The Chad & Cheese Podcast

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 riotous episode of The Chad & Cheese Podcast, the boys drag Dr. Jessica Kriegel, Culture Partners’ Chief Strategy Officer, into the clown car of post-COVID work woes. They tackle the return-to-office (RTO) brouhaha like it’s a bad slapstick routine—is it a heroic charge back to the water cooler, or are we all just pratfalling into 2019 with pants that don’t fit anymore?Dr. Kriegel’s swinging the “adapt or flop” hammer, dubbing RTO a dusty VHS tape in a streaming world. The gang cackles over how Gen Z’s “work-from-bed” energy is giving Boomer bosses heartburn, while leading via Zoom feels like herding cats on a dial-up connection. RTO’s sneaky sucker punch to diversity and inclusion gets a guffaw too—turns out mandating face time might mean fewer faces that don’t look like the CEO’s golf buddies.Dr. Kriegel lays it on thick: COVID flipped the script on everyone, and companies still doing the pre-pandemic tango are basically dancing with a mop. She paints a hilarious picture of the C-suite vs. HR showdown—CEOs chasing shareholder high-fives like it’s a pie-eating contest, while HR’s stuck mopping up a mental health meltdown with a paper towel and a prayer. Tech’s the unsung hero keeping remote work from being a total farce, but those corporate silos? They’re like cubicle Berlin Walls—good luck getting a memo over ‘em. And don’t get her started on the “me first” corporate vibe—it’s less “teamwork makes the dream work” and more “every suit for himself.” The talent market’s a dumpster fire, unions are either flexing or fumbling like a bad stand-up act, and upskilling’s your only shot at not being the punchline when the layoffs hit. Takeaways? Trust your slackers have a pulse, morph your culture before it fossilizes, and don’t bank on CEOs sticking around—turnover’s so high they’re practically on a conveyor belt to the exits.Chapters01:32 - The Return to Office Debate08:17 - Cultural Adaptation in the Workplace12:44 - Leadership Challenges in Remote Work18:10 - The Impact of RTO on Diversity and Inclusion19:51 - Solutions for Equity and Employee Engagement22:20 - The Pressure of Shareholder Value23:48 -The Disconnect Between HR and C-Suite25:56 - Technology's Role in Remote Work28:43 - Breaking Down Silos in Organizations32:16 - The Future of Unions and Worker Power35:25 - Navigating the Talent Market Crisis38:19 - The Role of Upskilling in Job Security

In the latest episode of The Chad & Cheese Podcast, hosts Joel Cheesman and Chad Sowash dive into a mix of serious industry shifts and quirky tangents. They unpack Indeed’s traffic decline—down due to a 10% drop in job postings and competition from platforms like LinkedIn—while noting its erratic market moves and a pivot to online courses that’s missing the mark with tech candidates. History lesson alert! The duo traces job search evolution from simple boards to AI-driven tools, spotlighting generative AI’s potential to revolutionize applications despite hurdles like registration barriers. Then it's a spirited battle of Who'd Ya' Rather? pitting Jolly against Lumber for who's the sexier option when it's 2 a.m. at the local watering hole. The boys actually disagree on this one, so be sure to check it out. They debate Florida’s controversial child labor law changes, allowing 14-year-olds to work overnight to offset labor shortages worsened by immigration crackdowns, and lament the growing burden of emotional labor in workplaces. Industry reflections include George Foreman’s legacy and the people-centric nature of recruiting, peppered with personal Chicago anecdotes. The episode wraps with a chuckle over custom coffins, like a Snickers-themed sendoff, highlighting humor in death. Chapters00:00 - Introduction and Show Highlights11:00 - Industry Insights and Trends12:45 - Indeed's Traffic Decline and Market Focus21:00 - The Evolution of Job Search Platforms22:29 - Generative AI and Job Search Innovations23:51 - The Future of Job Listings and Corporate Partnerships25:36 - Comparing Workforce Solutions: Jolly vs. Lumber29:05 - Florida's Controversial Child Labor Laws36:00 - The Impact of Immigration Policies on Labor36:48 - The Burden of Emotional Labor in the Workplace43:57 - Who Wants a Snickers Custom Coffins?

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.

Live from RecFest USA, The Chad & Cheese Podcast welcomes Orlando Haynes, North American talent acquisition lead at Mosaic. Orlando breaks down why personal branding is a game-changer for recruiters, offering practical tips on leveraging LinkedIn and navigating job searches after layoffs.He also shares how a strong personal brand can transform employees into powerful company ambassadors, boosting recruitment and client attraction.Catch this episode for smart strategies in today’s job market—listen now!

This week, Chad, Joel, and Emi sink their teeth into a juicy HR tech showdown: Rippling’s suing Deel, alleging an espionage plot. Rippling accused Deel of planting Irishman Keith O’Brien in its Dublin office, where he allegedly ran 6,000 Slack searches for trade secrets—busted by a fake “#d-defectors” Slack channel. Things escalated when O’Brien trashed his phone during a court-ordered seizure on March 19. Deel’s firing back, denying it all and pointing to Rippling’s own baggage, like alleged Russian sanctions violations.ZipRecruiter’s in the spotlight—named a Fast Company innovator, dropping a not-so-novel scheduling tool. Their Job Seeker Confidence Index is tanking, with 41% of seekers gloomy about jobs. Joel adds their podcast’s still a dud—and Zip’s stock’s is down around 20 percent this month. Klarna’s IPO filing steals some thunder, boasting $2.8B revenue and $21M profit for 2024, but their AI-driven headcount slash (down to 3,422 from 5,527) raises eyebrows. Finally, Nvidia’s GTC conference dazzles with GM’s self-driving deal, Yum Brands’ AI drive-thrus for 500 eateries, and a GR00T N1 humanoid robot. Is Nvidia still the gold standard? All signs point to Yes. From corporate espionage to AI tacos, it’s a wild ride this week on Chad & Chees.Chapters00:00 - Introduction03:00 - Vegas Highlights06:00 - Randy Rainbow and Political Satire08:05 - Canada's Nuclear Option13:49 - Espionage Story: Deal vs. Rippling24:45 - The Deceit in HR Tech: Unraveling the Scandal27:47 - The Russia Connection: Investigating Allegations30:51 - Public Perception: The Impact of Shady Practices32:00 - ZipRecruiter News: Innovation or Repackaging?39:02 - Klarna's IPO: A Desperate Move?44:58 - Nvidia's AI Revolution: Transforming Fast Food Ordering

