Welcome to episode 114 of the Harmonious Workplaces podcast! Hosted by Rich Cruz and Ben Kleinman, this episode features a special returning guest, Jenni Pozar, and her sister, Katie Bash. Jenni is the Managing Director at JP HR Consulting & Advisory Services with deep expertise in human capital management, while Katie brings two decades of experience in the tech industry spanning software, hardware, and services.
Together, we dive into one of the most pressing topics of our time: perspectives on talent acquisition, job searches, and the impact of artificial intelligence on human resources.
What’s one thing you can do to keep the human touch in talent acquisition? Keep reading to find out!
The “AI vs. AI” Dilemma in Job Searching
Artificial intelligence is moving at the speed of light, and talent acquisition (TA) teams are feeling the impact. As companies look for operational savings, AI is often viewed as a cheaper alternative to human recruiters, making TA professionals some of the first to face layoffs. We are now seeing an evolution where AI doesn’t just screen resumes, but is even being acquired to conduct initial interviews.
However, this technological arms race has created a bizarre “AI vs. AI” environment. Job seekers are actively using tools like ChatGPT and Claude to tailor their resumes and cover letters to specific job descriptions. In response, employers are using their own AI systems to detect whether an application sounds “too AI,” sometimes rejecting perfectly qualified candidates simply because their phrasing was flagged by a bot. As Jenni points out, it ultimately devolves into two robots talking to each other, creating a frustrating cycle for everyone involved.
A Crisis of Trust and “Ghost Jobs”
Trust is quickly becoming a critical issue in the modern job market. Katie shared an astonishing statistic from Gartner: by 2028, an estimated 25% of candidate profiles will be entirely fake. Some of this stems from headhunters using automated bots to send out fake resumes just to test if a job posting is active or to see what an applicant tracking system (ATS) will accept.
Simultaneously, job seekers are increasingly exhausted by “ghost jobs.” Companies are leaving postings open for roles that don’t actually exist, either because they lack the TA staff to close them or because they want to keep a warm pipeline of talent “just in case”.
Redefining Roles: The Need for Cross-Collaboration
Despite these challenges, it is not all doom and gloom. Automation is excellent for catching lies on resumes, finding niche skills, and streamlining tedious tasks. However, Gartner estimates that 32 million jobs will be reshaped through 2031. As Katie highlights, this isn’t necessarily job elimination; it is role transformation.
One of the most significant shifts will be the necessity of cross-functional collaboration. IT departments are moving rapidly, but their success relies entirely on partnering with HR, Legal, and Risk Management to deploy AI safely and ethically. We are even starting to see hybrid roles emerge that bridge the gap between human resources and IT operations.
Keeping the Human Touch in Talent Acquisition
So, what is the one thing you can do to keep the human touch in talent acquisition? Be intentional and have blunt conversations about preserving your culture..
While AI can identify a candidate’s hard skills, it utterly lacks human judgment and intuition. An algorithm cannot tell if a candidate is going to thrive in a highly relaxed, casual work environment or if their personality will clash with your team. Jenni emphasizes that executives must be reminded not to completely submit to AI for the sake of short-term cost savings. If you remove humans from the process, you risk hiring talent that fundamentally disconnects from your organization’s core values.
Furthermore, the idea that AI will permanently reduce costs may be an illusion. As HR expert Karen Stevens notes, AI tools are cheap or free right now to drive adoption, but eventually, complex “agentic” AI systems will become highly expensive to run. Down the line, human employees might actually become the more cost-effective option.
Ultimately, we are living in a “GenAI and” world, not a “GenAI or” world. By intentionally balancing automation with authentic human connections, organizations can modernize their hiring without losing their soul.
Ready to Learn More?
For more insightful episodes about corporate culture, organizational change management, and workplace behavior, explore our website at www.harmoniousworkplaces.com.
Connect with our amazing guests:
- Jenni Pozar: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenni-pozar151/
- Katie Bash: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kbash/
Tune in and Subscribe! Find the full podcast on all of our available channels: YouTube, LinkedIn, PodBean, Spotify, Amazon, Apple, and iHeartRadio. Please rate, review, share, and subscribe to help us grow!
#changemanagement #organizationaldevelopment #humanresources #ai #artificialintelligence #makechangeyourfriend
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