Live 2025: Chicago

Reimagining the Candidate Experience as a Strategic Advantage
Jon Stross knew something had to change when a candidate confided with him about applying to 200 roles without getting any responses. Stross, the president and co-founder of Greenhouse, laid out how the company is tackling the grim realities of overwhelming application volume, ghosting, and the increasing use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the hiring process. As organizations race to develop the most efficient algorithms, Greenhouse is helping transform what has been a soul-crushing experience for many into an empowering journey. “It’s terrible out there to be a candidate,” Stross said during the thought leadership spotlight at From Day One’s NYC talent acquisition conference. The current hiring market is one where applicants feel like their resumes weren’t even good enough for a response, he says. But things aren’t much better on the employer side, as recruiters find themselves sorting through thousands of resumes. Candidates who are worried about being ghosted end up sending generic applications en masse, while recruiters struggle to find desired signals in all of the noise. The new dynamic has led to employers increasingly relying on referrals or outbound sourcing, while candidates face a “black hole” of uncertainty. The result is a lose-lose scenario where neither side trusts the process. While AI's role in the hiring process is expected to expand in the next several years, Stross warns that matching AI-generated resumes with AI-scored profiles risks reducing everything to noise. Jon Stross, the president and co-founder of Greenhouse, led the thought leadership spotlightProviding transparency and giving candidates control is one of the strategies Greenhouse uses to combat ghosting and unclear deadlines. “It’s like walking into a deli with 200 people in line. You’d at least know your place in the queue,” Stross said.Greenhouse increases transparency and gives candidates control by introducing features like real-time application tracking and self-scheduling interviews—features that allow the application process to mimic the clarity of waiting in line at the deli. “If you see 200 people ahead of you, you might leave,” Stross said. “But at least you’re making an informed choice.”Greenhouse also introduced a Quick Apply feature that reduces friction in the application process, allowing candidates to auto-fill applications across Greenhouse-powered companies. This approach respects candidates’ time, reducing the repetitive data entry style applications. It’s a small but critical step in improving employer brand perception, says Stross.Surfacing Intent DataResumes capture a candidate, but they don’t always clearly reflect their intent. Greenhouse introduces data differentiation by collecting work preferences and a novel “dream job” marker. Similar to early admission in college applications, candidates may select one role monthly as their dream job. Recruiters can then filter applicants by their skills and passion, turning the data into a powerful differentiator for both sides. “Imagine sifting through 800 applicants and seeing five who marked your job as their dream,” Stross said. “It doesn’t mean they’re qualified, but it shows genuine interest.” Stoss suggests making the hiring process a race to the top rather than a descent into full automation. “Some companies are leaning in, building an employer brand that candidates remember,” he said.Organizations signal their commitment to talent by automating status updates and highlighting positive candidate experiences, reinforcing their brand and boosting candidate loyalty.Greenhouse is transforming hiring with tools like real-time application updates, centralized task checklists to guide candidates, and autofill capabilities that simplify applying. Personalized alerts and preference-based matching also help connect candidates to the right opportunities faster. These innovations give candidates a clearer path to their dream jobs while making the application process less unpleasant. Richer applicant profiles help recruiters to filter candidates more effectively and reduce their reliance on generic AI scoring that ignores human nuance. By embracing transparency, control, and meaningful data, organizations can attract and inspire talent while strengthening their employer brand, says Stross.Editor's note: From Day One thanks our partner, Greenhouse, for sponsoring this thought leadership spotlight. Ade Akin covers workplace wellness, HR trends, and digital health solutions.(Photos by Hason Castell for From Day One)

What Our Attendees are Saying

“The panels were phenomenal. The breakout sessions were incredibly insightful. I got the opportunity to speak with countless HR leaders who are dedicated to improving people’s lives. I walked away feeling excited about my own future in the business world, knowing that many of today’s people leaders are striving for a more diverse, engaged, and inclusive workforce.”
– Jordan Baker, Emplify
“Thank you, From Day One, for such an important conversation on diversity and inclusion, employee engagement and social impact.”
– Desiree Booker, ColorVizion Lab
“Timely and much needed convo about the importance of removing the stigma and providing accessible mental health resources for all employees.”
– Kim Vu, Remitly
“Great discussion about leadership, accountability, transparency and equity. Thanks for having me, From Day One.”
– Florangela Davila, KNKX 88.5 FM
“De-stigmatizing mental health illnesses, engaging stakeholders, arriving at mutually defined definitions for equity, and preventing burnout—these are important topics that I’m delighted are being discussed at the From Day One conference.”
– Cory Hewett, Gimme Vending Inc.
“Thank you for bringing speakers and influencers into one space so we can all continue our work scaling up the impact we make in our organizations and in the world!”
– Trisha Stezzi, Significance LLC
“From Day One provided a full day of phenomenal learning opportunities and best practices in creating & nurturing corporate values while building purposeful relationships with employees, clients, & communities.”
– Vivian Greentree, Fiserv
“We always enjoy and are impressed by your events, and this was no exception.”
– Chip Maxwell, Emplify
“We really enjoyed the event yesterday— such an engaged group of attendees and the content was excellent. I'm feeling great about our decision to partner with FD1 this year.”
– Katy Romero, One Medical
“The From Day One Conference in Seattle was filled with people who want to make a positive impact in their company, and build an inclusive culture around diversity and inclusion. Thank you to all the panelists and speakers for sharing their expertise and insights. I'm looking forward to next year's event!”
– Kayleen Perkins, Seattle Children's
“I had the pleasure of attending From Day One. My favorite session, Getting Bias Out of Our Systems, was such a powerful conversation between local thought leaders.”
– Michaela Ayers, Nourish Events
“Inspiring speakers and powerful conversations. Loved meeting so many talented people driving change in their organizations. Thank you From Day One! I look forward to next year’s event!”
– Sarah J. Rodehorst, ePerkz
“I had the distinct pleasure of attending From Day One Seattle. The Getting Bias Out of Our Systems discussion was inspirational and eye-opening.”
– Angela Prater, Confluence Health
“From Day One did an amazing job of providing an exceptional experience for both the attendees and vendors. I mean, we had whale sharks and giant manta rays gracefully swimming by on the other side of the hall from our booth!”
– Joel Stupka, SkillCycle
“Last week I had the honor of moderating a panel on healthy work environments at the From Day One conference in Atlanta. I was so inspired by what these experts had to say about the timely and important topics of mental health in the workplace and the value of nurturing a culture of psychological safety.”
– Alexis Hauk, Emory University