Hire We Go! With Yoke

Introduction

At Joveo, we’re on a mission to make hiring smarter, more efficient, and strategic. In the first episode of our Hire We Go! series, we’re joined by Paul Bacon from Yoke, a company redefining recruitment by turning HR teams into engines of business growth. From data-driven hiring strategies to employer branding, Paul shares insights on what’s missing in the recruitment market and how AI and human-centric strategies can work hand in hand to create a better candidate experience.

Joining us for this first session is Paul Bacon from Yoke. Paul, why don’t you tell us a bit more about you and Yoke?

Paul Bacon: Thanks so much, Ashlie, for having me today. I’m Paul Bacon. I’m one of the co-founders here at Yoke. So, Yoke was founded actually by five ex-Indeed veterans, which you know very well yourself, being an ex-Indeedian. And we founded this organization to really support HR teams and recruitment teams to become the real drive and real engine of organizational growth. I think, too many times, recruitment and HR is seen as a cost center in many organizations and we want to be able to showcase that it can actually be a profit center and to be able to drive great people into those organizations.

We offer quite a range of comprehensive recruitment services. So cutting-edge recruitment strategies, employer branding management, and with our data and analytics team, we can really start to understand those actionable insights. Along with all of that, we kind of offer something that we call Yoke Plus, which really gives us kind of like that edge and what really sets us apart. So, we do Yoke studios, where we can then bring and develop really sort of high-impact hero content and really create and curate those stories to tell a great employer journey.

Ashlie Collins: Amazing, thank you so much for that! I have to say, I’m probably a wee bit biased – I pretty much enjoy everybody. My experience working with everybody on the Yoke team during my time in Indeed, so, pretty amazing group of folks. So, let me ask you, what do you think is missing that Yoke can bring to the recruitment market?

Paul Bacon: So, I guess really, I think where Yoke really stands out is our ability to really have those specialized services and then extend just beyond recruitment. I think the capabilities with our creative services is really, how do we tell that story on that recruiter journey.  And really, what our approach is, is to be and ensure that we’re really highly data-focused so we can offer not only that tactical support, but also we kind of sort of make a human-centered strategy utilizing really powerful technology. Because I think now with our exclusive partnership with you guys at Joveo, we can really reach new levels of efficiency and we can create almost like an ecosystem through landing pages, microsites, and career sites and really to create that compelling, cutting edge recruitment processing whilst enhancing that reach and engagement.

Ashlie Collins: Absolutely. And I think you hit on something so powerful with a human-centric approach. Because that human in the loop, when deploying all of this tech for efficiency, is massively important. Somebody’s got to keep an eye on this AI.

Paul Bacon: Exactly. AI is great, but I think really what this does is allow recruiters working in those organizations to focus on the real high-impact stuff. I think that artificial intelligence can really aid the recruitment process, but I think this would really ultimately create even more human connections, but the more meaningful impactful ones – and then we can allow the robots to do some of the menial tasks.

Ashlie Collins: Absolutely. Absolutely. And last question for you, Paul – if you had a magic wand, what would you change about talent sourcing in 2025?

Paul Bacon: That is a really, really great question. I think in 2025, I’d really love to see the recruitment landscape use that technology, but also how do we use empathy and integrate those two things together. I think if we could create a place where every candidate’s journey is intuitive and engaging, and really creates those personalized touchpoints and then we can streamline those interactions and really create a compelling story for each of those candidates, then I think that would be something that would be really, truly special.

I think with our partnership and then utilizing AI-driven job matching and those chatbot features, I think we can really create high-quality content but really immersive experiences for those candidates that are highly tailored and we can offer something truly special for those candidates that make them feel more informed and they can make those decisions of where they want to work next more informed.

Ashlie Collins: Yeah, I love that you used the word empathy. At a fundamental level, we all want to be seen and understood, don’t we? And what’s more personal than your job search experience and your work life?

Paul Bacon: Completely and I think, I mean we’re talking about putting people on Mars and catching rockets midair, but we still can’t get a joined-up approach and get back to people if they’ve not got a job or at least guiding through the recruitment process. So, I think using the technology to be able to really sort of tailor those moments and kind of like keep that candidate through the journey and really ultimately to be able to use that recruiters’ time that they save,  but to have those more meaningful human-to-human interactions, which I think that’s not only going to aid the candidate, but the employer as well. 

Ashlie Collins: Amazing. Thank you so much for your time today, Paul. And thank you for tuning into Hire We Go!. I’m Ashlie Collins and remember – when it comes to hiring, we’re just getting started. See you next time!

Conclusion

As we wrap up this insightful conversation, one thing is clear – technology is revolutionizing recruitment, but the human element remains irreplaceable. With AI handling the heavy lifting, recruiters can focus on what truly matters: building real connections with candidates. Paul’s vision for 2025? A recruitment landscape that blends cutting-edge AI with empathy, making every candidate’s journey seamless and engaging. If that’s the future, we can’t wait to get there. Thanks for tuning into Hire We Go!