Recruiting is No Joke – Details, episodes & analysis

Is LinkedIn still worth the price? Are fake resumes making remote hiring a nightmare? And could AI actually take over your recruiting job? In this episode of Recruiting is No Joke, Joel sits down with Tony Le, Global Head of Talent at Mission Cloud, to talk tech recruiting in 2025. Mission Cloud is a leading cloud services and AI solutions provider. From early days in retail to leading global talent teams, Tony pulls no punches on what it really takes to stay relevant in today’s fast-evolving market. They break down why LinkedIn’s pricing feels like a mystery box, the real deal on InMails, and how recruiters can future-proof their careers with AI, data, and tech fluency. Additionally, Tony shares what it’s like to screen 400 resumes in a day, how to spot AI-generated resumes, and why “giving your candidates an edge” might just be the new standard. If you’re a talent, on the job market, or just trying to stay ahead in 2025, you don’t want to miss this one.  In this episode: (00:03) Introduction (01:01) Introduction to Tony Le and what he does (01:55) Sponsor message for Hey Milo AI (03:18) Falling into recruiting: how a cousin’s career fair changed everything (06:58) Leaving agency life: the grind of replacing 50 consultants every 18 months (09:14) Pivoting in-house: from Ask Jeeves to influencing the whole company (12:34) The LinkedIn pricing mystery: why no one pays the same (16:35) Gen Z, TikTok, and the pressure to build a personal brand early (20:03) The future of LinkedIn: moving toward creators, ads, and beyond (21:44) Common mistakes and what recruiting teams look for in resumes (22:58) What AI does with resumes (24:41) The resume trick recruiters actually notice: it’s all in the headline (26:40) The role of an account manager (27:06) Remote work and applicant flow (27:40) Challenges in screening resumes (30:07) The rise of fake candidates and AI-enhanced resumes (33:24) Interview preparation and etiquette (36:48) Zoom etiquette, t-shirts, and what still matters in interviews (39:48) Why great recruiters prep their candidates (42:01) How hiring managers are changing and what they’re not doing anymore (44:54) Tony’s advice for recruiters to stay relevant (51:42) Where to find Tony and his favorite Slack communities (52:16) Final thoughts About Tony Le Tony Le is the Global Head of Talent Acquisition at Mission Cloud, a CDW company. With 20+ years of experience in both agency and in-house recruiting, he’s seen the tech talent world from every angle. Tony is a firm believer in pairing real-world people skills with tech-forward recruiting strategies and he’s not afraid to question the status quo. Resource Links LinkedIn  Mission Cloud This episode is brought to you by HeyMilo AI, the conversational AI built for high-volume hiring. HeyMilo helps recruiters save hours by automating initial screens while delivering smooth, two-way interviews at scale. Book a demo at HeyMilo.ai and see why top teams trust it to elevate their brand. About Joel Lalgee  Joel Lalgee is an internationally known recruitment leader and coach who has helped thousands of recruiters build their brands online. In 2015, Joel started recruiting for a small start-up agency in Milwaukee. He quickly found his passion for recruitment. In 2019, he discovered content marketing, publishing his first posts on Linkedin. Since then, he has grown to over 400k followers, and his content has been seen over 1 billion times. In 2023, he started a business specializing in coaching recruiters, marketing consulting, and influencer partnerships. Recruiting is No Joke Social Media LinkedIn Website Instagram TikTok   X (formerly Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What does Drag Queen Bingo have to do with employee engagement? In this episode, Joel catches up with Tannum Sullivan, Senior Manager of People, Experience & Culture at RentSpree — a prop-tech startup that’s redefining how people rent (and how employees stay engaged). They dive deep into the real reasons engagement is hitting all-time lows and why the old HR playbook isn’t enough anymore. Tannum shares what it’s really like building culture from the inside — not the sidelines — and why true engagement means showing up for your people in ways that matter (spoiler: drag queen bingo might be your new secret weapon). They unpack what startup life actually feels like (hint: multiple hats, daily chaos, and lots of autonomy) and why it’s not for the faint of heart. They also get real about burnout, boundaries, and why leadership must lead by example if they want employees to take PTO guilt-free. Plus: how to talk to leadership in their language (data!) and why guiding principles are more than corporate wallpaper — if you know how to test them. Packed with practical advice, fresh ideas, and honest takes, this episode is for anyone trying to make work work again in 2025. In this episode: (00:00:03) Podcast introduction (00:01:15) Catching up with Tannum and RecFest memories (00:02:19) Tannum’s new role at RentSpree and focus on culture (00:03:42) Why engagement is at historic lows — and what’s really going on (00:06:08) Remote work, rethinking employee connection & drag queen bingo (00:07:06) How to really listen to employees (hint: skip the surveys) (00:09:20) Why knowing the business matters for HR & TA pros (00:12:02) The great generational divide — and the power of autonomy (00:16:08) Startup culture: chaos, multiple hats, and finding the right fit (00:21:04) Testing if “guiding principles” are real — smart questions for job seekers (00:28:30) Burnout & overwork: how to set boundaries in a startup (00:33:34) Getting leadership buy-in: speaking their language with data (00:36:03) Real metrics to watch: pulse surveys, Slack emojis & reposts (00:39:35) How to connect with Tannum & final thoughts About Tannum Sullivan Tannum Sullivan is the Senior Manager of People, Experience & Culture at RentSpree, a fast-growing property tech startup. A true culture builder, she believes engagement can’t happen from the sidelines — it takes rolling up your sleeves, knowing the business, and sometimes hosting a drag queen bingo night to keep remote teams connected. Resources LinkedIn  RentSpree About Joel Lalgee  Joel Lalgee is an internationally known recruitment leader and coach who has helped thousands of recruiters build their brands online. In 2015, Joel started recruiting for a small start-up agency in Milwaukee. He quickly found his passion for recruitment. In 2019, he discovered content marketing, publishing his first posts on Linkedin. Since then, he has grown to over 400k followers, and his content has been seen over 1 billion times. In 2023, he started a business specializing in coaching recruiters, marketing consulting, and influencer partnerships. Recruiting is No Joke Social Media LinkedIn Website Instagram TikTok   X (formerly Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What’s really happening behind the scenes when you hit “apply” on a job posting? Does candidate experience actually impact business results, or is it just a feel-good metric? Today’s episode will make you rethink how hiring really works, whether you’re a recruiter or a job seeker. Joel Lalgee sits down with Cailean Bailey, Head of Global Talent Acquisition at Design Pickle, a creative tech platform with over 550 employees in 15 countries. Cailean drops actionable insights on building candidate experiences that actually matter — and why most companies are getting it wrong. You’ll hear Cailean break down the realities of startup life, including why hiring isn’t about ping-pong tables or equity dreams, but about handling chaos, bringing structure, and delivering business outcomes. She shares how her team uses behavioral competencies like curiosity and adaptability to make smarter hires, and reveals their secret weapon: tracking candidate Net Promoter Scores (NPS). If you’ve ever wondered how to measure real hiring success or get leadership buy-in for better processes, this episode is a goldmine. Stick around as they explore what it really takes to stand out in today’s noisy job market — whether you’re building a team or trying to get hired. Cailean explains why providing feedback, setting expectations, and treating candidates like customers can make you an outlier in the best way possible. Plus, she shares how Design Pickle keeps candidates engaged from application to onboarding, and why companies of any size can implement “surprise and delight” moments without breaking the budget. This episode is brought to you by Interactive EQ, the immersive talent assessment platform that goes beyond the resume. Experience first-person, real-life scenarios that reveal how candidates actually respond—not just what they say. See it in action at interactiveEQ.com and let them know Joel sent you. In this episode: 00:01:12 – Meet Cailean Bailey and Her Journey to Design Pickle 00:04:53 – Growing Design Pickle During COVID-19 00:10:41 – From Soccer Coach to Recruiter: Cailean's Career Pivot 00:24:07 – Agency vs. In-House Recruiting Realities 00:34:15 – The Hidden Truths About Working in Startups 00:39:47 – Measuring Curiosity and Drive in Interviews 00:50:25 – Startup Chaos and Proving Yourself on Day One 01:03:13 – Candidate NPS: A Game-Changer in Candidate Experience 01:15:32 – Why Great Candidate Experience Doesn’t Need Fancy Tools 01:25:58 – Connecting Hiring to Business Outcomes and ROI 01:39:12 – Why Candidate Experience Is a Marketing Play 01:51:47 – Setting Honest Expectations About High-Performance Cultures 02:02:17 – Final Thoughts and Where to Connect with Cailean Bailey About Cailean Bailey Cailean (pronounced Kay-lynn) is the Head of Global Talent Acquisition at Design Pickle, an AI-powered creative platform with a global design workforce. He leads a distributed team that manages 30,000+ applications annually across 14 countries, hiring for roles in Engineering, Product, Marketing, Sales, and Creative. Before recruiting, Cailean was a Division I soccer coach, where he learned to build high-performing teams and guide people through pressure and growth. That mindset