The Talent Fix: Future of Hiring and Recruitment Innovation

Hosted by Barry Prost

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May 2026

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Hiring makes or breaks growth - yet it’s one of the hardest things to get right. We cut through the noise with practical insights, fresh HR strategies, and expert takes on scaling fast, reducing costs, protecting culture, and building employer brands in a competitive talent market. Each episode brings industry experts, business leaders, and innovators who are shaping the future of hiring and recruitment innovation. If you’re looking for practical insights, smarter strategies, and fresh ideas to fix your toughest talent challenges, this podcast is for you.

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25 recent

May 21, 2026Episode 2424 min

AI Can Screen. It Can't Build Trust. What That Means for Hiring in 2026

AI is reshaping recruitment faster than most companies can keep up, but it still can't replace the one thing that closes a great hire: relationships and judgment.In this episode of The Talent Fix, Barry Prost sits down with David Hanrahan, Chief People Officer at SolarWinds, to unpack what's actually working in talent acquisition right now. David brings 20+ years of people leadership across Twitter, Zendesk, Eventbrite, Niantic, and SolarWinds to share what separates companies that hire well from those that don't.They cover: the build vs. buy question on agentic AI tools, why executive search still matters for hard-to-fill roles, how to write job descriptions around "wild success," tackling recruiter-hiring manager misalignment, and the growing threat of candidate and recruiter fraud.Essential listening for CPOs, CHROs, talent leaders, and anyone serious about building great teams.

April 16, 202621 min

Hiring, AI & HR Compliance: What SMEs Are Getting Wrong | Crystel Robbins Rynne - CEO, HRLocker

Many growing companies think they have a hiring problem. In reality, they’re dealing with gaps in structure, compliance, and how they manage people as they scale.This conversation cuts through the noise and focuses on what’s actually working.What we cover:Why many SMEs are still struggling with HR complianceHow technology is changing the way companies manage peopleWhere AI will (and won’t) make a real impact in HRWhat high-performing companies do differently when hiringPractical insights on leadership, culture, and retentionIf you're reviewing your hiring strategy or trying to reduce cost and improve speed, learn more here:👉 https://rentarecruiter.com

March 18, 2026Episode 2318 min

Hiring as You Scale: What’s Changing and What Still Works

Hiring doesn’t break overnight. It gets harder as companies scale.In this episode of The Talent Fix, Barry Prost speaks with Laura Walsh, Director of People & Experience at Thinscale, about what’s actually changing in hiring today and what still matters.From AI tools and CV screening to candidate experience, culture fit, and remote work, this conversation explores how modern hiring is evolving and where companies are getting it right and wrong.They discuss:How AI is shaping both sides of the hiring processWhy human judgement still plays a critical roleThe challenges of maintaining candidate experience at scaleHiring for curiosity, culture, and long-term fitThe shift towards output-based work and flexible environmentsWhat scaling companies need to rethink in their hiring approachIf your business is growing and hiring is becoming more complex, this episode offers a practical look at what to focus on and what not to overcomplicate.

January 7, 2026Episode 2217 min

The Skills Crunch: What Ireland’s Talent Gap Means for Every CEO and HR Leader

Today on The Talent Fix, we’re unpacking the future of skills in Ireland and what it really means for CEOs, HR leaders, and recruiters trying to hire in an increasingly competitive market.I’m joined by Shauna Dunlop, Director of Research, Future Skills Needs, Statistics and Risk at SOLAS. Shauna leads the teams responsible for tracking labour market trends, forecasting future skills demand, and informing the education and training systems shaping Ireland’s workforce.In this episode, we discuss what the latest SOLAS research tells us about current and emerging skill shortages, where the real opportunities are for Irish businesses, and how organisations can better access and leverage upskilling initiatives to stay competitive.If you are responsible for workforce planning, hiring strategy, or long-term business growth, this conversation will help you connect skills data to real hiring decisions.

November 24, 2025Episode 2131 min

Hiring, Culture and AI with Payslip Founder & CEO Fidelma McGuirk

Barry Prost speaks with Fidelma McGuirk, Founder and CEO of Payslip. With 21 years of international leadership experience and teams built across 25 countries, Fidelma shares a practical look at hiring, culture and the real impact of AI on modern work.We dive into:• Why 58 percent of EU businesses struggle to hire ICT and engineering talent• How Payslip attracts developers out of large banks• Building culture across Ireland, Spain and Bulgaria• Why remote first is harder than most CEOs admit• The monthly CEO led onboarding session she still runs• The licence to innovate rule and how it drives better ideas• AI replacing tasks not people and what that means for teams• How project management and engineering work are changing with AI toolsIf you are a founder, CEO or HR leader trying to hire, scale or retain high impact talent in fintech or tech, this conversation will give you a grounded, real world view of what is working today.

August 27, 2025Episode 2026 min

AI, Jobs & the Future of Work: What’s Really Changing?

In this episode of The Talent Fix, Barry Prost speaks with Andrew Hines, Lecturer in Computer Science at University College Dublin, about the real impact of AI on jobs and what skills will continue to matter most.We explore:What generative AI can and can’t do in the workplaceWhy “AI shepherds” are emerging as a crucial roleThe biggest misconceptions about AI in hiringThe skills future graduates (and current leaders) can’t afford to ignoreWhether humans will remain “in the loop” or be pushed outAndrew also shares insights from his work in speech AI, discusses the AI arms race in recruitment, and explains why critical thinking still trumps prompt engineering.Whether you’re a hiring leader, HR pro, or just wondering how to stay relevant in the AI era, this episode delivers the clarity you need.Timestamps:00:00 – Intro & Guest Welcome 00:49 – What Jobs Will AI Actually Replace? 02:00 – What Gen AI Can and Can’t Do 04:30 – Deterministic vs Stochastic AI 06:00 – AI’s Limits in Structured Environments 08:10 – Why Voice & Translation AI Still Fall Short 10:30 – What Are “AI Shepherds” and Why We Need Them 12:30 – The Case for Keeping a Human in the Loop 14:20 – AI Bias and Cultural Blind Spots 16:00 – Empathy, Context, and Hiring in an AI World 17:40 – The Skills That Still Matter 20:50 – Why AI Literacy Is Critical for All Careers 23:00 – The AI Arms Race in Recruitment 25:45 – Final Thoughts: Balance, Ethics, and OpportunityRead more on AI in Recruitment: https://rentarecruiter.com/ai-recruitment-leading-with-ethics-and-accountability/

June 12, 202527 min

What Is a Skills Intelligence Strategy? (And Why Your Business Needs One)

In this episode of The Talent Fix, Barry Prost talks to Vanessa Wainwright, Founder & CEO of Abodoo, about how Skills Intelligence is transforming the way we work, learn, and hire. Discover why a Skills Passport, task-based jobs, and a common skills language are key to the future of work — and how organisations can implement a winning Skills Intelligence Strategy today.As the skills landscape changes rapidly — with 56% of businesses saying their core skills changed in the last 2 years, and 59% expecting more change by 2027 (Skillnet) — understanding what skills you will need and how to acquire them is becoming critical for both employers and employees.Timestamps:00:00 – Welcome & Introduction01:01 – The story behind the name “Abodoo”01:41 – Why a skills-first hiring approach matters03:13 – Creating individualised skills pathways for every employee04:25 – The chaos of skills taxonomies & how Abodoo solves it06:51 – The outdated CV problem & rise of Skills AI07:45 – 55,000+ skills & keeping up with change08:13 – Tools like Skills Lens & Core Skills First System09:10 – The Skills Passport: What it is and how it works09:46 – Most in-demand skills of the next 5 years11:14 – Lifelong learning & empowering employees12:52 – Calculating the true cost of your skills gap14:19 – Mapping skills and personalising learning pathways15:51 – Skills marketplaces & internal mobility16:56 – Why jobs are evolving into tasks17:57 – Task-based hiring: What’s next18:39 – The importance of educating business leaders20:11 – Future role of Chief Skills Officer22:43 – Visualising your real-time skills assets23:31 – Measuring skills levels & transferable skills24:57 – Building fulfilling, flexible careers26:13 – How to sign up for Abodoo’s Skills First WorkshopSign up for the Skills First Masterclass: https://abodoo.com 💡 Subscribe for more conversations on the future of hiring, learning, and talent strategy.

April 9, 202523 min

Are CVs Dead? Why Skills-Based Hiring Is Changing Recruitment (with Dr. John McMackin, DCU Business School) Episode 21.

In this episode of The Talent Fix, Barry Prost speaks with Dr. John McMackin, Associate Professor at DCU Business School, to explore why traditional CVs are becoming obsolete — and how a skills-first approach can futureproof your hiring strategy.From skills taxonomies to internal mobility barriers, we unpack the research and offer practical advice for HR and TA leaders navigating this evolving landscape.00:00 - Introduction & Guest Welcome00:54 - Skills vs Experience in Hiring02:20 - Why Skills Predict Performance Better Than Qualifications04:55 - Challenges of Adopting a Skills-First Approach06:45 - Importance of Shared Skills Language (Taxonomy)09:00 - Resistance to Skills Transparency & Internal Mobility12:00 - Starting with Pilot Projects in Skills-Based Hiring13:30 - How to Assess Skills Beyond the CV15:40 - The Role of Self-Assessment & Performance Management17:00 - Rethinking Job Descriptions & Qualifications19:45 - Addressing Bias in Hiring Decisions21:00 - Skills Passports: Empowering Employee Development22:50 - Where to Access the Full Research23:30 - Closing Remarks & OutroAbout Rent a RecruiterRent a Recruiter is a B2B embedded recruitment agency helping high-growth and enterprise companies scale their talent acquisition with flexible, cost-effective hiring solutions. Our embedded recruiters work as an extension of your internal team, helping you find top talent faster, smarter, and with less risk.We specialise in scalable recruitment across sectors and empower businesses with a skills-first mindset to match the right people to the right roles.Want to learn more or book a consultation?Visit https://rentarecruiter.com/ or connect with us on LinkedIn.

January 15, 2025Episode 2023 min

Mastering Workforce Upskilling: Insights from Industry Experts. Episode 20

Mastering Workforce Upskilling with special guests, Breeda O’Toole from IDA Ireland and Carmel Keane of Fort Wayne Metals. Join us as we dive into the critical topic of workforce upskilling alongside two esteemed guests: Breeda O’Toole from IDA Ireland and Carmel Keane of Fort Wayne Metals. This podcast explores strategies, trends, and practical examples for embedding continuous learning into organisational cultures.Key Themes from the Podcast:1. Trends Shaping Workforce Upskilling2. Overcoming Challenges to Embrace Continuous Learning3. Practical Case Study: Fort Wayne Metals4. Strategies for Building a Future-Ready Workforce

April 23, 2024Episode 1926 min

Future Stars: Identifying Success in Potential Hires. Episode 19

In this episode we talk to Charlotte Melkert, co-founder of Equalture, which is revolutionising the recruitment landscape. With an eye for fairness and a passion for disrupting the status quo, she's challenging the traditional reliance on CVs and transforming how we think about talent acquisition.Charlotte shares her views on which competencies (flexibility and learning ability) & traits (conscientiousness & proactivity) are the greatest predictors of a candidates success in the role. Charlotte gives some brilliant practical tips for how HR Managers can easily start to shift towards a competency based approach for hiring. For example 1) compare / contrast traits & competencies of your high performing teams vs your low performing teams; 2) Ask your Hiring Manager, what are the traits/competencies of the high performing individuals in your team? 3) Ask your Hiring Managers the 'Golden Question': if this person left the company tomorrow - what skills / competencies would you lose? Finally, Charlotte shares her view of the future of Talent Acquisition becoming a key strategic pillar of every organisation.