The Jim Stroud Podcast

Companies aren't failing at AI because the tech isn't ready—they're failing because they've underinvested in the humans expected to make it work. | Subscribe to "The Recruiting Life" newsletter at JimStroud.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jim Stroud shares a special message of thanks to everyone who supported him online. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Recruiting is crossing a line from AI support to AI execution, and the winners won't be the fastest adopters—but the ones who pair automation with accountability and governance. | Subscribe to "The Recruiting Life" newsletter at JimStroud.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Long searches, low response rates, and widespread burnout reveal a hiring system optimized for volume over clarity—leaving job seekers exhausted and trust eroding fast. | Subscribe to "The Recruiting Life" newsletter at JimStroud.com Read the report that inspired my rant - "Job Seeker Survey: 76% Burned Out by Job Hunt" https://www.howdy.com/blog/job-hunter-survey Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The global labor market isn't breaking, but the data shows employers quietly shifting from hiring at scale to hiring with intent—while U.S. metrics remain temporarily distorted by missing government data. | Subscribe to "The Recruiting Life" newsletter at JimStroud.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A new Stanford study reveals that nearly half of today's AI tools are automating tasks workers don't want automated—so why is Silicon Valley racing to replace judgment and creativity while employees are still drowning in expense reports? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nearly half of employees—and even more executives—are secretly using AI at work, so what happens to trust, risk, and leadership when the future of work is something no one is willing to admit out loud? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A former U.S. consular officer claims up to 90% of H-1B visa applications she reviewed were fraudulent—so what does that mean for American workers, global talent, and a system that may be breaking in plain sight? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For the first time ever, the government is putting a warning label on college—so what happens when students start seeing which degrees (and classes) may actually cost them more than they're worth? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of The Jim Stroud Podcast, Jim sits down with Eric Wissig of SureCo to unpack one of the most talked-about shifts in employee benefits today: the Individual Coverage HRA (ICHRA). Eric explains why the traditional group health insurance model is breaking down under rising costs—and how ICHRA offers a new path forward by giving employees ownership, choice, and flexibility in their healthcare, while still allowing employers to support coverage on a pre-tax basis. Together, Jim and Eric explore what this change means for workers, HR teams, brokers, startups, and large employers alike. You'll hear a practical, plain-English discussion covering: Why group health insurance keeps getting more expensive How ICHRA works and why it launched in 2020 The pros and cons for employees, including choice, cost control, and decision fatigue What employers gain (and must watch out for) from a compliance and cost perspective How ICHRA supports workers with chronic or pre-existing conditions under the ACA Whether smaller companies can finally compete with enterprise-level benefits Non-traditional benefits, Medicare reimbursement, and what ICHRA can—and can't—cover How this model could push the U.S. healthcare system toward true consumer choice Whether you're an employee curious about your options, an HR leader facing skyrocketing premiums, or a broker navigating a changing benefits landscape, this episode offers a clear-eyed look at why ICHRA is gaining momentum—and where it may be headed next.   * Learn more about SureCo at sureco.com * SureCo Contact Page: https://www.sureco.com/contact-us * Erik Wissig LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erik-wissig-833b9a3/ * SureCo LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sureco/ Don't forget to rate and review the podcast—five stars preferred, honest feedback always welcome. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Student loans aren't just financing college—they're steering the entire idea of what counts as a “real” future. This episode exposes how a government-backed loan system quietly shapes which majors thrive, which wither, and which dreams get priced out. When credit becomes a political weapon, your kid's passion isn't the only thing choosing their path. | To keep up with what's happening now and next in the world of work - Subscribe to "The Recruiting Life" newsletter at https://jimstroud.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ford's CEO warns that the real national security risk isn't coders—it's the disappearance of people who can build and fix the machines we depend on. This episode dives into how America sidelined the trades, glorified the credentialed class, and left itself vulnerable in a world where physical mastery still decides power. Maybe what we need now isn't more algorithms—but a draft back into reality. | To keep up with what's happening now and next in the world of work - Subscribe to "The Recruiting Life" newsletter at https://jimstroud.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ford's “$120K mechanic shortage” isn't a labor crisis—it's a mirage. This episode blows past the headline to expose how America devalued the trades, oversold college, and turned work into a gamble. The real shortage isn't workers—it's honesty about the system we built. | To keep up with what's happening now and next in the world of work - Subscribe to "The Recruiting Life" newsletter at https://jimstroud.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this eye-opening episode, Jim Stroud sits down with Abhinav “Abhi” Chugh, co-founder and CEO of Peoplebox.ai, to unravel the real challenges talent teams face as companies scale from hundreds to thousands of employees — and how AI is transforming every step of the hiring journey. Abhi pulls back the curtain on what really breaks first when organizations grow: overwhelmed inbound pipelines, resume floods, artificially polished applications, and hours wasted interviewing candidates who were never a fit. He shares a bold, practical vision for rebuilding hiring from the ground up — including why the future will replace multi-round interviews with one deep, human-like conversation powered by advanced AI. Connect with Abhinav “Abhi” Chugh via LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abhinavchugh/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

