Hiring teams are surrounded by AI tools, but many still aren’t sure what’s actually helping and what’s just noise. The real tension right now isn’t whether AI belongs in hiring. It’s how it gets used, who understands it, and whether it’s improving outcomes or just increasing volume.
In this episode, William Tincup sits down with Heidi Laki from Indeed to talk about what’s changing inside recruiting teams. They dig into the gap between recruiters and hiring managers, why quality of hire matters more than ever, and how AI can surface talent that traditional filters miss. The conversation lands on a simple truth. Technology should handle the repetitive work so humans can focus on judgment, collaboration, and better decisions.
What We Cover
Where AI is actually showing up in hiring today
Why hiring managers struggle to trust and understand AI tools
The shift from applicant volume to quality of hire
Hiring as a collaborative, shared responsibility
Screening candidates in instead of screening them out
How AI can uncover non-traditional talent
Balancing automation with human judgment
Key Takeaways
AI is already embedded in hiring workflows, but adoption doesn’t equal understanding. Many hiring managers use AI-powered tools without knowing how decisions are being made, which creates mistrust and misuse.
Recruiting is moving away from volume-driven success metrics. The focus is shifting toward quality of hire, long-term fit, and outcomes that matter to the business, not just filled reqs.
Hiring works best as a team sport. Recruiters, hiring managers, and technology need to operate together, not in silos, to make better decisions faster.
AI is most valuable when it handles rote, repetitive tasks. That frees humans to do what machines can’t—apply judgment, creativity, and context to hiring decisions.
Screening candidates in, rather than defaulting to screening out, opens access to adaptable talent that may not fit traditional profiles but can succeed with the right support.
This episode is sponsored by Indeed
And features a conversation around Career Scout and Talent Scout, two tools designed to support job seekers and employers through smarter matching, interview preparation, and more efficient hiring.
Learn more Talent Scout here: http://indeed.com/talentscout
Learn more about Career Scout here: http://indeed.com/careerscout
Chapters:
00:00 – Why AI in hiring feels both exciting and confusing
03:03 – Where AI is actually being used today
06:07 – The trust gap between hiring managers and AI tools
08:57 – Moving from applicant volume to hiring quality
11:57 – What hiring managers need but don’t always get
14:58 – Why recruiting only works as a team effort
17:55 – What AI should do versus what humans must do
19:42 – Getting comfortable with new hiring technology
22:44 – AI’s real role in talent acquisition
25:13 – Customizing hiring instead of forcing templates
29:33 – Collaboration as a hiring advantage
33:45 – Rethinking how talent is discovered
36:05 – Screening in candidates for better outcomes
39:36 – How AI is reshaping the future of work
43:52 – Adaptability as the new hiring currency
Guest InformationHeidi Laki, Senior Product Director, AI AgentsWebsite: https://www.indeed.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidilaki/
Host and Network LinksWilliam Tincup LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tincup/Ryan Leary LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanleary/
Connect with UsSite: http://www.wrkdefined.comTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wrkdefinedLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/WRKdefinedFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/WRKdefinedTwitter (X): https://twitter.com/WRKdefinedSubstack: https://wrkdefined.substack.com/
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