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

Employer branding is often misunderstood or undervalued, especially in a landscape of shrinking budgets and rising expectations. Yet, in today’s competitive environment, the ability to measure and communicate its value is more critical than ever.So, how can employer brand professionals quantify their impact in ways that resonate with the C-Suite? What strategies can they adopt to ensure their work aligns with business goals, drives meaningful results, and operates with the right level of sophistication?My guest this week is Ben Phillips, Global Employer Brand Lead at Booksy. Ben explains why ROI conversations must be grounded in financial outcomes, not vanity metrics, and highlights the importance of aligning employer branding with the strategic priorities of the business. Drawing from his experience across consumer marketing, recruiting, and culture transformation, Ben shares practical approaches for demonstrating the tangible business value of employer branding.In the interview, we discuss:Communicating the ROI of Employer BrandingThe five things the C-Suite cares aboutForecasting ROI Degrees of separation from the P&LA financial conversation versus a cost-benefit oneHow is employer branding changing?Culture, EVP, experience, authenticity and trustThe difference between consumer marketing and recruitment marketing  What does the future hold, and what part will AI play?Follow this podcast in Apple Podcasts.Follow this podcast on Spotify.

Round up is the monthly show on The Recruiting Future Podcast channel that highlights episodes you may have missed and gives you my take on some of the key learnings from the guests.Episodes mentioned in this Round Up:Ep 660: Recruiting Rewired by AIEp 661: Auditing AI For Fairer HiringEp 662: Talent Acquisition On The BrinkEp 663: Personalizing The Candidate Experience At ScaleEp 664: Failure and Authenticity In Employer Branding Ep 665: Aligning HR With Business StrategyFollow this podcast on Apple PodcastsFollow this podcast on Spotify

In this disruptive time, HR and Talent Acquisition must be perfectly aligned with organizations’ business strategies. However, recent research from Eightfold AI and 3Sixty Insights highlights a significant misalignment between the two. This misalignment creates challenges that impact everything from hiring to employee satisfaction and ultimately negatively impact long-term organizational success.So, why is this misalignment happening, and what can HR leaders do to address it? Could AI help bridge the gap and drive better outcomes for both HR and the wider business?My guest this week is Teresa Wykes, Senior Director of Talent-Centered Transformation at Eightfold AI. Teresa shares valuable insights from the research, and we explore some of the root causes of the misalignment and assess potential solutions to the problem.In the interview, we discuss:Business strategy development. C-Suite collaboration and talent strategy alignment.The extent and causes of misalignment of HR with the businessThe implications of prioritizing an administrative culture over strategic initiativesThe crucial difference between being data driven and data literate.How HR is deprioritizing the activities that could help them achieve their objectives.Solving the problemThe new skills needed in HR and Talent Acquisition teamsDealing with resistance to changeWhat does the future look like?Access the full report here - Aligning the Path Forward: How to Bring HR and Business Strategy Together.Follow this podcast on Apple Podcasts.Follow this podcast on Spotify.

There has probably never been a more difficult time to work in employer branding. Survey after survey shows that employers consider it vitally important to have an effective employer branding strategy; however, employer brand functions and budgets have been scaled back significantly in the last two years.So, how can employer brand professionals navigate this challenging landscape? What does it take to build meaningful strategies with limited resources, and how can failure and authenticity become tools for growth rather than obstacles?My guest this week is Claire de Souza, co-founder of The EB Space and head of Employer Branding at a major UK retailer. Claire emphasizes the importance of learning from failure and why embracing vulnerability is critical to success. She also shares practical advice on demonstrating ROI, building strong stakeholder relationships, and aligning employer branding with business strategy.In the interview, we discuss:The biggest challenges in employer branding at the momentDemonstrating ROIBeing part of the puzzleAligning goals and strategy with the company's needs and visionThe importance of talking about failureWhy technology is often used as a scapegoatDo employers have the fundamentals in place to innovateBuilding stakeholder relationshipsWhat does the future look likeFollow this podcast on Apple Podcasts.Follow this podcast on Spotify.

For years, a candidate experience that delivers truly personalized feedback at scale has been an unattainable dream for talent acquisition teams. Candidates have always wanted tailored feedback, advice, and the opportunity to ask questions, but the sheer volume of applications has made this impossibleSo, is AI now revolutionizing the candidate experience and finally making mass personalization a reality? What does it take to create an ethical, transparent system that provides candidates with two-way interactions and personalized feedback, all while improving efficiency and reducing workload for TA teams?My guest this week is Sam Dhesi, CEO of Popp AI. Despite only being 18 months old, Popp AI is already partnering with FTSE 100 companies and global staffing organizations. In our conversation, Sam shares real-world results on how AI enables conversational assessment, provides personalized candidate feedback, drives engagement, and vastly improves hiring efficiency.In the interview, we discuss:How AI is changing the way employers interact with assess candidatesBuilding in an ethically and responsible wayThe importance of human oversight and explainabilityDelivering constructive personalized feedback at scaleFacilitating mass candidate engagementUsing assessment via conversational AI as a replacement for the resumeWhich employers are doing all of this well, and what tangible results have they achievedWhat does the future look like? Where will hiring be in five years time?Follow this podcast on Apple Podcasts.Follow this podcast on Spotify.

