alert: Bold snatches Monster and CareerBuilder assets for $28.4M in a bankruptcy auction (up from a start of $7M). Great domains, SEO juice ... but Bold's predatory paywalls (mandatory sign-ups, fees for full job deets) scream "job seeker trap." Chad's not thrilled—hopes they don't prey harder with that Monster muscle. Randstad? Total villains. They boast $5.8B revenue and 3% EBITDA margins, but screw Monster employees worldwide. Days before mass layoffs, they gutted severance: From 1.5 weeks/year (up to 16) to a flat two weeks. Imagine losing $28K if you're a 20-year vet! In France, it's worse—brutal shutdowns, no support, leaving taxpayers footing unemployment bills. Vendors? Stiffed millions after Monster ran up tabs they knew were doomed. Chad's furious: "Corporate welfare at its finest." Until CEOs like don orange jumpsuits, the little guys get proper f***ed. AI corner: Perplexity's CEO says says recruiter jobs are soon to be a thing of the past, and Salesforce's Mark Benioff probably agrees, as his company is doing up to 50% or more with less. Moe's skeptical: "Hype to sell shares!" Chad sees task automation (bye, scheduling drudgery) but demands AI taxes and UBI pronto. Jobs evolve, but painful contractions ahead? We'll be watching. Chapters 00:00 - Introduction and Welcome Back 02:21 - Maureen's Disney Cruise Experience 04:04 - Tribute to Matt Lavery 07:09 - Coldplay Gate: The Viral Incident 08:52 - Integrity Fees for Tourists 10:19 - Ashby: A Positive ATS Experience 12:41 - Bold's Acquisition and Job Seeker Concerns 15:59 - Ronstadt's Treatment of Employees 18:29 - The Impact on Vendors and Corporate Accountability 23:23 - Future of Recruitment and AI Integration 32:14 - Closing Thoughts and Dad Jokes

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.
