Tom Delaney

⚖️ 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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Enjoying my morning coffee date with Chat GPT this morning and came across a UK contract market update… 📈 One of the most popular UK staffing platforms has reported on contract hiring, suggesting a stronger than expected uptick in contract activity in September. The report notes that contract roles increased 10.4% year on year in September and month on month, contract roles increased 18%. A consideration is that employers are leaning more on contract / flexible talent strategies to manage risk… but positive signs ahead of Q4!

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One month back at OpusRS – here’s what I’m seeing in the JavaScript contract market. It’s been great to get stuck back in, and I’ve already noticed some clear trends across the UK JavaScript contract space. 🏢 Hybrid working is shifting. Fully remote roles are becoming less common, with more contracts now asking for 2–3 days a week in the office. Collaboration and team presence are making a comeback. 💬 Contractors who know how to add value and communicate clearly with clients are being consistently extended. It’s not just about technical ability—commercial awareness and soft skills are making a real difference. 📉 Rates have taken a hit compared to a few years ago, but demand is still strong for those who can hit the ground running. ⚙️ Next.js is gaining serious traction. While React remains dominant with 39.5% of developers using it, Next.js is quickly rising with 17.9% adoption—thanks to its performance benefits and built-in features like server-side rendering and static site generation If you're a contractor looking for your next move, or a business needing top JavaScript talent, I’d love to connect. #JavaScript #NextJS #ReactJS #Contracting #TechRecruitment #OpusRS

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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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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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🚨 After the overwhelming response to my recent posts, it’s clear there’s strong appetite for real insights into what’s happening across the BA and QA market right now. So - I have pulled together our Q3 Market Insights Report, focused on what we’re seeing on the ground across Business Analyst and QA recruitment. 🔎 It’s not a “how to get hired” guide, but rather a pulse check on: 📈 What hiring activity looks like post-EOFY 💬 Emerging trends we’re hearing in client conversations 🧠 Skills and behaviours in demand 🔄 Shifts in contract vs. perm 🛠️ Where the market is loosening up - and where it’s still tight Whether you're scaling a team or exploring your next move, I hope this gives helpful context on the landscape we're all navigating. 📥 Feel free to reach out if you'd like the full report - or drop a comment below if anything resonates! #BAJobs #QAJobs #RecruitmentInsights #MarketUpdate #HiringTrends #ProjectServices #BusinessAnalysis #QualityAssurance #TechHiring

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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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𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫’𝐬 𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐡 𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐬𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦 𝐬𝐨 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥? 💡 iO Associates - UK/EU latest episode of Manchester Tech Journey features Paul Heath, Head of Data at Classic Football Company Ltd., who shares an energising look at Manchester’s thriving tech scene, leadership journeys, and why now is THE time to build your career or business up North. 🎙️ 𝐎𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐞𝐩𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐝𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡 𝐉𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐲, 𝐏𝐚𝐮𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 Michael Collins 𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨: 🔹 Paul’s unconventional route from accountancy to leading data at a global football brand 🔹 Lessons learned moving from contributor to tech leadership (and why mistakes matter!) 🔹 The unique “Manchester spirit” powering collaboration and innovation 🔹 Where AI and cloud are REALLY heading for tech teams 🔹 Why moving to Manchester for tech is a no-brainer right now 💬 Whether you’re new to tech, local to Manchester, or thinking about your next step, this episode is packed with real-world advice and unmissable insights. 🎧 Listen to the full episode now - link in the comments! #ManchesterTech #TechLeadership #DataInnovation #Podcast #AI #DigitalCareers #ManchesterGrowth #TechCommunity #ClassicFootballShirts #FootballAndTech #LeadershipJourney

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Why is CRM often the last thing brands fix, and the first thing that makes them money? 🤔 Brands obsess over new customer acquisition - paid ads, influencers, flashy site launches. Meanwhile, CRM sits in the backlog. But in practice, CRM often gives the best returns. Take Harrods as an example: 💎 2.5 million registered loyalty members. 💎 Top 0.1% of customers generate ~20% of total sales. 💎 85% of spend comes through their “Rewards” programme. 💎 Loyalty programme members spend ~6% more than non-members. Fixing CRM isn’t sexy - It’s often complex. But when done properly (single view of the customer, meaningful loyalty tiers, personalised experiences), it becomes your first lever to unlock real revenue and stability. Is your CRM still on your to-fix list? Definitely worth getting ahead of your competitors! #CRM #Retention #Loyalty

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