jobTopia with Tony Moore

The Future of HR: AI, Tech and Talent with Alan Walker, CEO, Udder. Episode #258

Buckle up, folks, because this episode is a wild ride across the Atlantic and straight into the heart of HR’s techy transformation! We’re diving headfirst into the world where humans and robots (well, AI bots) join forces to make work less of a slog and more of a sci-fi adventure. Picture this: daylight savings has us springing forward, and we’re not just talking about losing an hour of sleep—we’re leaping into a future where HR isn’t just paperwork and coffee stains, but a slick, tech-powered powerhouse.
Meet Alan Walker, CEO of Udder
First up, we unpack the chaos of internet outages (colorful language included, but we kept it PG for your delicate ears) and how the UK apparently has it all figured out—or do they? Spoiler: Spring hasn’t quite sprung over there yet, but their HR game is blooming with tech wizardry. Across the pond, we’re connecting the dots on how HR pros are ditching the old-school grind for shiny new tools that make hiring, firing, and inspiring a whole lot smoother.
Ever wondered how AI is shaking up the talent acquisition scene? We’ve got the scoop on “agentic AI”—fancy talk for bots that handle the grunt work like screening resumes, scheduling chats, and even sweet-talking candidates with personalized vibes. It’s like having a super-smart intern who never sleeps (or complains about the coffee). Plus, we’re spilling the tea on how these digital minions can level the playing field, giving every applicant a fair shot—no more “first 100 resumes only” nonsense.
But wait, there’s more! We geek out on the nitty-gritty of digital transformation—think less “fear of change” and more “fear of missing out on the cool stuff.” From whipping up slide decks with AI magic (goodbye, PowerPoint purgatory) to tackling monstrous RFPs without breaking a sweat, we’re serving up practical hacks for the modern workplace. And yes, we even sneak in a hot tip: check out tools like Gamma and Eleven Labs if you want to impress your boss or just sound cooler than you already are.
On the business front, we get real about growing a company without a sales team—yep, it’s all about killer work and referrals so good they’d make your grandma proud. No silver bullets here, just solid advice on staying front-and-center with your network and building partnerships that don’t fizzle out faster than a cheap sparkler.
Oh, and we’ve got a juicy teaser for next time: something about custard and a name that’s udderly ridiculous (see what we did there?). Trust us, you’ll want to tune back in for that story. For now, grab your headphones, HR heroes, and get ready to laugh, learn, and maybe even code your way to a better workday. This is “Tech Across the Pond,” where HR meets hilarity—and a little bit of AI spice!
Connect with us:Website: udder.rocksEmail: alan@udder.rocksLinkedIn: Look for the bald guy with glasses named Alan Walker (he’s one of a kind!).
Next Episode Hint: Custard chaos awaits—don’t miss it!
Looking to upgrade your hiring? Contact Tony, today.
 

Evolve or Collapse. Futureproof Your Business with Rob Mann, VP Sales, Leap Advisory Partners Episode 257

Rob Mann from Leap Advisory Partners joins Tony Moore on Timpl's podcast, jobTopia, to discuss the onslaught of AI advances and the actions every business must take now. Don't be a dinosaur when the meteor hits! 
Intro and Music Tradition: A quick intro highlights a playful insistence on playing traditional music, emphasizing its personal significance.
Introduction of Leap Advisory: An introduction features Leap Advisory Partners
Digital Transformation and Client Needs: Discussion focuses on aiding companies at revenue inflection points (10M-100M+) lacking internal tech strategy, needing digital transformation for growth.
AI Adoption and Policies: Conversation shifts to AI’s rising adoption (58-60% per recent reports), stressing the need for policies to address data privacy risks.
Staffing vs. Recruiting Explained: Recruiting (direct hire, low barrier) is contrasted with staffing (complex, recurring revenue), outlining their operational and revenue distinctions.
Workforce Transformation Gains: Emphasis is placed on speed as a primary benefit of digital transformation, with clean data driving efficiency and a distinction between legacy and real-time data in AI.
AI Chatbots and Zero Admin Vision: Exploration of AI chatbots’ reliance on data cleanliness for personalization leads to a vision of a tech stack eliminating administrative tasks through automation.
Automotive Staffing Insights: Automotive staffing’s complexities and hands-on learning are examined, connecting to practical workforce transformation experiences.
Work for Pay vs. Outcome: Work-for-outcome (gig-like) and hourly pay models are compared, with predictions of AI-driven changes in workforce and software pricing structures.
Staffing Sales Summit Takeaways: Recap of the Staffing Sales Summit praises its high-quality content (mindset, branding, sales) and networking, delving into subconscious mindset training.
Podcast Plugs and Wrap-Up: Promotion of “You Own the Experience” podcast centers on tech and people intersection, with plans for a future tech-focused episode.
Music from Uppbeat:https://uppbeat.io/t/soundroll/get-the-funk-inLicense code: SF3WUKBUJQULFHXE
Visit www.timpl.com to learn more about our staffing solutions for your business. 
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AI Powered ChatBots for Sales with Jason Moolenaar, Founder, Sentient Sales Technology. Episode 255

What is an AI Powered Chatbot for Sales and how will it streamline the sales process? Jason Moolenaar from Sentient Sales Technology joins the Timpl podcast - jobTopia - to discuss how chatbots will transform business.
Discover how AI-powered chatbots revolutionize sales by slashing response times to inbound leads, ensuring you beat the competition to the punch.
Learn why 5-minute responses are the new gold standard—ditch the 30-minute delays and watch conversion rates soar.
Boost efficiency with chatbots that filter leads fast, asking 2-7 key questions to qualify prospects and book meetings instantly.
Say goodbye to manual follow-ups—automate lead nurturing via text or web chat and free up your team to close deals.
Unlock the power of AI to streamline hiring, engaging job candidates in real-time, and scheduling recruiter calls effortlessly.
Supercharge your sales funnel with technology that bridges marketing and sales, eliminating bottlenecks and driving ROI.
Leverage AI for internal wins—train chatbots on product docs or handbooks to save hours and empower your team.
Explore a future where chatbots dominate every business facet, from healthcare to hospitality, with smarter, faster communication.
Adopt cutting-edge tools that deliver calendar invites from inbound leads in hours—sales empowerment starts here.
Optimize your process with expert insights—audit workflows, integrate AI, and watch your business scale in 2025.
Check us out on our website - https://blog.timpl.com/ai-powered-chatbots-for-sales?hs_preview=kpmZIyTx-186408451239
 
Music from Uppbeat:https://uppbeat.io/t/soundroll/get-the-funk-inLicense code: SF3WUKBUJQULFHXE

Local SEO AI: Everything You Need To Know with Jacob Ralph, CEO and Co-Founder of GetFancy.Ai Episode 254

If you are new to SEO or handle SEO yourself, this is the perfect episode for you. SEO, quite simply,  helps your website content rank higher in Google search queries. Let's say you wrote a fantastic blog like this one here. You want customers or potential candidates to find your content and discover your amazing company. Until now, SEO has been largely a manual process.  Meet Jacob Ralph, CEO and Co-founder of Getfancy.ai
Jacob explains how difficult manual SEO is and why automating the process is crucial to staying one step ahead of your competition. He and his team have created the perfect local SEO AI tool. I can't wait to use this at Timpl!
 
More information on the Timpl BLOG
Watch on youtube

How to Outsell Everyone with LinkedIn Automation with Robert Deck, President Click2.AI. Episode #253

Dive deep into the complexities and challenges of modern sales, particularly on platforms like LinkedIn.
 
WATCH YouTube DEMO
 
Guest: Robert Deck
Robert is a staffing and IT entrepreneur who created a game-changing AI for LinkedIn users.
Company: Click2.ai
We critique traditional sales methods, highlighting how they've evolved from simple phone calls to a digital landscape where personal connection is often lost. Tony laments the days when one could call a company, ask for a person, and have a 50% chance of getting through. Now, in an era dominated by digital communication, the chances of reaching someone by phone have dwindled to less than single digits.
Enter the game-changer: AI. Tony introduces Robert Deck, a tech-savvy entrepreneur who has transitioned from staffing to revolutionizing sales through artificial intelligence. Robert shares his journey, explaining how he incorporates AI into his recruitment firm to dramatically increase efficiency. His passion for technology leads him to develop a tool called click2.ai, which is his answer to the spammy, impersonal nature of LinkedIn interactions.
Robert demonstrates click2.ai live, showing how it can transform the sales process on LinkedIn by automating personalized comments, connections, and engagement based on user profiles and posts. The tool allows for customization of tone, style, and even dialect, ensuring that the AI's interactions feel genuine and reflective of the user's personality.
The demonstration is eye-opening. Click2.ai can sift through LinkedIn profiles, identify active users based on their recent posts, and engage them in a way that feels natural and personal. It's not just about spamming connections but about fostering genuine interactions. The tool is designed to work not just for recruiters but for any sales professional looking to scale their outreach without losing the human touch.
Tony is visibly impressed, noting how this tool could help salespeople focus on what truly matters – building relationships rather than managing contacts. They discuss how this could be a top-of-funnel strategy, turning the cold, impersonal digital outreach into something more engaging and potentially fruitful.
As the episode wraps up, Robert invites listeners to try click2.ai for themselves, providing easy access through his LinkedIn profile or website. Tony thanks Robert for the insightful demo, emphasizing how this could redefine sales in the digital age, making it more about meaningful connections than mere numbers.
Click2.ai delivers a new dawn for sales professionals, where technology helps sales scale and navigate the digital world with a human touch.

ASYMBL The Future of Work. Episode#252

AI has infiltrated every aspect of digital work and life, but AI Agents offer the most promise of automation replacing manual digital labor. 
Brandon Metcalf from Asymbl joins the jobTopia podcast to discuss the current reality of AI Agents.
 
SHOW NOTES
Talent Rover: An HR tech company initially founded, which was later acquired by Bullhorn. The founders have since started new ventures due to their entrepreneurial drive.
New Ventures: After selling Talent Rover, I was involved in other projects, including founding Blueprint Advisory, a Salesforce consulting firm. This led to further engagement in staffing solutions through Salesforce partnerships.
Salesforce Ecosystem: The conversation delves into how Salesforce has evolved, emphasizing its role not just as a CRM but as a comprehensive business operating system. This evolution includes various tools like Chatter, Salesforce 1, Lightning, and AI enhancements like Einstein, leading to the concept of a "digital workforce."
AI Agents: A significant portion of the discussion is on AI agents, which are not merely chatbots but intelligent entities capable of performing tasks autonomously based on data and AI logic. This includes examples like writing emails tailored to specific interactions or managing data across platforms like Slack for better workflow.
Tech Stack for Staffing: For staffing firms interested in adopting this technology, the advice is to start with understanding the problem to solve, ensuring data integrity, and leveraging platforms like Salesforce for their agent capabilities without needing extensive coding knowledge.
Future Implications: The dialogue touches on how AI integration will fundamentally change how businesses operate, emphasizing the blend of human and digital labor for competitive advantage. The importance of data normalization and security is highlighted to prevent misuse or leakage.
Closing Thoughts: The conversation ends with an invitation to explore more on AI agents in future episodes, acknowledging the transformative potential of this technology in staffing and recruitment while addressing human concerns about interaction with AI.
AI Agents in HR Technology:
From Chatbots to Agents: AI agents represent an evolution from basic chatbots, which were primarily used for simple, scripted interactions. Agents are designed with greater autonomy, intelligence, and the ability to perform tasks independently or in collaboration with humans.
Role of AI Agents: These agents leverage AI to not only respond to queries but also to execute tasks, make decisions, and learn from interactions. They use technologies like natural language processing (NLP), machine learning (ML), and large language models to understand context, interpret data, and act accordingly.
Key Attributes:
Autonomy: Unlike traditional AI systems that require human oversight for each action, agents can operate autonomously. They can be programmed or learn to manage workflows, from scheduling to data analysis.
Task Execution: Agents can perform a variety of tasks such as writing emails, managing candidate databases, scheduling interviews, or even providing personalized job recommendations based on past interactions and data.
Learning and Adaptation: They learn from the data they process and the outcomes of their actions, improving their decision-making and task execution over time. This continuous learning makes them effective in dynamic environments like recruitment, where human behavior and job requirements are variable.
Integration with Systems: AI agents are designed to integrate seamlessly with existing systems. In Salesforce, for instance, they can work within the platform or extend functionalities via APIs, interacting with both structured data (like CRM entries) and unstructured data (like emails or Slack messages).
Applications in Staffing and HR:
Candidate Engagement: Agents can handle initial candidate interactions, screen applicants, and even conduct preliminary interviews through text or voice communication, enhancing engagement and speeding up the hiring process.
Data Management: They can manage and update databases, ensuring data integrity by cross-referencing information from various sources, updating candidate profiles, or tracking job statuses.
Predictive Analytics: Using historical data, agents can predict candidate fit, retention likelihood, or potential job satisfaction, helping recruiters make informed decisions.
Workflow Automation: From automating follow-ups to managing interview schedules and feedback loops, agents can significantly reduce manual labor, allowing human recruiters to focus on strategic tasks like relationship building.
Challenges and Considerations:
Data Privacy and Security: As agents deal with sensitive personal data, ensuring compliance with data protection laws like GDPR or CCPA is crucial. There's also the challenge of safeguarding this data against misuse or breaches.
Human-AI Interaction: There's potential resistance from both candidates and recruiters due to the impersonal nature of AI. Trust and transparency in how AI decisions are made need to be established.
Bias and Fairness: AI systems can perpetuate existing biases if not carefully designed. Algorithms must be continuously audited for fairness in candidate selection or job matching.
Skill and Knowledge Transfer: Training AI agents to understand the nuanced requirements of different jobs or the subtleties of human interaction in recruitment is an ongoing challenge.
Future Trends:
Conversational UI: Moving beyond traditional interfaces, the future involves more conversational interactions, making the technology more intuitive and less cumbersome for users.
Multi-Agent Systems: Companies might employ multiple specialized agents that work together, each with specific roles, enhancing the complexity and capability of business operations.
Ethical AI: There will be an increasing focus on developing AI agents that adhere to ethical standards, promoting inclusivity and fairness in recruitment practices.
Integration with Emerging Tech: As technologies like blockchain for secure data handling or VR for virtual interviews evolve, AI agents will integrate with these to provide more comprehensive solutions.

