Recruiting expert Joel Lalgee shares why HR processes are failing candidates, how technology is outpacing recruiters, and why interviews need an overhaul.
We sat down with Joel Lalgee at the Recruiting Innovation Summit to unpack what’s actually broken in recruiting and what HR leaders should be doing about it.
Right from the start, Joel didn’t hold back. “One of the biggest myths in recruitment is thinking there’s a single, universal process,” he said. “Every hiring manager, every role, and every candidate interaction is unique. But too many vendors still push a one-size-fits-all approach.”
The Problem Isn’t Your Tech Stack, It’s How You Use It
According to Joel, companies consistently misunderstand their tech challenges. HR leaders often rush into buying software solutions without fully understanding their actual needs.
“You can’t select a tool and then figure out what problem you’re trying to solve,” Joel explained. “HR teams often chase new technology without clarity about their real pain points. That creates confusion instead of solutions.”
This approach leaves many organizations stuck with fragmented systems and unclear workflows. Recruiters feel pressured into adopting tools they don’t fully understand, creating anxiety instead of effectiveness.
Candidates Are Way Ahead on Tech (and It Shows)
One key issue Joel flagged is that candidates are now much savvier than recruiters about leveraging technology. Candidates routinely use AI to craft tailored resumes, automatically apply to roles, and prep for interviews in ways recruiters haven’t matched yet.
“Candidates are miles ahead of HR when it comes to tech,” Joel said. “They’re using AI to build personalized resumes, automate applications, and coach themselves through interviews. HR teams simply haven’t kept up.”
This tech mismatch means candidates arrive more prepared than recruiters. Stuck using outdated interviewing methods, recruiters miss out on top talent because their own methods haven’t evolved.
Your Interview Questions Need a Reality Check
Joel highlighted how outdated interview techniques are hurting companies. Organizations still rely heavily on superficial, cookie-cutter questions that reveal little about a candidate’s actual abilities or potential.
“Most interviews are still rooted in old-school assumptions,” Joel explained. “Recruiters think they know what candidates want, but they’re often wrong. Interview questions rarely reflect what candidates really care about or what the company truly needs.”
Joel believes modernizing the interview process is essential. Recruiters must shift from generic questions to thoughtful, tailored discussions that genuinely reveal candidate strengths and fit.
Relationships Beat Emails Every Time
Joel emphasized that meaningful connections matter most in recruiting. Face-to-face interactions at conferences and events remain far more valuable than endless streams of cold emails or generic LinkedIn outreach.
“You can send a thousand DMs and get nowhere,” Joel pointed out. “But one real, face-to-face conversation can change your entire perspective. Events like this are powerful because they create authentic relationships, not just lists of contacts.”
Joel argues that recruiters who prioritize genuine conversations will build stronger networks, gain deeper insights, and ultimately hire better.
Good Consultants Listen Before They Advise
Consultants often miss the mark because they start by recommending solutions without fully understanding the actual problems their clients face.
“Too often, consultants jump in and immediately apply a standard framework,” Joel said. “But the best consultants first take time to understand what’s really going wrong. Only after diagnosing the core issue can they offer meaningful solutions.”
Joel suggests both consultants and internal HR teams slow down, identify root causes, and then move deliberately toward solutions.
Fixing HR Begins with Self-Awareness
Joel concluded by stressing the importance of self-awareness within HR teams. Many organizations believe technology alone can solve their recruitment challenges, but the truth is more nuanced.
“You have to clearly identify your real issues before you try to solve them,” Joel advised. “Technology is powerful, but if you don’t know exactly what’s broken, it won’t fix anything.”
Joel Lalgee’s honest insights at the Recruiting Innovation Summit underscore a critical reality for recruiters today. The path forward depends on clearer self-awareness, smarter use of technology, stronger relationships, and fundamentally better interviews. Organizations stuck in outdated assumptions risk falling further behind.
This article is part of Chatterworks' exclusive series, capturing actionable insights from talent acquisition leaders at the Recruiting Innovation Summit.
As the right hand to many founders, Shafiur has made operations the secret weapon for many startups. He has built the operational infrastructure and held prominent leadership roles for several companies, including Airbus Aerial, Specright, Connectifier (Acquired by LinkedIn Feb' 16), and Airware. Decades of broad exposure have taught Shafiur which levers make each functional area work and how they must be coordinated for a startup to succeed.