now fuels his approach to talent. Outside of work, he’s into F45 workouts, strong coffee, globe-trotting (40+ countries), and waiting—sometimes patiently—for Manchester United’s return to glory. Resource Links Design Pickle Linkedin Design Pickle Official Website About Joel Lalgee  Joel Lalgee is an internationally known recruitment leader and coach who has helped thousands of recruiters build their brands online. In 2015, Joel started recruiting for a small start-up agency in Milwaukee. He quickly found his passion for recruitment. In 2019, he discovered content marketing, publishing his first posts on Linkedin. Since then, he has grown to over 400k followers, and his content has been seen over 1 billion times. In 2023, he started a business specializing in coaching recruiters, marketing consulting, and influencer partnerships. Recruiting is No Joke Social Media LinkedIn Website Instagram TikTok   X (formerly Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to Episode 6 of Recruiting is no Joke I'm honored to have The one and only Brian Fink with me today - Currently the Global Technical Sourcing Manager at Twitter, in the past he's worked with Apple, RentPath, and AWS. On top of this Brian is a great follow on Linkedin for recruiters, he posts helpful and encouraging content and is a great representation of who he is in real life. (We chatted last Friday and I came away with actionable advice I've been using) Brian is a true recruiting leader and influencer and I'm super happy we get a chance to chat again Thank you to our Sponsors Brighthire.com the only interview platform that can help you remove bias and improve your quality of hire. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week's guest is Adam Rosenfield - Adam is an experienced SaaS recruiter who specializes in scaling talent acquisition for seed stage to Series D tech companies. His accomplishments include scaling a global team 7x, building out our diversity and inclusion plans, and working to earn a US "Best Places to Work" honor in 2022. Adam has had agency and internal experience over the past decade and brings a ton of value. Thank you to our Sponsors Brighthire.com the only interview platform that can help you remove bias and improve your quality of hire. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I am delighted to have Britteny Soto, Director of Talent Acquisition, Justice Equity Diversity, and Inclusion & Enablement for Encamp. Join us as we discuss her journey to her current position, What TA struggles she's facing, What she cares about most in her role, And why she loves what she does! Thank you to our Sponsors Brighthire.com the only interview platform that can help you remove bias and improve your quality of hire. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Super excited for Episode 3 of Recruiting is no Joke. Join Nick Martuscelli Talent Director from Barstool Sports We will be hearing about: His journey to his current role, Life as a talent Director, His biggest Challenges, How he is using his brand to boost recruiting and So much more. Thank you to our Sponsors Brighthire.com the only interview platform that can help you remove bias and improve your quality of hire. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to Episode #2 of Recruiting is no joke. This week's guest Adam Walters heads up recruiting for Polygon.io a series A funded fintech start-up! Join us for this afternoon session where we'll hear what start-up recruiting life is really like and get his take on how to attract top talent. Adam has a strong background in agency recruitment focusing on tech startups, then we had an offer he couldn't refuse, heading up talent at a fintech startup. Here is his story. Thank you to our Sponsors Brighthire.com the only interview platform that can help you remove bias and improve your quality of hire. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ever wondered how recruiters actually land interviews in today’s brutal market? Or what truly makes someone stand out when applying? This episode with Glenn Lindley is packed with raw, honest advice for recruiters and job seekers navigating a hiring world full of ghosted applications, AI-driven fraud, and overwhelming competition. Glenn shares why your network is your real résumé, why authenticity crushes AI-generated messages, and the best moves you can make at in-person events to turn conversations into opportunities. Glenn Lindley, former Director of Talent Acquisition at HighLevel and Pubmatic veteran, dives deep into how he successfully transitioned careers, built strong recruiter communities, and survived the rollercoaster of hypergrowth startups. You’ll hear inside tactics from his global hiring experience, including fighting fraud in remote recruiting and why real human relationships always beat spray-and-pray applications. Plus, we explore how recruiters and job seekers can use AI the right way — not to replace human connection, but to amplify it. Whether you’re job hunting, recruiting, or just trying to stay ahead of the curve, this episode is loaded with actionable insights you can use immediately. In this episode: 00:00 — Welcome 01:00 — Meet Glenn Lindley: Career Highlights 02:00 — Why Glenn Left Pubmatic After a Decade 05:30 — Landing Interviews in Today’s Job Market 08:00 — Importance of Networking and Recruiter Communities 16:00 — How to Approach Networking Events Without Being Awkward 24:00 — Starting His Own Recruiter Community 34:00 — Fighting AI Fraud in Global Hiring 40:00 — How Recruiters Should Be Using AI 43:00 — Upcoming Events and Where to Find Glenn About Glenn Lindley Glenn Lindley is a seasoned talent acquisition leader with over a decade of experience, including scaling Pubmatic through an IPO and leading recruiting at HighLevel. Based in California, Glenn has built a reputation for fostering strong recruiter communities, pioneering effective hiring practices, and staying ahead of tech trends impacting recruiting. He’s a vocal advocate for balancing technology and human connection in the hiring process and actively supports out-of-work recruiters through grassroots community events. Resource Links Glenn Lindley | LinkedIn PeopleTech Partners | Website PubMatic | Website HighLevel | Website About Joel Lalgee  Joel Lalgee is an internationally known recruitment leader and coach who has helped thousands of recruiters build their brands online. In 2015, Joel started recruiting for a small start-up agency in Milwaukee. He quickly found his passion for recruitment. In 2019, he discovered content marketing, publishing his first posts on Linkedin. Since then, he has grown to over 400k followers, and his content has been seen over 1 billion times. In 2023, he started a business specializing in coaching recruiters, marketing consulting, and influencer partnerships. Recruiting is No Joke Social Media LinkedIn Website Instagram TikTok   X (formerly Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What does it really take to build a remote-first culture that actually works — not just one that’s an afterthought? How can AI become your secret weapon without losing the human touch in HR and recruiting? And what does “real candidate experience” even mean today? This week, Joel Lalgee sits down with Sarika Lamont, VP of People and Culture at Vidyard, for an absolute masterclass in recruiting, people leadership, and AI integration. Sarika doesn’t just talk theory — she’s actively leading the AI transformation at Vidyard and shares what companies should be thinking about now to stay competitive and human-centered. From how Vidyard builds intentional remote-first systems, to why documenting everything is critical, and how recruiters are using AI avatars to create a mind-blowing candidate journey, this conversation is pure gold. You’ll walk away with fresh ideas about AI enablement, building strong hiring processes, creating real culture (not just kombucha parties), and why understanding your business deeply is non-negotiable. If you’re a recruiter, talent leader, or job seeker who cares about what’s next, you won’t want to miss this episode with Sarika Lamont. This episode is brought to you by Interactive EQ, the immersive talent assessment platform that goes beyond the resume. Experience first-person, real-life scenarios that reveal how candidates actually respond—not just what they say. See it in action at interactiveEQ.com and let them know Joel sent you.  In this episode: 00:02 – Introduction and Setting the Stage 00:39 – Meet Sarika Lamont and Her Role at Vidyard 02:00 – Remote-First vs. Forced Work-From-Home Companies 03:31 – Redefining Company Culture Beyond Perks 05:00 – Communication and Documentation in a Remote-First Setup 07:15 – The Energy Shift for Extroverts in Remote Work 08:15 – In-Person Company Events and Growth Strategy 10:11 – The Power of Values in Vidyard’s Community 11:00 – How to Hire for Culture and Values About Sarika Lamont Sarika Lamont is the Vice President of People and Culture at Vidyard, a Canadian-based video platform for business communication. With over two decades of HR and leadership experience, she specialises in talent acquisition, organisational development, and driving strong company culture. Sarika currently leads Vidyard’s transition into a fully remote-first company while focusing on building scalable, people-first strategies. Resource Links Sarika Lamont | LinkedIn Vidyard | Official Website About Joel Lalgee  Joel Lalgee is an internationally known recruitment leader and coach who has helped thousands of recruiters build their brands online. In 2015, Joel started recruiting for a small start-up agency in Milwaukee. He quickly found his passion for recruitment. In 2019, he discovered content marketing, publishing his first posts on Linkedin. Since then, he has grown to over 400k followers, and his content has been seen over 1 billion times. In 2023, he started a business specializing in coaching recruiters, marketing consulting, and influencer partnerships. Recruiting is No Joke Social Media LinkedIn Website Instagram TikTok   X (formerly Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices