Welcome to the Chat and Cheese Podcast's holiday extravaganza, where HR gossip meets holiday cheer — and no one is safe. It’s like your company holiday party, but with more alcohol and fewer awkward dance moves (maybe).

Holiday Coal Recipients:

1. The Master of Deception
2. The Corporate Grinch
3. The Kings of "Almost There"

Holiday Heroes:

1. The Billion-Dollar Badass
2. The Pop Powerhouse
3. The Viral Appetizer Wizard

Final Thought:

Whether you’re running from accountability or running the world, Chad & Joel see you. In a year filled with corporate antics, unlikely successes, and viral cheese pulls, they’ve made their holiday list — and checked it twice.

Chapters

00:00 - Holiday Cheer and Festivities

03:08 - Family Traditions and Celebrations

06:03 - Life in Portugal vs. the U.S.

08:58 - Fantasy Football Playoffs

12:00 - Naughty and Nice Lists

15:02 - Spotlight on Successful Entrepreneurs

16:51 - Taylor Swift: A Business Phenomenon

21:42 - The Impact of AI in Recruitment

28:34 - The Rise of the Influencer Economy

32:28 - Naughty and Nice: Corporate Accountability

40:02 - Closing Thoughts and Humor

Live from the Shaker Green Room at RecFest USA, Chad & Cheese corner Audra Knight, the employer branding wizard at Foundation Medicine, to spill the tea on how companies can stop being boring and actually build a brand people care about. Audra preaches the gospel of internal communications, because apparently, it’s not enough to just have a logo and a “We’re Hiring!” post on LinkedIn.

She dishes on the art of getting your employees to share their stories without bribing them (much), making your company seem like a place where people want to work—not just survive. Audra also marvels at the endless buffet of fancy branding tools out there, hinting that maybe picking the right ones is better than throwing spaghetti at the wall.

Her secret sauce? Tailoring messages to different roles like a personal shopper for job seekers. Oh, and she’s not here for performative diversity—she’s all about the real deal. Because in employer branding, authenticity isn’t just a buzzword—it’s the only thing standing between you and a talent drought.

In this episode of The Chad and Cheese podcast, Noelle London, founder and CEO of Illoominus, discusses her AI-powered people intelligence platform designed to integrate and analyze HR data. She shares insights on the challenges of dirty data, the importance of strategic partnerships, and the competitive landscape in HR technology. The conversation also covers funding strategies, the role of Techstars, and how Illoominus aims to provide actionable insights for HR leaders to make informed decisions.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Illoominus and Noelle London

03:36 Pitching Illuminus: The AI-Powered People Intelligence Platform

08:10 Funding and Growth: Navigating the Financial Landscape

12:35 Understanding the HR Tech Landscape and Leadership

14:31 Data Integration: The Key to Effective HR Solutions

17:02 Competition in the HR Tech Space

20:43 Sales and Marketing Strategies for Growth

24:11 Defining Quality of Hire: A Complex Challenge

26:30 Direct Sales vs. Partnerships: Future Strategies

28:59 Identifying Threats and Opportunities in the Market

31:32 Facing the Firing Squad: Final Thoughts and Insights

In this episode of the Chad and Cheese Podcast, hosts Joel and Chad discuss a variety of topics ranging from personal anecdotes about pets and sleep deprivation to the unsettling news about drones in New Jersey. They delve into the implications of workplace stress and corporate responses, highlighting a controversial case of a company firing employees due to stress. The conversation shifts to the role of AI in recruitment and marketing, followed by a light-hearted update on their fantasy football league. Finally, they explore the impact of AI in education, particularly through the Khanmigo platform, which aims to assist teachers and personalize learning for students. In this conversation, the hosts explore various themes including the historical perspectives on controversial figures, the impact of AI on job markets, the challenges of hiring practices, the future of nuclear energy, and the uncertain future of TikTok in America. They discuss how AI is reshaping narratives and job searches, the importance of soft skills in hiring, and the potential of nuclear energy to meet rising energy demands. The conversation also touches on the political and economic implications surrounding TikTok's future in the U.S.

Chapters

00:00 - Introduction and Personal Anecdotes

03:07 - Drones and Warfare: A New Era

06:01 - Workplace Stress and Corporate Responses

09:04 - AI in Recruitment and Marketing

12:03 - Fantasy Football Update

14:47 - AI in Education: Khanmigo's Impact

20:49 - Historical Perspectives on Controversial Figures

22:00 - AI and Historical Narratives

22:42 - Job Market Innovations and Challenges

27:46 - Evaluating Soft Skills in Hiring

33:58 - The Future of Nuclear Energy

41:04 - The Uncertain Future of TikTok in America

The Shred is a weekly roundup of who’s raised funds, who’s getting acquired and who’s on the move in the world of recruitment. The Shred is brought to you today by Jobcase.

From the Shaker Green Room at RecFest USA, Julie Sowash, executive director of Disability Solutions, survived Chad & Cheese’s snarkapalooza to talk AI ethics, data transparency, and why hiring underrepresented talent is more than a checkbox exercise. She preached the gospel of blending tech with human connection (shocking, we know) and reminded companies that “diversity commitment” isn’t code for “nice press release.”

Julie also spilled on how 2024’s economic rollercoaster crushed some dreams but made strategic DEI even more essential. Oh, and she managed to keep things heartfelt, even shouting out her co-host/husband, Chad — proving love can survive even that much sarcasm.

Here are the episode chapters:

0:00:00 - Podcast Intro

0:00:25 - Meet Julie Sowash

0:01:03 - Key Advice for TA Leaders

0:02:21 - DEI Commitments vs. Corporate Retreats

0:03:46 - Ethical AI in Recruiting

0:05:34 - 2024 Market Surprises

0:07:42 - Overcoming DEI Implementation Hurdles

0:09:04 - Looking Ahead to 2025

Welcome back to HR's Most Dangerous Podcast, where Chad and Joel serve up spicy takes and recruiting truths hotter than a Nashville summer. This week, they wrangle Courtney Dempsey, the tech-savvy maestro behind Southern Rock Restaurants’ hiring empire. With 160 restaurants and a hiring strategy sharper than a deli slicer, Courtney spills the secret sauce: targeting job seekers while the rest of us are dreaming about tacos at 3 AM.

Hear how she uses LLMs like they’re her personal AI attack dogs, outsmarts bigger competitors with zero chill, and recruits AARP members because, frankly, Gen Z already got their fill of side hustles. If you’re not advertising your dishwashing gigs like prime-time Super Bowl spots, you’re doing it wrong.

So, grab your headphones and brace yourself. By the end, you’ll either want to revolutionize your hiring strategy or question all your life choices... possibly both. And remember, in this game, speed kills. But in HR? It also hires.

Warning: Side effects of listening include spontaneous outbursts of laughter, strategic epiphanies, and reconsidering your entire recruitment budget. Proceed with caution.



In this episode of The Chad and Cheese podcast, Joel and Chad discuss various topics including their experiences with Chipotle and the implementation of Paradox, the impressive growth of their podcast as highlighted by Spotify's year-end wrap-up, the rise of social commerce particularly through TikTok, and the potential for LinkedIn to enhance job applications through video content.

They also touch on LinkedIn's recent layoffs and speculate on the future of ERE and its SourceCon conference. In this conversation, Chad and Joel reflect on the evolution of the recruitment industry, particularly focusing on the ERE conference and its decline. They discuss the changing landscape of sourcing, the competitive dynamics between Rippling and Deel, and the implications of AI in healthcare. The conversation also touches on Walmart's recent shift in DEI policies and the booming success of OnlyFans as a content platform.

Chapters

00:00 - Introduction and Weather Check

02:45 - Chipotle Experience and Paradox Implementation

04:19 - Spotify Year-End Wrap-Up and Podcast Growth

06:33 - Demographics and Audience Engagement

07:55 -Social Commerce and TikTok Shopping

10:04 - LinkedIn's Potential in Video Job Applications

15:50 - LinkedIn Layoffs and Future Outlook

18:01 - Gossip on ERE and SourceCon

18:34 - Nostalgia for ERE: The Rise and Fall

22:34 - The Evolution of Sourcing and SourceCon

30:29 - Rippling vs. Deel: The Competitive Landscape

33:14 - AI in Healthcare: The Future of Diagnosis

38:26 - Walmart's Shift in DEI Policies

45:32 - OnlyFans: The New Frontier of Content Creation

The Shred is a weekly roundup of who’s raised funds, who’s getting acquired and who’s on the move in the world of recruitment. The Shred is brought to you today by Jobcase.

Brace yourselves: The Chad & Cheese Podcast is back, this time with retired Lieutenant General Russell L. Honoré—who proves you can train and lead half a million troops and drop some epic truth bombs on HR, AI, and America’s obsession with cheap stuff.

In this spicy episode, we cover:

• HR Meets Boot Camp: General Honoré schools us on why leading people isn’t about asking, “You’re good, right?” and walking off like a clueless middle manager.
• Robots Can’t Cook Gumbo: Automation might make life easier, but it’s not making you a killer bowl of Cajun deliciousness—or fixing that flat tire you’re whining about.
• Recruitment Woes: From the Army’s “12 teeth rule” (yes, you read that right) to recruiting Gen Z kids glued to their phones, the General doesn’t hold back on what needs fixing.
• Boomers vs. Gen Z: Growing up poor meant fixing TVs with tinfoil and watching The Lone Ranger without a picture. Now? Kids need a new flat screen if the remote has dust on it.
• Mental Health Wake-Up Call: Spoiler alert: If your employee mentions seeing floating elephants, maybe don’t just tell them to get back to work.

Sprinkled with Honoré’s signature wit, biting honesty, and a dose of “adapt-or-die” wisdom, this episode delivers laughs, snark, and some much-needed perspective on leadership in a rapidly changing world.

Strap in, folks—it’s time to break things (figuratively) and rebuild smarter.

Chapters:

00:00 - Intro: HR’s Most Dangerous Podcast

01:21 - Leadership Lessons from the Army

02:25 - The Art of Listening to Troops

03:20 - Managing Half a Million Troops

08:33 - Automation’s Impact on Society

12:05 - The Changing Economy and Workforce

15:16 - Adapt or Die: Breaking What’s Not Broken

17:04 - Recruiting Challenges: Then vs. Now

20:36 - Addressing Mental Health in Leadership

22:12 - Closing Thoughts: People Over Profits

John Graham, Shaker’s VP of Employer Brand Strategy, hit RecFest USA with a mic drop on recruitment marketing and employer branding as we careen into 2025. His talk? A mix of AI hype, DEI drama, and a reality check for those clinging to the idea of "jobs for life" like it's still 1985.

Graham’s big reveal: employer branding is less about forever and more about for now, pivoting to a launchpad for career development instead of a golden handshake into retirement. He also dove into AI, calling it both the hero and potential villain of recruitment. Sure, it’s reshaping strategies faster than you can say "algorithmic bias," but Graham threw some shade on humanity, pointing out that we’re not exactly bias-free either. His advice? Play nice with AI but keep an eye on it—like a toddler with scissors.

DEI got a spotlight too, but not without acknowledging the current rebrand it’s enduring thanks to political tug-of-wars and corporate-level ghosting. He tied it all up with a forecast for 2024 tech trends: automation, AI, and video storytelling are set to dominate, but the focus will still be on keeping things human-centered. (Spoiler: robots are cool, but people still like people.)

And if that wasn’t enough, Graham’s closer was basically a call-to-action to stalk—er, network with—Shaker online. Updated website, LinkedIn, the works. Because nothing says "modern employer branding" like a shameless plug.