Strap in, HR tech fans, because it’s time for a reality check on the 2024 job market. On this episode of The Chad & Cheese Podcast, we’re tearing down a landscape that isn't just "shifting"—it’s being dismantled and rebuilt by AI and corporate "cost-cutting."

Joined by industry heavy-hitters Jillian O’Malior and JT O’Donnell, we dive into the brutal reality of the "ghosting" epidemic, where qualified candidates are trapped in months-long interview loops that lead to nowhere.

We explore why your old-school connections aren't enough anymore and why building a visible personal brand is the only way to stay relevant. From the "executive squeeze"—where high-level roles are being swapped for lower titles with double the workload—to the rise of the augmented workforce, we’re delivering the snark and the strategies you need to survive.

Chapters

00:00 - Introduction to Jillian O'Malior and her expertise

01:00 - Jillian's background in employer branding and talent marketing

02:20 - The realities of job searching in 2024: experiences and frustrations

05:12 - The long, arduous process of applying and interviewing

08:51 - The impact of economic restructuring and AI on hiring

10:46 - Changing hiring practices: from who you know to who knows you

12:11 - Wage suppression and the role of AI in job market dynamics

14:08 - The unrealistic expectations of AI making everyone a unicorn

15:05 - The pitfalls of lazy apply and AI-driven applications

18:11 - The significance of instant rejection and applicant experience

22:38 - The importance of transparency and candidate communication

27:25 - The emotional toll of unemployment and job search desperation

30:49 - Addressing the stigma and shame around layoffs

33:26 - The role of social media in job search and personal branding

37:54 - The holistic approach: showing your true self online

40:15 - Building a personal brand through honesty and content creation

45:17 - The importance of authenticity and transparency in professional branding

45:58 - Final thoughts and connecting with Jillian O'Malior

This week on The Chad & Cheese Podcast, the gang proves once again that you can’t separate HR from the real world—especially when the real world feels like it’s on fire. What starts as travel talk quickly spirals into global tension, disrupted plans, and a larger conversation about leadership in moments of chaos. Let’s just say when flights get rerouted and headlines get louder, it’s hard not to wonder how instability at the top trickles down to the rest of us. The trio doesn’t pretend to have foreign policy solutions—but they do have opinions. Lots of them.

Of course, it wouldn’t be Chad & Cheese without a few sharp left turns. A certain fast-food giant’s awkward attempt at relatability gets the roast treatment, sparking a conversation about authenticity in the age of executive social media. That dovetails nicely into a broader debate about AI-generated marketing campaigns—especially when “people companies” experiment with removing actual people from the picture. Bold move? Lazy shortcut? Marketing genius? The gang weighs in.

On the industry side, several heavy hitters are making moves. One longtime ATS player is rolling out a fresh brand and a shiny AI layer meant to unify its platform—raising questions about whether this is a true product evolution or a well-timed narrative shift. Another HR tech roll-up with a portfolio of recognizable recruiting brands has a new CEO at the helm, bringing big AI and SaaS credentials to what some see as a complex integration puzzle. Meanwhile, a job board giant finally makes a major technical leadership hire after years of operating without one—prompting debate about product vision, innovation debt, and what it really takes to modernize at scale.

Add in contrasting approaches to AI-driven workforce strategy from major financial and retail employers, a glimmer of revenue optimism from a familiar job platform, a dad joke that absolutely no one asked for, and the usual sponsor shoutouts—and you’ve got classic Chad & Cheese: equal parts insight, irreverence, and “did they really just say that?”

Chapters

00:00 - Introduction and Current Events

02:57 - Impact of War on Travel and Daily Life

05:59 - Fast Food and Cultural Reflections

08:48 - Advertising Trends and AI in Marketing

11:59 - Privacy Concerns and Societal Reflections

14:57 - Shoutouts and Personal Reflections

16:28 - Introduction to Traders and Travel Plans

18:32 - Industry Changes and iSIMS' New Brand Identity

28:41 - The Importance of Execution in Branding

32:05 - Leadership Changes at Employee and Future Prospects

36:58 - The Future of ATS and Customer Retention

39:41 - Challenges Facing Legacy ATS Providers

44:52 - Leadership Changes at Indeed

47:18 - AI's Impact on Employment

55:43 - ZipRecruiter's Recent Growth and Strategy

The Shred is a weekly roundup of what’s making headlines in the world of employment. The Shred is brought to you today by Jobcase.

Get ready to punch the clock because the boys are back, and this time they’re bringing the data to the drama. In this episode of The Chad & Cheese Podcast, HR’s most dangerous duo sits down with Misty Heggeness, the powerhouse economist and author of Swiftynomics: How Women Mastermind and Redefine Our Economy.

They’re diving deep into the messy reality of gender dynamics, from the "recognition gap" that leaves women’s best ideas stranded in the boardroom to the strategic masterminding required to navigate a lopsided workforce.

Misty breaks down how women are effectively refining the economy—even when they’re working twice as hard for half the credit—and offers a no-BS roadmap for self-advocacy, networking, and why your personal story is the most lethal tool in your professional arsenal.

Chapters

00:00 - Introduction and Misty Heggeness's Background

02:02 - Family Lore and Early Life in Fargo

04:07 - Career at the US Census Bureau and Academic Role

05:35 - Inspiration Behind 'Swift Dynamics' and Taylor Swift

08:02 - Taylor Swift’s Impact on Women and Business Strategies

10:59 - Economic Impact of Taylor Swift’s Tours and Business Tactics

13:08 - Early Career and Nashville Country Music Scene

15:01 - Women’s Progress in the Workforce and Cultural Shifts

18:05 - Gender Dynamics in Economics and Leadership Styles

21:07 - Women Making Their Own Pyramids and Future Outlook

24:02 - Women’s Earnings, Education, and Top Leadership Barriers

28:04 - Taylor Swift’s Employee Bonuses and Local Economic Impact

31:59 - Pay Equity, Economic Growth, and Corporate Responsibility

36:03 - Where to Find the Book and Connect with Misty

Link to book: https://www.amazon.com/Swiftynomics-Women-Mastermind-Redefine-Economy/dp/0520403118

Cheese is MIA, so Chad bring the ladies in to take over, and chaos follows:

• StepStone celebrates record applications… during record job desperation. Spin level: Olympic gold.
• AI agent harassment enters the chat.
• IBM’s COBOL cash cow meets AI with a chainsaw.
• Google’s “CareerDreamer” Copy prompt → paste → profit?
• Kombo vs. Humand at 2 am
• Tech layoffs are giving Hunger Games energy.
• CEOs call unemployment “momentum.” Workers call it “rent’s due.”
• AI in hiring: helpful assistant or reputation wrecking hallucination machine?

Stay tuned.

The Shred is a weekly roundup of what’s making headlines in the world of employment. The Shred is brought to you today by Jobcase.

Forget flashy career sites and catchy slogans—if you want to win the talent war in 2026, you need to stop being "attractive" and start being "choosable." In this episode, the boys sit down with employer branding heavyweight James Ellis, founder of Employer Brand Labs, to deconstruct the shallow misconceptions plaguing the industry.

Fresh off the release of his new book, Becoming Choosable, Ellis dives deep into why most companies fail by prioritizing aesthetics over substance. From a scathing critique of superficial Super Bowl ads to a masterclass on the NFL’s global expansion strategy, the conversation bridges the gap between high-level marketing and the gritty reality of talent acquisition.

Whether you're a mid-sized firm or a global powerhouse, tune in to learn how to define your company’s unique core identity and build a talent strategy that actually drives business growth.

Ready to find out if your brand is actually "choosable" or just wearing a fresh coat of paint? Give the episode a listen on the Chad and Cheese Podcast official site or your favorite streaming platform.

Chapters

00:00 - Introduction to Employer Branding and the Podcast

02:17 - Super Bowl Insights and Branding Implications

05:18 - The Catalyst for Writing 'Becoming Choosable'

09:28 - Understanding Employer Branding and Business Growth

13:23 - The Future of Talent Acquisition and Branding Challenges

15:00 - The Importance of Brand in Recruitment

18:53 - Navigating the ATS Landscape

22:00 - The Role of Social Media in Employer Branding

29:58 - Targeting and Brand Messaging in a Holistic World

In the latest episode of The Chad & Cheese Podcast, HR’s "most dangerous" duo is back to slice through the industry noise with their signature brand of snark and real-talk.

This week, the boys dive into LinkedIn’s sudden quest for a personality, questioning if the platform can actually pull off being "funny" and what that cultural shift means for your professional feed.

The conversation heats up as they dissect Google's latest moves to monetize Google for Jobs, a play that could fundamentally disrupt the recruitment landscape and how employers reach talent.

Finally, things get sobering as they issue a blunt wake-up call to white-collar workers: evolve your skillset now or prepare for obsolescence in an AI-driven market. It’s a high-stakes mix of big tech power plays and career survival tactics that you won't want to miss.

Chapters

00:00 - Introduction and Banter

06:46 - Shout Outs and Industry Insights

10:24 - Travel Plans and Events

16:42 - Acquisition of BeApplied by Phenom

24:19 - Market Pressures and Company Valuations

27:51 - LinkedIn's Marketing Strategy Shift

34:18 - Google's Monetization of Job Searches

42:07 - The Future of White Collar Jobs

51:01 - Indeed's Smart Screening Updates

The Shred is a weekly roundup of what’s making headlines in the world of employment. The Shred is brought to you today by Jobcase.

Is the "black box" of AI hiring finally being pried open? In this episode of The Chad & Cheese Podcast, hosts Joel Cheesman and Chad Sowash sit down with Rachel Dempsey of Towards Justice to dissect a landmark class-action lawsuit against Eightfold AI.

Filed in early 2026, the suit alleges that the platform creates secret "consumer reports" on job seekers—scoring everything from personality to performance potential without the applicant’s knowledge or consent.

From the personal struggles of barred candidates to the legal muscle of the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), we explore why there is no "AI exemption" for transparency and how this case could fundamentally redefine worker rights in the age of algorithmic recruitment.

Think you know why you didn't get that last job? The truth might be hidden in a data profile you never authorized.

Chapters

00:00 - Introduction to Rachel Dempsey and Towards Justice

02:59 - Understanding the Eightfold Case and AI Hiring Practices

06:10 - The Fair Credit Reporting Act Explained

08:58 - The Implications of AI in Hiring and Data Privacy

11:59 - Class Action Lawsuit Dynamics and Its Importance

16:03 - Legal Precedents and Future Implications

20:04 - Employer Responsibilities and Risks in AI Hiring

24:01 - The Role of LinkedIn and Other Platforms in Hiring

27:54 - Conclusion and How to Reach Towards Justice

This week, the gang dives into the corporate chaos defining the start of 2026. The crew pulls no punches on the Workday leadership shakeup, questioning the optics of massive layoffs paired with multimillion-dollar executive payouts as a co-founder returns to the helm for the fourth time.

While the market panic over AI monetization sends SaaS stocks tumbling, the hosts dissect whether we’re seeing a true tech revolution or just a "knee-jerk" reaction to the high costs of artificial intelligence.

The conversation shifts to the "digital battlefield" of job searching, where Indeed’s new ChatGPT integration is met with heavy skepticism—framed less as a game-changer and more as a "lazy" attempt to capture upstream traffic.

Beyond the apps, a legal storm is brewing as Eightfold AI and Workday face high-stakes lawsuits over "black-box" screening tools, with plaintiffs arguing these algorithms should be regulated like credit scores.

From France's aggressive move to ditch US tech like Zoom and Teams in favor of digital sovereignty to a sobering look at how wealth disparity and narrative manipulation keep the masses distracted, this episode is a raw, unfiltered deep dive into the crumbling status quo of HR and global tech.

Chapters

00:00 - Super Bowl Celebrations and Personal Reflections

03:00 - Cultural Impact of Halftime Shows

06:02 - Market Reactions and Speculation in Tech

09:03 - Advertising Trends and Consumer Perception

12:01 - Protests and Social Responsibility

15:02 - Workday's Leadership Changes and Market Challenges

30:40 - Employee Power and Corporate Accountability

33:02 - The State of Major Tech Companies

33:56 - Indeed's AI Integration and Job Market Dynamics

37:53 - The Future of Job Search with AI

42:54 - Legal Challenges in AI Hiring Practices

54:57 - Global Shifts in Tech and Workforce Dynamics