Episode 303: Growing A Soft Skills Assessment Platform For High-Volume Hiring – with Stephane Rivard from HiringBranch
A Better HR Business
When companies use realistic job simulations, they can finally see beyond CVs and surface true talent, regardless of background.
Removing bias from recruitment isn’t theoretical; it’s achievable. Grounding hiring decisions in real-world, data-driven simulations gives every candidate a fair shot and helps teams identify who will actually succeed in the role.
Smart hiring isn’t about who interviews best. It’s about who performs best.
Stephane Rivard, CEO and co-founder of HiringBranch, a Montreal-based company using AI and job simulations to transform high-volume recruitment, shares the evolution of Hiring Branch, why traditional interviews fall short, and how data-driven, skill-based hiring can result in fairer, and more consistent outcomes.
Other topics we covered in our conversation:
Evolution from language and soft-skills training to data-driven, skills-based assessments.
Why success in customer-facing roles goes beyond empathy to skills like rapport, grit, and critical thinking.
The difficulty of replacing traditional interviews and reducing bias in hiring.
How HiringBranch adapts its platform across industries using deep, role-specific data.
Go-to-market insights: experimentation, conferences, networking, and customer outcomes.
Advice for HR tech firms on partnerships, focus, and differentiation.
And much more!
If you’re interested in fair and effective hiring practices, data-driven HR, or the future of skills assessment, this conversation offers a grounded, experience-based look at what works and what’s changing in the world of recruitment.
Website: www.hiringbranch.com
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/stephane-rivard-entrepreneur
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