There is a conversation I’m having more and more with employers at the moment, and it normally starts with recruitment……. “We’re just not getting the right people applying.” “The candidates we want aren’t interested.” “We’ve advertised it three times and still haven’t...
For years, we have talked about the future of work as though it belongs almost entirely to technology. Automation. Artificial intelligence. Digital skills. Faster processes. Greater productivity. And there is no doubt that technology is changing the workplace at an...
North Yorkshire recruitment director calls for balanced approach to Government flexible working reforms A North Yorkshire based recruitment director is calling on the Government to ensure proposed reforms to zero-hours and agency work protect workers without...
Receiving hundreds of job applications should make recruitment easier, shouldn’t it? On the surface, a large number of CV’s suggests that an employer has plenty of choice. Yet many businesses are finding themselves in a frustrating position: they have more...
Hiring the right person is a big moment for any business. After weeks, sometimes months, of advertising, shortlisting, interviewing, decision-making and waiting for notice periods, it can feel like the hard work is done once your chosen candidate says yes. But here’s...
Kelly Dunn, Founder and Managing Director of KD Recruitment, is calling on employers to rethink how they attract, support and retain early-career talent as youth unemployment rises and permanent skilled worker hiring remains cautious. As the latest KPMG and REC Report...
For many graduates, leaving university should feel exciting. Years of study, assignments, exams, deadlines and hard work have all led to this point where they start their career. However, graduate unemployment is rising with not enough jobs for those who are entering...
The use of AI in recruitment is one of those topics where the noise is currently much louder than the knowledge. Candidates are being told to “beat the bot”. Employers are being told AI will fix hiring, and recruiters are being accused of outsourcing judgement to...
In business, we often talk about growth, performance, productivity and results. And of course, all of those things matter. But behind every successful organisation is something far more human: people who feel listened to, understood, trusted and supported. That is...
Over the last five years, the job market has changed significantly. Client expectations have changed. Hiring processes have changed. Technology has changed. And, as much as CV advice can sometimes feel like it has stayed the same forever, what employers want to see on...
Responding to the latest UK labour market figures, which show unemployment at 5% and vacancies falling to their lowest level since 2021, Kelly Dunn, Director of KD Recruitment, said: “While it is encouraging to see unemployment edge down slightly in the latest...
There is so much brilliant talent across York and Ryedale. I see it every day. Hard-working people. Ambitious people. Loyal people. People who want to build good careers, do meaningful work and contribute to businesses that genuinely value them. But I also know the...
Business leaders are under pressure from every angle right now. They are focusing on growth, improving productivity, staying competitive, managing costs, embracing digital change and building resilient teams, often all at the same time. That is leading many to one of...
Returning to work after a career break can feel like a big step. Whether you have taken time away to raise a family, care for someone, study, travel or simply pause and reset, it is normal to feel uncertain about what comes next. Many people worry about explaining a...
In today’s market, many employers are facing the same challenge: how do you keep your business moving forward when the future feels harder to predict? Economic pressure, changing workforce expectations, rising employment costs and ongoing skills gaps are all making...
January has a funny way of clearing the fog. You come back from the festive break, open the laptop, and within a few hours you just know: this isn’t it anymore. If that’s you, you’re not alone, and you’re certainly not stuck. The start of the year is a brilliant...
When it comes to job hunting in today’s competitive market, qualifications and technical skills are important, but they’re not the whole picture. More and more, employers are looking at soft skills: the personal qualities, behaviours, and attributes that influence how...
Today, many organisations have something we’ve never seen at this scale before: up to five generations working side by side. From early-career entrants through to experienced leaders planning phased retirement, age diversity is becoming the norm, especially across...
By 2026, the UK job market will feel less like “who’s hiring?” and more like “who can deliver outcomes reliably?” Because that’s what businesses are being judged on: results, resilience, and speed. Across various industries, we’re seeing employers prioritise roles...
We’ve all felt it, that little jolt in an interview when something doesn’t look “perfect”. A rushed first answer, a job hoppy CV, a sector switch. In a tight market, filtering too hard on surface-level red flags can cost you brilliant people. Here are five common ones...
Kelly Dunn was the winner of “Business Leader of the year” at the Recruitment & Employment Confederation’s 16th annual REC Awards 2025 last night. The REC Awards celebrate the best in UK recruitment, showcasing the work of brilliant recruiters from across the...
Competency interviews have evolved. Employers still want to know what you’ve done, but more importantly, how you did it and why. That’s where values-based questions come in. These aren’t the easy, textbook prompts about teamwork or time management. They’re the ones...
In today’s competitive job market, technical skills are important, but they’re not everything. The best hires share your company’s values: the way you treat people, make decisions, and measure success. Embedding values-based hiring into your recruitment process helps...
Despite a cautious national picture, Yorkshire’s job market is showing clear signs of resilience and growth, according to the latest KPMG and Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) UK Report on Jobs: North of England, and the reality on the ground suggests an...
When we talk about great leaders or high-performing HR professionals, we often focus on experience, qualifications, or technical skills. But increasingly, the real difference and the factor that can make or break team culture, performance, and retention, is emotional...
