How to hire faster and better with real talent

💡 How Recruiters Can Be More Effective in 2025 Let’s be real — recruiting isn’t about “filling seats.” It’s about connecting human potential with business growth. After 8+ years in Talent Acquisition, one thing I’ve learned is that the most effective recruiters don’t just source — they strategize, influence, and elevate the entire hiring process. Here are 5 things that separate good recruiters from great ones: 1️⃣ They think like business partners, not order takers. Before searching for a candidate, they understand the “why” behind the hire — the business impact, team dynamics, and success metrics. 2️⃣ They prioritize relationships over transactions. Top recruiters build trust with both hiring managers and candidates. The goal isn’t to get someone hired fast — it’s to get the right person hired once. 3️⃣ They measure what matters. Time-to-fill is nice, but quality-of-hire, retention, and hiring manager satisfaction are what actually drive long-term success. 4️⃣ They educate the business. They don’t just execute — they coach. Great recruiters teach hiring managers how to interview effectively, assess fairly, and sell the opportunity authentically. 5️⃣ They stay human in a data-driven world. AI is powerful, but empathy still closes the deal. Listening, storytelling, and emotional intelligence are still the recruiter’s best tools. ⸻ 🚀 In 2025, the best recruiters will be the ones who blend data with empathy — automation with authenticity. If you’re in recruiting or HR, what’s one thing you think separates effective recruiters from average ones? Drop it in the comments 👇 #TalentAcquisition #Recruiting #RecruiterLife #HiringExcellence #PeopleFirst #Leadership #HR

How Business Development Made Me a Better Sourcer Over the past few weeks, I’ve been deep in business development — reaching out to founders, understanding hiring priorities, and refining how I position value. What’s interesting is how much this process has sharpened my sourcing. When you spend time in true business conversations, you start hearing why roles exist — not just what the role is. You notice the difference between “we need someone technical” and “we need someone who can translate complexity into delivery.” That insight feeds directly into how I search, message, and evaluate talent. Good sourcing has always been about precision — but great sourcing starts with context. Building relationships with decision-makers has made me faster at identifying the right profiles because I now connect each search to a clearly defined business outcome. For me, business development and sourcing are two sides of the same craft: 👉 One refines understanding of need. 👉 The other delivers the solution. It’s been a powerful reminder that sourcing doesn’t live in a vacuum — it’s built on listening deeply to the business itself Adaptive Recruiting

🧠 The recruiting bottleneck isn’t talent. It’s process. We’ve never had more candidates in our funnels, yet somehow, hiring feels slower and messier than ever. Time-to-hire averages 43 days for business roles and 54 for technical ones. And here’s the wild part: over 50% of that time is spent before interviews even begin. 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠? 🙇♀️ Recruiters spend 6–8 hours per role screening resumes, often juggling 3–5 roles at once. 🙇♀️ They spend 8–14 hours/week sourcing passive candidates — with 5–10% reply rates. 🙇♀️ Recruiters still have the sensation that they’re leaving top talent on the table — because they can’t factually demonstrate otherwise. 🙇♀️ And 80% of their “back office” time is repetitive: scheduling interviews, chasing feedback, building reports. 𝐌𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐞: 📥 Inbound applications have tripled in recent years. But only 10–15% are relevant So no, we don’t have a talent shortage ----> 𝐖𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐚 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐟𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐬. At Brainner, we love to optimize processes — and we work every day to remove the friction and help recruiters focus on what really matters: engaging with top talent. Curious to hear: 👉 Which part of your process feels the most manual and frustrating right now?

Do you understand your own “Talent Dynamic?” Do you know why it will help you to know? Do you even know what I ‘m talking about? Getting recruitment wrong has never been more costly, so it makes sense to work with an expert and use all the tools available to support you to get it right every time. So what is Talent Dynamics Profiling? Well, we’re all wired differently. Some of us are natural creators, some are organisers, some are relationship builders, some are deal-makers, others are great in the data and process, some are great at understanding clients and the marketplace. Talent Dynamics profiling helps us to understand our own innate talent strengths – what comes easily to us – puts us in Flow  and what is harder and takes us out of Flow. Talent Dynamics profiling allows us to understand the innate talents of those around us. When you understand your own profile — and the mix of profiles in your team — suddenly things make sense. 💡 Your teams get more done because you are all working in Flow. 💡  Innovation and process improvement happens naturally 💡 You recruit and retain better 💡 Your clients are happier 💡 And everything just flows better. That’s what Talent Dynamics profiling does — it gives you the map to get the best from yourself and your team and to recruit people into the roles in which they'll flow and you will see improved performance in your teams. So that means better performance, better sales, better innovation, better process, better margins, better retention, happier clients and happier teams! I’m a qualified Talent Dynamics Flow Consultant and a recruiter with over 35 years experience. Talk to me and together we will get your recruitment right every time. #recruitment #businessgrowth #recruitingright #recruitwithcertainty #talentdynamics Ollie Austen

Right now, hiring budgets are under pressure in many organizations. Economies are volatile, which compresses resources for recruitment. Effective pipelining is one way a recruiter can make progress during these less-than-ideal times. Building a pipeline isn’t about collecting résumés, it’s about cultivating relationships that compound over time. Here are some things to consider as you begin and maintain your pipelining efforts: 1.      Define what “critical talent” means. Map out which roles are most vital or hardest to fill. Partner with hiring managers to clarify the “skills, attributes, and future needs” of these positions. 2.      Source continuously, not reactively. Use LinkedIn, niche job boards, alumni networks, and industry communities to find high-potential candidates “before” you have requisitions to fill. 3.      Segment and nurture your pipeline. Categorize prospects (e.g., “ready now,” “emerging talent,” “future fit”) and tailor how you stay in touch. Try quarterly check-ins, newsletters, or sharing relevant insights. 4.      Leverage internal and external referrals. Employee referrals are one of the most reliable, high-conversion sources of quality candidates. Encourage team members and network connections to flag strong professionals in their networks. 5.      Measure and refine. Track metrics such as pipeline-to-hire ratio, engagement rates, and time-to-fill. The data will show you where your pipeline is strong and where it leaks. 6.      Be human. Even with automation tools, personalization matters. Brief, authentic check-ins can turn a passive candidate into an active one when the timing is right. Strengthen talent pipelines or candidate communities so you’re not starting from zero when hiring restarts And in markets where hiring needs shift quickly, recruiters who proactively build talent pipelines stay ahead.   Start building your pipeline today, because tomorrow’s hires may already be in someone else’s inbox!