The adoption of AI in talent acquisition continues to accelerate, promising efficiencies and new possibilities for hiring. However, as AI tools become central to recruiting processes, they bring significant challenges, particularly around bias, compliance, and trust. Without clear oversight, these systems risk entrenching inequalities rather than addressing them.So, how can talent acquisition leaders ensure that AI supports fairer hiring while safeguarding compliance and trust? And what role does auditing play in this critical process?My guest this week is Jeff Pole, Co-founder and CEO of Warden AI, a company specializing in AI auditing for HR and TA Technologies. In our conversation, Jeff shares his insights on the importance of auditing AI systems, the emerging regulatory landscape, and how talent acquisition leaders can better understand and navigate the risks and opportunities of AI-powered hiring.In the interview, we discuss:Is the current pace of innovation in AI set to continue?What are the main risks?Regulation, Legislation, and EthicsIs there a difference between AI influencing a hiring decision and AI making a hiring decision?How AI can be less biased and fairer than humansHolding machines to a higher standard than humansShining a light on the AI systems used in recruiting and TA technologyContinuous testing and monitoringHow widespread is the issue, and how much AI bias has actually been found?What should TA leaders be considering when assessing AI solutionsWhat does the future look like? How will AI change talent acquisition in the long term?Follow this podcast on Apple Podcasts.Follow this podcast on Spotify.

AI has profoundly impacted talent acquisition in 2024, but its influence has been far from uniform. In some areas, little has changed, while in others—such as high-volume hiring—there has been nothing short of a revolution. Automation has dramatically accelerated recruiting processes, improving the candidate and hiring manager experience in ways previously unimaginable. These advancements are signals of what's to come, with sweeping changes across talent acquisition potentially just months away.With technology increasingly automating processes, the role of recruiters is evolving, raising urgent questions about what TA teams must do to stay relevant and strategic. Those who fail to adapt risk being left behind as automation reshapes our industry.So, how can TA leaders and recruiters navigate this transformation, address challenges like bias, and embrace the opportunities AI presents to redefine their roles?My guest this week is John Vlastelica, CEO of Recruiting Toolbox and a trusted advisor to some of the world's most innovative companies. John shares his insights on the key shifts happening in recruiting, the evolving role of recruiters, and how leaders can future-proof their teams in an AI-driven world.In the interview, we discuss:How AI is impacting recruiting right nowHow does it change the jobs we recruit for?Unchecked human bias in traditional recruiting processAutomation in high-volume and front-line hiringSegmentation of roles between automated and high-touch recruiting processesInefficiency by designFrom talent acquisition to talent advisor, breaking the silos in HRInsights, Influence, and ImpactCandidate "cheating"TA Tech vendors selling directly to the C-SuiteThe importance of having a plan to rationalize TAWhat is going to happen in 2025?Follow this podcast on Apple Podcasts.Follow this podcast on Spotify.

Round up is the monthly show on The Recruiting Future Podcast channel that highlights episodes you may have missed and gives you my take on some of the key learnings from the guests.Episodes mentioned in this Round Up:Ep 651: Navigating TA’s Perfect StormEp 652: Unlocking Global Talent PoolsEp 653: Assessing the impact of AIEp 654: The Power Of Great QuestionsEp 655: Using Culture As A Talent MagnetEp 656: Strategic Transformation in TAEp 657: The Future Of TA TechnologyEp 658: TA As A ServiceEp 659: Talent ComplexityFollow this podcast on Apple PodcastsFollow this podcast on Spotify

With organizations now having to navigate the rapid changes brought about by geopolitical instability, economic uncertainty, the ongoing climate emergency, and the surge in technology, it is clear that different ways of thinking about talent are needed. So, how can organizations adapt to this complexity and prepare for a future where the old rules no longer apply? What should they consider when redefining their talent strategies in such a dynamic context?My guest this is week is Graham Abbey, Professor in Practice at The University of Bristol Business School and CEO of Farleigh Performance.From the importance of understanding the difference between complicated and complex systems to the potential of AI in reconnecting us to our humanity, Graham provides deep insights into creating the conditions for engagement, leadership, and performance and building an antifragile organization. In the interview, we discuss:Challenges and forces driving changeThinking differently about talentChanging to the organization metaphorThe difference between a complicated and complex systemHow well are employers responding to change and uncertainty?Skills based organizationsDiscovery connectivity with AITalent Acquisition and hiringHigher purpose, agency, relationships, and disruptive learningBuilding an antifragile organizationHow will we be talking about talent in five years timeFollow this podcast on Apple Podcasts.Follow this podcast on Spotify.

Transforming a business function is a difficult process. It can become impossible if no one knows what the function is transforming into. It is vital that anyone undertaking a TA Transformation develops a clear vision to generate buy-in and set the direction of travel.With so much disruption going on, there has never been a better time to create bold, innovative visions that take TA Acquisition in new directions.My guest this week is Jill Leonard, Global Senior Director of Talent at Hello Fresh. Hello Fresh has developed a vision for talent acquisition that they call "TA As A Service." In addition to discussing Hello Fresh's TA Transformation, Jill also talks about her experience implementing video interviewing and the benefits of embracing new technology early.In the interview, we discuss:Current TA challengesTA Transformation at Hello FreshRecruiters as Talent AdvisorsTA as a serviceAgility and change management Upskilling and professional development for TA teams How video interviewing has evolved to solve specific business needs The benefits of embracing new technology earlyHow to drive adoption.How should TA leaders respond to AI?Optimizing the candidate experienceHow will TA evolve over the next five years?Follow this podcast in Apple Podcasts.Follow this podcast on Spotify.