Joshua Sklüt, Chief People Officer and co-founder of MyStandard, joins us to discuss how traditional hiring methods are fundamentally broken. As the creator of the first employment and talent acquisition service built on Web3 technology, Josh argues that platforms like LinkedIn have become "the Tinder of recruiting" - focusing on superficial details rather than actual ability to do the job.

Josh reveals the biggest hiring mistakes companies make, from reactive hiring decisions driven by desperation to unconscious biases that limit talent pools. He shares powerful insights about how diversity improves business quality - not just for social responsibility, but for bottom-line results. The conversation covers why companies unknowingly perpetuate hiring biases even when they believe they're progressive, and how verification of candidates can transform the entire interview process.

The episode culminates with Josh's surprising hire story about bringing on a quadriplegic team member who became an invaluable employee, challenging preconceptions about ability and cultural fit. His wildcard response about abolishing resumes focuses on skills assessments as the only information that truly matters - a philosophy that drives MyStandard's encrypted, candidate-controlled platform where companies pay candidates directly for access to their verified professional data.

Resources Mentioned:

• Joshua's LinkedIn: Chief People Officer and co-founder of MyStandard
• MyStandard: Web3-powered employment platform giving candidates control of their professional data

Studies & Examples Referenced

• Bertrand-Mullainathan Study (2004): American Economic Review research showing identical resumes with white-sounding names (Emily, Greg) vs. African American names (Lakisha, Jamal) resulted in 50% more callbacks for white applicants (Josh referenced this as a "New York Times study" in the episode, but the actual research was published in the American Economic Review)
• Ivy League Hiring Bias - Example of companies that "only hired out of Ivy League schools" blocking 90% of qualified candidates
• Quadriplegic Employee Success Story - Josh's experience hiring a wheelchair-using employee who became an invaluable team member, challenging assumptions about ability and cultural fit

Show Resources

• CV Free Toolkit: cvfree.me/join - Break up with the CV and get everything you need to modernize your hiring approach with skills-based assessments
• Willo: willo.video - The most cost-effective way to screen candidates at scale. Interview candidates anywhere & at any time
• Connect with the Hosts:
  • Andrew "Woody" Wood: linkedin.com/in/andrew-douglas-wood
  • Anita Chauhan: linkedin.com/in/anitachauhan

Adam Gellert, founder of Linkus Group and the talent marketplace Hipo (previously HiredHippo), joins us to share insights from his two decades in the recruiting space. With a mission to build the greatest marketplace of pre-vetted diverse, high-potential candidates, Adam is reshaping the job application process with a focus on candidate experience. His expertise spans from helping startups hire their first employee to supporting companies scaling to 250+ people.
In this eye-opening conversation, Adam reveals why speed is the biggest hiring mistake companies make, explaining how rushing to fill positions without proper planning leads to poor outcomes. He challenges conventional hiring wisdom, arguing that recruiting is about getting "the best possible person, in the fastest amount of time, for the lowest cost" - and that companies don't need to compromise on any of these factors when they plan properly. Adam discusses how unconscious biases prevent organizations from recognizing great talent, and explains why the future of recruiting will be less about sourcing and more about consulting on fit and retention.
Adam shares compelling insights about surprising hires that defied conventional expectations, including candidates who started at $70K salaries and eventually commanded $500K. This episode challenges listeners to reconsider their hiring processes, recognize the limitations of what "looks good on paper," and embrace a more nuanced approach to identifying high-potential talent that can transform organizations.

Resources Mentioned

• Adam's Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamgellert
• Linkus Group: https://www.linkusgroup.com - Recruiting agency for hard-to-fill roles
• Hipo: https://hirehipo.com - Talent marketplace for high-potential candidates

Show Resources

• CV Free Toolkit: cvfree.me/join - Break up with the CV and get everything you need to modernize your hiring approach with skills-based assessments
• Willo: willo.video - The most cost-effective way to screen candidates at scale. Interview candidates anywhere & at any time
• Connect with the Hosts:
  • Andrew "Woody" Wood: linkedin.com/in/andrew-douglas-wood
  • Anita Chauhan: linkedin.com/in/anitachauhan

In this provocative episode of 'Looks Good on Paper,' hosts Woody and Anita explore the demise of the traditional job advertisement with Christine Spagnuolo, founder of The Sorelle Group and a veteran headhunter with 18 years of experience. Christine boldly declares job ads a "waste of time" and "outdated, broken system," explaining why she hasn't posted one in over a decade.

Christine dismantles the "post and pray" approach, revealing how it creates fatigue for both employers and candidates, especially in today's world where AI generates both job descriptions and applications. She argues that truly exceptional talent isn't browsing job boards - they must be directly pursued. The conversation delves into why internal recruitment teams struggle compared to agency headhunters, and makes a compelling case for commission-based incentives in corporate recruiting.

The discussion exposes hidden biases in hiring processes, with Christine sharing memorable career stories - including placing identical twins without interviews and seeing her first-ever placement climb to department head at Ferrero Rocher. The episode concludes with Christine's forward-thinking perspective that relationships and personal endorsements are already replacing CVs in progressive industries, particularly in tech startups where her recommendations alone secure interviews without traditional resumes.

Resources Mentioned

• Christine Spagnuolo: linkedin.com/in/christinespagnuolo - Senior recruitment consultant with 10+ years experience helping companies focus on skills and potential rather than traditional CVs.
• The Sorelle Group: thesorellegroup.com - Boutique recruitment consultancy specializing in relationship-based talent sourcing across North America, the Caribbean, and Hong Kong.

Show Resources

• CV Free Toolkit: cvfree.me/join - Break up with the CV and get everything you need to modernize your hiring approach with skills-based assessments
• Willo: willo.video - The most cost-effective way to screen candidates at scale. Interview candidates anywhere & at any time
• Connect with the Hosts:
  • Andrew "Woody" Wood: linkedin.com/in/andrew-douglas-wood
  • Anita Chauhan: linkedin.com/in/anitachauhan