Recruiting Future with Matt Alder - What's Next For Talent Acquisition, HR & Hiring?

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.

Rhona Barnett-Pierce, a former recruiter turned personal branding strategist, joins Matt to dissect key insights from December 2025. They delve into the trust issues stemming from poor job design and how clear job architecture can enhance AI's role in recruitment. Rhona emphasizes the need for clarity and urgency in hiring executive talent, while exploring the balance between automation and human interaction. They also highlight the importance of data-driven trends that can shape a more strategic approach in talent acquisition.

In this insightful discussion, Bas van de Haterd, a researcher and consultant renowned for his extensive work on corporate career sites, reveals the evolving landscape of employer branding. He highlights the paradox of improving basics while candidates now demand advanced features like conversational AI. Bas also addresses shrinking DEI content, low chatbot adoption, and the significant strides in mobile application processes. To stay relevant, he urges employers to personalize career sites and optimize them for AI indexing, ensuring they meet modern candidate expectations.

In this engaging discussion, Jonathan Kestenbaum, Managing Director at AMS, dives into the future of AI in talent acquisition. He emphasizes that simply purchasing AI tools isn't enough; organizations must focus on reskilling and workforce planning to unlock real value. Kestenbaum also highlights the shift away from traditional resumes, proposing a need for richer candidate contexts. Additionally, he discusses the emerging role of blockchain for identity verification and predicts an increase in hiring velocity as skills change rapidly.

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.

In this discussion, Jacob Morgan, a futurist and author focused on the future of work, shares insights from interviews with over 100 CHROs about employee experience. He highlights significant shifts since the pandemic, emphasizing the importance of empathetic excellence and using AI to enhance human connections. Jacob outlines eight key laws for crafting a future-ready employee experience and stresses the need for organizations to adapt their cultures like software. He also discusses upcoming changes in talent acquisition and the role AI will play in shaping the workplace.

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.

Mark Whitby, founder of Recruitment Coach and host of The Resilient Recruiter podcast, discusses the shifting landscape of automation in recruitment influenced by recent AI advances. He highlights the pitfalls of poor automation practices and the vital need for preserving human connection. Mark emphasizes the importance of personal relationships in hiring, advocating for effective multi-channel outreach strategies. He also underlines that building trust and a strong personal brand is crucial for future success in an increasingly automated world.

Discover how hiring aligns with organizational values and the revolution in talent acquisition. Dive into the impact of job ad language on candidate quality and explore the importance of building digital trust in hiring. Uncover the significance of fairness and inclusivity in recruitment strategies, and learn about the chaotic yet opportunistic landscape of TA technology. Finally, get a glimpse into how AI agents are transforming recruiting workflows, setting the stage for the future of talent acquisition.

In this conversation, Adam Godson, General Manager of Paradox at Workday, shares his extensive expertise in talent acquisition. He evaluates last year’s predictions about AI in recruiting and discusses the implications of Workday's acquisition of Paradox. Adam highlights the importance of end-to-end employee lifecycle data and the evolution of frontline hiring. He explores the future of candidate career agents and the chaotic TA technology landscape, making intriguing predictions about 2026 and the potential of agentic AI.