Hiring platform features that undermine trust

McDonald’s exposed 64 million jobseekers’ data; because someone used “123456” as the password. This was a basic hygiene failure: ❌ No password security ❌ No 2FA ❌ No API access restrictions ❌ No vendor oversight Let me be direct with you… Too many companies are rushing to add AI to their hiring. But they’re skipping the fundamentals: - No one’s thinking about privacy - No one’s thinking about security - No one’s asking the hard questions about vendor risk. Here’s what happened: McDonald's used a third-party AI chatbot for recruitment. The test admin account was never disabled. No two-factor authentication. No real access controls. And in less than 30 minutes, researchers were inside the system. They pulled full names, emails, phone numbers, locations Even private chat transcripts from job seekers. 64 million people. This wasn’t some advanced cyberattack. It was a copy-paste URL and a default password. The real problem: Privacy and security are still treated as afterthoughts; Even in systems that collect sensitive personal data. And if McDonald’s can get it this wrong… What do you think is happening in businesses with no privacy team at all? It’s time to stop outsourcing risk and hoping for the best. ✔️ If you’re building with AI → bake in privacy from the beginning ✔️ If you’re using vendors → demand more than checkboxes and SLAs. ✔️ If you're leading privacy → don't assume → Verify. Because trust isn’t built with buzzwords. It’s built with discipline. If you’re serious about building trust in 2025, stop playing catch-up; Build your privacy and security programs with intention. Because next time, it could be your brand on the front page.

𝐃𝐞𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐬 𝐎𝐮𝐭, 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐈𝐧: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐒𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐀𝐈 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐬-𝐁𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐇𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 We celebrated the fall of degree requirements. We welcomed skills-based hiring with open arms. We trusted AI to make recruitment fairer. But here's the uncomfortable truth: 𝐖𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐛𝐢𝐚𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫. Skills-based hiring is meant to 𝑙𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑙 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑦𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑓𝑖𝑒𝑙𝑑. Yet, the tools powering it—AI resume screeners, video interview analyzers, "𝑐𝑢𝑙𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝑓𝑖𝑡" algorithms—are often trained on biased historical data. The result? ➡️ Ageism coded into filters. ➡️ Racial bias hidden in name-matching. ➡️ Neurodivergent candidates penalized by automated “personality” scores. Amazon scrapped its AI hiring tool when it penalized resumes with the word “women.” Workday faces lawsuits over alleged AI discrimination against Black, disabled, and older applicants. And many job seekers are ghosted—rejected by machines before a human ever reads their name. 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐚 𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐡 𝐟𝐥𝐚𝐰. 𝐈𝐭’𝐬 𝐚 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐞. AI can’t be the future of hiring until we make it accountable, transparent, and human-centric. 𝐖𝐞 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐝: Diverse, inclusive training data Human-in-the-loop decision-making Regular audits of AI tools Legal and ethical oversight Innovation without ethics is just automation of injustice. Let’s not replace gatekeeping with ghostwriting—by robots. Do you think AI is helping or hurting fairness in hiring today? Share your thoughts. Follow Samichi Saluja for more bold takes on AI, job search strategy, and the future of work. #AIHiring #SkillsBasedHiring #RecruitmentBias #FutureOfWork #DiversityandInclusion #HRTech #ResponsibleAI #HiringFairness

This screenshot has been making the rounds in the recruiter social media groups lately, and it perfectly captures a growing frustration among jobseekers. A candidate politely declines to participate in a one-way video interview, pointing out that it denies them the opportunity to interview their potential employer. That line stuck with me, because it’s absolutely true... One-way video interviews remove what makes interviews meaningful: conversation, engagement, and human connection. Candidates are asked to speak into a void with no feedback, no ability to ask questions, and no sense of who is on the other side. They’re impersonal at best and disrespectful at worst. From a recruiting perspective, I understand why companies use them. They're scalable and efficient. But let’s not confuse convenience with quality. Top candidates are not going to waste their time performing for a screen without any sign of life or interest from the employer. And frankly, they shouldn’t. Interviews are not auditions. They’re conversations. The goal is to find alignment on both sides. If we want to hire the best people, we need to give them the chance to evaluate us just as much as we’re evaluating them. That starts with dialogue, not a pre-recorded monologue. One-way interviews might seem like a modern solution, but they send the wrong message. They say, “Our time matters more than yours.” That is not how you build trust or attract talent in a competitive market. Candidates are not just applying for jobs. They’re choosing employers. If your hiring process doesn’t reflect that, don’t be surprised when the best people walk away. #Recruiting #Hiring #CandidateExperience #TalentAcquisition #InterviewProcess #GreatInsuranceJobs #InsuranceStaffing

While coaching a client this morning, I helped them activate their #OpenToWork setting. Within seconds, they were hit with 13+ messages from fake recruiter accounts claiming to be from respected staffing firms like Judge Group, Inc. and Robert Half. I investigated. These accounts had just a handful of connections, no work history, no About section — clearly fake. This isn’t a one-off. It’s a growing problem. And it’s not just an inconvenience — it’s harmful. Many job seekers don’t have the tools or experience to recognize scams, and they deserve a platform that protects them. #LinkedIn needs to take this seriously. This undermines trust, hurts users, and puts vulnerable people at risk at a time when they need support the most. To my fellow coaches, job seekers, and professionals: ⭕ Stay aware. Ask questions. Report suspicious accounts. ⭕ And to LinkedIn: How do you plan on fixing this issue? #LinkedInSafety #JobSearch #FakeRecruiters #OpenToWork

🚨 Job Scam Red Flag Alert 🚨 I came across another example today that’s worth sharing. A hiring platform (Acquire4Hire) is posting jobs under the name Whitefield Academy — including roles like Health Coach, Data Scientist, Marketing Manager. Here’s the problem: None of these roles exist on the school’s official careers page. The positions don’t align with what a private K–12 academy actually hires for. The listings only appear on Acquire4Hire, not on trusted job boards or the organization’s own site. This is a classic pattern: scammers (or sloppy vendors) piggyback on a legitimate institution’s name to make their postings look real. Applicants waste time, give away personal info, and sometimes get strung along. Tip for job seekers: Always cross-check a posting on the organization’s official website. If you can’t find it there, it’s probably bogus. We need more eyes on this so platforms like Acquire4Hire stop allowing misleading listings that damage reputations and put applicants at risk. Stay sharp out there. #griftersbeware #imcomingforyou

Ghost jobs are corporate catfishing. Posting positions with no intent to hire damages candidate trust AND your employer brand. Here's how to build talent pipelines authentically: Companies are increasingly posting phantom jobs for a variety of reasons: - Building a "talent pipeline" for theoretical future needs - Boosting SEO and social media follower counts - Creating an illusion of growth for investors and competitors - Meeting internal policy requirements to post jobs publicly Some of these are deceptive to begin with, but some are totally valid goals. The problem is, real people with real hopes and dreams are on the receiving end of this corporate sleight of hand. For job seekers, the consequences are far from theoretical: - Wasted time on applications that were doomed from the start - Emotional toll of unexplained rejection and ghosting - Shattered confidence after multiple "failures" with jobs that were never available Building Brand Value vs. Burning Bridges Here's what's truly baffling: companies think they're being clever, but they're actually damaging their reputation among the very talent they hope to attract. Think of it like this: Marketers wouldn't create fake product pages to attract customers "just in case" you might sell that item someday. So why do it with jobs? Build a genuine employer brand instead. Smart companies are taking cues from inbound marketing: - Create authentic content about your workplace culture - Showcase employee stories and genuine growth - Build relationships with potential candidates before you need them - Maintain transparency about actual hiring timelines When you eventually do have real openings, you'll attract candidates who are already aligned with your values and excited about your company—no deception required. Let's normalize some basic decency in hiring: 1. Only post jobs you're actively hiring for 2. Be clear about timelines in job descriptions 3. Create "talent community" pages instead of fake listings 4. Respond to all applicants, even with automated messages By treating potential employees with the same respect you'd give customers, you'll build a reputation that attracts top talent naturally. The job market is challenging enough without companies adding artificial obstacles. It's time to stop gaslighting candidates and start building authentic relationships instead.

They told candidates the job was open. But it never was. Fake job postings are flooding the market—and they're harming everyone involved. → Imagine being a candidate. → You invest hours into applications. → Then you discover the role never existed. The frustration is real. Now, think about what it does to your employer brand when word gets out that your company posted a fake job. Trust is lost, and reputations take a hit. Here’s how fake job postings are being used: 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗳𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴: Companies post fake jobs to gather resumes for later. This is deceptive and wastes candidates' time. 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵: Some post fake jobs to study salaries and competitors. Ethical? Hardly. 𝗢𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘀: Others fake hiring when they're actually downsizing. The damage to trust? Enormous. As HR professionals, we need to lead the charge in stopping this harmful practice. Here’s how: ✅ 𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗼𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆 Ensure every job posted is real and actively hiring. Align closely with hiring managers to verify postings. ✅ 𝗘𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 Explain the risks of fake postings. Highlight the legal issues and damage to reputation. Stress that short-term gains aren't worth the long-term fallout. ✅ 𝗔𝘂𝗱𝗶𝘁 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝘂𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆 Review open jobs on your careers page and job boards. Remove any that are no longer active to maintain integrity. ✅ 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 Be clear about timelines, expectations, and next steps. Transparency builds trust, even when candidates don’t get the job. The job market is tough enough without adding unnecessary challenges. If you agree, share this post with your network. ♻️ I appreciate 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 repost. #Adamshr #Hrprofessionals #humanresources #HR Stephanie Adams, SPHR