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 and Cheese Podcast Does Europe, hosts Chad Sowash, Joel Cheesman, and the suavely named Lieven Van Nieuwenhuyze plunge headfirst into Europe’s recruitment jungle with all the grace of a tipsy tourist. They kick things off with a chuckle-fest intro—because who doesn’t love a podcast that roasts itself?—before Chad regales us with tales of cultural clashes, fresh from his Champions League pilgrimage (think soccer, not superheroes). The trio then pivots faster than a Google algorithm to dissect JobIndex’s legal tango with the tech giant, sparking a spicy debate: is Europe’s innovation getting crushed under regulation’s heavy boot? Chad, ever the optimist, defends rules like GDPR with a railroad metaphor—because nothing screams “cutting-edge” like 19th-century trains—while Lieven and Joel wrestle with privacy and the Sisyphean task of global data harmony. Next up, they poke at Randstad, the staffing behemoth caught in a midlife crisis: cling to its clipboard-and-handshake roots or swipe right on a tech makeover? The hosts unpack Randstad’s tech-phobia, its snoozing innovation fund, and the Job.com flop that looms like a ghost story at a campfire. Meanwhile, plucky startups Alfa and Avery crash the party, shaking up recruitment as Europe’s stocks flex harder than the S&P 500—AI flexing its robot muscles all the while. Takeaways? Randstad’s scared of the future, global partnerships are the hot new dance, and “follow the money” is the mantra as Europe woos investors. They cap it with a wink to AI’s takeover and a cliffhanger: will Randstad’s dusty legacy save it, or is it time for a glow-up?

Live from the Shaker Green Room at RecFest USA, The Chad & Cheese Podcast welcomes Paige Elliott, Global Employer Brand Manager at Veeam Software. Paige shares why authentic diversity stories are critical to employer branding and how aligning internal culture with external messaging attracts talent.She offers practical tips on using video, written content, and audio to amplify diverse voices and build a sense of belonging. The conversation also delves into the growing scrutiny of DE&I commitments, strategic partnerships with organizations like Out & Equal and Women in Tech, and the importance of pay transparency and open dialogue in recruitment.Tune in for insights on creating a workplace where values and culture shine through every action!

In this week’s episode of The Chad & Cheese Podcast, hosts Joel Cheesman, Chad Sowash, and career expert J.T. O'Donnell unpack a whirlwind of industry news with their signature wisdom and wit. Kicking things off, they celebrate all-things Chicken Cock whiskey, Keith Sonderling's confirmation at the DOL, cry a little over layoff stories on TikTok and then dive into Remote’s launch of Recruit, a new hiring tool billed as a breakthrough for sourcing global talent, though some question its lack of features despite the glossy promo video, sparking a debate on its real impact. Next, they tackle Deel’s latest move—acquiring Safeguard Global’s payroll division, its 11th buyout, bolstering its $12 billion valuation with a focus on global payroll expertise alongside prior grabs like PayGroup, PaySpace, and Atlantic Money; the gang muses if it’s strategic stacking or overkill, hinting at a potential Workday mega-deal given their deepened partnership. The crew then shifts to iCIMS’ winter release, featuring a GenAI chatbot, enhanced Indeed and LinkedIn integrations, and SMS upgrades, though layoff rumors cloud the vibe—Joel notes the company’s fresh leadership under Eric Connors and Jason Edelboim might finally be finding its footing after a long period of competition from players like Paradox. Amazon’s AI push grabs the headlines, with a new AWS group driving agentic AI to boost consumer apps and enterprise automation, prompting some to spotlight Alexa+’s evolution and wonder if “McHire” is making a comeback in this tech arms race against Microsoft and Salesforce. They also dissect the hype around Manus, Butterfly Effect’s “agentic” AI with 138,000+ Discord fans, questioning if it’s the future of job search or just noise—especially as Google’s search relevance dips among Gen Z per a Vox Media survey. Wrapping up, J.T. takes on “career catfishing,” a Gen Z trend of accepting jobs then ghosting due to confrontation fears, with CV Genius’ 2025 Future of Work Survey showing one in three Gen Zers admitting to it; she urges employers to adapt rather than stereotype, suggesting a simple email could replace awkward calls. Chapters00:00 - Celebrating Eight Years of Podcasting02:56 - Reflections on the Podcast Journey05:50 - Insights from Congressional Hearings09:12 - The Impact of Social Media on Job Loss12:01 - Sponsorships and Promotions14:57 - Industry News and Acquisitions18:14 - Competitors and Market Dynamics22:51 - The Evolution of Remote Work27:53 - Challenges Facing Legacy Platforms30:45 - Amazon's AI Investment and Future Prospects35:10 - The Rise of Agentic AI43:27 - Career Catfishing Among Gen Z