HR Famous

In this episode of the HR Famous Podcast, Tim Sackett welcomes communications pro Dinah Alobeid for a brutally honest, wildly entertaining conversation about corporate comms, brand moments, and the power of good storytelling in HR tech. Dinah, now Head of Communications at Visier and formerly with Greenhouse, joins Tim for a laugh-filled yet thought-provoking discussion that touches on everything from corporate crisis responses to acoustic wedding songs to how HR leaders get held to a higher standard than CEOs. 🔥 Topics covered in this episode include: What real corporate communications looks like (and why most companies miss the mark) The now-legendary Coldplay/CHRO kiss drama—and the brilliant response from Astronomer (yes, the one with Gwyneth Paltrow) Why the CEO’s wife may have written the best PR letter in recent memory American Eagle’s “great genes” ad featuring Sydney Sweeney and why it caused a social media uproar Why it's nearly impossible for brands to "win" online anymore—and why maybe that's okay The importance of honest, unscripted customer stories in HR tech marketing Dinah also shares her career shift into HR tech and what drew her to Visier, a people analytics company powering smarter decisions with workforce data and AI. Tim pushes her to get real about what Visier actually does and how comms leaders can explain complex HR tech in simple, compelling terms. But this episode isn’t just about work—Tim and Dinah go personal, trading stories about: Wedding songs (Tim forgot his, kind of…) Songs for their kids Dinah’s upcoming podcast, Play This at My Funeral, which dives into grief, existentialism, and the music that defines us Why Gen Z and future HR leaders crave unscripted, real content over overproduced messaging If you’ve ever worked in HR, comms, or brand marketing—or just love when pop culture crashes into corporate drama—this episode is for you. 💡 Key Takeaway: Authenticity wins. Whether you're handling a PR crisis, launching an HR tech product, or dancing to Sam Smith at your wedding, what resonates is being real. In an age of backlash and viral moments, the best brands and leaders don’t hide behind polished messaging—they show up human. 🎧 Tune in now to hear Tim and Dinah break it all down with humor, heart, and the kind of insight you won't find in a whitepaper.

In this solo summer edition of the HR Famous Podcast, host Tim Sackett unpacks one of the biggest HR tech acquisitions of the year: SAP SuccessFactors acquiring SmartRecruiters. Tim gives his unfiltered, insider take on why this move matters, how it stacks up against Workday and Oracle, and whether SAP will actually leverage the cutting-edge, AI-driven tech they just bought—or bury it in corporate bureaucracy. You’ll hear Tim’s firsthand reaction to: Why SmartRecruiters was a smart buy (but maybe not the smartest one) The risk of “Big Tech crushing little tech” and what history tells us The future of SAP’s Talent Acquisition stack—will they go all in or keep Frankensteining? Why TA pros should care about this acquisition right now But that’s not all. Tim also dives into the recent Workday legal battle over alleged AI discrimination. He dissects the lawsuit, explains why it’s a misunderstanding of how AI works in TA tech, and makes a compelling argument that AI is more likely to reduce bias—not amplify it. If you're trying to make sense of where AI, algorithms, and HR law are crashing into each other, this segment is a must-listen. Plus, Tim shares real talk about the current state of AI in recruiting: What AI matching actually does (and doesn’t do) Why old-school hiring processes were way more biased than today’s algorithms What leaders need to know before joining the “AI is evil” mob And just for fun, Tim gives a quick update on generative AI image tools—why they’ve gotten better, where they’re still awkward, and how that reflects broader trends in machine learning and bias. This episode is loaded with: Hot takes from a real-world HR tech advisor and investor Cautionary tales from past acquisitions (remember Taleo + Oracle?) Expert analysis on what this means for HR leaders and TA tech buyers No BS commentary on the future of HR, recruiting, and AI in enterprise systems Whether you’re a TA leader looking for insights, an HR tech nerd following every move in the space, or just trying to figure out what the hell SAP is thinking—this episode delivers. 🎧 Subscribe, share, and get ready to question everything you thought you knew about enterprise HR tech.

