HR Famous

In this lively episode of the HR Famous podcast, host Tim Sackett welcomes Jonathan Reynolds, CEO and self-described "visionary" of Titus Talent Strategies. The two dive into an authentic, humorous, and deeply insightful conversation about leadership, culture, and what it really takes to build high-performing teams. Jonathan shares how he ended up with the "visionary" title, explaining the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) approach, where someone sets the vision (the "why" and "where") while others execute. He admits to having endless ideas but relies on his team to focus and execute effectively. Their discussion reveals Jonathan’s unique talent for spotting raw potential in people, not just hiring based on skills, but on alignment with core values and the broader vision. They also explore Titus Talent’s approach to talent strategy, going beyond traditional recruiting to focus on character, integrity, and cultural fit. Jonathan illustrates this with stories of team members whose lives he transformed, highlighting his “curator of talent” mindset. The episode explores the significance of work for younger generations, questioning the notion that a job must always feel deeply meaningful. Instead, Jonathan suggests that meaning often comes from the impact a role has on one’s life and community. Titus showcases this by collecting personal stories from candidates 90 days after placement, emphasizing personal transformations over mere job titles or paychecks. Tim and Jonathan also tackle topics like remote work culture, philanthropic initiatives tailored to employees’ passions, and creative interviewing techniques designed to gauge true motivation and cultural fit. The result is an honest, thought-provoking, and funny look at modern leadership and talent strategy — perfect for HR pros and business leaders alike.

AI agents aren’t coming for recruiting. They’re already here - and they don’t care how many reqs you filled last quarter. In this episode, Tim Sackett sits down with Jason Roberts, SVP of Tech & Analytics at Cielo, to break down what AI is actually doing inside RPOs and staffing firms - and why the old recruiting playbook is about to get torched. From sourcing automation that 5x’s recruiter output to building a fully operational AI agent of yourself, Jason pulls back the curtain on the tools reshaping talent acquisition in real-time. They talk agentic workflows, how execs are chasing 50% AI-driven recruiting models, and why most CRMs still suck. The future of recruiting isn’t theoretical - it’s operational. And if you think your job’s safe because you "build relationships"? Think again. Connect with Us: Jason Roberts Follow Jason on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jasrober Learn more about Cielo: cielotalent.com Tim Sackett Follow Tim on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/timsackett Visit Tim’s website: hrutech.com Read Tim’s Blog: ⁠https://timsackett.com/

AI isn't coming - it's here. And it's changing recruiting faster than most realize. In this crossover episode between RecTech Media and HR Famous, Chris Russell and Tim Sackett dive into the latest from Phenom’s conference in Philadelphia. 2600 attendees. 25+ new AI agents rolled out. And a vision for HR tech that feels more like science fiction than reality. But what happens when AI isn’t just automating tasks - it’s making decisions? And if recruiters aren’t the ones screening candidates, curating talent pools, or delivering feedback, what’s left for them to do? Phenom is betting big on agents that can reason - detecting mistakes, providing real-time feedback, even building personalized hiring experiences. And they’re not alone. Paradox and Eightfold are in the race, each taking different approaches to AI. But is all this innovation really making hiring better? Or just faster? If AI agents are handling the heavy lifting, where does that leave recruiters? And if everyone’s automating, what actually sets your hiring process apart? Phenom claims they’re two years ahead of the industry. But if that’s true, what happens to everyone else still playing catch-up? Listen to find out why this shift in HR tech could leave even the most seasoned recruiters rethinking their entire approach. Connect with Us: Chris Russell Follow Chris on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cmrussell/ Check Out the RecTech Podcast: https://www.rectechmedia.com/podcast Tim Sackett Follow Tim on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timsackett Visit Tim’s website: https://www.hrutech.com

The workforce is shifting. Expectations are changing. And if companies aren’t paying attention, they’re already behind. Enter Danielle Farage, a leading voice bridging the gap between Gen Z and the workplace. She joins Tim Sackett to expose the disconnect - why leadership still doesn’t understand what younger workers want, why traditional career paths are losing their appeal, and what companies need to do before they lose top talent for good. The real question? If Gen Z isn’t playing by the old rules, why are companies still running the same game? Danielle breaks down the biggest shift in work culture we’ve seen in decades - and why most organizations aren’t prepared. The companies that adapt will attract the best talent. The ones that don’t may not have a future. Connect with Us: Danielle Farage Follow Danielle on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/danielle-farage Learn More About the Top Future of Work Influencer: daniellefarage.com Tim Sackett Follow Tim on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/timsackett Visit Tim’s website: hrutech.com

AI is infiltrating HR in ways no one’s talking about - yet. The shift isn’t coming. It’s already here. And if you’re not paying attention, you’re already behind. Enter Madeline Laurano, a leading analyst who’s been tracking AI’s silent takeover of HR technology. She joins Tim Sackett to break down what’s really happening beneath the surface - how AI agents are replacing traditional workflows, why the old way of hiring is crumbling, and what the biggest players like Workday and LinkedIn are doing to stay ahead. The real question? If AI is making HR more efficient, what happens to the humans still doing the job? Madeline unpacks the biggest shift in HR technology we’ve seen in decades - and why most organizations aren’t prepared. The companies that adapt will redefine work. The ones that don’t may not have a future. Connect with Us: Madeline Laurano Follow Madeline on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/madelinelaurano Learn more about Aptitude Research: aptituderesearch.com Tim Sackett Follow Tim on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/timsackett Visit Tim’s website: hrutech.com

Jon Stross, Co-founder and CEO of Greenhouse, has been making headlines - but not for the reasons you'd expect. In this episode, Jon joins Tim Sackett to tackle the growing problem of 'ghost jobs,' those elusive listings that leave candidates feeling duped and disheartened. But are companies really out to deceive, or is there more beneath the surface? Jon guides us through the murky waters of hiring practices, from misunderstood job postings to the real reasons candidates get left in the dark. With candid insights from his recent Wall Street Journal feature and a deep dive into Greenhouse’s data, Jon doesn’t just spotlight the problem - he’s working on solutions that could change the game for job seekers and recruiters alike. If you've ever applied for a job and heard nothing back, this one's for you. Connect with Us: Jon Stross Follow Jon on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jonstross Learn more about Greenhouse: greenhouse.com Tim Sackett Follow Tim on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/timsackett Visit Tim’s website: hrutech.com

On episode 115 of The HR Famous Podcast, long-time HR leaders (and friends) Madeline Laurano, Jessica Lee and Tim Sackett come together to discuss Ted Lasso, the everchanging recruiter experience, and Tim’s experience with the Michigan State shooting. Listen below and be sure to subscribe, rate, and review (iTunes) and follow (Spotify)! 1:45 - Ted Lasso season 3 is on the horizon! The crew gives their prediction for the new season coming in March. 4:00 - Madeline and Tim did a roundtable recently about recruiter experience. Tim doesn’t think it matters anymore, and JLee asks Tim to define it. 8:00 - Madeline mentions that a lot of people don’t know what recruiters do. Tim says that recruiting is the job that everyone thinks they can do. 9:15 - Tim says that when he was running TA at larger companies, senior leadership felt very comfortable giving advice to him about how to recruit, even though their advice was unfounded. 12:00 - JLee and Tim talk about how being a recruiter isn’t one of the hardest jobs that one could have. There are a lot of other jobs that require a lot out of the people who hold those positions. 15:30 - Madeline brings up a study they did at Disney where they found that the most important position at all of the Disney parks was the street sweepers. 18:30 - Tim’s opinion is that Chat GPT is going to change the landscape of everything in TA & recruiting. He says that the only thing that can’t be replaced by AI is the real conversation a recruiter has with a candidate. 21:30 - Madeline mentions a company who measures their recruiter productivity by getting them to “inbox zero”. She says she could never be a recruiter if this is a standard she was held to. 24:00 - Tim and JLee say they’d never judge one of the people they manage by the number of emails in their inbox. JLee judges people by the battery level of their devices. 27:30 - Tim’s son goes to Michigan State, and he runs a business in Lansing. He talks about his experience with and the aftermath of the shooting that happened on campus recently. 36:15 - Madeline asks Tim what he did about closing his business in the aftermath. Tim said that his Teams work groups were very active around the time of the shooting

On episode 113 of The HR Famous Podcast, long-time HR leaders (and friends) Jessica Lee and Tim Sackett come together to discuss Chat GPT and Tim’s utopian view if remote employees are more or less engaged and how we should be doing holiday parties. Listen below and be sure to subscribe, rate, and review (iTunes) and follow (Spotify)! 2:00 - Tim said he needs to add stretching to his New Year’s resolution list. 3:15 - Tim is extremely fascinated by Chat GPT (which may or may not take over this podcast). JLee tested it with her husband when she asked Chat GPT to write a Thank You letter after a job interview. 7:00 - JLee thinks it’s really fascinating when Chat GPT is looked at as a tool as a Kickstarter for writing in a business format. Madeline mentioned in a previous episode how editing and revision might become more important in the future instead of writing. 11:00 - On a basic level, JLee thinks there will be a behavior change from talking to an AI/chatbot as a “machine” to talking to them as you would a normal person. 15:00 - Tim has a utopian hope of the world with AI. He thinks it will be able to free us from our work and give us back time to dedicate to our families, ourselves, and our world. 17:30 - Harvard Business Review released an article (with a very bad title, according to Tim) titled “No, Remote Employees Aren’t Becoming Less Engaged.” They pulled data from Teams and Outlook and found that remote employees have more meetings, and thus, they’re more engaged. 19:30 - JLee loves HBR and still gets HBR in the mail. She thinks that engagement being defined by meetings is a silly proposition. 21:30 - Tim says that everyone will fall differently on the productivity spectrum in regard to remote work. He thinks you can’t make a sweeping generalization about whether it’s more or less productive to work remotely. 24:00 - JLee notes that she’s been focusing on “meeting fatigue” and how to get creative on who needs to be in meetings and how many meetings actually need to be happening. 26:15 - The holiday season is right behind us, and many companies have recently gotten through layoffs. Tim notes that office parties and bonuses have been things on the chopping block. Tim asks the question, “can we have good employee experience events without spending a lot of money?”. 28:00 - JLee says that it comes down to what employees really care about. Do we really want holiday parties? 31:20 - Tim asked Chat GPT if employees like holiday parties. It gave a pretty good response!