🔥 HOT TAKE ON HIRING: It’s a common pattern: companies spend 4-6 weeks sourcing on their own, review dozens of resumes and still struggle to make a hire. By the time a recruitment partner is brought in, top candidates are often gone and hiring momentum has stalled. The truth? Partnering with a specialized recruiter early on doesn’t mean giving up control—it means accelerating the entire process, reducing the risk of a costly mis-hire, and supplementing your team’s capacity when bandwidth is stretched thin. We thrive in true partnership with internal hiring teams: benchmarking your applicants, tapping into passive talent networks, and driving a search that results in faster, better hires. 💡 Sometimes, the key to success is simply bringing in expertise sooner. If you’re feeling the pressure or having trouble landing the right candidate, let’s connect. A small shift in approach could make all the difference.

The biggest mistake in hiring is the same one I see in business development: Chasing volume over value. I've led both growth and hiring teams. And in both functions, people think the answer is “more” More leads More candidates More outreach But the truth is: more doesn’t mean better. What works? - Clear ICP (ideal candidate/client profile) - Personalization - Consistent follow-up It’s not about the most. It’s about the right ones and building long-term trust. Founders & recruiters: Do you prioritize quality or quantity in your pipelines, and why? #DigitalWorkforceGlobal #Recruitment #BusinessGrowth

Trying to DIY Your Next Executive Hire? While some companies try to go it alone, the real cost of DIY recruiting is often underestimated. Let’s break it down: Hidden Costs: In-house recruiting might seem cheaper, but the actual cost of your internal team’s time spent sourcing, screening, and scheduling adds up fast. If you're pulling execs or HR away from their core work, you’re paying a premium in lost productivity. Time-to-Hire: Every month a role goes unfilled is a month of missed revenue, slowed initiatives, and overloaded teams. Recruiting firms accelerate timelines by tapping into existing networks, databases, and passive candidates you won’t find on job boards. Opportunity Cost: What does it cost your business to wait 3–6 months for a role that could be filled in 4–6 weeks with the right partner? A lot. Whether it’s delayed product launches, missed sales targets, or strategic inertia—it adds up. Precision + Fit: Top-tier recruiters don’t just fill roles—they find the right fit. Cultural alignment, trajectory, leadership style—these aren't just buzzwords. They’re the difference between someone who checks boxes and someone who drives real impact. The Competitive Edge: In today’s talent market, the best candidates aren’t applying—they’re being courted. Agencies already have those conversations going. If you’re not using a recruiting partner, you’re likely not even in the game. Bottom line? The cost of hiring wrong—or hiring late—is far greater than the investment in a partner who lives and breathes this work.

Trust and honesty are the real superpowers in recruiting People often think recruiting is all about sourcing, Boolean strings, outreach, and automation. The truth is none of that matters without trust. I have seen many situations where a candidate was unsure about making a move or a hiring manager felt frustrated after a long search. What changed the outcome was not a new tool or tactic. It was an honest conversation. I shared exactly where things stood, what I knew, and what I did not. That simple honesty built alignment and we moved forward together. Great recruiting is not transactional. It is about understanding people, managing expectations, and building genuine relationships that lead to stronger teams and long term success. "Tools help you find talent." "Trust helps you hire them." #recruiting #talentacquisition #startuprecruiter #technicalrecruiter #recruitment #hiring #recruiters #saas #hrcommunity #recruitingtips #careers #techrecruiting #leadership

Thursday Thoughts: The Power of Partnership in Hiring Strong Hiring Starts with Strong Alignment. A successful hiring process isn't just about sourcing great candidates — it hinges on a collaborative relationship between hiring managers and recruiters. This recent piece from SeekOut breaks it down clearly. Hiring Manager vs. Recruiter: What’s the Difference? Here are some key takeaways I found valuable: Different Roles, Shared Goals: - Hiring Managers define what success looks like in the role. They understand the team’s needs, technical requirements, and cultural fit. - Recruiters bring market expertise. They understand candidate motivations, sourcing strategies, and how to position the opportunity in a competitive talent landscape.     - Each has a critical role to play — but they’re most effective when they work in sync. Why Alignment Matters: When hiring managers and recruiters are aligned on expectations, timelines, and priorities, it leads to: - Clearer job requirements - More targeted outreach and screening - Better candidate experience - Shorter time-to-fill - Higher retention rates How to Build That Alignment - Start with a detailed intake meeting: Discuss must-have skills, dealbreakers, and success metrics. - Communicate frequently: Share market insights, pipeline updates, and feedback loops regularly. - Treat each other as strategic partners: Both sides bring unique insights to the table — trust and transparency go a long way. - Strong hiring outcomes start with strong internal relationships. Hiring managers and recruiters: how do you ensure you’re aligned from day one? #Hiring #RecruitmentStrategy #TalentAcquisition #PeopleOps #HR #HiringManagers #Recruiters #WorkforcePlanning https://lnkd.in/ggUhbqJQ