Ep. 8: Bar Raisers, Bra-less Interviews, and Nervous Breakdowns in HR, Steve Levy and Carmen Hudson

Carmen Hudson and Steve Levy share unforgettable recruiting stories, from a candidate accidentally removing her top during an Amazon interview to a bar raiser showdown that tested patience and protocol. These moments reveal how preparation—or lack thereof—shapes outcomes in recruiting and hiring. In this episode, we explore interview blunders, the evolving role of empathy in candidate management, and why skill-based hiring remains a pipe dream for many. Carmen and Steve dive into lessons learned, strategies to improve recruiter-hiring manager collaboration, and how AI might finally deliver on its promise to fix the mess in recruitment. Key Takeaways Preparation is everything in recruiting—blank pads and vague objectives don’t cut it. Interview blunders (like accidental wardrobe malfunctions) require grace and empathy to manage. The Amazon bar raiser program shows how tight processes can help—but rigidity can hurt. Skill-based hiring is still far from reality for most organizations. Candidate nervousness and recruiter anxiety can derail interviews—building rapport helps. Ghosting candidates damages the employer brand—communication is critical, even with rejections. AI’s role in hiring must focus on outcomes, not buzzwords, to deliver real value. Collaboration between recruiters and hiring managers is essential for great hiring decisions. Clear rubrics and performance metrics are key to fair and efficient hiring processes. Empathy isn’t just a buzzword—it’s a game-changer for candidate experiences. Nervous recruiters need lifelong learning to stay sharp in today’s AI-driven hiring landscape. Structured interviews with clear goals lead to better hires and happier candidates. This limited series is brought to you by FAMA, Modern Candidate Screening. Talent teams use FAMA to improve candidate quality, create safe and inclusive workplaces and place the right leadership for their organizations. You can subscribe and listen to the #9to5Nightmares podcast here https://fama.io/podcasts or here Connect with Carmen Hudson on LinkedIn here or you can find her Recruiting Book Club Podcast Here Connect with Steve Levy on LinkedIn here 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 The Site | Substack | LinkedIn | Instagram | X | Facebook | TikTok Share your brand across the WRKdefined Podcast Network