The Chad & Cheese Podcast
Original podcast
The Shred is a weekly roundup of what’s making headlines in the world of employment. The Shred is brought to you today by Jobcase.
856 words · 6 speakers
Dude, it turns out that Winston Smart Recruiter's first AI hiring sidekick is taking all the grunt work out of Recruiter's Day. Things like candidate screening, scheduling, all the admin garbage no one actually wants to touch. Winston can do it all.
Man, you know I'm a fan of using new tech that takes the boring repetitive crap out of a Recruiter's Day and allows them to have more time to connect with hiring managers and candidates.
Yep, Winston is doing the heavy lifting while recruiters kick back and do the actual hiring stuff. You know, like talking to people.
I really dig that Smart Recruiters is evolving out of the legacy ATS model and embracing cleaner processes using AI. With most ATS providers, it's like, hey, 2003 called and it wants its 30-minute application process back.
No doubt. It sounds like Rebecca and the team are using Winston to push Smart Recruiters into the future while the ATS vendors are basically on an AOL dial-up modem with a dashboard.
With Smart Recruiters, Winston does the grind and the recruiters get the glory.
For more information on superhuman hiring with Winston, visit smartrecruiters.com. That's smartrecruiters.com.
Start using Winston today, or I guess you can stick with...
Now we return you to our regular scheduled program in progress.
Hi, your kids. Lock the doors. You're listening to HR's most dangerous podcast. Chad Soash and Joel Cheeseman.
Hi, kids. It's Cole Cheeseman, and I'm bringing you The Shred for the first week of January 2026. The Shred is a weekly roundup of what's picking headlines in the world of employment. The Shred is brought to you today by Jobcase, the online community where workers of all kinds, like hourly employees, tradespeople, and healthcare technicians, access jobs, make connections, and support each other in every aspect of their work life. Jobcase has over 100 million workers on their platform, so if you need to hire, you probably need to talk to Jobcase today. Learn more by going to jobcase.com/hire. Again, that's jobcase.com/hire.
And now to the news in no particular order. Seoul, South Korea-based Hyundai will begin deploying Boston Dynamics Atlas humanoid robots in its factories from 2028 to assist with industrial tasks, reduce physical strain, and improve safety. The robots will work alongside people across Hyundai's global network amid broader industry moves by firms like Amazon, Tesla, and BYD.
Another one.
ChatGPT was tested by recruiting strategist Alex Marcus to find and apply for an academic job using a single prompt. The system autonomously searched, generated application materials, answered screening questions, and navigated safeguards like captcha, highlighting how general AI tools can now complete most of a live job application independently.
Private sector payrolls increased by $41,000 in December, according to ADP, reversing November's reported job loss but falling short of expectations for $48,000. Gains were concentrated in services and small to mid-sized firms. While goods-producing industries declined, wage growth remained moderate and November figures were slightly revised.
Accenture agreed to acquire London-based AI services company Faculty after two years of collaboration. Faculty's 400-plus staff will join Accenture, and CEO Mark Warner will become Accenture's CTO. The deal adds Faculty's AI strategy, safety, and systems capabilities, along with its frontier platform and training program, to Accenture's offerings.
As of January 1, 2026, 19 states and 49 localities increased minimum wages. Washington leads at $17.13 per hour. Montana, the lowest, at $10.85 per hour. Several cities also raised wages, contributing to 79 jurisdictions now paying $15 or more.
New employment laws in Illinois and California took effect.
A federal judge rejected the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's lawsuit challenging the Trump era $100,000 H1B visa fee, ruling it lawful under presidential authority. The chamber has appealed, seeking expedited review, while multiple other lawsuits against the fee remain ongoing.
In November 2025, U.S. job openings fell to 7.15 million, the lowest in over a year, while hiring declined to 5.12 million, its lowest since June 2024. Most industries lost jobs, though retail, construction, and information posted modest gains amid slow overall labor market activity.
ZipRecruiter launched a multi-channel campaign featuring a fictional band, The Zip Recruiters, to highlight its platforms, tools, and smart matching technology, showing how quick and easily employers can connect with qualified candidates across TV, streaming, audio, and social media.
Monsters 2026 Work Watch Report finds U.S. workers prioritizing stability over job changes amid economic uncertainty, inflation, AI adoption, and stricter office mandates. Only 43% plan to job search, while many pursue side hustles, upskilling, and cautious long-term career planning. Be sure to tune in to the weekly show for this and more news and commentary from the world of recruiting. Big thanks to Jobcase for supporting the shred. No matter the size of your company, you can quickly find great workers in the Jobcase community. Whether you need one employee around the corner or want to hire hundreds across the country, Jobcase helps you find the right people fast.
Head up jobcase.com/hire to learn more. Again, that's jobcase.com/hire. Cheeseman out.
Adios, turd nuggets.
Page updated November 11, 2026 · transcript and summary are machine-generated
