What happens when hiring gets so complicated that the person you thought you hired isn’t even the person doing the work?

In this episode of You’ve Got People Problems, Mel Ortiz sits down with Theresia Intag of Intag Hire, a fractional HR and recruiting expert, to uncover some of the hiring nightmares businesses are facing today. From fabricated sales pipelines and outsourced employees to proxy interviews, AI-generated answers, and candidates hiding behind fake locations, the hiring landscape has changed dramatically.

Mel and Theresia discuss:

• New hiring scams leaders need to watch for
• How candidates are using AI, proxy interviews, and outsourced workers to get through hiring
• Why cameras-on interviews can be an important safeguard
• How to distinguish between a charming candidate and someone who can actually do the job
• Why introverted and technical candidates can be overlooked
• How clearly defining a role before hiring can prevent costly mistakes
• Why “go slow to go fast” matters when creating a new position
• How role clarity supports hiring, onboarding, and performance management
• Why companies need to rethink job descriptions in the age of AI
• How to create an onboarding process that helps new employees succeed
• Why companies need clear boundaries around AI use
• How Predictive Index can help identify candidates who are more likely to thrive
• Why overwhelming applicant volume makes traditional recruiting inefficient

Theresia shares real examples of hiring fraud and explains how businesses can protect themselves without making the hiring process unnecessarily complicated.

The conversation is ultimately about slowing down enough to get hiring right. When leaders clearly define what they need, evaluate candidates objectively, and build the right foundation for onboarding, they have a much better chance of putting the right person in the right seat.

Timestamps

00:00 – Hiring nightmares you won’t believe
01:24 – Theresia’s background and fractional HR model
02:37 – The wild west of hiring
02:55 – The fabricated sales pipeline
04:15 – When an employee secretly outsources their job
05:34 – How leaders can protect themselves
07:46 – The camera-on rule for remote interviews
08:55 – Why charming candidates can fool employers
10:00 – AI, proxy interviews, and fake answers
12:22 – Rethinking skills assessments in the age of AI
14:07 – Do you actually know what you’re hiring for?
15:12 – Why “good enough” hires cost more in the end
17:06 – Who should define the role?
17:50 – Mel’s role review process
19:25 – Job descriptions in a changing workplace
21:12 – When companies hire great people but fail to onboard them
22:13 – What effective onboarding really looks like
24:25 – Learning by watching your leader work
26:25 – How short videos can replace unnecessary meetings
27:17 – Why every company needs an AI policy
28:28 – The hiring nightmare involving a proxy server
30:41 – When protecting employees goes too far
32:05 – When small businesses need HR support
35:11 – Why leaders need a people thought partner
37:47 – The value of an outside perspective
39:53 – The problem with “Easy Apply”
40:19 – How to reduce applicant overload
41:58 – Using Predictive Index to filter candidates
43:20 – Final hiring lessons and trusting your gut
43:53 – Where to find Theresia and Intag Hire

Follow Mel on LinkedIn: / melissa-ortiz-talent-optimization-expert
Visit Activate Human Capital Group's Website: https://www.activatehcg.com/
Want to learn more? Email info@activatehcg.com