Digital Recruiter Podcast

#112- Why Marcus Quigley Walked Away from a Safe Job and Built a 6-Figure Niche in Legal Staffing

SUMMARYIn this powerful episode of the Digital Recruiter Podcast, host Clark Wilcox sits down with Marcus Quigley, founder of Recruitify, to unpack a raw, real, and inspiring journey from burnout to breakthrough. Marcus didn’t plan on becoming a recruiter, he stumbled into it after falling out of love with sales finance. But what started as a pivot became a purpose-driven career that would eventually lead him to launch his own agency focused on legal and professional services.
This episode isn’t about startup fluff or highlight reels. Marcus takes us into the messy middle: the six months of struggle after going solo, the desperation that nearly derailed him, and the $20K loan against his 401(k) that bought him breathing room. From there, he got laser-focused, tightening his niche, his vetting process, and his mindset. Along the way, he racked up 24 placements and found something more valuable than revenue: confidence, clarity, and conviction.
The conversation also veers into personal territory. Marcus opens up about losing his father, his five-year sobriety, and the lessons those moments etched into how he runs his business. If you’ve ever questioned whether you’re cut out for entrepreneurship, or needed proof that authenticity still wins, this episode is for you.
 
MARCUS' BIOI’m the founder of Recruitify, a boutique recruiting firm focused on legal and professional services. I built this business on being real with people, honest, direct, and straightforward. I don’t sugarcoat things or hide behind buzzwords. My job is to do the right thing for both my clients and my candidates, even when it’s not the easy thing. That’s how you build long-term trust and real results.
Connect with Marcus on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcus-quigley-a7146ba1/
Stop wasting money on lead-gen tools that don’t work. Learn how top recruiters are winning on LinkedIn with content, messaging, and automation—without spamming.  Get live coaching, ongoing support, and a proven system to drive revenue inside Digital Recruiter Bootcamp. Join now: DigitalRecruiter.io/bootcamp
Get the best and most current digital recruiting insights, tips, and strategies every Sunday—straight to your inbox, for free: https://www.digitalrecruiter.io/drnewsletter
For more information about Digital Recruiter, click HERE ---＞ https://linktr.ee/thedigitalrecruiter

#111- How Ashley Woods Scaled a $10M Desk and Bought Her Time Back

SUMMARYAshley Woods didn’t just build a successful recruiting desk. She redefined what success looks like. After starting her career at Allegis Group with no prior knowledge of the industry, she quickly rose through the ranks by applying an athletic mindset and a relentless hunger to master her craft. But after hitting big wins including five President’s Club awards, she burned out, left recruiting altogether, and came back on her own terms.
In this episode, Ashley shares how she built her $10 million desk at Tema, the systems she used to break the hustle trap, and why she launched Time Rich Recruiter to help others do the same. She and Clark go deep on time audits, the emotional toll of overworking, the role of vulnerability in client relationships, and how to leverage partnerships and automation without losing the human touch. Whether you're scaling or stuck, this is a masterclass on sustainable success.
 
ASHLEY'S BIOAshley Woods is the founder of Time Rich Recruiter, a coaching platform designed to help recruiters break free from burnout and build systems that scale. A five-time President’s Club winner and top biller at TEEMA, Ashley built a $10M desk while traveling the world. She's trained Muay Thai in Phuket, learned Spanish abroad, and is passionate about helping others build lives they don’t need a vacation from. 
Connect with Ashley on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleyjcwoods/ or at https://www.timerichrecruiter.com/
Stop wasting money on lead-gen tools that don’t work. Learn how top recruiters are winning on LinkedIn with content, messaging, and automation—without spamming.  Get live coaching, ongoing support, and a proven system to drive revenue inside Digital Recruiter Bootcamp. Join now: DigitalRecruiter.io/bootcamp
Get the best and most current digital recruiting insights, tips, and strategies every Sunday—straight to your inbox, for free: https://www.digitalrecruiter.io/drnewsletter
For more information about Digital Recruiter, click HERE ---＞ https://linktr.ee/thedigitalrecruiter

#110- Mike Bradshaw on Amplifying Recruiters with Automation, Without Losing the Human Touch

SUMMARYIn this episode of the Digital Recruiter Podcast, Clark Wilcox sits down with Mike Bradshaw, Vice President of Talent at Pinpoint, a next-gen ATS platform that's redefining hiring for in-house teams. With ERE’s Recruiting Innovation Summit just around the corner, Mike shares a preview of his upcoming talk and dives deep into the urgent challenges recruiters are facing today.
As recruiting teams are stretched thinner than ever, juggling a surge in applicants, tighter budgets, and growing expectations, Mike explains how smart workflow automation can actually elevate the recruiter’s role instead of replacing it. From simplifying complex hiring to maintaining candidate empathy at scale, the conversation highlights how Pinpoint's human-centered tech design is helping companies hire faster and fairer.
Clark and Mike also unpack what to look for in an ATS, why design and support matter as much as features, and how to evaluate innovation in a crowded HR tech market. It’s a candid, practical discussion on transforming recruiting operations while keeping the human element front and center.
 
MIKE'S BIOMike Bradshaw is the VP of Talent at Pinpoint, a high-growth HR tech company building software that helps in-house recruiting teams attract, hire, and onboard the right talent.
With over 15 years of experience leading People and Talent strategy across early-stage startups, mission-driven organizations, and nationally scaled brands, Mike has built and scaled talent infrastructure from the ground up—guiding teams through high-growth periods and successful exits.
Follow Mike on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/itsmikebradshaw/
Stop wasting money on lead-gen tools that don’t work. Learn how top recruiters are winning on LinkedIn with content, messaging, and automation—without spamming.  Get live coaching, ongoing support, and a proven system to drive revenue inside Digital Recruiter Bootcamp. Join now: DigitalRecruiter.io/bootcamp
Get the best and most current digital recruiting insights, tips, and strategies every Sunday—straight to your inbox, for free: https://www.digitalrecruiter.io/drnewsletter
For more information about Digital Recruiter, click HERE ---＞ https://linktr.ee/thedigitalrecruiter
Make sure to sign up for the ERE Recruiting Innovation Summit on November 4th and 5th in San Diego. In person and virtual seats available.
Get 10% off your ticket by using code "DigiRec" at checkout: https://lnkd.in/ewQcNVEi

#109- Jim Durbin on Smarter Recruiting, Better Process, and What Most TA Leaders Miss

SUMMARYIn this high-impact episode, Clark Wilcox sits down with Jim Durbin, aka the “Indeed Whisperer”, for a wide-ranging conversation on recruitment marketing, process design, and how to think like a TA consultant in an era of automation. Jim has trained over 10,000 recruiters, led campaigns that delivered 500,000 candidates for less than 30 cents each, and worked across high-volume, executive, and everything in between.They dive into a case study from NHHS Management, where Director of Recruiting Mike Dickinson reimagined the application process for skilled nursing roles in some of the toughest markets in the U.S. What happened next? A dramatic drop in cost per applicant, and better candidate experience. But this episode is about more than just tactics. Jim explains why TA leaders need to stop chasing AI and start fixing broken processes. He shows how reframing metrics like source of hire can mean the difference between strategic credibility and being replaced.This one’s a masterclass in thinking differently about scale, quality, and impact in recruiting. Come for the Indeed insights. Stay for the storytelling, salty takes, and timeless truths about how recruiting really works.
JIM'S BIOJim Durbin is a veteran recruiter, trainer, and recruitment marketing consultant best known as “The Indeed Whisperer.” With decades of experience across staffing, RPO, executive search, and corporate TA, Jim is a rare hybrid who understands both front-line sourcing and strategic TA operations. He’s helped optimize recruitment strategies for companies like Marriott, PSG, and dozens of mid-market firms, often reducing costs while increasing candidate quality. A former headhunter turned high-volume hacker, Jim brings a sharp sense of humor, deep insight, and a hat you won’t forget.
Find Jim on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimdurbin/
Stop wasting money on lead-gen tools that don’t work. Learn how top recruiters are winning on LinkedIn with content, messaging, and automation—without spamming.  Get live coaching, ongoing support, and a proven system to drive revenue inside Digital Recruiter Bootcamp. Join now: DigitalRecruiter.io/bootcamp
Get the best and most current digital recruiting insights, tips, and strategies every Sunday—straight to your inbox, for free: https://www.digitalrecruiter.io/drnewsletter
For more information about Digital Recruiter, click HERE ---＞ https://linktr.ee/thedigitalrecruiter
Make sure to sign up for the ERE Recruiting Innovation Summit on November 4th and 5th in San Diego. In person and virtual seats available.
Get 10% off your ticket by using code "DigiRec" at checkout: https://lnkd.in/ewQcNVEi

#108- Rethinking ATS, Scaling RPO, and Why Talent Acquisition Needs a Seat at the Table

SUMMARYChristine Nichlos didn’t set out to build an RPO and HR tech firm that would partner with some of the world’s most complex enterprises, she simply saw a better way to do recruiting. Since launching People Science in 1997, she’s stayed at the forefront of talent acquisition by staying relentlessly curious and customer-focused. In this episode, Christine joins Clark Wilcox to talk about the evolution of recruiting from paper resumes to AI-augmented systems, and what most leaders still get wrong about applicant tracking systems (ATS).They dive deep into how her team developed Hire Gate, a recruiter- and candidate-tracking platform that augments existing ATSs to provide actionable intelligence. Christine explains why TA leaders need better data, not more tools, to make strategic decisions, and how platforms like Hire Gate are helping teams shift from reactive hiring to proactive workforce planning. She also shares why AI alone can’t save you, how her team pilots tools before implementation, and what true recruiter enablement looks like.Christine’s passion is clear: if we don't fix talent acquisition, the economy can’t grow. This episode is a powerful reminder that TA isn’t just back-office HR, it’s mission-critical. Whether you’re an enterprise TA leader, agency recruiter, or HR tech buyer, this conversation will make you rethink your tech stack, your team structure, and your own influence.
 
CHRISTINE'S BIOChristine Nichlos is the Founder and CEO of People Science and Hire Gate, a next-generation RPO and HR tech firm that specializes in solving high-volume, complex hiring challenges. With roots in talent advisory and a sharp focus on execution, Christine’s companies have supported global enterprises like Lucent, Verizon, and others in redesigning how they attract and retain talent. She is a passionate advocate for elevating talent acquisition as a business-critical function, and her firm’s platform Hire Gate helps TA teams plan, track, and optimize recruiter performance beyond what a traditional ATS allows. When she’s not designing systems to fix recruiting, she’s mentoring teams to think strategically and speak the language of business.
Connect with Christine on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/cnichlos/
Stop wasting money on lead-gen tools that don’t work. Learn how top recruiters are winning on LinkedIn with content, messaging, and automation—without spamming.  Get live coaching, ongoing support, and a proven system to drive revenue inside Digital Recruiter Bootcamp. Join now: DigitalRecruiter.io/bootcamp
Get the best and most current digital recruiting insights, tips, and strategies every Sunday—straight to your inbox, for free: https://www.digitalrecruiter.io/drnewsletter
For more information about Digital Recruiter, click HERE ---＞ https://linktr.ee/thedigitalrecruiter
Make sure to sign up for the ERE Recruiting Innovation Summit on November 4th and 5th in San Diego. In person and virtual seats available.
Get 10% off your ticket by using code "DigiRec" at checkout: https://lnkd.in/ewQcNVEi

#107- How Larry Hernandez is Scaling Recruiter Brilliance with Custom AI Assistants

SUMMARYIn this episode of the Digital Recruiter Podcast’s ERE Summit Series, Clark Wilcox is joined by Larry Hernandez, founder of Recruiter DNA. With over 25 years in the industry, Larry now teaches recruiters how to build their own AI-powered workflows that boost productivity without sacrificing the human side of recruiting. His approach is grounded, tactical, and built for scale, making AI accessible to recruiters at any level.Larry shares how he trains recruiting teams to use ChatGPT and generative AI as collaborative tools instead of replacements. He introduces the concept of “scaling brilliance” capturing the workflows of your top performers and turning them into custom AI copilots anyone can use. From intake meetings to writing job posts in your brand’s tone, Larry offers a refreshing and empowering take on AI’s role in modern hiring. This is a must-listen for anyone overwhelmed by AI and unsure where to start.
 
LARRY'S BIOLarry Hernandez is the founder of Recruiter DNA, a training and AI strategy firm for modern recruiting teams. With a background spanning agency, in-house, RPO, and consulting roles at companies like Zappos, Microsoft, and Twitter, Larry now helps TA leaders and recruiters build practical, no-code AI assistants using the tools they already have. He specializes in demystifying AI and helping teams scale their top performers' knowledge through custom GPT workflows.
Connect with Larry on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/larryhernandezrecruiter/
Stop wasting money on lead-gen tools that don’t work. Learn how top recruiters are winning on LinkedIn with content, messaging, and automation—without spamming.  Get live coaching, ongoing support, and a proven system to drive revenue inside Digital Recruiter Bootcamp. Join now: DigitalRecruiter.io/bootcamp
Get the best and most current digital recruiting insights, tips, and strategies every Sunday—straight to your inbox, for free: https://www.digitalrecruiter.io/drnewsletter
For more information about Digital Recruiter, click HERE ---＞ https://linktr.ee/thedigitalrecruiter
Make sure to sign up for the ERE Recruiting Innovation Summit on November 4th and 5th in San Diego. In person and virtual seats available.
Get 10% off your ticket by using code "DigiRec" at checkout: https://lnkd.in/ewQcNVEi

#106- How Nick Livingston Is Rewriting the Recruiter Playbook with Interview Intelligence

SUMMARYIn this episode of the Digital Recruiter Podcast, Clark Wilcox talks with Nick Livingston, co-founder and CEO of Honeit, a platform built to modernize and streamline one of the most neglected parts of the recruiting process: the interview. Honeit doesn’t just record calls or generate transcripts, it creates a complete interview intelligence system that helps recruiters run better conversations, submit stronger candidates, and speed up hiring without sacrificing quality.Nick explains the gap Honeit was built to fill between sourcing and the ATS, why AI should be used to elevate, not replace, recruiters, and how automation can empower every recruiter to perform like an executive search pro. The two explore how Honeit helps recruiters turn phone screens into high-value interviews, submit with one click, and share insights that accelerate stakeholder buy-in. This is an inside look at how smart tech is making recruiters better, not obsolete.
 
NICK'S BIONick Livingston is the co-founder and CEO of Honeit, a platform built to empower recruiters with interview intelligence and modern communication workflows. With over a decade of experience in recruiting and HR tech, Nick has been a long-time voice in the innovation space, regularly contributing to conversations at SourceCon, ERE, and beyond. He’s passionate about using automation and AI to elevate human interaction, not remove it.
Connect with Nick on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicklivingston/
Stop wasting money on lead-gen tools that don’t work. Learn how top recruiters are winning on LinkedIn with content, messaging, and automation—without spamming.  Get live coaching, ongoing support, and a proven system to drive revenue inside Digital Recruiter Bootcamp. Join now: DigitalRecruiter.io/bootcamp
Get the best and most current digital recruiting insights, tips, and strategies every Sunday—straight to your inbox, for free: https://www.digitalrecruiter.io/drnewsletter
For more information about Digital Recruiter, click HERE ---＞ https://linktr.ee/thedigitalrecruiter
Make sure to sign up for the ERE Recruiting Innovation Summit on November 4th and 5th in San Diego. In person and virtual seats available.
Get 10% off your ticket by using code "DigiRec" at checkout: https://lnkd.in/ewQcNVEi

#105- How Aaron Wang and Alex.com Are Helping Teams Interview Everyone Without Burning Out

SUMMARYIn this episode of the Digital Recruiter Podcast, Clark Wilcox talks with Aaron Wang, co-founder and CEO of Alex.com, one of the most exciting AI platforms in recruiting today. Just weeks after announcing their $20M Series A, Aaron joins the show to break down how Alex is helping companies run autonomous interviews, shorten time to hire by over 80%, and let recruiters focus more on human connection.Aaron shares how Alex.com is transforming talent acquisition at some of the largest accounting firms, Fortune 100s, and staffing agencies in the country. More than a screening tool, Alex acts as an AI recruiting partner, handling phone screens, candidate outreach, and real-time ATS updates while surfacing the best talent. The conversation also dives into the real impact of automation on recruiter roles, what skills will matter most over the next decade, and why personal connection still beats any software feature.
 
AARON'S BIOAaron Wang is the co-founder and CEO of Alex.com, an AI recruiting platform that automates high-volume screening, outreach, and candidate engagement. Since launching just two years ago, Alex has raised $20 million in venture capital and is being used by some of the most recognized brands in staffing, finance, and hospitality. Aaron is a passionate advocate for combining automation with empathy, helping recruiters do more of the work that actually drives hiring success.
Connect with Aaron on Linked in at https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronjwang/ and explore Alex at alex.com
Stop wasting money on lead-gen tools that don’t work. Learn how top recruiters are winning on LinkedIn with content, messaging, and automation—without spamming.  Get live coaching, ongoing support, and a proven system to drive revenue inside Digital Recruiter Bootcamp. Join now: DigitalRecruiter.io/bootcamp
Get the best and most current digital recruiting insights, tips, and strategies every Sunday—straight to your inbox, for free: https://www.digitalrecruiter.io/drnewsletter
For more information about Digital Recruiter, click HERE ---＞ https://linktr.ee/thedigitalrecruiter
Make sure to sign up for the ERE Recruiting Innovation Summit on November 4th and 5th in San Diego. In person and virtual seats available.
Get 10% off your ticket by using code "DigiRec" at checkout: https://lnkd.in/ewQcNVEi

#104- How Mike Dickinson Digitized NHS Hiring and Tackled One of Healthcare’s Toughest Talent Gaps

SUMMARYIn this episode of the Digital Recruiter Podcast’s ERE Recruiting Innovation Summit Series, host Clark Wilcox sits down with Mike Dickinson, Director of Recruiting at NHS Management. Mike shares the story of transforming hiring at a skilled nursing organization that had been operating with paper applications as recently as 2020. With over 40 long-term care facilities under NHS’s umbrella, the stakes were high—and the changes had to be practical, fast, and scalable.Mike walks through how he took the organization from manual job posts and outdated systems to a modern tech stack using UKG, Chattr, and AI-enhanced workflows. He breaks down what’s worked, what hasn’t, and why change management matters more than the tools themselves. They also discuss why frontline healthcare hiring is one of the hardest challenges in TA today, and how to recruit with heart, clarity, and a long game mindset. Whether you’re in healthcare or not, this is a masterclass in moving from reactive to strategic recruiting inside a complex system.
 
MIKE'S BIOMike Dickinson is Director of Recruiting at NHS Management, where he leads talent acquisition for over 40 skilled nursing and rehab facilities across Alabama, Florida, and Arkansas. He’s known for guiding NHS through a digital hiring transformation during COVID, introducing ATS, AI tools, and content strategy into an industry segment often slow to modernize. Mike brings a hands-on, honest perspective on healthcare hiring and the real-world lessons of driving change in a high-stakes environment.
Connect with Mike on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-dickinson-4b296b1/
Stop wasting money on lead-gen tools that don’t work. Learn how top recruiters are winning on LinkedIn with content, messaging, and automation—without spamming.  Get live coaching, ongoing support, and a proven system to drive revenue inside Digital Recruiter Bootcamp. Join now: DigitalRecruiter.io/bootcamp
Get the best and most current digital recruiting insights, tips, and strategies every Sunday—straight to your inbox, for free: https://www.digitalrecruiter.io/drnewsletter
For more information about Digital Recruiter, click HERE ---＞ https://linktr.ee/thedigitalrecruiter
Make sure to sign up for the ERE Recruiting Innovation Summit on November 4th and 5th in San Diego. In person and virtual seats available.
Get 10% off your ticket by using code "DigiRec" at checkout: https://lnkd.in/ewQcNVEi
 
 

#103- Why Candidate Experience Still Wins (Even When No One's Hiring) with Kevin Grossman

SUMMARYIn this episode of the ERE Recruiting Innovation Summit Series, Clark Wilcox sits down with Kevin Grossman, VP of Candidate Experience Benchmark Research at Survale and the driving force behind the CandE Awards. With over 14 years of research into candidate sentiment, Kevin shares why the current job market is one of the roughest for professionals in decades and what that means for recruiters, hiring managers, and employer brands.They explore why even in a market where companies aren’t hiring aggressively, candidate experience still matters. Kevin explains how poor communication, slow feedback, and ghosting can damage long-term brand loyalty, while thoughtful rejections, feedback for finalists, and timely follow-ups can actually create advocates out of people you don’t hire. The episode also touches on the real impact of AI screening, the importance of interview training, and what companies can do now to reduce candidate resentment.
 
KEVIN'S BIOKevin Grossman is Vice President of Candidate Experience Benchmark Research at Survale and President of the Talent Board. For over 14 years, he has led the CandE Awards program, working with hundreds of companies to measure and improve every aspect of the candidate journey. Known for his data-backed insights and clear-eyed analysis, Kevin is a trusted voice on what actually moves the needle in talent acquisition.
Connect with Kevin on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinwgrossman/
Stop wasting money on lead-gen tools that don’t work. Learn how top recruiters are winning on LinkedIn with content, messaging, and automation—without spamming.  Get live coaching, ongoing support, and a proven system to drive revenue inside Digital Recruiter Bootcamp. Join now: DigitalRecruiter.io/bootcamp
Get the best and most current digital recruiting insights, tips, and strategies every Sunday—straight to your inbox, for free: https://www.digitalrecruiter.io/drnewsletter
For more information about Digital Recruiter, click HERE ---＞ https://linktr.ee/thedigitalrecruiter
Make sure to sign up for the ERE Recruiting Innovation Summit on November 4th and 5th in San Diego. In person and virtual seats available.
Get 10% off your ticket by using code "DigiRec" at checkout: https://lnkd.in/ewQcNVEi