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

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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