DE Talk

Hosted by DirectEmployers Association

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Latest episode

Oct 2026

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About the show

For DirectEmployers, it’s all about valuable connections and meaningful conversations. DE Talk brings together HR and workforce experts for candid conversations on the issues, trends, and technologies shaping today’s workplace. From OFCCP compliance and federal contractor requirements to equal employment opportunity, recruiting, talent acquisition, AI in hiring and selection, and emerging workforce trends, each episode delivers practical insights, expert perspectives, and actionable ideas to help HR professionals navigate change and strengthen their strategies.

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60 recent

October 12, 2026Episode 445 min

The End of "Jobs Near Me": Conversational AI Is Changing How Candidates Find Jobs

"Jobs near me" has been the most common job search for 20 years, and with the introduction of AI, it's on the verge of disappearing. Candidates have stopped typing keywords. They're asking ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude for jobs that fit their experience, their schedules and their lives. If your jobs aren't in the handful of answers those tools give, candidates never see you. And because the AI platforms share no search data, most employers have no idea what candidates are asking. In this episode of the DE Talk Podcast, host AJ Selvey of DirectEmployers Association sits down with Ben Russell, co-founder of SonicJobs, to talk about what's changed, the misconceptions costing employers good candidates, and how CareerGPT brings a ChatGPT-style conversation to your existing career site without replacing your website or ATS. Ben also shares early CareerGPT data showing that more than half of candidate conversations lead to an application start. What you'll learn: Why "jobs near me" may soon disappear as candidates move to natural-language search Why being left out of AI answers makes employers invisible to job seekers How good and bad application friction affect completion rates How CareerGPT adds conversational AI to your existing career site without an ATS overhaul Why future career sites will need to serve both candidates and AI agents Enjoy the DE Talk Podcast? Hit follow in your podcast app so you never miss an episode. For updates on webinars, events and more, subscribe at DirectEmployers.org/Subscribe . Stay connected with DirectEmployers on LinkedIn , Facebook and X .

September 28, 2026Episode 342 min

Section 503 Changes: What Employers and the Disability Community Need to Know

As of September 21, 2026, a Final rule from the OFCCP removed three long-standing Section 503 requirements for federal contractors: the 7% utilization goal, the related annual data analysis, and the CC-305 disability self-identification form. In this episode, guest host PJ Rossi of Forte Advisory Group and HR Compliance Consultant at DirectEmployers talks with disability advocate Felicia Nurmsen, Founder of Inclusion Without Illusion, about what the change means in practice, bringing together an HR compliance practitioner view and an advocacy view on the same set of questions: how employers might approach measurement and accountability without a required benchmark, the distinction between self-identification and disclosure and what that means for employees with non-apparent disabilities, how AI-driven hiring tools intersect with accessibility and accommodation, and how employers and their nonprofit and workforce-agency partners might evaluate their recruitment relationships going forward. This podcast is for general discussion purposes only and should not be considered as legal advice. Enjoy the DE Talk Podcast? Hit follow in your podcast app so you never miss an episode. For updates on webinars, events and more, subscribe at DirectEmployers.org/Subscribe . Stay connected with DirectEmployers on LinkedIn , Facebook and X .

September 14, 2026Episode 225 min

Fixing the Application Black Hole with Dalia’s Sam Fitzroy

In this episode of the DE Talk Podcast, host Shannon Offord sits down with Sam Fitzroy, co-founder and CEO of candidate conversion platform, Dalia. Bringing over 15 years of industry experience—including key leadership roles at Indeed and The Muse—Fitzroy offers a candid look at the friction points plaguing modern recruitment. Together, they break down the flaws of volume-based hiring models, the impact of AI auto-apply tools flooding applicant tracking systems, and why making job applications overly complex harms both candidates and employers. Fitzroy also shares how talent acquisition teams can optimize content for generative AI search engines and previews Dalia’s upcoming candidate-support initiative designed to ensure job seekers never feel alone in their search. Enjoy the DE Talk Podcast? Hit follow in your podcast app so you never miss an episode. For updates on webinars, events and more, subscribe at DirectEmployers.org/Subscribe . Stay connected with DirectEmployers on LinkedIn , Facebook and X .

August 24, 2026Episode 123 min

EEO Data in Flux: Navigating the EEOC's Proposal to Rescind EEO-1 Reporting

For almost 60 years, the EEO-1 Report has been a fixture for employers—love it or hate it, everyone knows the drill. Now the EEOC wants to get rid of it, and nobody's quite sure what comes next. In this episode, Alicia Wallace talks with Nita Beecher of Fortney Scott about what's actually going on: why the EEOC is targeting EEO-1 reporting and the rules behind it, what EEOC leadership has said about how employers can still use this data, and why dropping federal reporting doesn't mean the legal risk goes away. They also get into the uncertain position employers might find themselves in—no requirement to collect the data, but still very much exposed to discrimination claims if they don't. It's a candid conversation for anyone who handles this work and is trying to figure out what to do next, not just what the headlines say. This podcast is for general discussion purposes only and should not be considered as legal advice. Enjoy the DE Talk Podcast? Hit follow in your podcast app so you never miss an episode. For updates on webinars, events and more, subscribe at DirectEmployers.org/Subscribe . Stay connected with DirectEmployers on LinkedIn , Facebook and X .

March 23, 2026Episode 833 min

Reworking Recruitment: AI, a Frozen Job Market & the Human Edge

The headlines say unemployment is low. The front lines tell a different story. In this episode of DE Talk, Jeff Gill sits down with Brian Fink, managing partner of The ReWork Group and author of Talk Tech to Me , to unpack what's really happening in today's talent market—and what it means for the future of recruiting. From trust erosion in tech hiring to AI's role as a force multiplier for mid-size companies, Brian challenges conventional wisdom and makes the case that in a frozen, patience-driven market, the recruiters who win are the ones doubling down on relationships, curiosity, and human judgment—not just automation. Enjoy the DE Talk Podcast? Hit follow in your podcast app so you never miss an episode. For updates on webinars, events and more, subscribe at DirectEmployers.org/Subscribe . Stay connected with DirectEmployers on LinkedIn , Facebook and X .

March 9, 202629 min

Cutting Through the Noise with AI-Powered Recruitment

In this episode of the DE Talk podcast, host Shannon Offord, VP of Partnerships at DirectEmployers, sits down with seasoned executive and strategist Brad Boggs, founder of JobFlow. With over 20 years of experience in the recruitment technology space, Boggs shares how his new platform uses "powerfully simple" AI solutions to fix the broken cycle of mass job applications and overwhelmed hiring teams, ultimately building more inclusive and effective hiring pipelines. Whether you are a job seeker looking to stand out or an employer looking to slash your time-to-fill, this conversation offers a roadmap for navigating the evolving AI-powered recruitment landscape. Enjoy the DE Talk Podcast? Hit follow in your podcast app so you never miss an episode. For updates on webinars, events and more, subscribe at DirectEmployers.org/Subscribe . Stay connected with DirectEmployers on LinkedIn , Facebook and X .

February 23, 2026Episode 738 min

Merit, Myths, and Measurement: Navigating the New ROI of Workplace Diversity

What happens to workplace diversity when the regulatory landscape shifts overnight? In this episode, compliance consultant Alicia Wallace and former Fortune 500 Chief Diversity Officer David Casey move beyond theory to discuss the reality of leading through change. Drawing on their history of managing hundreds of successful audits for some of the most recognizable brands, Alicia and David offer a masterclass in practitioner-level strategy. They pull back the curtain on what it really takes to bridge the gap between strict EEO compliance and meaningful culture, including how to go beyond “table stakes” as compliance is just the starting point, lessons from both sides of the OFCCP desk as the auditor and audited, and finally, a candid look at why merit-based hiring isn't a threat to diversity, but a tool for data-grounded decisions. Enjoy the DE Talk Podcast? Hit follow in your podcast app so you never miss an episode. For updates on webinars, events and more, subscribe at DirectEmployers.org/Subscribe . Stay connected with DirectEmployers on LinkedIn , Facebook and X .

February 9, 202638 min

Real or Robot? Navigating Candidate Fraud in the Age of AI

Is the candidate on your screen a real person or a deepfake? It's a question more recruiters are having to ask. In this episode of DE Talk, Shannon Offord sits down with Dwaine Maltais, Chief Strategy Officer at Nexxt to tackle the growing issue of candidate fraud. They explore the "trifecta" driving this surge–AI, automation, and accessibility–and share practical advice on how recruiters can spot red flags, verify candidate identities, and introduce good friction into the hiring process without ruining the candidate experience. Enjoy the DE Talk Podcast? Hit follow in your podcast app so you never miss an episode. For updates on webinars, events and more, subscribe at DirectEmployers.org/Subscribe . Stay connected with DirectEmployers on LinkedIn , Facebook and X .

January 26, 2026Episode 643 min

2026 Expert Compliance Insights: New Rules, Changed Government Enforcement & How Employers Can Respond

Federal contractor compliance underwent seismic changes in 2025: Executive Order 11246 was revoked, EEOC and the U.S. Department of Justice launched intensive investigations into DEI programs and EEO compliance, and the White House moved to centralize the regulation of artificial intelligence on the federal level–just to name a few. As 2026 begins, employers need clarity on what's changing and what’s required. Employment law attorneys Mickey Silberman and Michelle Duncan from Silberman Law break down the essential compliance requirements federal contractors must understand and will provide actionable guidance on what you should do to ensure compliance and reduce risk. Enjoy the DE Talk Podcast? Hit follow in your podcast app so you never miss an episode. For updates on webinars, events and more, subscribe at DirectEmployers.org/Subscribe . Stay connected with DirectEmployers on LinkedIn , Facebook and X .

January 12, 202630 min

Posting with Purpose: Tapping into the Hidden Job Market with Summer Delaney

What do Katie Couric and modern recruitment have in common? According to Summer Delaney, Founder and CEO of CollabWORK, the answer is the power of authentic networks. In this episode of DE Talk, Summer joins Shannon Offord to discuss how her career in media revealed that the best opportunities often come from professional communities rather than job applications. Together, they discuss the rise of the "hidden job market" and how employers can integrate into trusted spaces–from the Morning Brew to local nurse newsletters–without disrupting the community vibe. Plus, learn how AI is helping companies scale this hyper-targeted approach to find better qualified candidates. Enjoy the DE Talk Podcast? Hit follow in your podcast app so you never miss an episode. For updates on webinars, events and more, subscribe at DirectEmployers.org/Subscribe . Stay connected with DirectEmployers on LinkedIn , Facebook and X .