The Revol TA Podcast

The Key to Agentic Recruiting w/ Luke Switkowski

Luke Switkowski is the CEO of Rooster. He sat down to talk about innovation in RecOps, like how automation can reduce manual interview coordination while introducing visibility into recruiting workflows with better data for modern recruiting teams. We covered how metrics, such as reschedule rates and time to schedule, can reveal deeper organizational issues beyond tooling. And also touched on the limits of automation in candidate interactions, the role of recruiting operations as a discipline, and how incremental process improvements can influence hiring outcomes over time. Rooster is positioned as an infrastructure layer that integrates with existing systems to automate scheduling logistics and surface data on process breakdowns. It eliminates back-and-forth and gives recruiters and candidates a clean self-scheduling experience. If you want fewer scheduling errors, faster coordination, and a smoother candidate experience visit rooster.us to book a demo. Follow Luke: https://www.linkedin.com/in/luke-switkowski/ Timestamps 00:00 Why scheduling is the linchpin of recruiting and where processes typically break 05:00 The real cost of scheduling complexity including reschedules and coordination overhead 10:00 Enterprise scheduling challenges and why complex hiring workflows need dedicated systems 15:00 Increasing process complexity from video interviews and added recruiting technology 20:00 Using scheduling data to uncover breakdowns and drive accountability in hiring teams 25:00 How automation shifts coordinator and recruiter roles and improves team efficiency 30:00 Hidden costs of manual scheduling and the downstream impact on hiring outcomes 35:00 Solving global scheduling challenges including time zones and candidate experience 40:00 Limits of AI in recruiting workflows and where automation falls short 45:00 Why fully automated scheduling breaks without context and introduces friction 50:00 The role of human judgment in complex hiring and candidate coordination 55:00 Balancing automation with flexibility across different interview types and teams 60:00 How scheduling impacts hiring velocity for high-priority and executive roles 65:00 Aligning recruiting processes with business outcomes through better systems 70:00 Future of recruiting operations and the role of infrastructure like scheduling systems Thanks for tuning in!

Why Recruiters Fail w/ David Malloy, VP Transformation @ Findem

David Malloy thinks Recruiting is entering a transition point that most teams aren’t prepared for. I agree. The volume era of hiring is ending and the signal era is beginning. And the companies that build around data, speed, and precision are the ones that will pull ahead. That’s why I’ve been excited about Findem. They’ve been pushing this shift harder than almost anyone. Their approach starts with a simple idea: traditional resumes, keyword searches, and outdated job posts cannot keep up with the complexity of modern hiring. The market is too fast, the candidate landscape is too fragmented, and the stakes for quality of hire are too high. What they’ve built over the last few years is designed for this exact moment. Their 3D data engine structures and classifies career information in ways that give talent teams a clearer, more accurate picture of who is qualified, who is likely to succeed, and why. Their relationship intelligence layer helps uncover talent networks teams didn’t know existed. And their newest updates push even further into automation, transforming static job posts into active agents that source, engage, and qualify candidates with minimal manual effort. Against the backdrop of a tighter, more competitive talent market, these changes matter. Recruiters are being asked to move faster, with fewer resources, and still deliver better outcomes. Leaders need deeper visibility into the true drivers of performance. And organizations cannot afford long cycles of misalignment or guesswork. So I was excited to have this conversation with David Malloy. He’s a recruiting industry legend, and his current role sits at the intersection of data, consulting, and organizational change. He sees where teams get stuck, what slows them down, and what actually works when companies try to modernize their hiring systems. The discussion surfaces several themes that are already reshaping talent acquisition and will only intensify over the next few years. What we talked about: • Why traditional resume-based hiring is breaking down as a reliable signal • How 3D data gives talent teams a structured, explainable view of candidate quality • Why speed is becoming the primary performance variable in modern recruiting • How AI-driven candidate surfacing elevates better talent instead of adding more noise • Where relationship intelligence fits into sourcing and long-term pipeline development • What Intelligent Job Posts mean for the end of passive job boards • Why alignment with the business is still the gap HR must close • How the next phase of AI will shift recruiter workflows and decision-making • What leaders need to rethink if they expect their teams to operate at a higher level You can complete the rest in your tone, weaving in your observations, the context of the conversation, and why this moment feels like a turning point for hiring teams. Congratulations to Findem on their $51MM Series C raise and acquisition of Getro to launch the first intelligent job post. More info: https://www.findem.ai/

Why AI Keeps Failing Recruiters w/ Ike Bennion, VP of Product Management @ Visier

Everyone wants AI to fix recruiting. Very few teams are willing to fix the data underneath it. So I sat down with Ike Bennion, VP of Product Management, Data Platform at Visier to get nerdy about it. And he broke down one of the most misunderstood parts of AI in talent and people systems: data readiness. Not vendor demos, prompts, or “trust me bro” automation “that just works”. The unglamorous, foundational work that actually determines whether AI helps or quietly makes things worse. Ike explained why organizations keep skipping the hard parts, how unstructured data creates false confidence and false positives, and why layering more data on top of broken systems doesn’t lead to better outcomes. It just creates louder noise. If you’ve ever wondered why AI tools promise clarity but deliver confusion, this is the conversation that connects the dots. I certainly learned a lot. In this episode, we get into: * Why AI can’t fix fragmented, unstructured recruiting data * The myth of “AI will just clean it up for us” * How bad data creates false positives at scale * Why centralization is still the hardest and most important step * What talent teams need to solve before AI actually works AI isn’t about hype any longer. It’s about building systems that can support intelligence instead of pretending it already exists. And frankly, I’m here for it. Because we’ve been talking about AI vaporware for too long at this point and time to show recruiters some dang respect that we deserve to know how the tools work, not just sign on the dotted line for wrapper running an API call to one of the AI labs. Thanks for coming on the show, Ike. You’re a legend and I appreciate you breaking down some of these complex principles so recruiters can grow with the technology itself. We’re on a mission to uplift and upskill the industry, and it’s because of people like you willing to bring us along for the ride. Visier delivers workforce insights that drive better decisions so you can go from instinct to impact. Visier delivers the AI-powered workforce insights leaders need to plan, decide, and act with confidence. Learn more: https://www.visier.com/ And shout out to WRKdefined for amazing mobile studio and running production on this one. Listen to more podcasts dedicated to advancing work at: https://wrkdefined.com/ 🎧

The Founder Who Fixed Frontline Hiring, w/ Ty Abernethy

Frontline hiring is breaking — and Grayscale is rebuilding it from the inside out. In this episode of The Revol TA Podcast, Brandon sat down with Ty Abernethy, founder of Grayscale, an AI-powered hiring platform transforming how enterprise teams hire, onboard, and support frontline workers at scale. Ty shares how Grayscale integrates directly into systems like SAP, Greenhouse, Workday, and UKG to remove friction from every step of the process — from high-volume screening and interview scheduling to hiring-manager workflows and first-day onboarding. Because when you’re processing thousands of applications per week, speed, empathy, and automation matter more than ever. You’ll learn: • Why candidate-first design leads to naturally stronger hiring outcomes • How AI agents assist candidates, recruiters, and hiring managers in real time • The real cost of high-volume hiring for enterprise teams • Why frontline hiring is the backbone of the economy — and why it still “sucks” today • How Grayscale’s agentic workflows reduce drop-off, eliminate manual tasks, and accelerate time-to-hire • What the next wave of conversational UI and multi-agent systems means for TA • Why so many AI deployments fail — and how to evaluate solutions anchored in real business problems Ty also opens up about Grayscale’s go-to-market strategy, partner-led growth, and how a lean, focused team can outperform bigger, better-funded competitors simply by staying close to the customer. If you care about automation, frontline hiring, or the future of recruiter workflows, this is a must-listen. Check out Grayscale today: https://grayscaleapp.com/

Headcount is a Gift w/ Camille Tate, Head of Talent @ Strava

Camille Tate is the Head of Talent at Strava. In this episode she discusses her journey in talent acquisition, the importance of community, and the evolving landscape of recruiting. Fresh off their acquisition of Runna, Strava is for active folks who love community-powered motivation. In this episode, recorded in January of 2025, Camille emphasizes the need for balance in personal and professional life, the significance of emotional intelligence, and the impact of fitness culture on workplace dynamics. All things Strava executes through its workplace, community and product. Camille also shares insights on navigating leadership changes, advocating for equality in opportunities, and the joy of building community through her podcasting efforts.takeaways With more than 20 years in TA, Camille is someone I've looked up to in the space for years and we have a shared passion for how * Strava emphasizes balance as a core value, especially in the context of personal wellness. * Community is intentionally built and motivates individuals to achieve their best. * Recruiters should view headcount as a gift and approach hiring with care. * Recruiters need to understand the business to effectively contribute to organizational strategy. * Soft skills are often more critical than technical skills in recruitment success. * Fitness culture can positively influence workplace dynamics and employee happiness. * Building a community through podcasting can be a fulfilling way to share knowledge and experiences. Stay in touch with Camille: https://www.linkedin.com/in/camillehtatemba/ Strava is hiring! https://www.strava.com/careers