Joe Dunikoski is the founder of Verso Jobs – a gamified, data driven hiring platform and service built to make hiring human.

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Guest Resources

Verso Jobs – Check out Joe’s website to hire or find mission-aligned, happy work.

Verso Jobs Instagram – Follow Joe on Instagram.

Verso Jobs LinkedIn – Connect with Joe on LinkedIn.

3 Value Bombs

1. Hiring based solely on resumes is broken. It’s time to evaluate the whole person, not just a piece of paper.

2. Happiness at work directly impacts productivity, retention, and even your company’s financial performance.

3. Growth mindset, fast learning, and being personable are more valuable than most hard skills.

Show Notes

**Click the time stamp to jump directly to that point in the episode.

Today’s Audio MASTERCLASS: Making Hiring Human with Joe Dunikoski

[1:28] – Joe shares something that he believes about successful that most people disagree with.

Success should bring awareness of life’s brevity. Remembering your mortality keeps you grounded and reminds you to use time purposefully.

[3:12] – Joe talks about how common are hiring mistakes and their cost.

30% of new hires leave within 90 days.
Hiring mistakes can cost 50% to 200% of an employee’s annual salary.
Mis-hires damage culture, slow growth, and waste valuable time.

[5:23] – Joe shares the solution and how do we fix hiring.

Hire the whole person. The skills, beliefs, personality, alignment, and happiness matter.
A great hire has 3 traits; skills, alignment with company mission, and positive team dynamics.

[7:26] – Joe talks about how to better identify the best fit among applicants.

Traditional tools only allow you to assess 8 out of 250+ resumes.
You need more meaningful data beyond resumes and degrees.
Verso Jobs helps by gamifying and humanizing the process so you only talk to top matches.

[9:10] – A timeout to thank our sponsors!

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[12:45] – Joe talks about the Happiness Advantage and why it matters.

Companies ranked “Best Places to Work” outperformed the S&P 500 by 33%.
Happy employees are more productive, engaged, and loyal even without financial incentives.
Emotional buy-in leads to extra effort and fewer distractions.

[15:44] – Joe talks about Hard vs. Soft Skills and what really matters when hiring.

The best hires learn fast, work hard, and are enjoyable to be around.
Most hard skills (like Python, Excel) can be taught but mindset and drive can’t.

[17:53] – Joe talks about building a culture that attracts and retains great people.

Pay well, promote the mission, and build a community at work.
Purpose and culture will outcompete compensation alone in the long run.
Mission-driven work reduces burnout and increases mental well-being.

[20:09] – Joe gives his final takeaway.

Ask yourself, are you happy at work?
Happiness = fulfillment + making a positive impact.
Work affects every part of your life and there’s no such thing as “siloing” 33% of your day.
If you’re not happy at work, it affects everything else too.

[21:33] – Call to Action.

Verso Jobs – Check out Joe’s website to hire or find mission-aligned, happy work.
Verso Jobs Instagram – Follow Joe on Instagram.
Verso Jobs LinkedIn – Connect with Joe on LinkedIn.

[22:57] – Thank you to our Sponsors!

HighLevel: The ultimate all-i n-one platform for entrepreneurs, marketers, coaches, and agencies! Learn more at HighLevelFire.com!
Shopify: If you want to see less carts being abandoned, it’s time for you to head over to Shopify! Sign up for your $1-per-month trial and start selling today at Shopify.com/onfire!

Killer Resources!

1) The Common Path to Uncommon Success: JLD’s 1st traditionally published book! Over 3000 interviews with the world’s most successful Entrepreneurs compiled into a 17-step roadmap to financial freedom and fulfillment!

2) Free Podcast Course: Learn from JLD how to create and launch your podcast!

3) Podcasters’ Paradise: The #1 podcasting community in the world!