In this solo summer edition of HR Famous, Tim Sackett flies solo with a hot debrief from the 2025 SHRM Annual Conference in San Diego. From presidential keynotes to AI overload and his signature recruiting tech list, Tim delivers an unfiltered look at what really went down at the world’s largest HR event. Here’s what you’ll get in this jam-packed episode: 🎤 Tim’s SHRM Annual Recap What it’s really like presenting to a packed room of HR pros, why SHRM audiences are better than they get credit for, and how he turns his sessions into connection machines with one killer tip involving LinkedIn QR codes. (Trust us—you’ll steal this idea.) 🧠 AI in HR: Still Mostly Hype? Tim gives a candid take on the AI overload across SHRM sessions. He breaks down why most AI talks aren’t delivering, what’s missing from vendor demos, and why the HR world desperately needs real-world AI success stories—not just “use cases.” 📉 Layoffs, Panic, and Reality Checks Is AI really causing mass layoffs? Tim doesn’t think so—and he’s got the logic to prove it. Hear why the doom-and-gloom headlines don’t reflect what’s actually happening in HR, and why a lot of recent layoffs are just course corrections from years of overhiring. 📊 Behind the Scenes of the Top 100 Recruiting Tech List Tim pulls back the curtain on how he created his Top 100 Recruiting Technologies list, why being #99 isn’t a bad thing, and why big platforms like LinkedIn, Indeed, and Workday still rank near the top (even if people love to hate them). Spoiler alert: There’s no secret algorithm—just market reality and daily usage. 👀 Candidate Fraud Is Coming for You As a teaser for future episodes, Tim touches on the growing wave of candidate fraud in remote hiring, why IT leaders are now poking into the TA process, and what tools like Greenhouse are doing to fight back. Whether you're in TA, HR leadership, or just want the no-BS take on what’s really happening in the industry, this episode is packed with insights, rants, laughs, and practical advice. It's the perfect mid-summer episode to catch up on what matters—and what doesn’t—in the world of work.

In one of the wildest HR pop culture crossovers we’ve ever seen, the internet was set ablaze by a Coldplay concert fan cam that exposed an alleged workplace affair between the CEO and CHRO of Astronomer — and HR Famous is on it. In this must-listen episode, Tim Sackett welcomes back the most requested guest in HR Famous history — his son, Cameron Sackett — to break down the viral moment that brought HR, leadership scandal, and Coldplay together in the most unexpected way. We dig into: Why this moment blew up online and how the couple’s reaction made it unforgettable. The HR chaos of two executives being put on leave — and how legal, optics, and power dynamics play into whether they stay or go. Why this scandal was the first thing to unite the internet across age, political lines, and industries. What companies can (and should) learn about public perception, workplace relationships, and crisis comms from this Coldplay cam crash. Also in this episode: 🎥 Cameron talks about starting his new gig at Uber, adjusting to megacorp life, and what it’s like working 49 floors above Manhattan. 📺 We dish on everything we’re watching — from Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making the Team and We Were Liars to Megan 2 and F1. 💬 And yes, we recap the best memes, the ridiculous reactions, and what this might mean for CHRO Halloween costumes in 2025. Oh, and Tim might have invited the infamous CHRO on the show… Key Takeaway: This moment was more than just workplace drama — it’s a cultural case study in modern leadership, HR ethics, and what happens when your worst professional moment gets broadcast to 50,000 people and TikTok. Whether you're in HR, leadership, or just here for the internet chaos, this is the episode everyone will be talking about. Let me know if you want alternative title options or a shorter teaser for social media!

In this eye-opening episode of HR Famous, host Tim Sackett sits down with Daniel Chait, Co-Founder and CEO of Greenhouse, to dive deep into one of the most pressing — yet under-discussed — challenges facing HR and talent acquisition today: candidate fraud. From fake resumes powered by AI to organized infiltration attempts by foreign actors, the duo explore how fraudulent candidates are shaking up recruiting processes in an era of remote work and advanced technology. Daniel shares real-world data and examples from Greenhouse customers, shedding light on the growing sophistication of fraud tactics and the vulnerabilities organizations face. Together, they dissect the "big F" fraud, like North Korean infiltration efforts, and "little f" fraud, such as candidates outsourcing interviews or using AI-generated answers. The conversation highlights how these issues aren’t just technical problems but touch every layer of hiring — from candidate experience to national security. Listeners will also learn about the crucial role of CISOs (Chief Information Security Officers) in protecting hiring pipelines and why traditional background checks and I-9 verifications are no longer enough. Tim and Daniel discuss innovative ways companies can maintain an open, welcoming hiring funnel while defending against sophisticated threats, including creating better signals for truly interested candidates and leveraging new verification technologies. Packed with practical insights, real anecdotes, and forward-looking strategies, this episode is a must-listen for talent acquisition leaders, HR professionals, and executives worried about the future of hiring integrity. Tune in to discover how you can protect your organization from becoming the next headline — and why this issue might be the biggest HR risk you haven’t prepared for yet.

Manufacturing jobs are back on American soil. The factories are running. The roles are open. But the workers? They're missing. In this solo episode, Tim Sackett unpacks the growing gap between opportunity and desire in today’s labor market. Why did generations of proud factory families embrace these jobs - and why do today’s young workers turn away? From cultural shifts and education gaps to lifestyle choices and societal stigma, Tim explores the uncomfortable reasons behind this silent rejection. Is it a temporary hesitation... or a permanent shift? And if manufacturing jobs no longer inspire the next workforce, what does that mean for America's future? Connect with Us: Tim Sackett Follow Tim on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/timsackett Visit Tim’s Website: hrutech.com Read Tim’s Blog: ⁠⁠https://timsackett.com/

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/

The future of recruiting isn’t coming. It’s already here. And if you’re still relying on your legacy tech stack and spreadsheets, you’re already behind. Enter Steven Jiang, CEO and Co-founder of HireEZ, who just dropped one of the most important AI launches in the recruiting space - EZ Agent, their agentic AI companion built to fundamentally reshape the recruiter’s role. Forget everything you know about “copilots” and “gen AI assistants.” EZ Agent is not just another AI tool bolted onto your ATS. It’s a fully-integrated, always-on agent that plans, reasons, executes, and evolves - empowering recruiters to get out of the weeds and back into real talent relationships. Steven joins Tim Sackett to break down: • Why agentic AI isn’t just better - it’s a whole new operating system for recruiting • How recruiters move from task managers to true talent strategists • What it means to create a white-glove candidate experience at scale • And how EZ Agent is solving the “black hole” problem by giving 100% of candidates a shot at the plate Steven’s built more than a product - he’s building a movement to re-humanize recruiting with AI doing the heavy lifting behind the scenes. If you care about talent, inclusion, and the future of work - this is the conversation you need to hear. Connect with Us: Steven Jiang Follow Steven on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevenhireez/ Learn more about HireEZ: https://hireez.com/ Book a Demo: https://hireez.com/customer-success/ Tim Sackett Follow Tim on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/timsackett Need Help with Technical Recruiting: https://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

AI is showing up in every headline. But in the workplace? Most people still aren’t sure what to do with it. Enter Cam Sackett - a social media manager from Away, and Tim Sackett’s middle son. He joins HR Famous for a candid conversation on how Gen Z views AI at work, why creative teams are skeptical, and what’s missing from most company rollouts. Cam shares how AI tools are marketed with bold promises but little instruction, and why “figure it out” isn’t a strategy. He explains the tension between speed and trust in creative roles - and why, sometimes, knowing how to explain a phone to your grandma might make you the best person to lead AI adoption. The real question? If AI is here to stay, who’s actually responsible for making it usable? One thing’s clear: Gen Z isn’t rejecting AI. They’re just waiting for someone to make it make sense. Connect with Us: Cam Sackett LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cameronsackett/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cameronsackett/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sackettc Check Out Away: https://www.awaytravel.com/ Tim Sackett LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timsackett/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@timsackett Visit Tim’s Website: 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

Marcus Stewart, Professor and Department Chair at Bentley University, has been studying workforce dynamics for years - and now, he’s watching the DEI movement take a nosedive while Gen Z struggles to find its footing in the workplace. In this episode, Marcus joins me to break down two of the biggest workplace shifts happening right now: the quiet rollback of DEI initiatives and why so many companies are unimpressed with their Gen Z hires. Is DEI truly dying, or is it just evolving? And when it comes to the next generation of workers, is the issue with Gen Z - or are we the problem? With deep expertise in organizational behavior and leadership, Marcus brings candid insights into how shifting workplace expectations, economic realities, and cultural shifts are reshaping how companies hire, retain, and develop talent. If you’re wondering what’s next for work, this episode is for you. Connect with Us: Marcus Stewart Follow Marcus on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/marcusstewart 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

Hiring is broken - but not for the reasons you think. Recruiters flood hiring managers with candidates, yet decision-makers hesitate to pull the trigger. The process drags, top talent walks, and organizations pay the price. Tim Sackett isn’t here to sugarcoat it. In this unfiltered solo session, he lays out why the hiring machine is failing and what needs to change. From hiring managers’ paradoxical indecision to the myth of "more candidates = better hires," he breaks down how talent acquisition teams have conditioned bad behavior - and why fixing it requires a shift in trust, process, and execution. Then there’s Elon Musk. His blunt demand for accountability in government sent HR circles into a tailspin, but is he wrong? Sackett cuts through the noise to dissect why performance management is broken and why most leaders are afraid to ask their employees the one question that actually matters. The workforce is shifting. The hiring game is changing. If you’re still playing by the old rules, you’re already behind. Connect with Us: Tim Sackett Follow Tim on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/timsackett Visit Tim’s website: hrutech.com

In episode 15 of The HR Famous Podcast, long-time HR leaders (and friends) Jessica Lee and Kris Dunn come together to discuss Tim’s extravagant Southern Utah adventure, return to work plans, Twitter’s WFH forever proclamation, and Microsoft Teams. The team discusses the different return to work plans and ideas, new office norms, and a potential boom in the workplace real estate market. Listen below and be sure to subscribe, rate, and review (iTunes) and follow (Spotify)! 1:00 - No Tim on this episode! Are we sad or happy? Stay tuned to find out ;) 2:00 - Is JLee still a kid? Sound off in the comments 3:30 - Tim Sackett is a jerk!!!! His Instagram is making the HR Famous crew jealous with his Southern Utah golfing, jeep trips, and luxurious escapades. Safe travels Timmy! 4:30 - Today’s topic: return to work! Some companies have their plans ready to go but all companies are going to have to get ready for “the new normal”. What is that going to look like? Are you ready? 7:00 - RTW = return to work 7:30 - Jlee sounds off on the differences of work returns there can be and the potential anxiety employees could bring with them. Will there be a major fear from workers? 8:45 - KD is taking the approach of surveying his employees on how they want to return to work. Who wants to stay home? Who wants to return to the office? Who is unsure and has concerns?  9:40 - One size fits all? Not for RTW plans. 11:15 - KD fills us in on how Kinetix is facing RTW: Branded face masks: check! How do you feel about the decorative/branded face masks? 13:15 - Sexy brand check! Jack Dorsey has announced that all Twitter employees can work remote forever. What really is forever? Jlee thinks it’s a cool idea but may be too early to make this call. Only a diamond is forever ;) 16:00 - Will there be an increased need for real estate for workspace? Due to physical distancing needs, there may need more space needed to ensure employee safety.  18:00 - Have you ever had an employee sit on the floor in your office during a meeting? Jlee hasn’t but she thinks that cramped small office meetings are on the way out and virtual meetings are here to stay. 20:30 - KD and Jlee are turning this into a Microsoft ad! Microsoft Teams chat is the new norm for Jlee but may be NSFW because of their raunchy gifs. 22:30 - KD thinks that Eric Schmitt’s perception of a workspace real estate boom is a little tone deaf. With more WFH employees and financial troubles, there may not be a real estate boom especially in spaces made for small to mid-sized businesses.  24:00 - Should we be celebrating companies and CEOs who pledge not to lay off employees? The crew thinks it’s unrealistic to raise the expectation that companies should not lay off some workers in this pandemic, especially in service industries.  26:10 - “Up your sunscreen game” - KD to Tim Sackett.

