How is AI shaping recruitment today? In this episode of Recruiting is No Joke , Joel Lalgee explores the intersection of technology and talent acquisition with Tom Lott, head of Talent Acquisition at Barry, Appleman & Leiden (BAL), a global immigration law firm. With 25+ years in the industry, Tom has witnessed recruitment evolve from fax machines to AI-driven processes. He discusses how AI at BAL reduces time-to-fill, addresses challenges hiring managers face, and combats biases in hiring d...
Aug 20, 2025•41 min•Ep. 110
Do you know if the jobs your company is hiring for today will even exist in three years? Or if your recruiters are spending too much time filling seats instead of creating strategic talent pipelines? In this eye-opening conversation, Jess VonBank, part of the HR Digital Transformation practice at Mercer, shares unfiltered truths about the inefficiencies plaguing recruiting and the bold steps needed to fix them. You’ll hear how Jess went from door-to-door insurance sales to niche executive headhu...
Aug 13, 2025•43 min•Ep. 109
What does it really take to recruit and keep great talent in the fast-moving world of retail? In this episode of Recruiting is No Joke , host Joel Lalgee sits down with Giorgio Benassi, Global TA Director at Sephora, to dig into the unique challenges of high-volume hiring. We’re talking more than 30,000 hires a year at Sephora, plus Giorgio’s past experience at H&M, so he knows a thing or two about balancing speed with a top-notch candidate experience. Giorgio shares how Sephora is using AI ...
Aug 06, 2025•35 min
Have you ever read a resume that’s just too perfect? The kind that nails every keyword, hits all the right phrases, and somehow mirrors your job description like it was custom-built for it? Odds are, it probably was by AI. In fact, some candidates are even letting AI sit in on interviews and answer questions for them. Is this the future of hiring or a shortcut that undermines authenticity? In this episode of Recruiting is No Joke , host Joel Lalgee sits down with Jim Miller, Global Head of Peopl...
Jul 30, 2025•40 min
Is LinkedIn still worth the price? Are fake resumes making remote hiring a nightmare? And could AI actually take over your recruiting job? In this episode of Recruiting is No Joke , Joel sits down with Tony Le, Global Head of Talent at Mission Cloud, to talk tech recruiting in 2025. Mission Cloud is a leading cloud services and AI solutions provider. From early days in retail to leading global talent teams, Tony pulls no punches on what it really takes to stay relevant in today’s fast-evolving m...
Jul 23, 2025•53 min
What does Drag Queen Bingo have to do with employee engagement? In this episode, Joel catches up with Tannum Sullivan, Senior Manager of People, Experience & Culture at RentSpree — a prop-tech startup that’s redefining how people rent (and how employees stay engaged). They dive deep into the real reasons engagement is hitting all-time lows and why the old HR playbook isn’t enough anymore. Tannum shares what it’s really like building culture from the inside — not the sidelines — and why true ...
Jul 16, 2025•42 min•Season 1Ep. 105
Want to know how a global restaurant chain hires 1,500+ employees while battling an industry notorious for turnover? In this episode, Joel chats with Chrystal Gualtieri, the Global Talent Acquisition Leader at CKE Restaurants—the powerhouse behind Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s. They dive into the ins and outs of recruiting in the fast-paced hospitality world and explore how recruiters can keep things human in an age dominated by technology and templates. Chrystal takes us through her fascinating journ...
Jul 09, 2025•40 min•Season 1Ep. 104
In this episode of Recruiting is No Joke , host Joel Lalgee welcomes Stephanie Murray, Senior Director of Talent at Brightside Health, for her first-ever podcast appearance. With nearly two decades in healthcare recruiting, Stephanie gets real about the state of the industry, the mental health hiring crisis, and what it takes to build a high-functioning, data-driven talent function. They dig into Brightside’s massive scale—from 20 clinicians to 1,200—and why sourcing, not job posts, drives most ...
Jul 02, 2025•36 min•Season 1Ep. 103
Is construction the next big thing in recruiting? In the 100th episode of Recruiting is No Joke , host Joel Lalgee sits down with Kala Kapahalou, Director of Talent Acquisition at W.E. O’Neil, to talk about a rarely spotlighted industry with massive opportunity: construction. From ditching culinary school dreams to leading TA at a top national contractor, Kala shares his deeply personal and professional journey—from being told he was “too quiet” to thrive in recruiting, to proving everyone wrong...
Jun 25, 2025•44 min•Season 1Ep. 102
Did you know that emotional intelligence (EQ) can be a better predictor of job success than traditional hard skills? In this episode of Recruiting is No Joke, host Joel Lalgee sits down with Napoleon "Napo" Rumteen, founder and CEO of Interactive EQ, to talk about how emotional intelligence and soft skills are reshaping how we assess talent. If you've ever wondered why some candidates ace interviews but flop on the job—or how to make hiring less of a gamble—this episode is a must-listen. Joel an...
