Clifton Jadoo has spent his career recruiting inside some of the most product-driven, high-signal environments in tech, from Hinge to Webflow to Foursquare, Wingspan, and Compass. He’s one of those rare operators who can see both the ground truth of day-to-day recruiting and the 20,000-foot view of where the function is heading as AI reshapes the work.
What sets Clifton apart is his clarity. He isn’t worried about AI replacing recruiters. He’s far more interested in how it expands their skills, increases output, and frees them to focus on the part of the craft machines still can’t touch: judgment, context, and reading between the lines.
His focus is simple:
Use AI as a skill augmenter, not a shortcut
Hold a high-altitude view of the talent landscape
Spend your time on the 15 percent that actually moves hiring forward
In this conversation, we dig into:
• Why the fear narrative around AI and recruiting misses the real story
• How Clifton uses AI to increase speed, depth, and clarity in the work
• Why the current LLM moment feels both early and strangely limited
• Where human judgment still has an undeniable edge
• What great recruiters should be doubling down on in the next phase of AI adoption
If you’re a recruiter, sourcer, or talent leader navigating AI adoption, shifting expectations, or the pressure to deliver more with fewer resources, this conversation with Clifton is about where the craft is heading. The future belongs to operators who embrace new tools while doubling down on judgment, clarity, and value creation.
Episode 014 of Building the Talent Machine is out now. 🔊
🎧 Listen on Spotify
▶️ Watch on YouTube
Follow Clifton here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cliffjadoo/
Huge shout-out to our sponsor, Wellfound — where startups and job seekers connect. From pre-seed to post-IPO, Wellfound is the all-in-one platform to find, connect, and hire your team. Try it at wellfound.com.
