Episode Summary

Hiring is still a human process, no matter how much AI gets injected into it. In this episode of Secured, Cole Cornford sits down with Kim Acosta, Managing Director at UCentric and former Amazon talent acquisition leader, to unpack how AI is actually changing recruitment and where it is quietly breaking trust.

They explore how candidates are using AI in applications and technical assessments, why misuse often damages long term employability more than failing an interview, and why recruiters and hiring managers are responding with stricter controls, in person assessments, and AI detection. Kim shares what she is seeing across data, analytics, and AI roles, where demand is growing, and why human judgment, rapport, and credibility still matter far more than perfect answers.

The conversation also covers embedded recruitment and RPO models, why soft skills matter more as teams get smaller, and what the next hiring cycle is likely to look like as big tech contracts while smaller companies continue to grow. For candidates, hiring managers, and founders alike, this episode is a grounded look at why shortcuts rarely pay off and why trust is still the real signal.

Timestamps

00:00 – Intro

01:24 – Meet Kim Acosta and UCentric

02:06 – From Amazon to starting a recruitment consultancy

04:19 – Data engineering demand vs AI hype

05:31 – What data engineering roles actually look like

07:27 – Adapting business models to real market needs

10:04 – Where AI genuinely helps recruiters

11:09 – Custom GPTs and interview preparation

13:43 – One way interviews and candidate slop

15:09 – Technical assessments and AI misuse

17:19 – Trust, failure, and reapplying the right way

18:29 – Spotting AI generated answers in interviews

20:19 – Rapport, eye contact, and human signals

22:19 – Hiring for values and team fit

23:52 – Agency vs internal vs embedded recruiters

27:59 – RPO models and cost tradeoffs

28:47 – Layoffs, market shifts, and salary reality

30:57 – Where hiring is still strong

33:10 – Why hiring and podcasts still need humans

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