Claire Flowers-Warner

⚖️ The TA Capacity Planning Guide. Created from interviews with 72 Heads of People & Talent, capturing 600+ data points. A strategic resource for TA and People leaders in tech who need to: - Understand recruiter productivity - Understand capacity calculation - Benchmark against peers - Prioritise where to invest (or defend) capacity What’s inside: - Benchmarks by Company Size Live reqs hires/rec/month sourcing mix tech / AI maturity - Tooling Trends + Automation ROI What's adopted, what’s working, and where time is actually saved - Top Bottlenecks The constraints holding most teams back - Strategic Plays for 2025 AI-native workflows, skills-first hiring, dynamic planning models 🎯 Want the full report ? Comment "CAP REPORT" and I'll share access

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Mid Year Market Temperature Check 💡 🎤 The current feeling from candidates is definitely one of frustration, over the last 12-18 months in the UK we have seen vacancy's decrease, unemployment increase and businesses under tremendous cost pressures when it comes to hiring. We have seen more restructures, redundancies and offshoring than there is building and hiring, pair that with more days back in the office being mandated, less people are moving roles and those vacancies that are available are extremely competitive to difficult to land the offer. Within Internal Audit, Risk & Controls specifically, Assurance professionals are working on the new Failure to Prevent Fraud legislation, Corporate Governance changes, the IIA Standards as well as their day job (!!) so people are feeling stretched and stressed but without the option to increase the team / use more co-source due to budget constraints only adding to this feeling of frustration. My advice to those candidates that have been in the market for a while, or new to the market is to 'try' to remain positive. The market is definitely tougher for candidates at the moment but this H1 at Michael Page, we have placed a record number of candidates into positions showing people are still getting the jobs they want! I would recommend partnering with an agency you trust, take on their feedback and allow us to manage your searches. We can help give you up to date market intel, CV advice and most importantly help to bypass the '300' direct applicants you're all seeing on the job profiles. Unfortunately for some, this is a market where you might have to sacrifice on your expected salary, job title and days in the office so also be aware of this. As we enter August (a typically very slow month due to annual leave and people enjoying the summer) try to remain positive, sharpen that CV and reach out to a specialist agency as it is our job to navigate this every day. There are unfortunately some that act unprofessionally often promising they're working on roles they haven't been briefed on but trust your gut and act with caution. Darragh O'Donnell Michael Page

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Recruiters, don’t be blasé about your billings & commission structure when you are interviewing for a Recruitment position. When you’re interviewing with an agency, your numbers matter. So if you don't know them before you meet an Agency or speak to someone like me: find out. Or if you are a temp recruiter that isn't measured on revenue, it could be number of hours billed per week or day, or temps out. But know them. Be armed with that information. Because it helps you. It also helps you build your desk. We know you aren't billing/placing what you were 18 months ago. If you share your billings and are able to explain your commission structure and how much you have earned in comms, (or not earned) every Leader and Manager in the room will do the maths. Because we work it out backwards, starting with the comms you have earned. If you've earned a certain amount of commission, and your structure pays, for example 30% monthly and your salary is $80k, we can work out what you've billed. If the figures don’t add up, it’s obvious and it damages your credibility and honesty. Instead, approach it like this: Be transparent. The market has shifted. No one expects you to be billing what you were two years ago. Owning that reality shows maturity. Know your structure. Understand your commission scheme and be ready to explain how your earnings were calculated. Highlight your value. If your numbers dipped, explain what you did to adapt whether that’s client development, smarter sourcing, or candidate care. Agencies don’t want a fairy tale version of your billings. They want an honest recruiter who understands their desk and can talk about performance with confidence. 🥰 check out my list of recruitment jobs here. https://lnkd.in/gyyscyX

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In big recruitment firms,  “𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐨𝐰𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩” is broken. Here’s why... Over the last 5 years with one client we had: >5 key consultants work with the client >10+ supporting team members >Delivering across a blend of permanent, contract, and consulting hires Result? That client scaled rapidly, worth 24bn JPY (~$16.3m USD) in recruitment value. No single recruiter could deliver that outcome! >It takes specialization. >It takes collaboration. >It takes solving problems across multiple hiring models. That’s the real value clients pay for. Steven Li follow for more cyber security recruitment content in Japan

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5 ways to ditch your best recruiter 🫡 Thinking of pushing out your top biller? Here’s a handy guide ⬇️⬇️   🫵 Micromanage them to death Hover over every call, second-guess their judgment, re-write emails, and remind them how you did it back in the good old days. Works like a charm.   🎯 Set KPIs for KPI’s sake Who cares if they’re bringing in the most revenue? Make sure they still make 50 calls a day!   🔨 Give them broken tools Outdated CRM? No access to LinkedIn? No automation? Perfect   🙅 Offer zero support Want a healthy pipeline? Don’t bother with marketing. No client intros. No admin. Let them juggle everything   👊 Create constant turf wars Pit them against others in the team, create an environment where your recruiters won’t share candidates/clients/info – nothing like a bit of healthy competition Are you a manager reading this and feeling personally attacked? I’m sorry to say you may be creating a toxic environment 😭 Are you a recruiter reading this thinking, is this post about me? Message me ASAP 🥲 Recruiters don’t leave recruitment They leave environments that make it impossible to succeed #recruitment #agencylife #recruitertips #rec2rec #recruters  

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💬 Why are so many experienced executives looking for work, and finding it harder than expected to land their next role? Over the past few weeks, I’ve been speaking with a number of HR Directors and C-suite leaders who are currently on the market. Many have recently left roles, sometimes due to restructures, sometimes by choice, and they’re surprised at how long it’s taking to find the right next step. Here’s what I’m seeing in the market: 🔹 There are more leaders looking than jobs available In the past year, many organisations have restructured, merged, or reduced layers of leadership. That’s led to a real increase in the number of senior people looking for their next role at the same time, so competition is higher, even for those with excellent experience. 🔹 Hiring processes are taking longer Senior roles come with bigger decisions. There are more people involved, more expectations, and often more risk for the business. That means interviews can drag out across months, and sometimes roles get paused or changed mid-process. 🔹 Employers are asking for broader skill sets Companies are looking for leaders who can do more than just run a function. They want people who understand AI and technology, who can drive culture change, who have experience with ESG and diversity, and who can work across different parts of the business. That’s a tall order, and it means even strong candidates can get overlooked if their experience doesn’t tick every box. 🔹 Some roles aren’t clearly defined I’ve seen job ads for executive-level roles that are incredibly vague, or so broad that no one quite knows what success would look like. That creates confusion for candidates and can turn the right people away before they even apply. 🔹 Uncertainty is causing hesitation Even businesses with growth plans are being cautious. Economic uncertainty, global events, and internal reviews mean many organisations are holding off on hiring or only committing to short-term contracts and interim roles. As someone who specialises in HR recruitment, I want to reassure any leaders currently in this position: This is a tough market, not a reflection of your value. And for employers, there is outstanding senior talent available right now, ready to make a real impact. But they want clarity, meaningful work, and a human hiring process. If you’re navigating this space, whether you’re hiring or exploring your next role, I’m always open for a chat, share advice and connect you with others who could be beneficial on your journey.

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The UK HR job market in 2025 is more complex than ever. We’re seeing fewer vacancies, sharper competition, and rising expectations on HR teams, all against a backdrop of economic pressures, regulatory change, and inconsistent adoption of AI. In my latest blog, I explore the greatest challenges reshaping HR recruitment today, and what they mean for employers, candidates, and consultants navigating this landscape. Link is in the comments, and leave your thoughts as well. #hrrecruitment

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When we founded Alexander Daniels 15 years ago, we couldn't have imagined we’d build such a loyal team. Many of our colleagues have been with us for over a decade — which in recruitment, and in business generally, is something I feel incredibly fortunate to say. It seems strange to call them colleagues, because in truth, so many are now our friends. But here’s the reality: along the way, we’ve also lost some truly great people I would have loved to keep. Not because they weren’t performing, or because the culture didn’t fit — but because they needed new challenges we simply couldn’t offer at the time. And that’s okay. One of the hardest lessons as a leader is understanding that retention isn’t about holding on to everyone at all costs. It’s about building an environment where people want to stay — and also recognising when someone needs to spread their wings elsewhere. Sometimes the best thing you can do for a talented colleague is to let them grow beyond your business. When it is right for someone to stay, here’s what I’ve learned about keeping your best people engaged for the long haul, not just through my own journey, but also from the many great CEO's and Leader I get to work with: ✨ Clarity of mission – People stay when they’re connected to the bigger “why”. ✨ Growth opportunities – Even in a startup, you can give space for learning and stretch. ✨ Recognition – A genuine thank-you is more powerful than a bonus. ✨ Flexibility and trust – In today’s world, this isn’t a perk, it’s a baseline. ✨ Listening – Not just at review time, but through ongoing, honest conversations. Retention isn’t about perks, although we've had some great ones! It’s about creating an environment where people feel valued, trusted, and challenged. And when they do move on, it’s about celebrating their growth, not resenting it. What’s the one thing your company does that makes great people stay — and how do you handle it when they choose to leave? Do you measure retention? #Leadership #Retention #Startups #ScaleUp #Talent #Culture #Team

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Ready, Steady… Stop. It happens more often than we care to admit. A client gives the green light to recruit. The job spec is finalised, the role goes live, candidates are shared for consideration, then.. silence. Annual leave takes place, there's radio silence and processes stall. Meanwhile, great candidates are left in limbo—waiting for feedback, unsure if the role is still active, and naturally… exploring other offers. In today’s market, speed matters. So does communication. We understand holidays are essential. But releasing a job and disappearing for two weeks without a clear process or point of contact? That can do real damage: ✅ Top candidates drop out. ✅ Your reputation suffers. ✅ Your employer brand takes a silent hit. ✅ The same role has to be re-briefed—and re-advertised—weeks later. If you're planning time away, a simple fix goes a long way: 🔁 Align with your recruiter on timelines. 📅 Delegate decision-making while you're out. 📢 Communicate with candidates upfront. Candidates don’t expect instant hires—but they do expect clarity. The best people never hang around. Plan your hiring like you’d plan your holidays—thoughtfully and with follow-through. #HiringInIreland #GalwayJobs #RecruitmentTips #ConnachtCareers #IrishJobs #cpl #cpljobs #cplgalway

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