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 Information
Heidi Laki, Senior Product Director, AI Agents
Website: https://www.indeed.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidilaki/

Host and Network Links
William Tincup LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tincup/
Ryan Leary LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanleary/

Connect with Us

Site: http://www.wrkdefined.com
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@wrkdefined
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/WRKdefined
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WRKdefined
Twitter (X): https://twitter.com/WRKdefined
Substack: https://wrkdefined.substack.com/

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How Recruiters and Hiring Managers are Rethinking Quality, Collaboration, and Technology with Indeed

How Recruiters and Hiring Managers are Rethinking Quality, Collaboration, and Technology with Indeed

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