Revolutionizing Recruitment: The Passive Approach with Michael Wenning, Co-founder

This series was recorded live at HR Tech 2025 inside the HR Executive studios on the expo floor in partnership with the WRKdefined Podcast Network. ⁠Make sure you’re subscribed to the full series⁠ and ⁠visit ⁠⁠HRExecutive.com⁠⁠ for the news, analysis, and insights shaping the future of work.

In this episode we talk about job market friction, hiring bias, AI-driven matching, candidate experience, talent scarcity, and the launch of Passive. Everyone keeps saying it’s hard to find great people. At the same time, every job seeker is exhausted, confused, or straight up burned out by how the system works. The conversation breaks down what’s actually broken, why HR leaders need to rethink the entire hiring flow, and how new tools are stepping in to fix the pointless chaos that slows everyone down.

What We Cover

• The broken job application loop

• Why passive talent avoids the noise

• How AI can fix resume fatigue

• What HR gets wrong about culture and bias

• Why companies complain about talent but still gatekeep

• Where the Passive app fits into the hiring landscape

• How job seekers can win in a messy market

Key Takeaways

• Every company complains about finding good people

• Candidates are tired of looking for companies worth their time

• Applications feel random and discouraging

• Passive talent needs better targeting

• AI can help rewrite resumes for fit

• Culture needs to be real, diverse, and inclusive

• Passive aims to simplify the entire search process

• Job hunting struggles hit every industry

• HR needs to rethink how they attract talent

• The hiring system is outdated and ready for a rebuild

Timestamps

00:00 The Job Market Dilemma

06:32 Innovative Solutions in Recruitment

12:50 The Launch of Passive App

18:57 Rethinking Hiring Practices

22:01 Closing Thoughts and Future Aspirations

Guest:

Michael Wenning, Co-founder, Passive 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-wenning/

Website: https://www.thepassive.app/

Host

Hosts: Katie Van Horn and Jackye Clayton, Co-hosts Inclusive AF Podcast

Robin Schooling, Co-host DriveThru HR