Anuj Rastogi is a sales and revenue leader turned talent strategist who helps purpose-driven founders and HR leaders scale their teams. As Managing Director at BackStretch, he's seen firsthand how companies unknowingly sabotage their hiring by chasing the "obvious" candidate. In this conversation, Anuj breaks down the three critical hiring mistakes that even progressive companies make—and why the person who looks perfect on paper is often the wrong choice.

From a retail worker who became a top sales performer to developers hired without degrees who outperformed their credentialed peers, Anuj shares real stories that challenge everything we think we know about qualifications. He explains why job descriptions miss 97% of what the work actually entails, why hiring sequence matters as much as who you hire, and how the easy-apply era has created a volume crisis that's drowning out genuine talent. His advice? Stop optimizing for speed and start optimizing for the human connection that reveals true capability.

If you've ever wondered whether that stack of 1,000 applications is actually helping you find better people—or just creating more noise—this episode will make you rethink your entire approach. Anuj doesn't just critique the broken system; he offers a practical path forward that balances technology with the irreplaceable value of human judgment. Whether you're a founder building your first team or a talent leader drowning in resumes, this conversation will shift how you think about who deserves a shot.

Connect with Anuj Rastogi:

• Anuj Rastogi: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anujrastogi13/ - Managing Director at Backstretch, helping purpose-driven companies build resilient talent pipelines
• BackStretch: https://backstretch.biz/ - Talent strategy firm focused on quality hiring and proactive search
• YENZA3: https://www.yenza3.com/ - Guiding organizations on people-centric AI and knowledge transformations

Show Resources

• Willo: willo.video - The most cost-effective way to screen candidates at scale. Interview candidates anywhere & at any time
• CV Free Toolkit: cvfree.me/join - Break up with the CV and get everything you need to modernize your hiring approach with skills-based assessments
• Anita Chauhan: linkedin.com/in/anitachauhan - Connect with the host

Daneal Charney is a fractional HR executive and leadership coach who has seen hundreds of tech companies navigate their hiring challenges. After 10 years in the Toronto tech ecosystem, including her role as Executive in Residence at MaRS, she now helps fast-growth companies build high-performing leadership teams. In this episode, she breaks down the three biggest hiring mistakes that keep companies stuck in broken patterns.

Daneal reveals why we consistently hire based on what we can see rather than what actually drives performance - the motivation and mindset that exist "below the iceberg." She shares why hiring before you're organizationally ready sets everyone up for failure, and tackles the controversial topic of hiring from your personal network. Her insights on CEO bias in hiring decisions and the importance of defining success criteria will change how you think about building your team.

From a medical company's innovative panel interview approach that led to a 15-year hire, to frameworks for identifying the drivers and motivations that predict long-term success, Daneal provides actionable strategies for better hiring decisions. She also weighs in on emerging tools like one-way video interviews that can reveal communication patterns and behavioral signals traditional methods miss.

Connect with Daneal Charney:

• LinkedIn Profile - Fractional HR Executive and Leadership Coach specializing in fast-growth tech companies https://www.linkedin.com/in/danealcharney
• MaRS Discovery District - Toronto innovation hub where Daneal served as Executive in Residence https://www.marsdd.com

Show Resources

• Willo: willo.video - The most cost-effective way to screen candidates at scale. Interview candidates anywhere & at any time
• CV Free Toolkit: cvfree.me/join - Break up with the CV and get everything you need to modernize your hiring approach with skills-based assessments
• Anita Chauhan: linkedin.com/in/anitachauhan - Connect with the host

What happens when 9 of Canada’s top hiring leaders get brutally honest about bias? During Tech for Canada Conference, we captured raw, unfiltered insights from executives at Microsoft, Deloitte, True Search, and more. From “pedigree bias” to companies getting “completely blindsided” by famous names, these behind-the-scenes conversations reveal the hidden forces sabotaging your talent strategy.

The most eye-opening revelations include: Simon De Baene (Workleap) admitting companies get “completely blindsided” by famous company names, Marianne Bulger (True Search) breaking down the “pedigree trap,” and Yauhan Mehta sharing hard truths about elite education bias. Meanwhile, Anuj Rastogi (Backstretch) delivers the ultimate reality check: “Often the best hire is not the one that was most obvious.”

This exclusive supercut compilation features candid moments captured during Tech for Canada Conference interviews, giving you a preview of the powerful conversations coming in Season 2 of Looks Good on Paper - launching this month! If you’re ready to break up with the CV and discover what really matters in hiring, these insights will change how you think about talent forever.

Featured Leaders:

• Yauhan Mehta: Deloitte - Consultant
• Katrin Kourtoff: Big Viking Games - VP of Talent
• Kree Govender: Microsoft - SMB Canada Area Lead
• Anuj Rastogi: Backstretch - Managing Director
• Marianne Bulger: True Search - Partner
• Sarah Blackmore: Riipen - Talent Acquisition Professional
• Andy Claremont: Glide - Head of Ecosystem & Community
• Simon De Baene: Workleap - Co-founder & CEO
• Amir Tavafi: Abloomify - Co-founder & CEO

Watch the video version of this podcast on YouTube: https://youtu.be/dDPDXg-HSYQ?si=il1pVFl1ECK00URB

Season 2 launches this month!

Special Thanks:

• StartWell for providing their incredible studio space for us to capture these interviews in-person: https://startwell.co
• Cameron Suorsa for expert video podcast editing since the start of season one:

Show Resources

• Willo: willo.video - The most cost-effective way to screen candidates at scale. Interview candidates anywhere & at any time
• CV Free Toolkit: cvfree.me/join - Break up with the CV and get everything you need to modernize your hiring approach with skills-based assessments
• Anita Chauhan: linkedin.com/in/anitachauhan - Connect with the host