The one where Kim Bryant returns

Over three years after her first appearance (Episode 18), Kim Bryan returns to the Talent Intelligence Collective podcast to discuss her evolution from leading a global TI team of 120 at its peak to launching AMS's Research Lab. In this wide-ranging conversation, Kim shares insights from analysing around 400,000 hiring records spanning just under 100 countries from 2020 to 2025 and reveals what's really driving offer declines (spoiler: it's not always about money).

What We Cover

AI & Employment - Examining Stanford's "Canaries in the Coal Mine" study and why the "AI is replacing entry-level workers" narrative might be correlation, not causation. The real impact on software development and customer support roles, and why businesses still don't understand where to apply AI effectively.

ONS Labour Force Survey Crisis - UK response rates dropped from under 50% in 2016 to around 20% now, whilst the US maintains 68%. Critical national decisions are being made on inadequate data due to funding and skills mismatches.

Evolution of TI at AMS - How talent intelligence moved from "add-on service" to embedded across all client work. The shift to self-service models, introduction of Insights and Intelligence Partners, and the ongoing data literacy challenge.

Offer Declines Research - Key findings: 15% increase in time-to-hire when offers are declined. Compensation wasn't the dominant reason—personal factors, hiring process issues, and flexibility matter more than expected. Sales roles showed highest volatility; project management roles surprisingly volatile due to change management demand. The critical finding: recruiter-candidate relationships matter more than process automation.

Education Revolution - Oxford research showing AI sector prioritises skills over formal education. Why universities haven't fundamentally changed since post-Industrial Revolution, and the return of apprenticeships and practical training.

Key Quote

"Despite all of the tech advances and all of the different strategies you can apply, the biggest difference that you can make to your process is still through your people. Post-offer engagement can be the difference between an offer being accepted and being declined."

Practical Tips for TA Leaders

1. Give Yourself Creative Space - Stop firefighting long enough to actually plan ahead

2. Invest in Your People - Find time to develop your team, not just extract from them

3. Find Something Outside Work - Your professional performance depends on your personal wellbeing

Coming from AMS Research Lab

• The Great Flattening (declining management layers)

• Skills mismatch: Are universities preparing students for tomorrow's jobs? (publishing soon)

• Stores to supply chains: How holiday hiring is changing

• EU Pay Transparency Directive analysis

• Industry deep dives and labour market overviews

• Comprehensive TA metrics benchmarking (2026)

About Kim Bryan

Kim Bryan is the Global Head of Research at AMS, where she leads their Research Lab think tank. She's been with AMS for nearly 10 years in this stint (and worked there previously too, making it nearly two decades total). She previously looked after talent intelligence for AMS and managed a global team of 120 at its peak. Her varied career spans insurance and a mix of numbers and people work, making her ideally suited to the intelligence and insights space.

Resources Mentioned

• AMS Research Lab Report: "Offer Declines and Dropouts"

• Stanford Digital Economy Lab: "Canaries in the Coal Mine: Six Facts About the Recent Employment Effects of Artificial Intelligence"

• Beyond the Buzz Report on AI Skills

• Oxford Internet Institute & University of Oxford: Research on AI sector prioritising skills over formal education

• Office for National Statistics Labour Force Survey

As ever - big thanks to our sponsors: ⁠⁠⁠https://lightcast.io⁠⁠⁠