The constant noise around AI has created a strange situation in talent acquisition. On one side, relentless hype has made many TA leaders deeply skeptical, reluctant to invest in technology that feels oversold. On the other side, some employers have pushed through the fog and are getting genuine, measurable results from AI agents in their hiring processes. The gap between these two groups is widening fast.
So how do you separate what actually works from what's just marketing? What does effective AI agent implementation really look like in practice, and what value is it driving for the employers embracing it
My guest this week is <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/maximelegardez/">Max Legardez Coquin</a>, Founder and CEO at <a href="https://www.makipeople.com">Maki</a>. I saw Maki’s technology in action at UNLEASH last year and was genuinely impressed by what they're delivering for a variety of enterprise employers. In our conversation, Max explains how using AI to develop a scientific approach to hiring is driving tangible value in terms of quality, speed, efficiency, and a vastly improved candidate experience. 
In the interview, we discuss:
<ul>
 <li>Making recruiting a science</li>
 <li>Capturing signals to make better hiring decisions</li>
 <li>AI agents, the case studies that show they are working</li>
 <li>What do candidates think about this level of automation?</li>
 <li>Using compound intelligence to drive predictive hiring</li>
 <li>Advice to TA Leaders on recruiting transformation</li>
 <li>Will adoption rates increase this year?</li>
 <li>What does the future look like?</li>
</ul>
 
<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/podcast/recruiting-future-podcast/id963756980?mt=2&amp;ls=1">Follow this podcast on Apple Podcasts.</a>
<a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/4u3Gl0l4pGBtIHOJZjLTrx?si=49641466567e44d6">Follow this podcast on Spotify.</a>

<description>The constant noise around AI has created a strange situation in talent acquisition. On one side, relentless hype has made many TA leaders deeply skeptical, reluctant to invest in technology that feels oversold. On the other side, some employers have pushed through the fog and are getting genuine, measurable results from AI agents in their hiring processes. The gap between these two groups is widening fast.

So how do you separate what actually works from what's just marketing? What does effective AI agent implementation really look like in practice, and what value is it driving for the employers embracing it

My guest this week is Max Legardez Coquin, Founder and CEO at Maki. I saw Maki’s technology in action at UNLEASH last year and was genuinely impressed by what they're delivering for a variety of enterprise employers. In our conversation, Max explains how using AI to develop a scientific approach to hiring is driving tangible value in terms of quality, speed, efficiency, and a vastly improved candidate experience.

In the interview, we discuss:


 Making recruiting a science

 Capturing signals to make better hiring decisions

 AI agents, the case studies that show they are working

 What do candidates think about this level of automation?

 Using compound intelligence to drive predictive hiring

 Advice to TA Leaders on recruiting transformation

 Will adoption rates increase this year?

 What does the future look like?




Follow this podcast on Apple Podcasts.

Follow this podcast on Spotify.</description>

Max Legardez Coquin, Founder and CEO at Maki, talks to Matt Alder. 

The constant noise around AI has created a strange situation in talent acquisition. On one side, relentless hype has made many TA leaders deeply skeptical, reluctant to invest in technology that feels oversold. On the other side, some employers have pushed through the fog and are getting genuine, measurable results from AI agents in their hiring processes. The gap between these two groups is widening fast.

So how do you separate what actually works from what's just marketing? What does effective AI agent implementation really look like in practice, and what value is it driving for the employers embracing it

My guest this week is Max Legardez Coquin, Founder and CEO at Maki. I saw Maki’s technology in action at UNLEASH last year and was genuinely impressed by what they're delivering for a variety of enterprise employers. In our conversation, Max explains how using AI to develop a scientific approach to hiring is driving tangible value in terms of quality, speed, efficiency, and a vastly improved candidate experience.

In the interview, we discuss:


  Making recruiting a science

  Capturing signals to make better hiring decisions

  AI agents, the case studies that show they are working

  What do candidates think about this level of automation?

  Using compound intelligence to drive predictive hiring

  Advice to TA Leaders on recruiting transformation

  Will adoption rates increase this year?

  What does the future look like?




Follow this podcast on Apple Podcasts.

Follow this podcast on Spotify.

Ep 762: Moving From AI Hype To AI Value

There are now tasks in recruiting where AI genuinely outperforms humans. Holding multiple evaluation criteria in mind while scanning hundreds of applications, spotting relevant experience described in unexpected ways, and ensuring no qualified candidate gets overlooked through fatigue, overwhelm, or shortcuts. These aren't things recruiters actually do badly, but there are things humans can’t physically do at scale that the current market requires
For many recruiters, that reality feels threatening. However, those who embrace AI as a partner rather than a replacement find they have more time for meaningful candidate conversations. Hiring managers get better-matched shortlists. Candidates finally feel seen and understood. Everyone wins.
My guest this week is <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/drraza/">Dr Ali Raza</a>, CEO at<a href="https://bytespark.ai/"> Bytespark.ai</a>. Ali is a former academic turned recruiting AI pioneer. In our conversation, he uses his hands-on experiences to explain exactly what AI does better than humans in the screening process, and why recruiters who adapt will thrive rather than disappear.
 
