The Chad & Cheese Podcast

Another full serving of red meat on The Chad & Cheese Podcast. Joel unleashes the layoff bloodbath: Amazon axes 14K corporate jobs for automation, Target cuts 1.8K amid sales slumps, GM drops 3K+, Rivian 600, UPS a brutal 48K. Military.com? DOA via Valnet. Chad blames UPS pain on automation, ditching Amazon volume, and shrinking wallets; ties GM to the EV tax-credit cliff—“Trump economy killer!” Joel says companies hate chaos, froze post-election, now tariffs (⅓ each: importer, company, consumer) drip inflation, crushing spending and jobs. Amazon’s BlueJay bots are coming for warehouses. Emi (Europe) confirms global instability fuels automation through ’27; Target may need holiday humans, but HQ already slashed layers. Mercor—those zygote founders roasted for bias-free matching—pivots to AI-model eval, grabs $350M Series C at $10B. 30K experts at $85/hr tell OpenAI why outputs rock or rot. Chad salutes the “picks-and-shovels” genius; Joel dubs it the mother of pivots. AuditBoard scoops FairNow for AI-governance; Chad smells PE acqui-hire for HG’s $180B empire, Joel’s skeptical—flat headcount, no terms, RecFest whispers “smoke.” Emi loves Mercor’s 500M ARR path, reserves FairNow judgment. iCIMS wakes up: AI Sourcing Agent, turnkey I-9/E-Verify (backgrounds/assessments next), Apply Network adds LinkedIn/Veritone. Chad groans—5 yrs post-Opening.io, 3 post-Candidate.ID, rebranding old tech as “agents” in me-too panic. Joel sees ATS arms race: bundle sourcing/SEO or lose to SmartRecruiter clones. Emi hopes CTO Deepak Pandya saves the day; Chad/Joel want retention—“We’ve got agents too!” H-1B mess: White House defends $100K fee vs. Chamber lawsuits over fraud/wage suppression. DeSantis bans H-1Bs at FL universities (13.6% biz faculty gone), citing Chinese nationals teaching U.S. policy. Chad recalls 2020 Chamber suit—immigrants power innovation/supply chains. BC runs Reagan ads during NHL, fast-tracks Trump-weary U.S. nurses: 1.4K+ apps, 113 registered, 100+ hired. Joel predicts Canada-wide poach; Emi: fee won’t spawn American nurses. Bold (Monster/CB owners) drops 2007 cringe-video: wrinkled CEO, Trumpasaurus, resume subs, predatory paid services. Chad gags at “ick,” slams Jeff Taylor for cheering a flaming brand. Joel: ChatGPT could do better; Emi: euthanize the dead horse—trust gone. Trio signs off with Joel the Chicken & Agent Chad pitching iCIMS mascot gigs. Death, taxes, layoffs—baby. Chapters00:00 - Intro13:32- Layoffs21:44 - AI News30:29 - iCIMS38:23 - H-1B47:04 - Bold

The Shred is a weekly roundup of what’s making headlines in the world of employment. The Shred is brought to you today by Jobcase.

What happens when a global powerhouse doing 180,000 hires a year gets tired of lighting cash on fire? Gotta listen to find out. In this live RecFest session, the boys sit down with Shay Johnson, VP of Strategic HR Partnerships at Compass Group USA, who reveals how his team went from 2% conversion rates and duplicate job posts to building a hiring machine. Shay drops real playbook tactics—SMS conversion tactics, re-engagement automation, database recycling, spend control, and high-volume hiring strategy that every enterprise TA leader should be stealing by Monday. This one has it all the maths, modern TA strategy, automation wins, and a guy with better hair than Joel. Grab a bourbon and listen up. Shay's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelshayjohnson/ Dalia candidate conversion - https://www.dalia.co ENJOY! 0:00 – Meet Shay Johnson1:20 – 2% conversion + dumpster fire2:44 – 5 million candidates a year?3:45 – Hiring managers go rogue.9:56 – Stop buying new candidates—reuse the ones you already paid for11:35 – Dalia + Paradox = Batman & Robin of hiring16:17 – Hiring automation so good recruiters don’t know it exists21:33 – Spending smarter > burning budget on sponsorship confetti26:41 – In-house programmatic team = two nerds and a spreadsheet29:23 – Change management that didn’t suck

