Contact Us
Questions, comments, ideas for future content? Contact us below.
In this episode of The Hirewell Update, Ryan Ross sits down with Charlie Saffro, founder and CEO of CS Recruiting, ...
Innovators in the recruiting space since 2001.
Our sister company. Helping people become better job seekers.
Visit Hirewell.com
So where do you want to work, anyway? That’s the million-dollar question.
We believe in treating a job search like a sales funnel. You need to start with dozens (and maybe 100+) of opportunities at the top to reach a handful of offers at the end.
One of the biggest challenges in a job search is not knowing what opportunities are even available. Most people default to checking out the job boards. The problem with this strategy is two-fold: every job you see could have hundreds of other great applicants, and some of the best companies never even post their jobs!
We advise people to make your own path in your job search: start with identifying companies doing things you’re passionate about. Do a lot of research and force yourself to identify 50+ companies and track them on a spreadsheet creating a list of companies you want to target (Target Company List). Figure out who you know at these companies and what they are hiring for. Anyone that has done sales knows that you need to track every step with every contact. Nothing can slip through the cracks. This can seem like a daunting process but the good news is we’ve already outlined the process job seekers should follow so that potential job opportunities aren’t missed.
What is a Target Companies List?
A target company list is a working document that will help keep track of organizations and opportunities that you’ve identified as being a potential fit for your next employer. Once complete, the list will comprise of companies that make practical sense and others that are more unconventional and exciting to you as an individual. These could be places that have piqued your interest because they align with your skillset, are known for having an excellent culture, or because their mission is something you believe in. Whatever the reason, these are places that are worth exploring.
Why should I create a Target Companies List?
Simply put, job searching is overwhelming. It’s time-consuming and if you aren’t using your time wisely you’re wasting it. It might seem like a good idea to apply to 100+ jobs but it isn’t if you’re applying to jobs that don’t match your skill sets, goals, or interests. You should be dedicating your time to applying for jobs at companies you believe are a good fit for you. Streamlining the job search process to target companies you’re interested in by narrowing down your search allows you to better track open opportunities, strategically use your network to gain referrals, and ultimately get your resume in front of the right people.
More blogs from Ryan Brown
In the latest episode of The Hirewell Update, Ryan Ross is joined by Jeff Smith to discuss a topic that every ...
We’ve all been there. We find human resources job seekers who check all of the boxes and who prove to be the best ...
Today we want to talk about growth. You want to grow your organization—but with intention: a strong culture, ...
We hear it all the time: Looks aren’t everything. But personality? That’s a different story. A candidate’s ...
So where do you want to work, anyway? That’s the million-dollar question.
We believe in treating a job search ...
Coming Soon...
See all Talent Insights Blog entries....
Our Latest Featured Episode
No results found.
Plenty has been written about AI over the past two years. For much of that time, AI has been more hype than reality. I THINK 2026 is when that starts to change.
Here’s the first in a three part series of where we see AI going in the recruiting world.
———-
For the last few years, most companies treated AI like a recruiting assistant. It helped draft job descriptions, summarize resumes, and speed up outreach. Useful, sure. But it didn’t fundamentally change how hiring worked. And oftentimes, things needed to be double checked before hitting send.
I think that’s going to change.
In 2026, we’re seeing the rise of agentic HR. These are systems that don’t just support recruiters. They can execute work autonomously inside defined guardrails.
That shift is forcing talent leaders to rethink what recruiting teams are actually responsible for and what still requires a human.
From Copilot AI to Agentic Recruiting Systems
Traditional recruiting AI waited for humans to click “next.”
Agentic systems don’t.
They can interpret real-time funnel data, align to hiring goals, and take multi-step action. That includes adjusting sourcing spend, coordinating interview schedules, and triggering workflow changes without manual oversight.
This isn’t automation layered onto old processes. It’s the early version of a self-driving recruiting function.
The Metric That Matters More Than Time-to-Fill
Time-to-fill and cost-per-hire still matter. They just don’t fully capture what’s changing.
A concept showing up more in 2026 is Return on Autonomy. It measures the value created when humans and autonomous systems are paired intentionally.
In plain terms, the question is simple.
Are we using technology to eliminate busywork, or are we just doing the same work faster?
Because speed doesn’t help if it leads to worse decisions, a weaker candidate experience, or more noise in the funnel.
Why This Changes the Role of TA Leadership
As agentic systems absorb transactional work like screening, scheduling, and coordination, the role of recruiting leadership shifts.
The best TA leaders are spending less time managing process and more time doing what actually drives hiring outcomes. That includes aligning hiring to business priorities, building trust with candidates, and improving decision quality.
The real opportunity of 2026 isn’t more AI. It’s that recruiters finally get to focus on the work that requires being human.
The Mistake Companies Are Making Right Now
Here’s the trap.
Companies adopt advanced recruiting technology but keep the same habits. Long approval chains. Inconsistent communication. Unclear evaluation criteria.
When that happens, speed increases, but trust collapses.
Candidates don’t experience innovation. They experience silence, confusion, and a process that feels even more impersonal than before.
In 2026, the human experience of hiring is becoming a differentiator again because so many companies are getting it wrong.
What Talent Leaders Should Be Thinking About Now
You don’t need a total rebuild tomorrow. But you do need clarity.
The companies winning in 2026 are asking the right questions.
What parts of our hiring process truly require human judgment?
Where are we slowing things down out of habit?
Are recruiters trained for strategic work, or just process management?
Do our systems increase transparency, or just efficiency?
These aren’t technology questions. They’re leadership questions.
What’s Next
Agentic HR is changing how recruiting works. It’s also creating a new challenge.
As employers deploy autonomous systems, candidates are doing the same. The result is an emerging AI-on-AI hiring arms race that’s flooding pipelines with highly optimized but low-trust applications.
Next in this series: The AI-on-AI Hiring Arms Race and How to Protect Hiring Quality Without Breaking Trust
A lot of companies are going to try to AI their way into faster hiring this year and still end up with worse results. If you want to build a recruiting model that actually works in 2026, one that balances speed, quality, and credibility, we can help. Reach out if you want a second set of eyes on your hiring approach.
No results found.
Our Shows