In the interview, we discuss:
<ul>
 <li>Quality candidates are being drowned out in a sea of applications</li>
 <li>Where AI will always be better than humans</li>
 <li>Mixing the best of AI and the best of human recruiters</li>
 <li>Enabling a high level of candidate conversations</li>
 <li>Data-driven thinking</li>
 <li>Increased transparency with hiring managers</li>
 <li>Should recruiters be worried about being replaced?</li>
 <li>What does the future look like?</li>
</ul>
 
<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/podcast/recruiting-future-podcast/id963756980?mt=2&amp;ls=1">Follow this podcast on Apple Podcasts.</a>
 
<a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/4u3Gl0l4pGBtIHOJZjLTrx?si=49641466567e44d6%20https://www.linkedin.com/in/drraza/">Follow this podcast on Spotify.</a>

<description>There are now tasks in recruiting where AI genuinely outperforms humans. Holding multiple evaluation criteria in mind while scanning hundreds of applications, spotting relevant experience described in unexpected ways, and ensuring no qualified candidate gets overlooked through fatigue, overwhelm, or shortcuts. These aren't things recruiters actually do badly, but there are things humans can’t physically do at scale that the current market requires

For many recruiters, that reality feels threatening. However, those who embrace AI as a partner rather than a replacement find they have more time for meaningful candidate conversations. Hiring managers get better-matched shortlists. Candidates finally feel seen and understood. Everyone wins.

My guest this week is Dr Ali Raza, CEO at Bytespark.ai. Ali is a former academic turned recruiting AI pioneer. In our conversation, he uses his hands-on experiences to explain exactly what AI does better than humans in the screening process, and why recruiters who adapt will thrive rather than disappear.



In the interview, we discuss:


 Quality candidates are being drowned out in a sea of applications

 Where AI will always be better than humans

 Mixing the best of AI and the best of human recruiters

 Enabling a high level of candidate conversations

 Data-driven thinking

 Increased transparency with hiring managers

 Should recruiters be worried about being replaced?

 What does the future look like?




Follow this podcast on Apple Podcasts.



Follow this podcast on Spotify.</description>

Dr Ali Raza, CEO at Bytespark.ai, talks to  Matt Alder.

There are now tasks in recruiting where AI genuinely outperforms humans. Holding multiple evaluation criteria in mind while scanning hundreds of applications, spotting relevant experience described in unexpected ways, and ensuring no qualified candidate gets overlooked through fatigue, overwhelm, or shortcuts. These aren't things recruiters actually do badly, but there are things humans can’t physically do at scale that the current market requires

For many recruiters, that reality feels threatening. However, those who embrace AI as a partner rather than a replacement find they have more time for meaningful candidate conversations. Hiring managers get better-matched shortlists. Candidates finally feel seen and understood. Everyone wins.

My guest this week is Dr Ali Raza, CEO at Bytespark.ai. Ali is a former academic turned recruiting AI pioneer. In our conversation, he uses his hands-on experiences to explain exactly what AI does better than humans in the screening process, and why recruiters who adapt will thrive rather than disappear.



In the interview, we discuss:


  Quality candidates are being drowned out in a sea of applications

  Where AI will always be better than humans

  Mixing the best of AI and the best of human recruiters

  Enabling a high level of candidate conversations

  Data-driven thinking

  Increased transparency with hiring managers

  Should recruiters be worried about being replaced?

  What does the future look like?




Follow this podcast on Apple Podcasts.



Follow this podcast on Spotify.

Ep 761: What Happens When Recruiters Embrace AI?

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 <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/ukbish/">Simon Bishop</a>, Head of Talent Acquisition at SoftwareOne, and <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/ritumohanka/">Ritu Mohanka</a>, CEO at <a href="https://www.vonq.com/eqo/?utm_campaign=224803060-2025-Q4-%20Launch&amp;utm_source=influencer&amp;utm_medium=paid&amp;utm_content=recruiting_future">VONQ</a>. 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 <a href="https://www.vonq.com/eqo/?utm_campaign=224803060-2025-Q4-%20Launch&amp;utm_source=influencer&amp;utm_medium=paid&amp;utm_content=recruiting_future">EQO</a>, 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:
<ul>
 <li>How the partnership evolved over time</li>
 <li>Building employer brand in competitive markets</li>
 <li>Multi-channel brand-led recruitment marketing campaigns</li>
 <li>Piloting and implementing agentic AI</li>
 <li>The vital importance of transparency and explainability</li>
 <li>Managing change and recruiter adoption</li>
 <li>Candidate reactions to AI screening</li>
 <li>Navigating TA through a major acquisition</li>
 <li>What the future of talent acquisition will look like 
</li>
</ul>
<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/podcast/recruiting-future-podcast/id963756980?mt=2&amp;ls=1">Follow this podcast on Apple Podcasts.</a>
 
<a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/4u3Gl0l4pGBtIHOJZjLTrx?si=49641466567e44d6">Follow this podcast on Spotify.</a>

<description>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.</description>

Simon Bishop⁠, Head of Talent Acquisition at SoftwareOne, and ⁠Ritu Mohanka⁠, CEO at ⁠VONQ, talk to Matt Alder

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.

Ep 760: Co-Creating The Future Of TA

If you’ve not listened to Roundup before, it’s a short review of the episodes that I’ve published in the last month to make sure you don’t miss out on the valuable insights that my guests are sharing.
This month, Round UP returns to its live format, and this is a recording of my live conversation with Rhona Pierce about six of the episodes published in December 2025
Episodes featured in this Round Up:
 
<a href="%E2%81%A0https://recruitingfuture.com/2025/12/episode-751-the-trust-problem-in-recruiting/%E2%81%A0">Ep 751: The Trust Problem In Recruiting</a>
 
<a href="%E2%81%A0https://recruitingfuture.com/2025/12/ep-752-using-job-architecture-to-drive-value-from-ai/%E2%81%A0">Ep 752: Using Job Architecture TO Drive Value From AI</a>
 
<a href="%E2%81%A0https://recruitingfuture.com/2025/12/ep-753-hiring-exceptional-executive-talent/%E2%81%A0">Ep 753: Hiring Exceptional Executive Talent</a>
 
<a href="%E2%81%A0https://recruitingfuture.com/2025/12/ep-754-finding-clarity-in-recruiting-chaos/%E2%81%A0">Ep 754: Finding Clarity In Recruiting Chaos</a>
 
<a href="https://recruitingfuture.com/2025/12/ep-755-balancing-automation-with-authenticity/">Ep 755: Balancing Automation with Authenticity</a>
 <a href="%E2%81%A0https://recruitingfuture.com/2025/12/ep-756-ta-trends-that-matter-for-2026/%E2%81%A0">EP 756: TA Trends that Matter</a>
 
<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/podcast/recruiting-future-podcast/id963756980?mt=2&amp;ls=1">Follow this podcast on Apple Podcasts.</a>
 
<a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/4u3Gl0l4pGBtIHOJZjLTrx?si=49641466567e44d6">Follow this podcast on Spotify.</a>

<description>If you’ve not listened to Roundup before, it’s a short review of the episodes that I’ve published in the last month to make sure you don’t miss out on the valuable insights that my guests are sharing.

This month, Round UP returns to its live format, and this is a recording of my live conversation with Rhona Pierce about six of the episodes published in December 2025

Episodes featured in this Round Up:



Ep 751: The Trust Problem In Recruiting



Ep 752: Using Job Architecture TO Drive Value From AI



Ep 753: Hiring Exceptional Executive Talent



Ep 754: Finding Clarity In Recruiting Chaos



Ep 755: Balancing Automation with Authenticity

EP 756: TA Trends that Matter



Follow this podcast on Apple Podcasts.



Follow this podcast on Spotify.</description>

Matt Alder and Rhona Pierce look back on interviews from The Recruiting Future Podcast published in December 2025

If you’ve not listened to Roundup before, it’s a short review of the episodes that I’ve published in the last month to make sure you don’t miss out on the valuable insights that my guests are sharing.

This month, Round UP returns to its live format, and this is a recording of my live conversation with Rhona Pierce about six of the episodes published in December 2025

Episodes featured in this Round Up:



Ep 751: The Trust Problem In Recruiting



Ep 752: Using Job Architecture TO Drive Value From AI



Ep 753: Hiring Exceptional Executive Talent



Ep 754: Finding Clarity In Recruiting Chaos



Ep 755: Balancing Automation with Authenticity

EP 756: TA Trends that Matter



Follow this podcast on Apple Podcasts.



Follow this podcast on Spotify.