This week's episode opens with a layoffs avalanche that could bury a small HR department. Nestlé slashes 16,000 jobs—mostly white-collar, as AI now crunches numbers faster than accountants can say “chocolate river.” Meta cuts 600 from its super-intelligence team (the irony writes itself), Paycom drops 500 engineers (guess the bots finally learned to code), Handshake axes over 100 (pivoting to “AI-centric tech” = fancy talk for “we’re toast”), and even programmatic darling Appcast trims 32. The hot acquisition pitch? JobGet should buy Handshake and rebrand it Handjob.com—because nothing screams “career move” like a domain that triggers every corporate filter. The bullshit meter detonates. Facebook resurrects its job board after killing it in 2023—rumor has it Zuck’s prepping AR glasses where “Starbucks is hiring” beams directly into your latte-fueled daydreams. X quietly buries its LinkedIn-killer tab (Elon’s too busy monetizing outrage). Adzuna unveils a “revolutionary” search that’s basically ZipRecruiter’s Phil minus the creepy spokesperson—half-baked, no employer-side matching, and it begs for your email like a desperate Tinder bio. Metaview’s Chicago billboard (“Who says hiring has to be fair?”) gets flayed: four-second glance, logo smaller than a South Park punchline, and DEI messaging dumber than a rock. Fix? “Effective AI. Giant Logo. Metaview.com.” Done. Stop torching $35M on ego art. Funding fireworks: Findem.ai pockets another $51M, hitting $105M total (Intello 2.0, now with agent spice—same data warehouse, new flavor packet). Deel raises $300M, pushing its war chest to $1.3B at a $17.3B valuation—enough to buy a mid-sized nation and still tip the barista. Armstrong grabs $12M for AI dish-washing robots (Taco Bell’s drive-thru is about to ghost human order-takers faster than you can say “Doritos Locos”). Jack & Jill scores $20M for conversational job alerts—talk to your laptop, get emailed Indeed links. Groundbreaking… if it’s 2001. Economy’s a K-shaped tire fire: Hamburger Helper sales spike 14% (flashbacks to salty 70s trauma: “Dad tried to fix it with more salt—burned my mouth and my will to live”). Freight rates up 20%, subprime auto delinquencies worse than COVID, Great Recession, and dot-com bust combined. White Castle flips fully autonomous in Ohio—farewell, drive-thru jobs; hello, robot flipping your sliders while you doom-scroll in sweatpants. Finale: OpenAI green-lights erotic ChatGPT for verified adults starting December (the internet was literally built on the promise of pixelated nipples—Sam Altman’s just cashing the OG check). Age-gating? Cute. Show me a 10-ft wall, I’ll show you an 11-ft ladder and a forged ID. They also launch ChatGPT Atlas, an AI browser with a sassy sidebar—because Chrome’s 2:38 median tab time and 11.4 open tabs (recruiters: double that, easy) needed a drunk-texting career coach. Google infused Gemini; OpenAI counters by making browsing feel like your browser just joined a group chat.Buckle up—2026 will be wilder than a Meta glasses app that undresses your LinkedIn connections in AR. Chapters00:00 Introduction and Recap of Reckfest02:18 Reflections on MTV's Impact and Evolution04:57 The Changing Landscape of Job Platforms07:36 Layoffs and Industry Shifts10:09 The Future of Recruiting Technology13:08 Meta's Job Platform and Advertising Strategies15:42 Critique of Adzuna's New Search Features18:04 Closing Thoughts and Future Predictions26:35 The Power of AI in Recruiting30:44 Funding Frenzy in the Recruitment Tech Space34:59 The Impact of Automation on Fast Food Jobs42:49 Economic Indicators and Their Implications48:06 The Intersection of AI, Browsers, and Adult Content

The Shred is a weekly roundup of what’s making headlines in the world of employment. The Shred is brought to you today by Jobcase.

