When talent acquisition professionals talk about AI, the conversation usually centers around enterprise tools — from CRM integrations to sourcing platforms and workflow automation. But complex enterprise-level adoption of AI has been relatively slow compared to the explosion of relatively simple consumer-facing applications.

Candidates are already using AI to turbocharge their job search — drafting resumes, writing cover letters, and optimizing applications at a scale and speed we haven’t seen before. There are many open source AI agents (AIHAwk and JobHuntr.fyi are two examples) that will find and apply to jobs for you. Not technically minded? Websites like Laboro promise to find and apply to 1,000 jobs with a single click.

Are these jobseekers gaming the system? Maybe. But this is the reality of recruiting in 2025 — application volume is surging and shows no signs of slowing down.

Our online personas have always been curated — we show the world the version of ourselves we want them to see. But AI is making it harder to tell what’s real. I’ve reached the point where I assume most of what I read on LinkedIn — even from people I know well — was written by AI.

That erosion of trust matters.

As AI becomes more embedded in our hiring processes, the human touch is becoming more essential, not less. At the ERE Recruiting Innovation Summit last month, Cailean Bailey shared how the team at Design Pickle elevated their candidate experience with moments of surprise, delight, and authentic connection. It stood out precisely because it felt real.

We're bringing that energy back this fall.

Mark your calendar for November 4–5 in San Diego for the next ERE Recruiting Innovation Summit — where we’ll explore the future of talent acquisition, including how to leverage AI without losing the human touch that sets great recruiting apart.

The agenda isn’t finished yet, but our team is hard at work putting together an event that will tackle the most pressing questions in talent acquisition today. It’s going to be something special, and we’ve got a massive preview discount for you: $400 off the full event price if you register before the agenda goes live. This is the lowest price we’re going to offer.

We’re actively looking at new ways to keep the TA community connected year-round — not just at our events. One idea we’re exploring is a dedicated Discord server where you could swap ideas, share resources, and stay in touch in real time.

Would you be interested in something like that? Let us know in the quick poll below.

— David

P.S. If you found this newsletter valuable, chances are your colleagues will too. Feel free to forward it along—and if it landed in your inbox by way of a friend, you can subscribe here to get the next one directly.

Featured Story

CareerBuilder + Monster Signal Imminent Layoffs as Sale Looms

CareerBuilder + Monster, the joint venture formed in 2024 by Randstad NV and Apollo Global Management, emailed employees notices indicating plans to close its U.S. headquarters in Chicago and likely begin layoffs around August 4. While the company says no immediate headcount reductions are happening “today,” the emails suggest that a deal — if reached — could include a major restructuring, with layoffs an almost inevitable outcome. (ERE)

More Recruiting Insights

Mobley v. Workday and the Coming Reckoning. Raghav Singh examines what the Mobley case means for the recruiting profession. This case will have far-reaching implications. (ERE)

North Korean Operatives Use Deepfakes in IT Job Interviews. State-sponsored hackers are using deepfake video personas to pass remote job screenings and gain access to corporate infrastructure. (Dark Reading)

The one interview question that will protect you from North Korean fake workers. Experts advise asking culturally nuanced or deeply personal questions that AI or foreign operatives are unlikely to answer correctly, as a way to combat impersonation attempts. (The Register)

Slashing Entry-Level Jobs Will Break Your Company — and Maybe You. The latest from Jim Stroud! Companies rushing to replace junior roles with AI risk severing their own talent pipeline. Without entry-level opportunities, organizations lose future leaders and the ability to develop internal expertise. (ERE)

I’m stepping down as CEO of Indeed. After 15 years at Indeed, Chris Hyams is stepping down. (Chris Hyams)

Hisayuki “Deko” Idekoba Returns as CEO of Indeed. The CEO of parent company Recruit, returns to lead Indeed following Chris’ departure. We’ll see if Deko remains at the helm, or if this is just until they find someone take the CEO role. (Indeed)

Builder.ai collapses after revelation that its "AI" was hundreds of engineers. The company, once seen as a rising star in low-code AI software, collapsed after reports confirmed that human engineers were doing the bulk of the work. (TechSpot)

OpenAI reports ‘elevated error rates’ for several hours. OpenAI’s ChatGPT experienced widespread outages yesterday, with users reporting issues accessing the platform. This looks like it is resolved now, but it’s a warning sign for all the companies betting their future on the technology. What’s your backup plan? (CNBC)

Conferences

ERE Recruiting Innovation Summit

San Diego, CA

November 4-5, 2025

The ERE Recruiting Conference is the premier independent practitioner-led recruiting event that provides actionable insights for talent acquisition professionals. Join fellow colleagues to discover practical ideas, best practices, and case study solutions from leaders who share your toughest recruiting challenges — and have experience overcoming them. (ERE Recruiting Innovation Summit)

Webinars

Rebooting Campus Recruiting: Fixing Bottlenecks, Burnout, and Broken Workflows

June 26, 2025 | 2:00 PM EDT | 1 Hour

A webinar designed for early-career recruitment teams, featuring expert speakers from Oleeo, McKesson, Best Buy, and PPLBOTS. They share actionable strategies to modernize campus recruiting—prioritizing candidate volume, streamlining scheduling and offers, reducing recruiter burnout, and improving offer acceptance — all while operating on a tight budget. (ERE)

Next-Level Talent Engagement: Transforming Recruitment with AI SolutionsAI-Era Candidate Risks: How TA Leaders Protect Quality of Hire (and Their Jobs)

July 16, 2025 | 2:00 PM EDT | 1 Hour

AI in hiring enables candidates to game resumes and interviews, making it hard to understand the skills of the person behind the screen. We will discuss balancing automation with human oversight, using automated checks across public sources to uncover red flags like threats or fraud, and preserving the integrity and safety of hiring processes. (ERE)