In an environment where hard skills can increasingly be supplemented, or even entirely substituted, by machines, the rarest and most valuable assets are the very things that make us human.

Organizations are struggling to find skilled workers to fill roles, and more business leaders are saying, “Ditch the four-year degree” and still earn a six-figure salary. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that jobs for associate degree holders are expected to grow by 6.3% from 2023 to 2033. With a median annual wage of $62,180—well above the U.S. median of $48,060—these job seekers have the skills employers are looking for. The 2025 High-Pay Associate Degree Jobs Report highlights this year’s top 10 highest-paying associate degree jobs.

The old-school job interview process can be a headache for recruiting teams and feel even more arduous for roles with naturally high turnover, such as call center agents or retail workers. What if a tool could make that headache go away? Enter HiringBranch, a Canada-based software company providing an AI-based talent screening assessment platform for call centers. The company has worked with large employers, including IT company Infosys and Bell Canada.

Every interaction in contact centers shapes brand perception. To streamline hiring, businesses are increasingly turning to AI, often defaulting to large language models (LLMs) like OpenAI’s GPT or Google’s Flan T5-Large. While these models excel at processing language, they fall short where it matters most in customer service: soft skills assessment.

This post looks at the growing number of tech companies getting cancelled for AI Washing.

As organizations shift toward a skills-based approach, L&D leaders are rethinking traditional training models. Static, one-size-fits-all programs are being replaced by skills-first strategies that prioritize measuring and developing the capabilities employees need to thrive in their current roles — or grow into future ones.

What is the difference between assessments, skills-based assessments, and interviews? Which one is better than the other? HiringBranch CEO, Stephane Rivard, discusses when is to use one approach over the other, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of automating skills-based hiring.

Are the days of the traditional interview process over? We’re experiencing a paradigm shift in the recruitment world where simulation replaces speculation and soft skills take center stage. Joining us to discuss how AI is transforming the hiring process is the CEO and Co-Founder of HiringBranch, Stephane Rivard. In this episode, we explore how HiringBranch is revolutionizing hiring by creating a platform where candidates can showcase their abilities in real-time simulated scenarios.

Drawing examples from leading companies, Stephane Rivard, CEO and co-founder of HiringBranch, highlights the benefits of AI in HR, such as streamlined processes, cost reduction, and improved candidate screening, encouraging overcoming fear to take action.