In this episode of The Chad & Cheese Podcast, hosts Joel Cheesman and Chad Sowash interview Barry Wolfe, a former Fortune 500 HR leader turned consultant and author of It’s All In Your Head: Why Psychology Doesn’t Help Your Employees Deliver Value – And What Can (2025). Wolfe critiques the "bullshit psychology industrial complex," comparing tools like Myers-Briggs and DISC to 19th-century phrenology, arguing they’re unscientific and fail to predict performance. He blames executives’ desire for easy answers for their reliance on these flawed methods, even as AI risks amplifying the problem with recycled "gibberish." Instead, Wolfe’s Value-Centric Leadership model urges leaders to define business value through a “same page” document and replace appraisals with “success maps” focusing on measurable deliverables. HR, he suggests, can lead by demanding clarity on 3-5 value-added results per role. The candid, humorous discussion, peppered with banter about a Napoleon-era jacket, targets HR pros and leaders, urging them to ditch platitudes for results. Wolfe plugs a free Chapter 3 at argoshr.com/book, and the hosts endorse the book as “anti-bullshit.”

A Scotsman, two clowns and a whole bunch of TA professionals walk into a Chicken Cock speakeasy ... No, it's not a joke, it's Chad & Cheese recording live from their recent visit to Louisville, Kentucky for some of the finest bourbon around and a little industry chat with Dan Heverin, Talent Acquisition Manager at Humana and Jacqueline Carow, North America Agency Director at Havas People. Recording in front of a rowdy bunch of recruiting pros, the gang talks automation, employment branding, tech stacks, the future of recruiting and more. Grab a pour and enjoy. We're return to our regularly scheduled program next week.

The Shred is a weekly roundup of what’s making headlines in the world of employment. The Shred is brought to you today by Jobcase.

In this episode of The Chad & Cheese Podcast, the boys interview Malcolm Frank, former president of Cognizant Digital and current CEO of Talent Genius, a platform focused on AI-driven talent acquisition. Frank, an Ohio native, discusses his extensive experience in technology and consulting, highlighting Cognizant's growth from 10,000 to over 300,000 employees. He traces AI's rise in business, noting its "slow, then sudden" impact since ChatGPT's 2022 debut. Frank critiques CEOs for layering AI onto outdated structures, leading to poor ROI, as shown in an MIT survey, and advocates for first-principles thinking to redesign processes. He sees recruiting transforming with AI, cutting sourcing time (e.g., scanning 7.5 million profiles instantly) and improving cultural fit analysis, though human recruiters remain vital for emotional connection. Frank warns of AI scaling biases faster than humans, necessitating strong governance to avoid issues like predatory lending seen in early AI experiments. He discusses Talent Genius’s “Agent Powered” platform, which helps workers leverage AI to amplify skills (e.g., becoming “5x” more effective), drawing parallels to historical job shifts like the iceman’s obsolescence. The lively discussion, peppered with humor about Davos and Buckeyes, emphasizes AI’s potential to turbocharge talent management if thoughtfully integrated, urging listeners to visit talentgenius.io for more. Chapters 00:00 - Introduction to Malcolm Frank 01:56 - The Rise of AI and Its Impact 05:20 - Challenges in AI Implementation 09:02 - The Future of Recruiting with AI 12:53 - Investing in Employee Development 17:19 - The Role of AI in Talent Acquisition 21:16 - Big Tech vs. Niche Vendors in HR Tech 24:48 - The Evolution of ATS and Recruiting Tools 28:51 - Bias in AI and Its Implications 35:23 - AI's Impact on Blue Collar Jobs 37:39 - The Vision Behind Talent Genius

This week, the gang dives into a grim economic landscape, tackling the week's bad news with their signature candor before scraping for some silver linings. The bad news hits hard: the U.S. government shutdown, now in its eighth day, is costing $7-15 billion weekly, furloughing 1.9 million workers and delaying critical jobs data, with ADP and Moody’s signaling near-zero job growth in September, concentrated in healthcare and large firms. American farmers face bankruptcy risks as tariffs inflate prices and competitors like Argentina and Brazil snag deals with China. J.P. Morgan pegs recession odds at 40% by year-end, and tech stocks, puffed up by AI hype, teeter on the edge of a bust. Chad rants about tariffs, ICE raids, and H1B visa hikes pushing talent away, calling the economy “cataclysmic,” while J.T. laments the understated jobs crisis, with six-figure earners jobless for months. Joel highlights the plight of farmers, noting the regressive impact of tariffs on the poor and the absurdity of subsidizing competitors like Argentina. Switching to good news, the trio finds some hope: Upwork’s CEO Hayden Brown reports a 50%+ surge in demand for AI skills like prompt engineering, with Gen Z poised to benefit from freelance opportunities. A Yale study suggests ChatGPT hasn’t yet disrupted U.S. jobs significantly, and Workday’s expanded real estate footprint and Netflix’s $700,000 AI product manager role signal niche growth. J.T. sees promise in fractional work for seasoned professionals, while Chad warns AI is quietly automating tasks (like scheduling at GM, cutting 100+ jobs) and questions the longevity of roles like prompt engineering. Joel agrees, likening AI jobs to short-lived 90s webmaster roles, predicting they’ll train systems to replace themselves.The episode also covers LinkedIn’s lawsuit against Pro APIs for scraping millions of profiles with fake accounts, a growing headache as AI amplifies such schemes, and the launch of Filament, a $10.7M-funded, invite-only LinkedIn rival that Chad dismisses as redundant given existing group chats on WhatsApp and Slack. Finally, they tackle Gen X’s financial woes, with only 25% holding retirement accounts and student debt crushing the rest. J.T. sees universal basic income (UBI) as a potential bridge for Gen X to pivot careers, but Joel balks at the idea, citing their fiercely independent ethos, while Chad ties the crisis to the shift from pensions to 401ks and broader systemic failures. The episode closes with a heated debate on whether UBI or corporate reinvestment in communities could stem the tide, leaving listeners with a mix of grim realities and cautious optimism for a creative, freelance-driven future. Chapters 00:00 - Introduction and Fall Vibes 03:32 - Shout Outs and Remembrances 09:51 - Economic Concerns and Job Market Analysis 18:57 - AI and Job Market Dynamics 27:31 - LinkedIn Lawsuit and Professional Networking 47:44 - Gen X Financial Challenges and UBI Discussion

The Shred is a weekly roundup of what’s making headlines in the world of employment. The Shred is brought to you today by Jobcase.

When SEO legend Rand Fishkin walks into HR’s Most Dangerous Podcast, you know it’s not gonna be another “AI is taking all our jobs” pity party. Rand calls BS on the tech bros, drags lazy journalists chasing clicks, and explains why Google, LinkedIn, and Elon’s “Xperiment” have turned the internet into a zero-click wasteland. He even serves up career advice for young marketers — build something real, specialize later, and never let a platform own your ass. It’s insight, irreverence, and a side of pasta. 🍝

This week, the boys sling hot takes like baristas slinging lattes, diving into HR tech, AI, and corporate shenanigans with their signature wit. Kicking things off, they set the stage with a vibe check, chuckling over the wild ride of recruitment tech while side-eyeing the economic chaos of startups chasing venture capital like kids chasing ice cream trucks. No military leadership talk here, but they roast corporate missteps with the gusto of drill sergeants. The spotlight lands on JuiceBox, an AI-powered recruiting tool that snagged $36 million, including a $30 million Sequoia-led Series A. Chad’s jazzed, calling it the “Capri Sun of HR tech” for its catchy name and $10 million revenue rocket. He wonders if they’ll build a platform or get gobbled up in an acquisition faster than you can say “merger margarita.” Joel, the grumpy cat of the duo, sniffs history repeating, comparing JuiceBox to 2010s sourcing flops like Entelo. “Build fast, sell faster, or get squashed by LinkedIn,” he grumbles, predicting a big-tech beatdown. Next, they geek out over AI agents revolutionizing recruitment. Chad raves about Hackajob’s agents that dig through applicant databases like treasure hunters, saving cash and recruiter sanity. Joel dreams of Chrome’s new free Gemini AI turning browsers into job-search genies, scaring HR tech vendors like a horror flick. Chad warns, “Free? You’re the product, kids!” as they lament job scams and hope AI security saves the day. LinkedIn’s new Learning Career Hub gets a roasting—Chad calls it a “half-baked LinkedIn loaf” compared to slick competitors like Degreed. Joel likens it to Apple’s VR headset: a panicked hedge against being left behind. They also torch Reid Hoffman’s claim that work-life balance is a “red flag,” with Chad snapping, “Want me to work like a CEO? Pay me like one!” Joel laughs it off as Silicon Valley hot air, like a CEO dropping truth bombs after one too many kombuchas. Ford’s CEO Jim Farley’s $5 million pledge to train 15,000 workers by 2026 gets a collective eye-roll. Chad calls it “couch cushion change,” comparing it to Apple and Tesla’s billion-dollar China training sprees. “Farley’s begging for government handouts like a kid at a candy store,” he scoffs. Joel agrees, noting it’s chump change next to a Super Bowl ad, and both warn U.S. companies are losing the EV race to China’s manufacturing muscle. Finally, a Waymo self-driving car’s illegal U-turn leaves cops stumped—no driver, no ticket! Chad, fresh off a Spanish speeding ticket by camera, wonders why the U.S. can’t keep up with “Star Trek-level” tech. Joel predicts local governments will milk Google for fines to fund football fields. With automation on the rise, they’re all in—just don’t expect Robocop to sort it out anytime soon. Chapters 00:00 - Introduction 02:21 - Reflections on Current Events and Military Leadership 05:19 - Job Market Insights and Economic Concerns 09:13 - Cultural Commentary and Sports Events 16:11 - Tech Innovations in Recruitment 22:56 - Closing Thoughts and Future Outlook 25:06 - Evolving Market Strategies 27:13 - The Role of Agents in Recruitment 31:00 - Google's AI Integration and User Behavior 40:10 - LinkedIn's Challenges and Opportunities 46:32 - Ford's Workforce Development and EV Challenges 52:26 - Accountability in Autonomous Vehicles

The Shred is a weekly roundup of what’s making headlines in the world of employment. The Shred is brought to you today by Jobcase.

The boys welcome Tiffany Anton, a sex therapist, to discuss the implications of workplace relationships, particularly in light of a recent affair involving a CEO and an HR employee at a Coldplay concert. Tiffany shares her insights on the dynamics of affairs, the power structures at play, and the societal shifts in understanding relationships. The conversation also touches on the challenges of modern dating, the role of platforms like OnlyFans in addressing loneliness, and the need for companies to rethink their policies on workplace romances. Tiffany emphasizes the importance of emotional connection and the evolving nature of relationships in today's world. Chapters 00:00 - Introduction to Tiffany Anton 02:22 - The Coldplay Affair: A Therapist's Perspective 05:31 - Understanding Affairs: Causes and Consequences 08:26 - Power Dynamics in Workplace Relationships 11:29 - The Impact of Affairs on Company Culture 14:23 - Navigating Modern Relationships: A Societal Shift 17:11 - Dating in the Digital Age: Challenges and Insights 20:13 - The Role of OnlyFans in Addressing Loneliness 23:00 - Rethinking Workplace Relationships 26:11 - Future of Relationships: Hope and Challenges

This week, hosts Chad and Joel, joined by career guru J.T. and Emi, sling snark and wisdom like a comedy roast for the recruiting world. They dive into The Muse’s shady “acquisition” drama, where a LinkedIn post from an engineering honcho claims a buyout, but with zero press release or website proof, it smells more like a corporate ghosting than a deal—think two dinosaurs slow-dancing as meteors rain down. The crew then skewers Trump’s H1B visa fee hike to $100,000, a move that lets tech titans like Google and Meta flex their fat wallets while startups choke, sending America’s “brain gain” packing to Canada and Europe. J.T. drops a truth bomb: job security’s a myth, so job seekers better channel their inner influencer and monetize their skills on social media, because full-time gigs are fading faster than a bad Tinder date. Meanwhile, Indeed’s playing mafia boss, slashing agency commissions and strong-arming them into direct-apply schemes, prompting Chad to call it “agency castration by 10,000 paper cuts.” IBM’s AI saga gets a laugh—8,000 HR folks got the boot for a chatbot, only for the company to rehire for creative roles when AI couldn’t handle the human touch, proving even robots can’t fake empathy. Finally, they tackle LinkedIn job scams, with losses skyrocketing from $90 million to $501 million in four years, blaming desperate job seekers, apathetic employers, and a government too busy to care. Chad’s three-legged stool metaphor—job seekers, employers, government—falls flat when all three are slacking. Chapters00:00 - Introduction and Podcast Overview00:33 - Trump's Controversial Remarks on Europe01:58 - Chad's Return from Europe and Personal Reflections04:18 - Emerging Content Creators and the Knowledge Economy11:36 - Industry Ethics and Accountability15:26 - Celebrating Milestones and Upcoming Events19:36 - Industry Events and Networking Opportunities23:13 - The Muse Acquisition Controversy28:18 - The Impact of H1B Visa Changes34:24 - The Future of Work and Job Security37:11 - Indeed's Strategic Moves in Recruitment40:13 - The Agency Dilemma45:00 - The Evolution of Recruitment48:10 - AI's Role in Workforce Changes52:47 - Job Scams in a Tight Market

The Shred is a weekly roundup of what’s making headlines in the world of employment. The Shred is brought to you today by Jobcase.

Time management coach Elizabeth Grace Saunders discusses the complexities of flexible work schedules and their potential to lead to burnout. She emphasizes the importance of defining personal boundaries, understanding emotional drivers, and the need for effective communication in both professional and personal relationships. The conversation explores the cultural differences in work-life balance, the impact of remote work on productivity, and the necessity for employers to foster a supportive work environment that encourages employees to disconnect and recharge. Chapters 00:00 - Introduction to Time Management and Flexibility 01:43 - The Genesis of Flexibility and Burnout 04:52 - The Emotional Side of Time Management 08:34 - Defining 'Enough' in Work-Life Balance 10:52 - The Role of Employers in Work-Life Balance 12:40 - Flexibility vs. Productivity in the Workplace 18:03 - Cultural Differences in Work-Life Balance 21:29 - Societal Pressures and Burnout 28:27 - Navigating Relationship Dynamics in Remote Work

Buckle up for The Chad & Cheese Podcast, where Joel Cheesman, Chad Sowash, and Maureen Clough dive into HR’s wildest waves with their signature no-filter banter! This episode tackles the HR tech consolidation frenzy: Workday’s $1.1B Sana acquisition, paired with recent Paradox and Flowise buys, signals a bold AI-driven strategy to streamline everything from sourcing to onboarding with a slick, unified dashboard. It might be Workday’s “peanut butter and jelly” integration but execution’s the key. Meanwhile, iCIMS grabs Apli (or is it Aptly? Nobody knows! Not sure it matters) for frontline hiring, but it may be a desperate “last girl at the bar” move to keep up in the conversational AI race. The crew also mourns layoffs: Fiverr’s 250 job cuts and ZipRecruiter’s axing of 80 in Israel, with Chad slamming Zip’s post-IPO pivot to a dud chatbot, Phil, and Mo decrying Fiverr’s dystopian AI push that kneecaps freelancers. Gen Z’s “revenge quitting” and “great lock-in” trends spark debate—Mo and Chad urge caution, while Joel’s all “life’s tough, kids!” Starbucks’ dress code drama (no Crocs, tattoos, or piercings!) ignites a fiery clash: Mo and Chad call it discriminatory nonsense, while Joel insists baristas can just take their hustle to Arby’s. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Podcast Overview08:10 Job Market Challenges for Older Workers11:15 Technology and the Future of Work18:46 Sneak Preview of Chicken Cock Whiskey HQ24:11 Acquisitions in the HR Software Sector29:44 Workday's Strategic Moves and Market Positioning35:00 The Future of Work and AI's Impact41:00 Industry Layoffs and AI Transformation51:25 Gen Z's Workplace Challenges and Trends59:18 Starbucks Dress Code Controversy

The Shred is a weekly roundup of what’s making headlines in the world of employment. The Shred is brought to you today by Jobcase.