Szymon Kubicki is a former Head of Talent at Spendesk and Docplanner. Today he works with startups through a VC lens, helping them build lean, tech-enabled recruiting functions.
In this episode, Szymon shares how the best talent teams are being built in 2025 — smaller, smarter, and driven by impact, not headcount. We break down how AI is changing team design, what tools actually make a difference, and the new skills every recruiter needs to stay relevant.
Whether you lead a TA team or want to future-proof your career, this one’s full of practical advice.
Chapters:
00:00 Intro
01:10 The new talent game
04:20 Output over Headcount
07:30 Building lean teams
10:00 Internal vs third-party automations
13:10 Skills recruiters still need
16:40 How AI changes early-stage hiring
19:00 Tool recommendations
22:00 Advice for recruiters early in career
Connect on LinkedIn:
Szymon: https://www.linkedin.com/in/szymonkubicki/
Joe: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joe-atkinson1
Episode Links
Szymon's Newsletter: https://szymonkubicki.substack.com/
Joe’s Newsletter: https://newsletter.gopurpl.io/
Key Concepts & Tools Mentioned in This Video
• Designing lean talent teams
• Talent density vs headcount growth
• AI’s role in recruiting workflows
• LinkedIn’s future (and its challengers)
• Internal TA tooling vs vendor tools
• Practical AI tools: PeopleGPT, HeroHunt, Granola, Zapier
• Custom GPTs for internal use
• Scaling without adding recruiters
• Business-aligned recruiting
• Hands-on TA leadership in the AI age
• Skills future recruiters need (data, tech, empathy)
