Awaiting Approval. Season 2, Episode 11 : Recruiter Roundtable - Empathy

Feb 12, 2026

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Hiring in 2025? Brutal. Struggle. Chaos. Messy. Exciting.

In this special bonus roundtable episode, Adam is joined by five leading recruiters and talent partners – Laura Baker, Erica Fortgang, Sam Gale, Meg Rye and Jared Tredly – for an unfiltered state-of-the-market conversation about what’s really happening in design hiring right now.

This isn’t a tips-and-tricks episode. It’s a frank, human discussion about ghosting, burnout, toxic leadership, AI expectations, neurodiversity, layoffs and what candidates are actually up against. It’s also a moment of accountability – recruiters reflecting on their own practices, pressures and blind spots.

One thing is certain; it’s clear these people care deeply about their candidates.

The panel tackles the “ghosting” debate head-on. Where does it actually happen? Why does it persist? And what do candidates misunderstand about volume, systems and feedback? There’s honesty on both sides – including the uncomfortable truth that designers ghost too.

From there, the conversation moves into burnout and what recruiters see when candidates are trying to leave environments that have drained them. When is it just “time for a change”? And when is someone running on fumes? The panel discusses coaching, emotional readiness, and why sometimes the best move isn’t a new job – it’s a pause.

Toxic leadership becomes a major theme. The group agree: people rarely leave because of the workload. They leave because of direction, dysfunction, or the absence of psychological safety. So how do candidates spot red flags early? What “spicy questions” should they be asking in interviews?

Of course, AI comes up. It had to. The recruiters unpack whether AI literacy is now a baseline expectation, what “future-ready” actually means, and how much is hype versus reality. Is AI experience mandatory? Or is problem-solving still the true differentiator?

Neurodiversity is discussed with candour and care, including personal experiences from the panel. Should candidates disclose? When? How? The consensus is clear: transparency matters – but so does individual choice and context.

And finally, the hard truth about layoffs. Senior leaders sitting on the market for 9–18 months. Juniors struggling to break in. The market contracting at the top and bottom while mid-level product designers move faster. The panel don’t sugarcoat it – but they also don’t remove hope.

The episode ends with a predictive word for 2026. There’s cautious optimism. There’s realism. And there’s momentum.

This is a rare behind-the-scenes look at the hiring side of creative leadership – messy, nuanced, human.

In this episode, we cover:

* Hiring in 2025 described in one word

* Where ghosting really happens – and why

* Why feedback is harder than it looks

* Systems, scale and inbox overload

* Burnout signals recruiters see immediately

* Coaching versus placing – when to slow someone down

* Toxic leadership as the number one exit reason

* How to test culture in an interview

* “Spicy questions” that reveal the truth

* AI expectations – hype versus practical literacy

* What future-ready actually looks like

* Neurodiversity disclosure and workplace safety

* Layoffs, confidence and market timelines

* Senior versus mid-level versus junior realities

* What 2026 might look like for design hiring

If you’re navigating the market right now – whether as a candidate, hiring manager, or creative leader – this one’s for you.

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This is Awaiting Approval. A podcast about the messy, human side of creative leadership.

Hosted by Adam Jennings - a creative leader with three decades of experience leading teams and projects for global brands including Microsoft, Salesforce, 20th Century Fox, Paramount Pictures, Ancestry, Dolby, BBC and many more - this show features honest, unscripted conversations with the leaders shaping design, storytelling, and innovation today.

These are the conversations you don’t hear in keynotes. The ones about imposter syndrome, trust, failure, confidence, and finding your voice as a leader.Whether you’re just stepping into creative leadership or you’ve been at it for years, Awaiting Approval is your place to feel seen, challenged, and encouraged.

Awaiting Approval is a Cordial Fox production.

Hosted by Adam Jennings.

Produced by Adam Jennings.

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