The One Thing Three Decades in Talent Has Taught Me: The Human ElementStill Wins
If you stay in the business world long enough, you start to notice patterns.
Technology changes, tools become smarter, and the buzzwords shift, but the core rarely changes. Especially when talking about hiring. Over nearly three decades of global HR experience, I’ve seen multiple waves of “revolutionary” innovations come with big promises. ATS systems were supposed to save recruiters hours. Job boards were meant to democratize opportunity. Video interviews aimed to reveal personality. And now, AI is positioned as the tool that can do it all.
Some of these innovations have truly changed parts of the process, but not in the ways people expect. Despite all the improvements in efficiency and automation, one thing remains irreplaceable: human judgment. You can’t automate the moment when a candidate lights up talking about a team they’re proud of. You can’t quantify the quiet confidence of a leader who owns their mistakes. You can’t train an algorithm to recognize someone who can elevate the culture. After thousands of interviews, I’ve seen flawless résumés fall flat and “underqualified” candidates turn into transformational hires. None of that is visible on a dashboard. It exists in the space where intuition, empathy, pattern recognition, and experience come together, and that’s where the best hiring decisions are made.
A recent search with ATI, a leading Fortune 500 manufacturer, confirmed this truth. They approached us with a role that, on paper, seemed simple: finding an Executive Assistant for a senior leader. Strong employer brand, desirable location, clear expectations…everything you’d typically need for a quick, straightforward search. Yet, after months of effort (six months to be exact), progress was stalled. They had plenty of applicants and multiple interviews, but no one who matched the executive’s working style, pace, or expectations. This wasn’t a sourcing problem; it was an alignment problem. They really weren’t looking for just any EA; they wanted someone who could anticipate, adapt, prioritize, communicate, and perform at an elite level. These qualities aren’t revealed through job boards or keyword searches; they emerge in conversation, chemistry, and the subtle ways someone carries themselves.
When ATI brought us in, we spent time understanding the executive’s cadence, preferred communication methods, decision-making patterns, and the “shadow work” that isn’t listed in any job description but defines success in the role. We don’t chase volume; we were pursuing that perfect intersection of capability and company culture. With that view, we went directly into the market to find someone whose instincts, judgment, presence, and emotional intelligence matched what the leader truly needed.
Within 18 days, we delivered a shortlist that immediately shifted the search's course. The executive quickly identified their top candidate, not because the résumé was the most impressive, but because the fit was clear. The conversation flowed smoothly. The partnership felt right. The fit was immediate. Two weeks later, the offer was finalized, and the executive gained an EA who was the right fit.
What this search, once again, reinforced is that technology can support the process but cannot replace the human element. AI, analytics, and digital tools definitely have a place in modern talent strategy. They help us operate faster, identify patterns, and streamline work. But hiring, especially at the executive level, still relies on discernment. It involves reading the room, sensing what’s not being said, noticing the details a machine cannot see, and matching a person’s capabilities with a leader’s unique rhythms and expectations.
The ATI search didn’t turn because we had the fastest tools. It turned because we listened differently, looked deeper, and applied decades of experience to understand what the executive truly needed.
And that’s why great hiring still lives in the space between data and discernment. Technology may evolve, but the art of understanding people remains irreplaceable.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jeff Lupinacci spent the last 25 years at some of the world's best-known companies, such as Intel Corporation and Kimberly-Clark. His career spans key executive roles such as Chief Learning Officer, Chief Talent Officer, and Chief Integration Officer. After a successful corporate career, Jeff turned his focus to his true passion—serving the overworked and under-resourced HR profession.
Beyond his corporate success, Jeff is a sought-after speaker and thought leader, with his insights featured in leading publications such as CFO Europe, Nikkei Business Magazine, and Baylor Business Review. In addition to his business leadership, Jeff is an adjunct professor at Baylor University, where he teaches Human Capital Management for the Executive MBA program and leads the HR Strategy and Analytics capstone for undergraduates.
Jeff is the best-selling author of The Talent Advantage: A CEO’s Journey to Discover the Value of Talent. He lives in Dallas, Texas, with his wife and two doodles.