Looks Good on Paper
Looks Good on Paper flips hiring on its head. Hosted by Andrew Wood and Anita Chauhan, we dive into why CVs and "perfect fits" are overrated. Through fun, insightful conversations with industry experts, we explore how skills, potential, and real experience should be the focus of hiring... not what looks good on paper.
Quick, candid, and packed with actionable insights, we’re here to rewrite the rules of hiring, one episode at a time.
Looks Good on Paper
The Talent Signal Recruiters Often Miss (S2E13)
Shanal Kazi breaks down why so many hiring decisions still optimize for comfort over capability — and what changes when you stop treating the CV as your strongest signal. We cover the hidden bias against non-linear careers, and what “better signal” could look like in 2026.
What you will learn:
- The real cost of hiring for polish and big brand names
- The hidden bias toward linear career paths (and what it screens out)
- How to assess capability, self-awareness, and growth without over-indexing on CVs
- Why role clarity and honesty matter more than “culture fit” clichés
- What 2026 hiring should prioritize as AI becomes embedded in the process
👓 About Our Guest
Shanal Kazi is an experienced Manager of Engagement & Inclusion and Talent Management, With more than 14 years of experience across organizational development, culture, and enterprise change in complex global environments.
She brings a global lens shaped by living across countries, rebuilding her career as an immigrant in Canada, and seeing first-hand how resumes can hide the attributes that actually predict success.
📄 About Looks Good on Paper / Willo
Looks Good on Paper is a podcast by Willo exploring how hiring, talent, and work are changing beyond the resume.
▶ Watch the full episode here: https://youtu.be/bU29ODKDmmQ
Chapters
00:00 — Welcome + why this episode starts 2026
00:54 — A career that “doesn’t make sense on paper”
01:45 — Early career barriers and bias in hiring
03:15 — What resumes fail to capture about candidates
04:28 — Biggest hiring mistake: comfort over capability
06:17 — Role clarity, honesty, and working across cultures at Samsung
08:09 — Hidden bias: linear careers (and why it’s flawed)
10:58 — If CVs disappeared: what replaces them
14:00 — 2026 trends: AI, transparency, and diversity of thought
If this episode was useful, follow the show and leave a quick rating or review — it helps more hiring teams find these conversations.
Show Resources
- Willo: willo.video - The most cost-effective way to screen candidates at scale. Interview candidates anywhere & at any time
- CV Free Toolkit: cvfree.me/join - Break up with the CV and get everything you need to modernize your hiring approach with skills-based assessments
- Anita Chauhan: linkedin.com/in/anitachauhan - Connect with the host
