How AI, Data, and “At Bats” Will Separate Real Recruiters From The Rest with David Malloy from Findem

Recruiters love to talk about “seat at the table,” but very few are operating like a true business function. In this conversation, Brandon Jeffs sits down with Findem’s David Malloy to unpack how AI, 3D data, and sharper metrics are reshaping the recruiter’s job into a sales and strategy role. They dig into time to slate, mis-hire costs, employer markets, and why most recruiters still hide behind inbound and brand while a small group leans into sourcing, storytelling, and advisory conversations that move revenue. In this episode we talk about recruiting as a sales motion, AI, 3D data, time to slate, and why speed is the make or break variable in today’s market. David walks through how recruiters can use enriched data to create unfair advantages in tight talent markets, cut mis-hires in half, and finally speak the language of the business. If you care about becoming a true talent advisor instead of an order taker, this one is a playbook for how to operate in an AI driven, employer heavy market. Key Takeaways Recruiting is fundamentally a sales and storytelling job, not an admin function or a ticket queue. Speed is the defining variable for recruiters right now – time to slate and time to first submit matter more than ever. AI should automate high effort, low value work so recruiters can focus on EQ, prep, and candidate experience. 3D data and labeled datasets give recruiters context on growth, volatility, and what candidates have actually endured. Good, better, best “buckets” beat hard stack ranking in an environment with ethical AI legislation. Most recruiters still lean on inbound, brand, and volume instead of sharp targeting and real closing skills. Employer driven markets expose lazy recruiters who never had to build pipeline or source. The best TA leaders use data to predict demand, not just report the past in QBRs. Mis-hires are incredibly expensive; cutting mis-hire rates in half is a real, board level story. Procurement of AI tools has to start with the recruiter day, recruiter experience, and company goals – not hype. TA earns a seat at the table when it can tie activities and tools directly to revenue, cost savings, and strategic goals. If you’re not operationalizing AI in your workflow in the next 2–3 years, your skill set will be outdated. This series was recorded live at HR Tech 2025 inside the HR Executive studios on the expo floor in partnership with the WRKdefined Podcast Network. Make sure you’re subscribed to the full series and visit HRExecutive.com for the news, analysis, and insights shaping the future of work. Chapters 00:00 – Why “what happens when a candidate says no?” is the real recruiter test 01:13 – Meet Brandon Jeffs and Findem’s David Malloy live from HR Tech 02:00 – Relationships, community, and how a sales background shapes recruiting 04:26 – AI, EQ, and using automation to free recruiters from admin work 06:20 – Translating veteran skills and what makes Findem different (3D data) 09:53 – Time to slate, mishire costs, and cutting bad hires in half 11:20 – Good, better, best buckets, DEI, and ethical AI constraints 14:22 – Using data to forecast demand, hit headcount, and save $500K in tools 18:26 – From order taker to advisor: metrics, KPIs, and speaking business language 24:23 – Procurement mindset, recruiter experience, and building a “retention” tech stack 31:18 – The evolution of sourcing, AI table stakes, and the future recruiter profile 39:47 – Earning the seat at the table, Monday advice, and why TA must own impact Connect with the Guest Guest: David Malloy, Vice President & GM, Talent Consulting & Transformation at Findem LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmalloy/ Connect with the Host Host: Brandon Jeffs, Host RevolTA Podcast LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandonjeffs/