The Knack

Real hiring talk from real recruiters.Straight from DK Partners to your inbox.

October 31, 2025

Cassie Rosengren
Co-Founder & Managing Partner
(and her dad, Paul)

My dad called AI “Awkward Intelligence” last night.

I’m grateful for his wit, and he’s right. Recruiting with AI has been a mix of awkward moments and undeniable intelligence.

In many ways, hiring with AI has simply magnified us all — our brilliance and our blind spots.

As you read this, AI is scanning millions of résumés faster than we can blink. Digital avatars are running interviews, and candidates are asking chatbots about open roles.

There have been so many “Awkward Intelligence” moments this year…

Here are three ways AI-enabled hiring efforts face-planted in 2025, and what we can learn from the falls:

(1) The Résumé Black Hole
Applicant Tracking Systems rejected an estimated 75% of résumés this year due to formatting, missing keywords, and filter logic. Great talent got away, and the applicant experience suffered.

  • Lesson: Audit auto-filters and QA ATS logic monthly. If you must auto-reject, be crystal clear on the criteria and regularly spot-check rejected resumes. Encourage more intentionality in the application process by avoiding one-click applications.

(2) The Botched Interview
AI avatars ran “interviews” — until candidates went off-script. They asked pre-planned questions, then froze or looped when met with nuance.

  • Lesson: Templates don’t converse. AI runs scripts. Humans read the room. If you hire for the quality of questions, not just answers, and the dialogue that unfolds thereafter, keep interviews human.

(3) The Hallucinated Hire
AI sourcing tools began generating synthetic résumés—candidates who didn’t exist at all, complete with fabricated work histories and references. Even stranger? Some candidates are now sending AI avatar “twins” to interview for them. Soon we’ll need to verify: Who’s actually in the room—the human or the AI stand-in, and where is the real expertise and knowledge coming from?

  • Lesson: Verification is the new superpower. In the age of fabricated profiles, validating identity and experience matters more than ever.

Partner Perspectives

WFH, WFA, RTO, Hybrid…

Work location policies are changing fast. Melanie breaks down what’s trending, what’s not, and what the data tells us about the future of work.

Author: Melanie Dabu

Author: Mina Rozenshine


The Psychological Safety Paradox:

Studies show big perception gaps between leaders and employees when it comes to psychological safety. Mina explores what’s driving the divide and how to actually build psychological safety in the workplace.

Generation Alpha. They aren’t looking for jobs; they’re building portfolios.

In three years, they’ll enter the workforce. The question: Will your company be ready? Mina shares the insights future-you will be grateful for.

Author: Mina Rozenshine

Client Success Story:
The Team Behind Harvest’s Recent Growth

We’re proud to partner with Harvest, the productivity and time-tracking tool trusted by teams everywhere. Together, we built a best-in-class Marketing and Sales function. Here are a few impact highlights:

  • 11 pros hired in first-ever positions across Marketing & Sales.

  • Recruited proven performers from high-growth, category-leading SaaS companies.

  • Tailored partnership models, resulting in 30% savings compared to traditional agency structures.

Trivia: What’s in your state’s candy bowl?
Happy Halloween, everyone.

That’s a Wrap for The Knack!

Our Best,
The DK Partners
https://dkrecruiting.com/