Jun 18, 2025•46 min•Season 1Ep. 101
AI is rewriting resumes. Candidates are deepfaking interviews. Job postings go live—and within hours? Thousands of applications flood in. So how does anyone actually hire the right person anymore? In this episode of Recruiting is No Joke , Joel Lalgee sits down with someone who’s not just talking about the chaos—she’s living it. Meet Erin Turnmeyer, VP of People Operations at Civis Analytics, juggling HR, recruiting, and payroll all on her own. One-person team. Zero fluff. How do you spot a fake...
Jun 11, 2025•37 min•Season 1Ep. 100
When you’re applying to jobs in 2025, the world feels a little upside down. AI is everywhere. Remote work is under debate. And recruiters? They’re being asked to do more with less—again. So, how do we make sense of it all? In this episode of Recruiting is No Joke, Joel Lalgee sits down with Logan Marsh, Head of Talent Acquisition at Calendly, to unpack the realities of hiring in a rapidly evolving landscape. With nearly two decades of experience spanning tech giants like Amazon and Microsoft, Lo...
Jun 04, 2025•53 min•Season 1Ep. 99
Let’s be honest: recruiting is rarely simple—and in high-turnover, high-volume environments, it’s downright relentless. But what if we stopped overcomplicating it and focused on what really matters: clear expectations, streamlined systems, and actually respecting people’s time? In this episode of Recruiting is No Joke , Joel Lalgee sits down with Matt Lowney, Managing Director of Talent Acquisition at CoreCivic, a corrections and reentry services company hiring 8,000+ people a year. From healthc...
May 28, 2025•43 min•Season 1Ep. 98
How many times have you opened that dreaded email— “We’ve decided to move forward with someone else”? Was it even written by a real person? An AI bot, maybe? Rejection stings, but silence stings more. So here’s the real question: do candidates deserve better? And are hiring teams truly prepared to give it? In this episode of Recruiting is No Joke , Joel Lalgee is joined by Trisha Degg, Head of Talent Acquisition at Rush Street Interactive, to pull back the curtain on the real state of recruiting...
May 21, 2025•47 min•Season 1Ep. 97
What’s really happening behind the scenes when you hit “apply” on a job posting? Does candidate experience actually impact business results, or is it just a feel-good metric? Today’s episode will make you rethink how hiring really works, whether you’re a recruiter or a job seeker. Joel Lalgee sits down with Cailean Bailey, Head of Global Talent Acquisition at Design Pickle, a creative tech platform with over 550 employees in 15 countries. Cailean drops actionable insights on building candidate e...
May 14, 2025•46 min•Season 1Ep. 96
Ever wondered how recruiters actually land interviews in today’s brutal market? Or what truly makes someone stand out when applying? This episode with Glenn Lindley is packed with raw, honest advice for recruiters and job seekers navigating a hiring world full of ghosted applications, AI-driven fraud, and overwhelming competition. Glenn shares why your network is your real résumé, why authenticity crushes AI-generated messages, and the best moves you can make at in-person events to turn conversa...
May 07, 2025•45 min•Season 1Ep. 95
What does it really take to build a remote-first culture that actually works — not just one that’s an afterthought? How can AI become your secret weapon without losing the human touch in HR and recruiting? And what does “real candidate experience” even mean today? This week, Joel Lalgee sits down with Sarika Lamont, VP of People and Culture at Vidyard, for an absolute masterclass in recruiting, people leadership, and AI integration. Sarika doesn’t just talk theory — she’s actively leading the AI...
Apr 30, 2025•48 min•Season 1Ep. 94
What if the key to unlocking the future of recruitment lies not in cutting-edge technology, but in the timeless power of human connection? Could AI, with all its promise, actually be widening the gap between recruiters and the candidates they seek? And in a world where side hustles are on the rise and trust is harder to earn, how can recruiters and job seekers alike navigate the ever-shifting landscape of the job market? In this episode of Recruiting is No Joke , we get real about the challenges...
Mar 19, 2025•44 min•Season 1Ep. 93
Can bootcamps really transform your tech career? You’ve seen the bold claims—“Land a six-figure tech job in just 12 weeks!” Sounds like a dream, but is it too good to be true? With bootcamps becoming a popular shortcut into tech, it’s time to ask: do they really work, or are they just another overhyped trend? In this episode of Recruiting is No Joke , host Joel Lalgee chats with Daniel Odegaard, head of talent acquisition at TripleTen, an IT bootcamp. They break down Daniel’s journey from agency...
Mar 12, 2025•51 min•Season 1Ep. 92
In this episode of Recruiting is No Joke , host Joel Lalgee sits down with Ginette Harvey, a seasoned talent acquisition expert with nearly two decades in the industry. Ginette shares her journey from unexpectedly falling into recruitment to leading a multi-million dollar business, launching her own diversity consultancy, and now building a global blockchain talent acquisition company. The conversation dives deep into the power of human connection in an AI-driven world, the importance of social ...
Mar 05, 2025•42 min•Season 1Ep. 91
Have you ever applied for the perfect job, only to realize it never really existed? What if the job market isn’t just competitive—but haunted? Across job boards and career sites, ghost jobs linger—positions that were never meant to be filled or were quietly abandoned by companies. But job seekers aren’t the only ones being deceived. Fake candidate profiles are also flooding the market, leaving recruiters chasing applicants who don’t exist. These digital phantoms—jobs and candidates alike—waste t...
Feb 26, 2025•43 min•Season 1Ep. 90
Have you ever wondered if the increasing reliance on AI in hiring is slowly eroding the very human touch that makes recruitment so personal? In this episode of Recruiting is No Joke, Joel Lalgee sits down with Jessica Begley, COO of Very, to explore key topics such as recruitment trends, employee engagement, and the role of AI in the workforce. Jessica shares her journey from Chief People Officer to Chief Operating Officer and emphasizes the importance of treating employees as individuals. The d...
Feb 19, 2025•46 min•Season 1Ep. 89
A job seeker submits their application. They wait. And wait. But there’s no call, no email—just silence. What they don’t know is that their fate was sealed in milliseconds, judged by AI-driven algorithms they’ll never see, for reasons they’ll never understand. Are we witnessing a revolution that will elevate recruitment to new heights? Or are we on the verge of losing the human touch in hiring forever? In this episode of Recruiting is No Joke , Joel Lalgee sits down with Matt Pietsch to unravel ...
Feb 12, 2025•45 min•Season 1Ep. 88
Recent Gallup findings show employee engagement is at its lowest in a decade, even worse than during the pandemic. In this thought-provoking episode of Recruiting is No Joke , host Joel Lalgee sits down with Josh Drean, co-author of "Employment is Dead: How Disruptive Technologies are Revolutionizing the Way We Work. " Together, they dive deep into the seismic shifts reshaping the modern workplace, from the lingering effects of the "Great Resignation" and "Quiet Quitting" to the growing chasm be...
Feb 05, 2025•47 min•Season 1Ep. 87
Have you ever wondered what it takes to land a job in GovTech or defense tech? In this season-opening episode of Recruiting is No Joke host Joel Lalgee sits down with Tommy Weinert, recruitment lead and founder of Mount Indie , a dynamic agency specializing in government and defense tech recruiting. Tommy shares his unique journey into the world of clearance jobs, focusing on recruiting top-tier engineering talent for roles that require security clearances. From his beginnings in audiovisuals to...
Jan 29, 2025•45 min•Season 1Ep. 86
Is the return-to-office trend finally losing steam? In this week’s episode, Joel Lalgee tackles a growing corporate misstep as companies like Dell struggle with flawed return-to-office policies that penalize parents and strain employee well-being. You’ll also hear a rare, heartwarming layoff story—yes, you read that right! Joel highlights how empathy can turn even the toughest moments into opportunities for growth. As Gen Z loses faith in traditional college paths, there’s a growing movement tow...
Oct 16, 2024•24 min•Season 1Ep. 85
Are you a job seeker trying to find your way in today’s tricky job market? Let’s be real—networking can feel like the magic key to unlocking career opportunities, right? But with so many people competing for the same roles, what challenges are you bumping into? And how has remote work changed the game for us all? In this episode of Recruiting is No Joke, host Joel Lalgee dives into the ever-changing landscape of recruitment and job searching. He highlights the vital role of networking and shares...
Oct 09, 2024•25 min•Season 1Ep. 84
Ready to dive deep into recruitment strategies and tech innovations that are shaping talent acquisition? In this special episode recorded live at RecFest USA, Joel Lalgee sits down with Amy Cropper from TriCentis , Asud Anderson from Equinix , and Brian Fink from McAfee . You’ll hear unfiltered insights on how these leaders are using AI to revolutionize sourcing, build global talent pipelines, and address the ever-changing landscape of recruiting. Brian Fink kicks things off by sharing how McAfe...
Oct 02, 2024•53 min•Season 1Ep. 83
Did you know that your employer brand could be the game-changer in attracting top talent today? In the latest episode of Recruiting is No Joke , host Joel Lalgee dives into the exciting world of employer branding with insights from industry pros like Maria Katris ( Built In ), Tannum Sullivan( Golden Hippo ), and Celinda Appleby ( Visa ). Broadcasting live from Breakfast USA in Nashville, Joel and his guests discuss how recruitment has transformed from a simple transaction to a savvy marketing s...
Sep 25, 2024•55 min•Season 1Ep. 82
Are we truly witnessing job growth, or is it just another statistical illusion? The U.S. August jobs report claims 142,000 new positions and a dip in unemployment to 4.2%, but can we really trust these figures? Is the much-anticipated September surge on the horizon, or simply wishful thinking? And why are recruiter job postings climbing when so many Australians are taking on multiple jobs just to get by? Could this be a sign of economic resilience—or a red flag we’re overlooking? In this episode...
Sep 18, 2024•24 min•Season 1Ep. 81
