A very good TA convo with... S3-E3. Curry Chern

The noise-to-signal problem in the AI era

Curry points out that while AI tools are transforming recruitment, they are also creating massive new challenges on the candidate side. With generative AI making it easier than ever to build perfect applications, the noise-to-signal ratio is completely off for recruiters. The flood of applications—sometimes up to 700 for a single role—has ironically led businesses to realize they need to fall back on sourcing, resulting in a high demand for senior sourcers to cut through the noise.

"Now it's like you just put it on chat GPT. And then you know and then you have a fully written resume. Um, and then now that's just noise, right? That a recruiter needs to be able to screen out to actually understand, okay, does this person actually know the subject or not or did they just use chat GPT?".

Rethinking technical hiring and transferable skills

When it comes to technical hiring, managers often demand a "unicorn candidate" with a highly specific checklist of languages and frameworks. Curry notes that TA professionals and hiring managers often miss the nuance of how easily transferable technical skills actually are. He believes organizations should focus more on how adaptable a candidate is rather than demanding someone who has done the exact same role for a decade and wants to keep doing it.

"If I've written in like one object-oriented programming language then picking up another one is just a matter of syntax right... but that's something that a software engineer can actually easily pick up.".

Recruitment as a science

While many view talent acquisition as an art centered around communication, Curry emphasizes the critical need for standardization to solve business problems. Instead of relying on gut feelings, like wanting to grab a beer with a candidate or sharing a hobby, he advocates for utilizing tools like Metaview to analyze interview transcripts. This ensures that everyone is held accountable and that the agreed-upon criteria are actually being assessed during the interview.

"Some people think TA is like a art, you know, because it is people related and it's communication. Um but actually, yeah, I sort of see it as like a bit of a science as well... one is actually just having a strict process.".

The curiosity of a great recruiter

For Curry, what separates a truly great recruiter from an average one comes down to one core trait: curiosity. The best recruiters don't just take an intake list and mindlessly check boxes; they ask "why" and challenge hiring managers with market insights to help inform better decisions.

"I think the hallmark of a good recruiter is being curious... They really want to know why. Like okay so why are we hiring this role? Uh what does this person need to do? Um why do we need them?".

An unconventional path from engineering to TA

Curry’s career path is highly unconventional, having started as a software developer and process engineer at a quantum dot startup in Texas. His transition into recruitment began when he noticed an inefficiency and "talent mismatch" among his peers, who were choosing computer science jobs solely based on market demand and money rather than personal alignment. A year-long backpacking trip eventually led him to a product role in Amsterdam in 2017. Now, after nine years in the Netherlands, he and his partner are relocating to Madrid for the weather, the food, and to be closer to family.

The takeaway

Curry’s message is that TA leaders need to embrace process standardization and use AI strategically for practical, concrete tasks like translating job ads, reaching broader scopes, and standardizing tone. However, recruiters shouldn't blindly outsource their entire process to AI without understanding it. Human judgment, strict process accountability, and deep curiosity remain essential to defining and solving real business challenges through hiring