Cole Napper, Ph.D., is VP of Research, Innovation & Talent Insights at Lightcast and author of People Analytics:Using Data-driven HR and Gen AI as a Business Asset . He’s a leading voice in people analytics, workforce planning, and talent intelligence and hosts the Directionally Correct podcast.
In this episode, Brandon sits down with Cole Napper to unpack why quality of hire keeps resurfacing as a problem recruiters are asked to solve, but rarely given the tools or authority to measure correctly. They explore how people analytics, labor market context, and executive accountability change the conversation from recruiting theater to real business outcomes.
Highlights:
00:02 They dig into why quality of hire is perpetually “top of mind,” how it gets oversimplified, and why most teams feel frustrated trying to define it.
00:02:45 Cole explains his background in people analytics, the motivation behind his book, and why better questions matter more than better dashboards.
00:07 A breakdown of where recruiting metrics drift away from business reality and why leaders struggle to connect hiring activity to real impact.
00:10 Discussion on how recruiters are often held accountable for outcomes they don’t fully control, and why this erodes trust with executives.
00:15 Cole explains how people analytics teams typically operate, who they actually serve inside organizations, and why recruiters rarely interact with them directly.
00:19 A candid look at where accountability for hiring outcomes should sit, and why quality of hire cannot be solved purely inside TA.
00:23 Why company stage, market conditions, and role type all change what “good hiring” actually looks like.
00:30 Cole uses college athletics to explain quality of hire versus quantity of hire, and why this analogy resonates more than most HR frameworks.
00:34 How macroeconomic conditions, competition, and market timing influence hiring outcomes in ways most dashboards ignore.
00:37 A clear explanation of talent density, how it relates to quality of hire, and why it only shows up after hires are fully embedded in the business.
Huge thanks to Cole for bringing clarity and intellectual honesty to a topic that too often gets reduced to buzzwords and scorecards. This conversation gives senior TA leaders language and perspective they can actually use in the room where decisions get made.
Follow Cole: https://www.linkedin.com/in/colenapper/
Buy His Book: https://www.amazon.com/People-Analytics-Using-data-driven-business/dp/1398622168
Listen to His Podcast on the WRKdefined network: https://wrkdefined.com/podcast/directionally-correct
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Special thanks to our sponsor, Grayscale. Grayscale is the AI assistant built for recruiting teams that want to move faster, reduce busywork, and deliver a better candidate experience directly inside the ATS. Learn more at: https://grayscaleapp.com/
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