In this episode of Highly Adaptive, Jeff Pelliccio and Erin MacKenzie are joined by Mark Hummel, founder of Toro Insights, to tackle a problem most staffing leaders feel every day—but rarely name: you’re collecting a mountain of data…and still making decisions like you don’t have any.
Mark breaks down why “if it’s not in the ATS, it didn’t happen” became an industry mantra—and why it backfires when the data you’re collecting turns into digital dust: hard to access, hard to segment, and slow to use. The hidden cost isn’t storage. It’s time, missed opportunities, underused automation investments, and teams rebuilding lists from scratch because the system can’t surface what they need.
The episode gets extremely practical: where the real competitive intelligence actually lives (emails, texts, and conversations), how to run a DIY “external search” audit to find your missing data fields, and how to think about AI as a coach that gives your team superpowers—not a shortcut that replaces the fundamentals. The core message lands clean: digital dust becomes digital gold when you know where to “swing the hammer.”
Key Takeaways
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Your differentiator is hidden – Competitive advantage lives in what you know, not how many resumes you store.
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Digital dust is expensive – The biggest cost is time: tear sheets, list rebuilding, and analysis paralysis.
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Automation fails without segmentation – If data isn’t structured, your automation tools can’t deliver ROI.
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Mine conversations for stories – Emails/texts/LinkedIn messages hold the proof points that win deals.
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Start with the external search test – If teams go to LinkedIn first, identify what they’re looking for and where your system is missing it.
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Use AI as a coach – Train and empower recruiters with institutional knowledge, not generic outreach “slop.”
Sponsors
Allied Insight – The Preferred Marketing Partner of Staffing and Consulting Businesses
Turn your operational story into a market story. Allied Insight helps staffing and consulting leaders align strategy, message, and execution—so your brand and your systems work together to drive growth.
All Things Staffing – Expert Resources for the Staffing Community
Your hub for staffing insights, case studies, and operator-grade frameworks. All Things Staffing helps leaders turn ideas like “data strategy” into practical next steps that improve outcomes.
