In this episode, we sit down with Craig Swaisgood, VP of Data and Analytics of the New York Mets. Craig brings an incredible track record of leveraging data across multiple high-stakes industries, having previously served as VP at JPMorgan Chase, Senior Director at the Houston Astros, and working inside the Obama White House.Craig shares his journey from public service to Major League Baseball and explores how we balance hard numbers with human intuition. We dive into how top sports franchises build sustainable businesses even when the team isn't winning, why his hiring process relies on objective scorecards to remove bias, and the dangers of completely offloading our critical thinking to generative AI.Key Takeaways:00:00 Introduction.05:40 How working in the public sector sparked a love for solving problems with data.08:07 Implementing tech policies and evaluating blockchain in the Obama White House.14:03 Building a sustainable business foundation during the Houston Astros' World Series run.18:29 Balancing 10 billion data points with gut instinct and opportunity costs.27:08 Meeting the diverse needs of fans to create the ultimate ballpark experience.30:16 Core hiring philosophy: Fill the gaps on your team instead of solely seeking “five-tool” players.33:27 The importance of testing candidates on actual job skills during an interview.39:17 Why candidates who ask questions out of genuine curiosity stand out the most.41:45 Using an objective scorecard to remove bias from the hiring process.45:10 Using Generative AI as a cognitive thought partner rather than surrendering critical thinking.51:54 Career advice: Enjoy the journey instead of just focusing on the destination.Resources Mentioned:Craig Swaisgoodhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/craig-swaisgoodNew York Metshttps://www.linkedin.com/company/new-york-metsJPMorgan Chasehttps://www.linkedin.com/company/jpmorganchaseHouston Astroshttps://www.linkedin.com/company/houston-astrosObama White Househttps://www.linkedin.com/company/the-white-house“Range” by David Epsteinhttps://www.amazon.com/dp/0735214484“Thinking, Fast and Slow” by Daniel Kahnemanhttps://www.amazon.co.za/dp/0374533555University of Pennsylvania paper on AI as "System 3" thinkinghttps://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=6097646Thank you for listening to “Hire Learning with Oz Rashid.” Don’t forget to leave us a review and subscribe so you don’t miss out on future episodes. Connect with our host, Oz Rashid, on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ozrashid.   To learn more about MSH, visit https://www.talentmsh.com.  #TalentAcquisition #HiringStrategy #EnterpriseHiring