EPISODE · Nov 5, 2025 · 51 MIN
From Amazon to Custom Ink: Real Talk on Recruiting, AI & Career Pivots- LIVE from RecFest 2025
from The POZCAST: Decoding Success with Adam Posner · host Adam Posner
Chapters / Timestamps00:00 – Intro / RecFest Kick-off00:30 – Guest #1 – Tijal Rives (Amazon)00:40 The power of speaking your truth & dealing with trolls01:45 Career path – from recruiting → product at Amazon02:45 Curiosity as a superpower (“the red-button” story)03:40 Inside Amazon’s hiring process & the Bar Raiser05:50 Making the move from recruiting to product07:10 Curiosity & motivation in candidate conversations08:55 “How AI Can Change Recruiters’ Lives” – conference preview10:30 Good / Bad / Ugly of AI tools for recruiters12:45 Candidates using AI – benefits vs pitfalls14:30 High-touch recruiting & AI limits15:30 Hot takes: AI in recruiting | Hot dog = not a sandwich 17:10 Advice for job seekers – burnout plans & mindset18:20 Open-to-Work banner debate (Helpful!)19:25 Motherhood & work-life harmony 20:05 – Head of TA @ Aubrey Cirillo (Custom Ink)20:10 From banking → sales → TA leadership21:40 Sales skills = recruiting superpower22:25 Mentorship & self-storytelling23:00 Aligning hiring with business goals (role clarity)24:05 Small team challenges & cross-functional recruiting25:10 Shadowing employees to improve storytelling26:10 Sourcing stack – LinkedIn, Gem & AI tips27:30 Balancing open jobs vs intentional hiring28:40 Using AI without losing the human touch29:30 Scaling hiring through ambassador programs30:50 Building trust with hiring managers (proactive 1:1s)31:45 Equity & accountability in hiring33:00 Protecting time & energy as a recruiter34:20 Hot takes: Open-to-Work, Sourcing vs Closing, AI Interviews, and Hot Dogs 35:10 – Guest #3 –Sr. Technical Recruiter @ Heather Colvin (Smart Data)35:15 Full-circle moment & intro36:05 Recruiting as a career of creativity (no ceiling )37:20 Bridging the trust gap with hiring managers38:10 Using ChatGPT to close knowledge gaps (trust then verify)39:00 Lean tech stack & HireEZ vs LinkedIn bias39:40 Algorithm bias and why you need multiple tools40:10 The 72-hour pipeline rule 41:00 Transparency with multi-firm searches41:45 Favorite tools & learning from candidates42:10 AI interviews = “No” without feedback loop42:30 Hot takes lightning round & passion project “The Other 99 Athletes”43:20 – Guest #4 – Mike Piditto (Author, Content Creator)43:25 Career pivot from TA leader → creator & author44:10 Balancing authenticity vs relevance45:20 Handling trolls & mental health boundaries46:30 “Yes, You’re Being Judged” – book story & purpose47:15 Behind the book: real emails, rejections & reflection48:10 Why candidate experience starts at the top49:15 Favorite tech & why “built-by-recruiters” matters50:00 Advice for creators – authenticity over algorithm50:40 Find Mike online & wrap-up
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What this episode covers
Recorded LIVE @ RecFest US 2025 in Nashville, TN. Watch: https://youtu.be/afN0r8pFOKY From Amazon to Custom Ink: Real Talk on Recruiting, AI & Career Pivots Four powerhouse voices. One festival. Endless recruiting wisdom. Recorded live at RecFest 2025 Nashville, host Adam Posner sits down with four dynamic guests who open up about career pivots, recruiting tech, AI adoption, burnout, and authenticity in the talent world. Featuring: Tejal Rives (Amazon) – on curiosity, trolls, AI, and motherhood Aubrey Cirillo (Director of TA @ Custom Ink) – on role clarity, scaling hiring, and time protection Heather Colvin (Sr. Technical Recruiter @ Smart Data) – on recruiter ↔ hiring-manager trust and algorithm bias Mike Peditto (Author & Creator) – on reinvention, resilience, and staying relevant What You’ll Learn: - How recruiters can move into product and tech roles - The truth about AI in recruiting (what works and what’s hype) - How Custom Ink keeps hiring human while scaling - Building trust between recruiters and hiring managers - Mental health, burnout plans & creative careers in TA Thanks to our friends at Juicebox for sponsoring these episodes. Juicebox helps teams win the talent war—the leading AI recruiting platform that understands who you're looking for. Today, Juicebox powers hiring for 3,000+ customers, including Ramp, Perplexity, and Quora. Level up your team with Search, CRM, and Agents. → Try for free today — www.juicebox.ai
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From Amazon to Custom Ink: Real Talk on Recruiting, AI & Career Pivots- LIVE from RecFest 2025
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