We work closely with businesses across North and East Yorkshire to help them attract, retain, and develop top talent. One of the most underutilised opportunities for gathering honest feedback is the exit interview. When a valued team member decides to move on, this...
Applying for a new job can feel exciting, but it often comes with uncertainty, especially if you’re not sure what happens after you hit “apply.” Many candidates want to know what the recruitment process looks like and what to expect from the hiring journey. At KD...
In today’s fast-moving job market, businesses are rethinking what truly matters when hiring. Relying solely on degrees or job titles is no longer enough. Instead, skill-based hiring is gaining momentum, and here at KD Recruitment, we believe this shift is not just...
In today’s fast-paced job market, your CV might be scanned by software long before a hiring manager ever sees it. This might sound daunting, but it’s just part of modern recruitment. At KD Recruitment, we work with talented professionals across Yorkshire and the...
Whether you're actively looking for a new job, aiming to boost your professional visibility, or simply want to be ready for future opportunities, one thing is clear: networking really matters in today’s job market. At KD Recruitment, we’ve seen time and time again how...
At KD Recruitment, we believe that shaping the future workforce doesn’t start with job adverts or interviews; it starts in the classroom. In November 2024, the UK government published a white paper Get Britain Working which includes its vision for a Youth Guarantee, a...
Yorkshire Business Leader welcomes industrial strategy, but calls for urgent action on Skills and SME support A leading Yorkshire recruitment expert has welcomed the Government’s new Invest 2035 Industrial Strategy, describing it as a “step in the right direction”,...
Artificial Intelligence (AI) used to feel like something only big tech companies could afford or understand. But today, AI in business is becoming the norm, by rapidly transforming the way organisations of all sizes operate, especially when it comes to automating...
With the new minimum and living wage rates now in effect, I’ve been working closely with employers across the region on their workforce planning and retention strategies. Rising salaries may feel like a pressure point for your permanent headcount, but they also...
Over the years, I’ve seen first-hand how the world of work has changed, and it’s evolving faster than ever. Yet, many people are still falling into the same old career traps that simply don't work anymore. At KD Recruitment, we spend every day helping candidates find...
Mastering Your First 90 Days in a New Job Starting a new job is an exciting but crucial time in your career. These first 90 days are all about finding your footing, proving your value, and setting yourself up for long-term success. At KD Recruitment, we’ve worked with...
What is an Outplacement or Career Transition Service? Outplacement is also known as Career Transition, and it's a service to support employees leaving an organisation often through a restructure or redundancy process. A good outplacement service will help your...
When it comes to hiring the best talent for your business, choosing the right recruitment partner is essential. With so many agencies out there, how do you know who to trust? One key indicator of quality is the REC (Recruitment & Employment Confederation)...
When you start your new job, there is a lot to take in from inductions and training to learning all about your new colleagues and the business you are now working for. Don’t push yourself too hard, make sure you get that all-important “work/life” balance just right....
In today’s competitive job market, where skilled talent is scarce and the demand for top-notch candidates is high, businesses face significant challenges in hiring the right people in a timely manner.
With 93% of employers facing skills shortages over the last year, temporary workers have been in a prime position to capitalise on this demand. In fact, 33% of businesses have turned to temporary or contract staff to help fill these gaps. If you're out of work and...
When preparing for your next interview, you may want to consider thinking about how you will answer these 5 difficult questions as they are the most common ones we come across that many people get stumped on. What are your weaknesses? Tell me about yourself? Why do...
Pre Covid - 70% of companies were taking anywhere between 1 - 4 months to process a new hire which makes me ask the question "How valuable is your time when you're recruiting"?. According to the ONS, the current "Time to hire" is now 6.2 weeks from Job advert to job...
One of the biggest challenges at the moment is attracting the right candidates to your job vacancies. Creating a compelling job advert is your first step in capturing the attention of potential hires and making sure that you entice individuals who not only have the...
You have been offered a new job and that initial excitement has started to be replaced with nerves and anxiety. Do not worry, you're not alone. After 17 years of working in recruitment, every person I speak to who's starting a new job feels nervous and worries about...
How do you account for a gap on your CV? Since the pandemic there have been a number of volatile economic factors that have meant that some people have found that they've now got periods of time when they have been out of work which now shows as gaps on their CV. Many...
Having a strong relationship with the right recruitment partner who understands your business, its culture, vision, mission, and values along with supporting you to attract the right mix of people and skills to your workforce, is vitally important in todays labour...
When you finally receive a job offer, it's supposed to be a moment of excitement. But what happens when the job offer comes in lower than you expected? This can be disheartening, but it’s also a prime opportunity to negotiate and make sure that you’re compensated...
A business is only as good as the people that work for it. Without good employees, your organisation will not grow. What’s even more important to your long-term success, are your high performing employees. Its long been proven that high performers are more productive...
Technology advances over the last four years have meant that we have all adapted to new ways of working that include working from home, flexible and hybrid working options. As a result, one of the main things that has changed significantly, is how companies are...