Episode 97: Hiring Smarter, Not Harder: Real Talk on Recruiting Challenges with Trisha Degg

Episode notes

How many times have you opened that dreaded email— “We’ve decided to move forward with someone else”? Was it even written by a real person? An AI bot, maybe? Rejection stings, but silence stings more. So here’s the real question: do candidates deserve better? And are hiring teams truly prepared to give it? In this episode of Recruiting is No Joke , Joel Lalgee is joined by Trisha Degg, Head of Talent Acquisition at Rush Street Interactive, to pull back the curtain on the real state of recruiting today. With a global team and rapid growth (100 hires this year alone across 26 countries), Trisha’s seen what works—and what definitely doesn’t. From implementing hands-on interview training for hiring managers at every physical location, to building systems that actually respect candidates, Trisha shares how she’s helping scale a people-first hiring culture in a high-growth tech environment. But it’s not just about systems. This episode goes deeper—into what it means to build relationships in recruiting.