How to Negotiate Salary (using power dynamics) with John Gates, Episode #251

John Gates and I discuss practical steps to follow when negotiating an offer.
Salary Coach
Happy New Year! This is when many consider changing jobs, potentially waiting until after receiving bonuses in January. It's predicted that there will be significant job turnover and changes in 2025.
John Gates, who has a background in recruiting from entry-level to managing thousands of job offers at Fortune 500 companies, shares insights on salary negotiation.
Common mistakes in job offer negotiations are highlighted, including the tendency to accept offers immediately without negotiation. Gates advises on how to ask questions to gain time for better negotiation, even if the company says the offer is "their best".
Gates emphasizes that negotiation should begin from the first interaction with a company, not just at the offer stage. He suggests avoiding "open" or "negotiable" on salary applications; instead, one should provide a number that gets them considered but isn't too high.
The strategy of using a salary range during discussions is advocated to keep negotiation leverage. Gates explains psychological concepts like "memetic desire" to increase one's perceived value by subtly showing competition for your candidacy.
The conversation touches on the dynamics of power in interviews, where the candidate gains leverage as the company shows buying signals or interest.
Gates discusses his coaching services, aimed at guiding people through job offers, particularly in high-stakes situations like C-suite negotiations, where fear of losing an offer can lead to leaving money on the table.
An example is given of a COO who nearly missed out on substantial additional compensation due to reluctance to negotiate further.
The challenges for out-of-work C-suite executives are discussed, including the dynamics with executive search firms and the necessity for strategic job hunting.
Schedule time with Tony to discuss your staffing and direct need hiring needs for a free Q&A.

Emmanuel Toutain, Episode #250

The shocking truth is that 30-40% of IT candidates are FRAUDS! You read that correctly. This is bananas. Listen to what they do! And what you can do about it. 
 
Emmanuel Toutain
TurboCheck
 
Fake Candidates, Real Problems: There have been stories about sophisticated scams, including one involving North Korean agents, and the rampant issue of people juggling multiple jobs to scam companies.
Tech to the Rescue: With AI and automation, the company offers solutions to detect fraud early in the recruitment process, saving time, money, and headaches. They've got tools for digital verification, reference checking, and document validation, all designed to keep the real talent and the frauds apart.
A Call to Vigilance: The takeaway? Always be on your toes. In a world where fraudsters are as cunning as they are bold, vigilance combined with tech is your best defense against hiring headaches.
Where to Connect: Check out www.turbocheck.com, where the experts in fraud detection are ready to help.
Contact Tony to discuss hiring, staffing, or being a guest on the show!