After more than 20 years in technology recruitment, I’ve worked through every market you can imagine. Today, my focus is Data, AI and emerging technologies, where demand continues to outstrip supply.
Despite all the talk about skills shortages, I don’t think the biggest issue facing UK IT recruitment is finding talent. It’s what happens after you’ve found it.
Too many hiring processes are simply too slow.
As someone who spends most race weekends watching Formula 1, I’m always struck by how success comes from everyone working together. The fastest car doesn’t always win; it’s the team that communicates well, makes decisions quickly and executes without hesitation. Recruitment isn’t that different.
A vacancy is approved, agencies start searching, candidates are engaged and interviews begin. Then the delays creep in. Feedback takes days, interview availability slips, approvals sit in inboxes and momentum disappears.
The candidate sees one hiring experience, and your employer brand is judged on that experience.
In specialist markets like Data and AI, candidates rarely wait around. The best people are often involved in several interview processes at once. If one company can make a decision in a week while another takes three, the outcome is usually predictable.
I’ve always believed recruitment is about customer service as much as it is sourcing talent. Every candidate deserves honesty, timely updates and clear communication, even if the answer is “we’re still waiting.” Likewise, clients deserve recruitment partners who challenge delays rather than simply accepting them.
Technology, AI and automation will continue to improve recruitment, but they won’t fix poor communication or indecisive hiring. Those are people problems.
The companies that consistently attract the best technology talent won’t necessarily be the ones offering the biggest salaries. They’ll be the ones whose hiring process feels organised, respectful and decisive.
Just like Formula 1, it’s rarely about one big moment. It’s about lots of small decisions made quickly, by people working together with a shared goal.
In today’s market, every day matters.
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