MIT's 11.7% isn't a prediction — it's a glowing red indicator that AI can already replace millions, and executives are simply waiting for the price tag to give them permission. | Subscribe to "The Recruiting Life Newsletter" at https://jimstroud.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The collapse in H-1B approvals for Indian firms isn't a retreat — it's a quiet transfer of power as Big Tech turns the visa pipeline into its personal talent engine. | Subscribe to "The Recruiting Life Newsletter" at https://jimstroud.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Where you work in America matters more than what you do, because state lines—not job titles—are determining who gets a life and who gets a grind. | Subscribe to "The Recruiting Life Newsletter" at https://jimstroud.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SHRM, the organization that teaches the world how to treat people at work, is now the cautionary tale proving that even the self-proclaimed experts can forget their own fundamentals. | Subscribe to "The Recruiting Life Newsletter" at https://jimstroud.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of The Jim Stroud Podcast, Jim sits down with Josh Hill—Head of People and co-founder of SuperHired—to explore what's really happening at the intersection of HR and artificial intelligence. Drawing from his unconventional path from the Australian military to executive HR leadership, Josh breaks down why today's recruitment engine is fundamentally broken, how AI is both helping and harming the process, and why “human in the loop” isn't just a best practice—it's a necessity. Together, they dive into the future of hiring, including: Why AI should augment, not replace, human decision-making How small companies can use AI without losing their culture Which parts of recruiting must remain human-led Why resumes offer almost no predictive value—and what should replace them How clearer company context creates better candidate matches The legal and ethical traps HR leaders must navigate as AI tools proliferate Whether you're an HR executive, recruiter, or talent strategist, this conversation offers a candid, forward-thinking look at how to build more human, transparent, and effective hiring practices in an AI-driven world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wall Street wants AI powering everything inside the bank—except your job application, where using the very tools they demand on day one can get you flagged, grilled, or tossed before you ever make it to the interview room. | Proven Base is an AI-powered talent acquisition and Deep Search sourcing platform that helps organizations find, match, and engage hard-to-find candidates from thousands of real-time online sources. https://provenbase.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A new report says men now make up most working caregivers. Proven Base is an AI-powered talent acquisition and Deep Search sourcing platform that helps organizations find, match, and engage hard-to-find candidates from thousands of real-time online sources. https://provenbase.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Washington's circling a new idea—taxing AI—and if the machines really are about to take our jobs (and our tax base), the real question is why we didn't send them the bill sooner. | Proven Base is an AI-powered talent acquisition and Deep Search sourcing platform that helps organizations find, match, and engage hard-to-find candidates from thousands of real-time online sources. https://provenbase.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The labor market is whispering six warnings right now—and if you know how to listen, you can feel the recession circling long before everyone else hears the crash. | Proven Base is an AI-powered talent acquisition and Deep Search sourcing platform that helps organizations find, match, and engage hard-to-find candidates from thousands of real-time online sources. https://provenbase.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A remote-work hustle just proved that all it takes is a stolen identity and a shipped laptop to turn corporate trust into a backdoor for trouble you never saw coming. | Proven Base is an AI-powered talent acquisition and Deep Search sourcing platform that helps organizations find, match, and engage hard-to-find candidates from thousands of real-time online sources. https://provenbase.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Even as incomes rise, Americans watch their paychecks evaporate in hours, revealing an economy so tight that survival has replaced stability—even for those earning what used to feel like “enough.” | Subscribe to "The Recruiting Life" newsletter at https://jimstroud.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ghost listings inflate the illusion of opportunity while leaving workers chasing smoke, hiring stalled, and trust drained from a labor market built on promises no one intends to keep. | Subscribe to "The Recruiting Life" newsletter at https://jimstroud.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A tech fellowship lures teenagers past the college gate, offering fast-tracked prestige and peril in equal measure as they gamble their futures on a new definition of merit written by a single company. | Subscribe to "The Recruiting Life" newsletter at https://jimstroud.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A higher wage promised dignity, but instead exposed a fault line where rising pay collided with shrinking hours, lost jobs, and the uneasy math of a system built on trade-offs no one wants to say aloud. | Subscribe to "The Recruiting Life" newsletter at https://jimstroud.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A shrinking headcount becomes a corporate trophy, masking the quiet erosion of humanity, trust, and culture beneath the glow of “lean and AI-ready” bragging rights. | Subscribe to "The Recruiting Life" newsletter at https://jimstroud.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

OpenAI's plan to automate hiring threatens to replace not just recruiters, but the human instinct to choose and be chosen—the last frontier of work going digital. / Subscribe to "The Recruiting Life" newsletter at https://jimstroud.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nearly a million young people in England are disappearing from work and education pipelines, exposing a broken system that keeps failing those it claims to help. / Subscribe to "The Recruiting Life" newsletter at https://jimstroud.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tech giants are proving they can add a trillion dollars in revenue while barely hiring, revealing an economy that grows richer by making people optional. / Subscribe to "The Recruiting Life" newsletter at https://jimstroud.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A federal lawsuit exposes how America's H-1B visa program can turn opportunity into captivity when employers weaponize immigration status to control workers. / Subscribe to "The Recruiting Life" newsletter at https://jimstroud.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When a government shutdown erases the nation's job data, recruiters and job seekers are left flying blind in an economy where trust is the only metric left. / Subscribe to "The Recruiting Life" newsletter at https://jimstroud.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Uber's paying drivers to train the very AI that could replace them—proof the gig economy's latest side hustle is teaching workers how to disappear. In the race for efficiency, we've gone from driving for Uber to driving ourselves out of a job. | Subscribe to The Recruiting Life newsletter at https://jimstroud.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Microsoft Teams is about to blur the line between “connected” and “surveilled” — using Wi-Fi to tell your boss whether you're truly in the office or just logged in from Starbucks. | Subscribe to The Recruiting Life newsletter at https://jimstroud.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The H-1B debate isn't just about visas—it's about value. Raise the bar too high, and we lose the next Google; leave it too low, and we price out our own grads. America has to decide whether it's protecting jobs or building the future. | Subscribe to The Recruiting Life newsletter at https://jimstroud.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The AI boom is minting billionaires while making workers obsolete—a digital gold rush where coders cash in and everyone else gets coded out. If we keep celebrating innovation without protecting people, we won't just have smarter machines—we'll have a dumber society. | Subscribe to The Recruiting Life newsletter at https://jimstroud.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

AI isn't coming — it's already here, and it's flipping the script on how we hire, manage, and work across the globe. In this episode, I sit down with Laura Maffucci, VP of HR at Globalization Partners (G-P), to break down how AI is reshaping everything from recruiting to compliance—and what it really means for people on both sides of the hiring table. We talk about the good, the bad, and the “uh-oh” moments of bringing AI into the workplace. Is it making hiring fairer or just faster? Can we trust it to make big decisions? And what happens when employees start wondering if the robots are coming for their jobs?

Google's not bringing interviews back in person for nostalgia — it's doing it to prove the humans are still human. | Subscribe to The Recruiting Life newsletter at JimStroud.com to keep up with what's happening now and next in the world of work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

China's 996 culture didn't vanish — it just learned to smile for compliance photos while burning people out in silence. | Subscribe to The Recruiting Life newsletter at JimStroud.com to keep up with what's happening now and next in the world of work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hiring isn't broken — trust is, and now companies are paying premium rates just to be believed again. | Subscribe to The Recruiting Life newsletter at JimStroud.com to keep up with what's happening now and next in the world of work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices