The Future of Hiring: AI Meets Human Expertise

Recruiting is broken—but what if you could fix it in 72 hours? In this episode, we talk with Lauren Heffran from SeekOut about Spot, a managed recruiting solution blending AI and real hiring expertise. From streamlining the candidate slate to saving time for overwhelmed hiring managers, Spot is rewriting how hiring works for startups and enterprise alike. We talk about recruiting, AI, candidate slates, and why HR tech is finally solving hiring at scale. Key Takeaways ➡ Spot is a fully managed recruitment service built by the team at SeekOut. ➡ AI helps streamline and accelerate candidate evaluation—without replacing human judgment. ➡ Spot offers both an agency-style experience and a curated slate model. ➡ The first 72 hours of a search are mission-critical to hiring success. ➡ Flexible models are winning in a market where no one wants to sign 12-month contracts. ➡ Spot serves as both solution and education tool for companies new to modern recruitment. ➡ Hiring managers don’t want more dashboards—they want hires. ➡ Calibration isn’t just helpful—it’s essential to get alignment fast. ➡ Companies that delay hiring lose candidates—and momentum. ➡ Spot is where urgency, tech, and talent actually align. Chapters 00:00 What are we talking about? 01:18 Lauren Heffran's Background and Experience 02:50 Overview of SeekOut and the Spot Team 05:09 Understanding the SPOT Model and Its Benefits 07:17 The Spot Process: Streamlining Recruitment 08:59 Market Trends and the Shift to Managed Services 10:54 Engaging Hiring Managers with the New Model 13:25 Identifying Ideal Customers for Spot 15:28 Calibrating Candidate Selection 18:56 The Role of Technology in Hiring 22:57 The Importance of Urgency in Hiring 23:58 Transitioning from Spot to Internal Recruiting 24:30 Understanding Success Fees 25:22 Questions Buyers Should Ask 26:56 Future Vision for Spot 27:59 Defining Candidate Slates Guest Info Lauren Heffran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurenskuchasheffran/ Lauren leads the Spot team at SeekOut, where she blends AI innovation with real-world recruiting expertise. Connect with us William Tincup LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/tincup/⁠ Ryan Leary LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanleary/⁠ Connect with WRKdefined on your favorite social network Site: ⁠http://www.wrkdefined.com⁠ TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@wrkdefined⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/wrkdefined⁠ Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/WRKdefined/⁠ Twitter (X): ⁠https://twitter.com/WRKdefined⁠ Substack: ⁠https://wrkdefined.substack.com/⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices