SHRM Annual Recap, AI Hype, Layoff Myths & the Top 100 Recruiting Tech List

In this solo summer edition of HR Famous, Tim Sackett flies solo with a hot debrief from the 2025 SHRM Annual Conference in San Diego. From presidential keynotes to AI overload and his signature recruiting tech list, Tim delivers an unfiltered look at what really went down at the world’s largest HR event.

Here’s what you’ll get in this jam-packed episode:

🎤 Tim’s SHRM Annual Recap
What it’s really like presenting to a packed room of HR pros, why SHRM audiences are better than they get credit for, and how he turns his sessions into connection machines with one killer tip involving LinkedIn QR codes. (Trust us—you’ll steal this idea.)

🧠 AI in HR: Still Mostly Hype?
Tim gives a candid take on the AI overload across SHRM sessions. He breaks down why most AI talks aren’t delivering, what’s missing from vendor demos, and why the HR world desperately needs real-world AI success stories—not just “use cases.”

📉 Layoffs, Panic, and Reality Checks
Is AI really causing mass layoffs? Tim doesn’t think so—and he’s got the logic to prove it. Hear why the doom-and-gloom headlines don’t reflect what’s actually happening in HR, and why a lot of recent layoffs are just course corrections from years of overhiring.

📊 Behind the Scenes of the Top 100 Recruiting Tech List
Tim pulls back the curtain on how he created his Top 100 Recruiting Technologies list, why being #99 isn’t a bad thing, and why big platforms like LinkedIn, Indeed, and Workday still rank near the top (even if people love to hate them). Spoiler alert: There’s no secret algorithm—just market reality and daily usage.

👀 Candidate Fraud Is Coming for You
As a teaser for future episodes, Tim touches on the growing wave of candidate fraud in remote hiring, why IT leaders are now poking into the TA process, and what tools like Greenhouse are doing to fight back.

Whether you're in TA, HR leadership, or just want the no-BS take on what’s really happening in the industry, this episode is packed with insights, rants, laughs, and practical advice. It's the perfect mid-summer episode to catch up on what matters—and what doesn’t—in the world of work.