In the HR world, workplace misconduct is considered especially heinous. At HR Tech, William Tincup and Ryan Leary of WRKdefined take over "9 to 5 HR Nightmares" to expose shocking stories from top industry leaders. Their mission: to reveal how weak candidate screening and compliance failures can devastate company culture. These are their stories—raw, real, and a reminder that modern HR practices are your first line of defense. Misconduct isn’t just a nightmare—it’s a ticking time bomb.
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In the HR world, workplace misconduct is considered especially heinous. At HR Tech, William Tincup and Ryan Leary of WRKdefined take over "9 to 5 HR Nightmares" to expose shocking stories from top industry leaders. Their mission: to reveal how weak candidate screening and compliance failures can devastate company culture. These are their stories—raw, real, and a reminder that modern HR practices are your first line of defense. Misconduct isn’t just a nightmare—it’s a ticking time bomb.
Ep. 18 Russian Emails, Lies in Interviews, and the AI That Might Replace Us
Workplace Misconduct: A Mandatory Meeting
6 minutes
8 months ago
Ep. 18 Russian Emails, Lies in Interviews, and the AI That Might Replace Us
In this episode we talk about the hidden flags recruiters miss, the lies candidates tell, and the tools AI gives us to finally get ahead. William Tincup and Ryan Leary sit down with Mike Wolford live at the Fama booth during HR Tech to unpack real-life stories from the field and why the future of recruiting is all about data, not gut checks.
Key Takeaways
➡ One contractor sent inappropriate emails in Russian, assuming no one would translate them — HR did
➡ Overly detailed excuses in interviews often signal dishonesty or manipulation
➡ Recruiters can spot bad actors by watching for unverifiable or overly polished claims
➡ AI can help forecast patterns recruiters miss — like MRI tech catching cancer earlier than humans
➡ Mike argues the real threat of AI is not violence, but preference — we’ll like bots more than people
➡ Recruiters who rely on phone screens are falling behind — it’s time to automate the basics
➡ Data-driven recruiting means knowing salary trends, response rates, and source effectiveness
➡ AI should handle tasks like scheduling and screening so recruiters can focus on strategy
➡ Strategic advisors win. Order takers and guessers get replaced
➡ Success at HR Tech is about helping recruiters transition into data-first talent pros
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
Chapters
00:00 Live at Fama’s booth with Mike Wolford
01:00 The Russian email incident and HR’s translation surprise
02:00 Lies in interviews and spotting overcompensation
03:00 How AI helps recruiters see patterns before people can
04:00 Why AI will win our attention before it destroys anything
05:00 Recruiters must evolve into data-powered strategists
06:00 Scheduling, screening, and admin tasks belong to AI
07:00 What Mike hopes to get from HR Tech this year
Guest Info
Mike Wolford, Author of The AI Analyst
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikewolford
Website: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lex-duo-ai/
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: https://twitter.com/WRKdefined
Substack: https://wrkdefined.substack.com
Workplace Misconduct: A Mandatory Meeting
In the HR world, workplace misconduct is considered especially heinous. At HR Tech, William Tincup and Ryan Leary of WRKdefined take over "9 to 5 HR Nightmares" to expose shocking stories from top industry leaders. Their mission: to reveal how weak candidate screening and compliance failures can devastate company culture. These are their stories—raw, real, and a reminder that modern HR practices are your first line of defense. Misconduct isn’t just a nightmare—it’s a ticking time bomb.