In episode 14 of The HR Famous Podcast, long-time HR leaders (and friends) Jessica Lee, Tim Sackett, and Kris Dunn are joined by Tim’s son Cameron and HR professional Chris Hoyt to talk about holidays during quarantine, finding a job straight out of college during a recession, and recruitersrecruitingrecruiters.com. The team discusses the struggles of finding a job in a recession for a college grad, changes to candidate experience, and better ways to hire during a pandemic. Listen below and be sure to subscribe, rate, and review (iTunes) and follow (Spotify)! 1:30 - Mother’s Day is coming! Jessica wants some peace and quiet for her special day and Tim’s wife wants diamonds. Sounds like some good gifts to me!  3:30 - Where do you get your Mom’s Mother Day flowers? KD shouts out 1-800- Flowers and tells a story about a disastrous bouquet of Wal-Mart flowers. Moral of the story: don’t buy flowers from Wal-Mart.  6:00 - Happy (belated) Birthday KD! What we’ve learned is that KD prefers store bought cakes to homemade cakes. 7:00 - Welcome Tim’s son to the podcast! Cameron is a recent grad from the University of Michigan and joins the conversation to discuss finding a job during a pandemic and fills us in on what his job search has been like for the past few months. 10:00 - Has candidate experience decreased since the recession started? Cameron hasn’t seen anything shady from employers but has seen a lot of uncertainty and jobs being cancelled or postponed.  12:20 - Have you been ghosted from a lot of jobs? Cameron has only heard back from a real person for 3 out of 70 jobs he applied to. Not many rejections too! Is that because of the uncertain nature of the times? 14:50 - Would Cameron go work for Fox News if they offered him a job?  16:00 - Are career services still active during the pandemic? Cameron uses Tim as his personal career coach but has seen lots of friends get early job offers from college recruiting and career fairs.  18:10 - Hot gossip alert! Cameron spills the tea on how Tim is as a personal career coach.  20:00 - Quarantine time is a good time to learn new skills! Cameron has been working on podcasting. Look out for the Disney Channel rewatchables coming to your favorite podcasting service near you! KD and Cam discuss their favorite episodes of The Ringer’s Rewatchables podcast.  23:00 - Tim gives us a branding lesson. Buy your kids URLs and reserve their email addresses and social media handles early!  25:15 - Time for the second guest! Tim welcomes long time friend Chris Hoyt to the podcast. 26:00 - Chris discusses his work Career Crossroads and what they do for talent acquisition and recruiting. Tim loves it! 28:20 - Story time! Tim tells us how his wife, Kim, met Chris in Park City, Utah and really liked him.  29:30 - Recruitersrecruitingrecruiters.com! Say that five times in a row! Chris talks about his newest project inspired by the cooperation between CVS and the hospitality industry during the coronavirus pandemic.  32:20 - Looking for a recruiting job? There’s about 150 jobs available on the platform with over 250 employers.  35:00 - #firstworldproblems. Are you experiencing Zoom fatigue?  35:30 - How can you guarantee candidate experience with such high unemployment? Chris discusses how it’s uncertain whether the same levels of candidate experience can be kept up and Tim talks about mistakes he made in the last recession.

In episode 13 of The HR Famous Podcast, long-time HR leaders (and friends) Jessica Lee, Tim Sackett, and Kris Dunn try to defeat boredom and come together to talk about quarantine listening habits, Airbnb’s hiring practices, unpaid internships, and Netflix doc American Factory. The team discusses their feelings and thoughts on Airbnb’s postponed hiring, unpaid internships and other working experiences, and the documentary American Factory. Listen below and be sure to subscribe, rate, and review (iTunes) and follow (Spotify)! 2:30 - The team starts out sharing with us their favorite quarantine comfort music playlists full of music. Turns out the group has some different tastes: Tim likes basic Spotify playlists, Jlee likes Nick Jonas, and KD likes grunge. This also features a brief discussion of Post Malone’s tattoos.  8:00 - Onto the rundown for the episode. Airbnb has postponed post-grad hires to 2021 and the crew talks about investment they have made for their own PR. Tim weighs in on the workforce needs for Airbnb and other tech companies and how they will continue going forward.  11:45 - KD sees through Airbnb’s “publicity stunt” and calls them out for being unfair for postponing post-grad hires until August 2021. Tim discusses some potential writing on the wall that may have led to this decision. Maybe they’re being forward thinking? KD seems skeptical.  15:00 - Bro trip! KD talks about the last Airbnb he stayed in with Tim in Orlando. The pictures sure weren’t telling the whole truth…. 16:20 - Marriott plug from Jlee! #notsponsored 17:00 - Topic change: internships! Lots of internships have been cancelled for summer 2020 leaving soon to be grads and recent grads in a bind. Also, Hipster Sackett is the best Tim Sackett 20:30 - Tim discusses the evolution of unpaid internships. He believes young adults need to use unpaid internships to build relationships, have experiences, and find mentors to advocate for them. Do you believe in unpaid internships? Should all interns be paid? 23:15 - Who can afford unpaid internships (especially in this economy)? Jlee discusses the need to look at capabilities and skills rather than experiences for new grads in order to level the playing field.  25:30 - KD discusses the addiction to doing internships with huge brands. He advocates for looking locally to gain experiences instead of going for the big guys.  26:45 - “Interns have zero value” - Tim Sackett. What is the real point of internships? Recruiting. (Just saying an intern is writing this right now so no value???) 28:00 - Should companies be allowed to advertise unpaid internships? KD says no but thinks that unpaid experiences should be allowed in order to benefit the person looking for a resume booster.  29:45 - Jlee predicts Tim’s Glassdoor ratings will be plummeting.  30:30 - American Factory time! KD challenged Jlee and Tim to watch the 2020 Academy Award winning documentary about a Chinese company who took over a GM plant in Toledo, Ohio. The team discusses their likes and dislikes.  35:05 - Jlee weighs in on the depiction of Chinese culture in the documentary. Although she came in skeptical, she was pleasantly surprised by the reception of the workers in the movie.  36:10 - Motor City native Tim discusses fat-fingered Americans and the camaraderie and commitment of the Chinese company.  40:00 - The crew ends on their favorite scene. Tim likes the chairman’s frankness about unions and Jlee agrees. She especially likes the interpretation from Chinese to English. KD likes the cut between the Chinese company energy to the Toledo break room.  43:30 - Watch American Factory!

In episode 12 of The HR Famous Podcast, long-time HR leaders (and friends) Jessica Lee, Tim Sackett and Kris Dunn come together to talk quarantine watching habits, unemployment insurance coverage and the Payroll Protection Plan. The team brings up the challenges and nuances individuals might be facing when working through their unemployment insurance and PPP.  3:30 - The team starts the convo by talking movies and Netflix series. Tim calls out KD on not watching Parasite - Turns out KD was thinking about a whole other movie with Kevin James.  6:00 - Talking about Hulu and Netflix specials - KD even wrote about the Netflix American Factory docu-series.  9:20 - Tim brings up the elephant in the room, Unemployment and the broken system of unemployment insurance. What are other countries doing that the US isn't? He also brings up PPP - the US Payroll Protection Program. 12:15 - Jlee and Tim talk about the differences between states on the unemployment savings account weekly payouts.  15:25 - Is unemployment a forced savings plan? KD talks about loving it on the broad level brochure, compares the plan to social security and it's struggles + the start of the new recession era. 21:00 - Tim talks worker bias. If you're going to work, and someone else is unemployed and getting benefits - are we jealous? Paying into a system for something we aren't receiving can be discouraging.  23:15 - Jlee says Tim is sounding like Andrew Yang with the concept of universal income. Regardless, this era will be challenging future changes in the UBI realm.  28:45 - How people should handle receiving the PPP through the CARE Act - are some of your employees making more on unemployment?  31:00 - KD brings up that using the PPP doesn't always make the most sense. With restaurants and service base industries how does bringing back workers work when there's no business?  33:05 - Tim talks about the tax, health insurance and other complications with folks choosing unemployment vs. being rehired 35:15 - The team talks about how fast everything has been moving, even for federal government - but with speed comes some issues and misses. 39:30 - Closing it out by touching back on the more lighthearted Netflix watches.  Resources: Jessica Lee on LinkedIn Tim Sackett on Linkedin Kris Dunn on LinkedIn HRU Tech The Tim Sackett Project The HR Capitalist Fistful of Talent Kinetix Boss Leadership Training Series

