Holly King

💥 The hall of shame: interview feedback edition 💥 Let’s be honest — some of the feedback candidates get after interviews can be fairly insulting. It’s vague, lazy, and does nothing to help someone actually improve. Here are 5 of the worst offenders I hear all the time: 1. “It was a really close call.” Translation: We don’t want to tell you why we picked someone else. Zero substance, zero value. 2. “We promoted someone internally.” Fair enough — but why invite external candidates in the first place? 3. “You don’t have the right background.” Strange, considering my CV screamed that from the beginning — and you still dragged me through multiple rounds. 4. “You’re too experienced.” Ah yes, the classic crime of knowing too much. Since when is capability a liability? 5. “Another candidate was a stronger fit.” The most meaningless feedback of them all. It’s a polite way of saying nothing at all. 👉 If businesses actually want candidates to respect them (and maybe even reapply in future), feedback has to be constructive. Otherwise, it’s just hot air and wasted effort on both sides. #job #interview #candidatefeedback #business #recruitment #hiring

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A lot of recruiters jump straight into selling... “This candidate would be perfect for you!” “This role’s an amazing opportunity!”   And while we all want to move fast, speed without direction is useless.   We don’t open a search until we’ve listened - properly.   🔹 What are you really looking for? 🔹 What’s changed in the business recently? 🔹 Where have hires gone wrong before?   When you take the time to ask those questions up front, the rest moves quicker.   Because then it’s not about sending over a stack of resumes and hoping one sticks.   It’s targeted, thoughtful and it saves everyone time.   ❌ We don’t believe in compromising on quality just to check a box.    ❌ We’re not in this to hit volume, and submitting a stack of resumes that are not a good fit. That’s why we listen first. That’s how we move fast.   And that’s why we won’t ever flood your inbox with people who aren’t a fit.

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The best TA teams don’t just fill roles, they map the opportunity first. Most hiring plans are reactive. A role opens → the scramble begins. But elite TA teams flip the script: they start with the opportunity map. By looking at the talent market up front, they can: - Anticipate which roles will be hardest to fill - Spot skill gaps before they bottleneck growth - Prioritise hiring where impact will be greatest - Give leaders confidence with data-backed plans This is where TAM thinking comes in. Not just a number, but a framework to connect talent planning to the bigger picture. 👉 here we break this down in a simple way for TA leaders. Take a look and see how mapping the opportunity can make hiring smarter, faster, and more strategic.

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“𝗦𝗼𝗿𝗿𝘆, 𝘄𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲.” If you’ve ever heard that line, you’re far from alone. A recent UK survey showed that 64% of candidates were rejected from their first job application because they didn’t have enough experience. 𝙄𝙩’𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙡𝙖𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙘 𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙘𝙝-𝟮𝟮: 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙘𝙖𝙣’𝙩 𝙜𝙚𝙩 𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙖 𝙟𝙤𝙗, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙘𝙖𝙣’𝙩 𝙜𝙚𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙟𝙤𝙗 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚. As a recruiter, I see brilliant people being overlooked every day—not because they lack potential, but because hiring processes lean too heavily on rigid experience filters. The good news? Things are shifting. Around 65% of employers now use skills-based hiring for entry-level roles. That means your abilities, achievements, and mindset matter just as much (if not more) than a job title on your CV. 👉 Employers: if you want fresh talent, be open to transferable skills and invest in training. 👉 Candidates: highlight what you can do, not just what you’ve done. Projects, volunteering, side hustles—they all count. Because the “experience gap” isn’t just frustrating, it’s costing companies amazing talent. #imhiring #recruitmentbutbetter

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20 years in recruitment. Thousands of CVs reviewed. Hundreds of hires made. Question - Who makes the best candidates? Answer -People that don’t just look good on paper. Its the people that make it easy to say yes. Their CV and LinkedIn profile show clear value and showcase relevant experience. 💥No waffle. 💥No buzzwords. 💥No second-guessing. If you’re not getting shortlisted, it’s not always about hammering home the qualifications. It’s often about clarity and giving clear and concise EXAMPLES showcasing your experience or the technologies/applications built relevant to the job you are applying for!

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Every recruiter promises the same thing. The biggest network The best talent The fastest results But the real question is: who can actually deliver? I’ve lasted almost seven years in this business through: • Pandemic • 5+ moves   • Bringing a baby into the world while navigating betrayal • Severe CPTSD until the flashbacks finally stopped How? Not by lowering my rates Not by chasing clients who don’t value me I lean into what makes me different I value relationships I root for my peers I stay in my lane I stay confident in what I bring, without changing who I am to fit a mold. Here’s what most companies miss when choosing a recruiter: It’s not about a flashy pitch or a long list of logos. It’s about trust. If you are evaluating recruiters, ask: 1. How do you balance speed with quality? 2. How do you learn our culture? 3. Can you share examples of similar searches? 4. How do you communicate progress? 5. How do you build trust with candidates?     The answers reveal more than any deck. And job seekers: lean into what makes you different. You cannot compete where you do not compare. Focus on yourself and the rest will follow.

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Stop selling recruitment to TA teams and hiring managers. It doesn’t work. Here’s what to change if your outbound is getting ignored. August was naturally quiet. So I used the time to speak with dozens of solo recruiters and agency owners. Nearly all of them said the same thing: “I’m doing all the right things. But BD feels harder than ever.” Here’s what most were doing: > Connect with TA or a hiring manager > Lead with a candidate or job post > Attach a slick-looking PDF > Ask for a meeting > Follow up with “just checking in…” When that doesn’t land, they assume the company isn’t using agencies or that TA is blocking them. The message sounds like every other recruiter’s. There’s no trust. No context. No reason to respond. It’s not personal. It’s pattern recognition. TA teams are overloaded. Your message isn’t ignored because you’re a recruiter. It’s ignored because it blends into the noise. The recruiters I see winning business now... > Step off the volume treadmill > Ditch sales clichés > Post before they pitch > Show up with insight not noise > Align with what’s actually happening inside TA If you're rethinking how you do BD, join us for a free Talivo Workshop: “How to stop getting ignored by TA teams and hiring managers.” Tuesday 2nd September at 3pm UK / 10am EST. I’ll walk through why outreach gets ignored, how to position around the TA process, and share real message examples that actually get replies. If you think this would be useful, comment “Workshop” and I’ll send you the link.

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