#8 - Johanna Liu: AI, ATS Nightmares, and Making Recruiting Easier

This conversation with Johanna Liu is a masterclass in practical, real-world recruiting. Johanna breaks down her non-traditional path from Starbucks manager to seasoned recruiter, sharing how a temp assignment unexpectedly launched a 13-year career. She and Enrique dive into the chaos of running a recruiting desk, swapping stories about staffing struggles, candidate surprises, and the lessons learned along the way. Johanna offers actionable, plug-and-play tips for recruiters at all levels—from building a bank of templates, to using Calendly more effectively, to knowing what’s truly worth automating. The two compare notes on sourcing, Boolean searches, AI tools like ChatGPT, candidate experience, ATS headaches, and why your spouse never wants to hear about weird LinkedIn messages. Packed with humor, honesty, and deeply relatable recruiter energy, this episode leaves listeners with time-saving hacks and a renewed sense of control over a job known for organized chaos. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices