Ben Mones: AI vs. AI: The Future of Recruitment Safety

Ben Mones is the founder and CEO of Fama, a modern candidate screening solution that makes hiring great people easy. Fama leverages online signals to identify candidate fit, helping organizations answer big questions like how a candidate might act around coworkers or customers when they join. He founded Fama in 2015 after missing a critical risk on a new hire that was plainly apparent online.

Before Fama, Ben held several executive roles at various Bay Area and New York City startups. Ben is also a mentor on the Go-to-Market Advisory Council of Alchemist Accelerator, which is focused on accelerating the development of seed-stage ventures.
Ben has been a guest lecturer at MIT Sloan School of Management, UCLA Anderson School of Management, and USC Marshall School of Business and has been featured in CNBC, Fast Company, the Los Angeles Times, TechCrunch, and the Wall Street Journal. He holds a Bachelor of Arts from Vanderbilt University and is based in Los Angeles, California.
In this conversation, Ben and Adam discuss the origins of his company, which focuses on candidate screening through digital identity. He shares insights on the ethical implications of using online data in hiring, the evolution of leadership and company culture, and the impact of AI on recruitment processes. Monez emphasizes the importance of transparency in leadership and reflects on his definition of success, highlighting the balance between work and family life.

Connect w/ Ben: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-mones-45740a2a/

Check out their latest reports: How to Understand Candidate Quality from an Applicant’s Web Presence
https://fama.io/resource/how-to-understand-candidate-quality-from-an-applicants-web-presence

and The State of Misconduct at Work in 2023: https://fama.io/resource/the-state-of-misconduct-at-work-in-2023

We thank HireRoad for supporting these episodes of #thePOZcast at HR Tech 2024, Las Vegas! HireRoad is a leading global HR solutions provider spanning recruitment, onboarding, learning, and analytics software. Driven by PeopleInsight by HireRoad, our best-in-class people analytics solution, we unify disparate HR datasets to provide businesses with actionable insights within a record five days.  

Our mission is to help our customers maximize the impact of their HR technology through a deeper understanding and optimization of their most significant investment– their people. HireRoad empowers HR teams through data-driven insights, customized support from our team of experts, and a transparent, cost-effective approach to meet companies where they are at in their people data journey. 

For more, please visit hireroad.com/poz

Thanks for listening, and please follow us on Insta @NHPTalent and X @AdamJPosner. Please check out all episodes and more at www.thePOZcast.com 

Takeaways

- Fama is derived from a Latin term meaning fame via reputation.
- The company focuses on candidate screening through digital identity.
- Monez had no prior experience in HR or background screening.
- Ethical concerns arise from using online data for hiring decisions.
- Transparency in leadership has improved company culture.
- AI is changing the recruitment landscape.
- Human interviews remain crucial despite advancements in AI.
- Success is defined by personal fulfillment and financial security.
- Work-life balance is essential for overall happiness.
- Monez encourages open communication about company metrics with employees.