Thousands of applications, no consistent way to review them, and great candidates slipping through. How does a global TA team fix that? In this episode of Hiring Happy Hour, Nicole talks with Danilo Bulatovic, Global Lead of Talent Acquisition Sourcing and Operations Technology at Syngenta, about turning that challenge into a success story. Danilo shares how SmartRecruiters’ Winston Match and Winston Screen brought consistency to top of funnel review while keeping humans in every decision. After five months of using Winston Match, more than 60% of candidates who scored a four have moved on to interviews at Syngenta, and early signs show less time spent on review and stronger candidates moving forward. Danilo also makes the case for responsible AI adoption: human oversight on every decision, regular checks on low-scored candidates, and screening that helps strong candidates move forward, not filter them out. He shares where the recruiting roadmap is heading, including agents that help candidates find roles that fit.

Takeaways:

• Find where your team’s time actually goes. Application review can take 30-50% of a TA team’s week, so look there first.
• Keep humans in the decision seat. Let AI prioritize candidates, then let your TA partners make every call.
• Pair matching with screening questions. Together they show your team who fits and surface details a resume may have left out.
• Don’t stop at the top matches. Review candidates across the full ranking to catch false negatives and build trust in the tool.
• Expect fewer applications reviewed, not lower quality. Early signs show less time at the top of the funnel and stronger candidates moving forward.

Quote of the Show:

• “When you join answers from Winston Screen and then with Winston Match, it does give a really great insightful way for recruiters to review these findings and also connect with the actual resume of candidates and decide who they want to move forward with.” - Danilo Bulatovic

Links:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danilobulatovic/
• Website: https://www.syngenta.com/

Ways to Tune In:

• Substack: HiringHappyHour.com
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1Pnhu7Njmi09N6Yzye59Nf
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/hiring-happy-hour/id1868802369
• Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/d60912b0-8925-4bba-aff1-f5230a0cc793
• iHeart Radio: https://iheart.com/podcast/317223012/
• Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/hiring-happy-hour-6340769
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HiringHappyHour
• Transistor: https://podcast.hiringhappyhour.com/

What does it take to lead hiring through relentless change without losing the human thread that holds teams together? In this special re-aired episode of Hiring Happy Hour, Nicole Hammond sits down with Kim Nicholas, GM of Talent Acquisition Systems & Payroll at The Warehouse Group, for a candid conversation about resilience, leadership, and high-volume hiring under pressure. Kim reflects on navigating COVID-era disruption, enterprise-wide agile transformation, and exponential growth in applications, all while supporting over 10,000 employees across 190+ retail sites in New Zealand. The conversation blends hard-earned operational lessons with deeply personal leadership insights, offering a grounded perspective on what it means to build hiring systems that endure.

Takeaways:

• Change doesn’t pause for perfect conditions. Momentum matters more than flawless execution when organizations are under pressure.
• Education beats enforcement during transformation. People adapt faster when they understand the “why,” not just the process.
• Attitude can outweigh experience. Especially in frontline and early-career roles, curiosity and coachability drive long-term success.
• Candidate experience is brand experience. How applicants are treated directly impacts customer trust and loyalty.
• Automation should protect humanity, not replace it. The best systems remove friction so recruiters can focus on connection and judgment.
• Resilient leadership depends on mental health. Sustained change is impossible without boundaries, balance, and self-awareness.

Quote of the Show:

• “ It was really about how can we make an impact to the business when we're not the ones that decide the product goes in store, but we can help the experience of who comes in.” - Kim Nicholas

Links:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kim-nicholas-26a23038/
• Website: https://www.twgcareers.co.nz/
• Email: kim.nicholas@thewarehouse.co.nz

Ways to Tune In:

• Substack: HiringHappyHour.com
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1Pnhu7Njmi09N6Yzye59Nf
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/hiring-happy-hour/id1868802369
• Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/d60912b0-8925-4bba-aff1-f5230a0cc793
• iHeart Radio: https://iheart.com/podcast/317223012/
• Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/hiring-happy-hour-6340769

The hiring playbook most teams still follow was built for a market that no longer exists. Attention spans are shorter, competition is fiercer, and rigid systems slow every decision down. In this special compilation of Hiring Happy Hour, Nicole brings together five talent leaders to explore why the old playbook can't match today's pace. From shrinking attention spans to hidden talent pools and rigid legacy systems, one message comes through: static hiring leaves opportunity on the table. The path forward pairs speed and flexibility with AI that reflects your culture, while human judgment and relationships stay at the center. The teams that win won't choose between speed and the human touch. They'll build both into the process.

Takeaways:

• Audit your job ads for length and clarity. If candidates leave after half a scroll, your best message never gets read.
• Time to hire is only half the picture. Track how quickly someone goes from seeing a job to starting it.
• Stop treating job boards as your whole strategy. Only about 5% of qualified people are looking, and everyone is chasing them.
• Reach the other 95% before a role opens. Build relationships with people who aren't searching yet.
• If one system change disrupts several teams, your setup is too tangled. Choose tech that lets you adjust without breaking things.
• Tell candidates where they stand. A simple status email beats silence, and today's workforce expects it.
• Train AI on your culture and values like you would a new hire. Keep human judgment in charge of the final call.

Quote of the Show:

• "When you pair smart, adaptive AI and genuine human insight, you just don't fill roles. You build stronger, more connected teams for the long, long haul." - Nicole Hammond

Links:

• Nicole Hammond: linkedin.com/in/nicolemhammond
• Adam Reynolds: linkedin.com/in/adamreynoldsrecruitment
• James Ellis: linkedin.com/in/thewarfortalent
• Chris Bailey: linkedin.com/in/chrisbaileysmartrecruiters
• Jeremy York: linkedin.com/in/jeremyyork
• Alison Bosch: linkedin.com/in/alison-bosch-4360366
• SmartRecruiters: https://www.smartrecruiters.com/

Ways to Tune In:

• Substack: HiringHappyHour.com
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1Pnhu7Njmi09N6Yzye59Nf
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/hiring-happy-hour/id1868802369
• Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/d60912b0-8925-4bba-aff1-f5230a0cc793
• iHeart Radio: https://iheart.com/podcast/317223012/
• Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/hiring-happy-hour-6340769
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HiringHappyHour
• Transistor: https://podcast.hiringhappyhour.com/