Shredded: ZipRecruiter, DHI Group, AgileATS, Kelly Services, Darwinbox, Upwork, Bubty & More

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.

• 0:00Speaker 00

  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.

• 0:17Speaker 01

  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.

• 0:29Speaker 00

  Yep, Winston is doing the heavy lifting while recruiters kick back and do the actual hiring stuff. You know, like talking to people.

• 0:37Speaker 01

  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.

• 0:53Speaker 00

  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.

• 1:05Speaker 01

  With Smart Recruiters, Winston does the grind and the recruiters get the glory.

• 1:11Speaker 00

  For more information on superhuman hiring with Winston, visit smartrecruiters.com. That's smartrecruiters.com.

• 1:19Speaker 01

  Start using Winston today, or I guess you can stick with...

• 1:25Speaker 02

  Now we return you to our regular scheduled program in progress.

• 1:30Speaker 03

  Hide your kids, lock the doors. You're listening to HR's most dangerous podcast. Chad Soash and Joel Cheeseman.

• 1:38Speaker 04

  Hi kids, Cole Cheeseman, and I'm bringing you The Shred for the second week of August 2025. 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, 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.

• 2:21Speaker 04

  And now to the news in no particular order. ZipRecruiter's Q2 2025 revenue fell 9.2% year-over-year to $112.2 million amid a soft labor market. Despite a net loss, paid employers rose sequentially since quarter 4, 2024, and guidance suggests possible year-over-year revenue growth in quarter 4. Shares rose 6.75%.

• 2:47Speaker 05

  Another one.

• 2:49Speaker 04

  DHI Group acquired Reston, Virginia-based Agile ATS for $2 million to integrate its applicant tracking system into Clearance Jobs, enhancing AI-powered recruiting tools for security-cleared hiring in the GovTech sector and expanding market reach, particularly among small and mid-sized government contractors lacking dedicated ATS solutions.

• 3:13Speaker 05

  Another one.

• 3:15Speaker 04

  Kelly Services' Q2 revenue rose 4.2% to $1.1 billion, but fell 3.3% organically, with growth in education offset by declines in federal and large customer demand. Chris Layden will become CEO September 2. Q3 revenue is expected to fall 5% to 7% year-over-year.

• 3:38Speaker 05

  Another one.

• 3:40Speaker 04

  Canada's Ontario Teachers Pension Plan is close to investing $50 million in Singapore-based HRSAAS firm Darwin Box, valuing it at above $1 billion. The deal, mostly secondary share sales, includes partial stake offload by Peak XV Partners and follows Darwin Box's $140 million March funding round.

• 4:07Speaker 05

  Another one.

• 4:09Speaker 04

  Upwork acquired Dutch freelance management startup Bubty to enhance enterprise tools for hybrid workforces alongside acquiring compliance firm Assen. Targeting the $650 billion contingent labor market, the move expands Upwork's AI-driven staffing capabilities and talent tracking, compliance, and payments amid growing gig economy adoption.

• 4:37Speaker 05

  Another one.

• 4:38Speaker 04

  Resume Wallet, a London-based job seeker and employer recruitment platform, raised $1.5 million in an oversubscribed angel round, bringing total funding to $3.75 million. Investment follows 850% annualized revenue growth and will support scaling operations and enhancing AI-driven talent acquisition tools.

• 5:03Speaker 05

  Another one.

• 5:04Speaker 04

  ZipRecruiter launched Break Room in the US, a workplace rating plate platform for frontline industries. Offering over 1 million employee ratings, the inaugural report highlights improved workers' sentiment but ongoing leadership disconnect. Flat median wages of $20 per hour and varied access to benefits like paid leave and health insurance.

• 5:27Speaker 05

  Another one.

• 5:28Speaker 04

  Workday has introduced Workday Go, an AI-powered HR and finance platform for small and mid-sized organizations, offering unified data, automation, real-time insights, and scalable packages with transparent pricing. It streamlines operations, supports growth, and enables go-live in 30 to 60 days. 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.

• 6:11Speaker 04

  Hit up jobcase.com/hire to learn more. Again, that's jobcase.com/hire. Cheeseman out.