Round Up December 2025

There's something paradoxical happening with corporate careers websites right now. After years of broken links, mobile application nightmares, and clunky technology implementations, organizations are finally getting the basics right. Mobile experiences are improving. ATS systems are working properly. The longstanding problems we've talked about for years are finally being addressed.
However, while we've been busy fixing problems from 2015, the world has moved on. Candidates now expect conversational AI that can answer their questions in real time. They want personalized experiences that adapt to who they are and where they are in the process. Increasingly, they're using tools like ChatGPT and Gemini to research employers before they even visit a career site. The question isn't whether your career site works anymore. It's whether it can deliver what candidates now expect.
My guest this week is Bas van de Haterd, who runs the industry’s largest continuous corporate career site research programme. In our conversation, he shares the surprising findings from his nineteenth year of research and explains what employers need to do to prepare their career sites for an AI-driven future.
In the interview, we discuss:
<ul>
 <li>How careers sites have evolved in the last 12 months</li>
 <li>AI application policies</li>
 <li>A reduction in DEI content</li>
 <li>The low adoption rates of conversational AI</li>
 <li>Improved mobile experiences and solving long-term problems</li>
 <li>Delivering a personalized experience</li>
 <li>Making career sites visible to AI tools</li>
 <li>How to make career sites fit for the future</li>
</ul>
 
<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/podcast/recruiting-future-podcast/id963756980?mt=2&amp;ls=1">Follow this podcast on Apple Podcasts.</a>
 
<a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/4u3Gl0l4pGBtIHOJZjLTrx?si=49641466567e44d6">Follow this podcast on Spotify.</a>

<description>There's something paradoxical happening with corporate careers websites right now. After years of broken links, mobile application nightmares, and clunky technology implementations, organizations are finally getting the basics right. Mobile experiences are improving. ATS systems are working properly. The longstanding problems we've talked about for years are finally being addressed.

However, while we've been busy fixing problems from 2015, the world has moved on. Candidates now expect conversational AI that can answer their questions in real time. They want personalized experiences that adapt to who they are and where they are in the process. Increasingly, they're using tools like ChatGPT and Gemini to research employers before they even visit a career site. The question isn't whether your career site works anymore. It's whether it can deliver what candidates now expect.

My guest this week is Bas van de Haterd, who runs the industry’s largest continuous corporate career site research programme. In our conversation, he shares the surprising findings from his nineteenth year of research and explains what employers need to do to prepare their career sites for an AI-driven future.

In the interview, we discuss:


 How careers sites have evolved in the last 12 months

 AI application policies

 A reduction in DEI content

 The low adoption rates of conversational AI

 Improved mobile experiences and solving long-term problems

 Delivering a personalized experience

 Making career sites visible to AI tools

 How to make career sites fit for the future




Follow this podcast on Apple Podcasts.



Follow this podcast on Spotify.</description>

There's something paradoxical happening with corporate careers websites right now. After years of broken links, mobile application nightmares, and clunky technology implementations, organizations are finally getting the basics right. Mobile experiences are improving. ATS systems are working properly. The longstanding problems we've talked about for years are finally being addressed.

However, while we've been busy fixing problems from 2015, the world has moved on. Candidates now expect conversational AI that can answer their questions in real time. They want personalized experiences that adapt to who they are and where they are in the process. Increasingly, they're using tools like ChatGPT and Gemini to research employers before they even visit a career site. The question isn't whether your career site works anymore. It's whether it can deliver what candidates now expect.

My guest this week is Bas van de Haterd, who runs the industry’s largest continuous corporate career site research programme. In our conversation, he shares the surprising findings from his nineteenth year of research and explains what employers need to do to prepare their career sites for an AI-driven future.

In the interview, we discuss:


  How careers sites have evolved in the last 12 months

  AI application policies

  A reduction in DEI content

  The low adoption rates of conversational AI

  Improved mobile experiences and solving long-term problems

  Delivering a personalized experience

  Making career sites visible to AI tools

  How to make career sites fit for the future




Follow this podcast on Apple Podcasts.



Follow this podcast on Spotify.

Ep 759: Career Sites and the Growing AI Gap

Talent acquisition is undergoing unprecedented disruption as AI, economic uncertainty, and the ever-shortening lifespan of skills radically reshape recruiting. On Recruiting Future, Matt Alder explores this evolving landscape, using insightful interviews with transformational TA practitioners and forward-thinking experts to spark your imagination and provide the insights you need to shape the future of talent acquisition in your organization.
Each episode explores topics such as AI, recruiting automation, recruitment marketing, employer branding, skills-based hiring, assessment, candidate experience, DEI, internal mobility, and the transformation of TA teams. Recruiting Future is an essential resource for everyone involved in hiring.
Matt Alder is a globally respected talent acquisition futurist, author, and speaker with over 25 years of experience exploring what’s next in recruiting. Renowned for his expertise in strategic foresight and technology trends, Matt provides a unique perspective that empowers leaders to navigate disruption. His deep industry knowledge and ability to spark meaningful conversations make Recruiting Future a must-listen for talent acquisition and HR professionals everywhere.

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

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