In this episode of Talking TA, host Denise Chaffin welcomes Kevin Serwatka, founder of Benchmark, an AI-powered hiring optimization platform. Kevin takes us on his journey from agency recruiter to talent leader at Google, Meta, and Robinhood—culminating in the launch of his own company. Together, they explore the practical use of AI in recruiting, the limits of automation, and the evolving role of recruiters as strategic business partners. Kevin breaks down how Benchmark leverages data to uncover bottlenecks, diagnose hiring inefficiencies, and improve speed, quality, and candidate experience. The conversation dives into the future of sourcing, the myth of AI replacing recruiters, and the critical need for curiosity and culture advocacy in today’s talent teams. Whether you're an HR leader, TA practitioner, or startup founder, this episode offers tactical insights and thought-provoking predictions on the future of hiring.

Key Episode Segments:

• AI’s current strength is automating low-hanging tasks like scheduling and resume filtering, not replacing human judgment in hiring.

• Benchmark uses AI to uncover bottlenecks across recruiters, jobs, and metrics—driving more strategic, data-informed hiring processes.

• The future of sourcing may see fewer, more specialized sourcers, as AI narrows the candidate funnel.

• Recruiters must evolve into culture ambassadors and business partners, combining data fluency with empathy.

• Curiosity will be a core competency in the next wave of TA professionals—those who don’t evolve may be left behind.