Episode 107: How Ashby’s TA Leader Designs Systems That Scale with Jim Miller
Description
Have you ever read a resume that’s just too perfect? The kind that nails every keyword, hits all the right phrases, and somehow mirrors your job description like it was custom-built for it? Odds are, it probably was by AI. In fact, some candidates are even letting AI sit in on interviews and answer questions for them. Is this the future of hiring or a shortcut that undermines authenticity?
In this episode of Recruiting is No Joke, host Joel Lalgee sits down with Jim Miller, Global Head of People at Ashby, to unpack what’s really changing in recruiting and why most teams are focused on the wrong problems.
Jim shares his journey from agency recruiting in the UK to running sourcing at Google, where he helped build their ATS (Ghire) from scratch in 30 days. Now at Ashby, he’s designing workflows and tools that challenge how modern recruiting operates.
They discuss why the "human in the loop" matters less as a buzzword and more as a compliance framework, how hiring manager-led recruiting is on the rise, and why the future of TA lies in process design not better prompts.
You’ll also hear how Jim uses creative application techniques (like the now-famous “broccoli question”) to outsmart AI-generated resumes, why recruiters need to think like engineers, and what the real ROI of AI tools should look like in hiring.
In this episode:
(00:36 ) Welcome to the Purple Acorn Network + guest intro
(01:05 ) Jim’s background: from agency to Google to Ashby
(03:32 ) How Boolean logic kickstarted Jim’s sourcing career
(05:00 ) The “bait-and-switch” that led him to Google
(06:25 ) Designing Google’s in-house ATS (G Hire) in 30 days
(07:59 ) Moving to the US and leading inbound at Google
(08:09 ) Designing inbound with a sourcing mindset
(08:23 ) Joining FullStory and experiencing hypergrowth
(10:10 ) From FullStory to Ashby: finding better tools
(12:30 ) Becoming Ashby’s TA leader (and power user)
(13:42 ) Future-proofing recruiters: think in process
(15:30 ) Why TA teams are being replaced by hiring managers
(17:43 ) You can’t just deploy AI, you need the right process
(20:24 ) What “human in the loop” really means
(23:42 ) Reviewing only 10% of resumes? You’re doing it wrong
(26:40 ) AI-generated resumes & the “broccoli question”/Application questions basis
(30:36 ) AI-Augmented candidates and assessing expertise
(32:46 ) Why AI is an amplifier, not a substitute for expertise
(35:10 ) Jim’s hot take: The passive vs. active candidate market
(38:00 ) Activating talent through pattern-based sourcing
(40:44 ) Market cycles, new skills, and the future of work
(41:45 ) New roles, unknown skills: how to spot opportunity
(43:05 ) Where to find Jim + upcoming events
About Jim Miller
Jim Miller is Head of People at Ashby, a leading ATS platform. With over 25 years in recruiting, including 15 years at Google where he helped build their internal ATS, Jim brings a rare mix of sourcing, system design, and leadership. He’s a vocal advocate for process-driven recruiting and thoughtful tech adoption.
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.
Jim Miller
Recruiting is No Joke Social Media
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