It’s episode 11 of The HR Famous Podcast, long-time HR leaders (and friends) Jessica Lee, Tim Sackett and Kristian Dunn kill some more time by recording a new episode on the pod (of course trying to flatten the curve in their respective isolation pods) focused on what virtual HR looks like today – including what kind of HR services you can get for $99/month. Plus there’s some stripper name talk too. Show Highlights: Listen below and be sure to subscribe, rate and review (iTunes) and follow (Spotify)! 1:42 – Jessica calls Tim sexy, or at least she calls his voice that, while he proceeds to completely pass on the compliment and instead complain about back to back conference calls followed by hating on Kris’ deck, which he sure seems to be jealous of. Not the first time he’s talked about Kris’ deck. Sounds like it’s gonna be a really good episode. 3:13 – The crew takes a cue from John Krasinski of The Office fame and channels some of his Some Good News goodness – at which point KD shares that his house looks more like Lord of the Flies with nearly grown children fighting over Corn Nuts. Just kidding. The real good news is that his boys are home and bonding. Sacks meanwhile shares that his team is finding the purple squirrels. They exist. They can be found. 6:06 – JLee humbly admits that she has finally – nearly 20 years into her career – mastered VLOOKUPs in Excel and shares that she and hubby have come to an agreement to FINALLY allow for some food delivery to start happening in their household. 7:46 – On to the real topic. Wait for it. JLee gets an ad on her FB feed and it’s for… drumroll… get your very own HR manager for $99/month via an L.A. based startup, Bambee. 10:26 – Tim reveals the truth about Bambee. These aren’t HR managers who are on the other end of the phone line providing consultation to Bambee’s clients. (And no, they aren’t strippers either.) These are life insurance sales people disguised as HR relationship / account managers. 12:40 – KD breaks down the model. They start with offering a baseline of HR services targeting SMBs that maybe just to start have an HR coordinator who can also do payroll. At 100+ employees, bigger needs obviously develop and that’s when you can’t leverage Bambee anymore. But Sacks thinks there’s no way there’s any value to be gained from a service that’s $99/month regardless of your company size. 15:15 – JLee gets more curious about who exactly these HR managers are that Bambee is hiring and finds a single job posting for the job. It turns out you have to manage 200 clients at a time in addition to the upsell work they do on the life insurance and training services the company also offers. But look, they have a really good Glassdoor rating as JLee finds. People are happy to work there. 19:29 – The crew exposes the fallacy of Bambee, especially in this era of the Rona – virtual, remote HR services yet they require their HR managers to work on-site. 23:00 – KD prophesizes that virtual is the future and the world will be moving to being employed outside of your metro area. Which gets the group talking about what the true value of HR is, and what it then means to deliver HR in a remote environment. 27:50 – A new business idea emerges. It turns out the crew actually not-so-secretly loves the Bambee model but just with higher end remote resources. They struggle with what to call it though. There’s got to be an available stripper name out there though. JLee quickly moves away from sharing too much about their next business venture and seeks out some advice from the guys.