LIGHTNINGHIRE
LightningHire author
Co-founder & CTO at LightningHire · New York, NY
Michael Lynn is the co-founder and CTO of LightningHire, where he builds AI-powered interview and recruiting workflows for job seekers, recruiters, and small hiring teams.
His work focuses on structured interviews, candidate evaluation, MongoDB-backed product systems, and practical AI workflows that keep humans in control of high-stakes hiring decisions.
May 7, 2026
When to Reject a Candidate vs. Keep Them Warm
Not every no is the same. Recruiters need a clear way to separate must-have misses, timing issues, and candidates worth keeping close.
Read postMay 6, 2026
Recruiting Metrics Small Teams Should Track Before They Buy More Tools
Small recruiting teams do not need a giant dashboard. Track the few metrics that reveal bottlenecks, signal quality, and candidate experience.
Read postMay 5, 2026
How to Build a Better Candidate Shortlist
A strong shortlist is not just the highest-scoring candidates. It should show fit, tradeoffs, risks, and why each person deserves the next conversation.
Read postMay 4, 2026
How Recruiters Can Push Back on Vague Hiring Manager Feedback
Recruiters do not need to accept vague feedback like 'not senior enough.' Use these questions to turn reactions into usable hiring signals.
Read postMay 3, 2026
AI Prompts Recruiters Can Use for Structured Hiring
AI can help recruiters draft intake questions, scorecard dimensions, screen handoffs, and debrief summaries. These prompts keep the human in control.
Read postMay 2, 2026
How to Write Interview Questions From a Scorecard
Good interview questions start with the signal you need to test. This guide shows recruiters how to turn scorecard dimensions into better questions.
Read postMay 1, 2026
The Recruiter Tradeoff Map: How to Stop Every Preference Becoming a Requirement
Most roles fail when nice-to-haves quietly become must-haves. A tradeoff map helps recruiters force the right conversation before sourcing starts.
Read postApr 30, 2026
Candidate Experience for Small Recruiting Teams: What Actually Matters
Small teams do not need enterprise recruiting operations to create a strong candidate experience. They need clarity, speed, and honest communication.
Read post