Matt Karl

THIS WEEK IN REC TECH ...powered by Dalia & Jobcase, Inc. * HiringBranch launches screening tool * HiBob launches HR community * UKG adds venture funding * ADP buys compensation mgmt tool * VeroSkills lands $5M for blue collar staffing LISTEN: https://lnkd.in/e8VQf8T9 SUBSCRIBE: https://lnkd.in/e5bvD5E8

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TA/Recruiter job openings in the U.S. continue to climb (surprisingly!) For the first time in nearly three years, postings are holding steady above the 45,000 mark. The sharpest demand we’re seeing is from clients in Data Centers, AI, Aerospace Engineering, and VC-backed and pre-IPO tech. What’s especially interesting: this strength in TA roles is happening at the same time overall U.S. job openings are trending down (per the latest JOLTs report). August’s jobs report showed just 22K new jobs created nationwide, yet demand for recruiters is starting to surge. Why? My hunch: - Lowering interest rates are fueling capital expenditures in tech - IPO activity is picking up - VC funding is flowing again - Companies are positioning for broad hiring in tech Recruiting is often the “canary in the coal mine” for hiring cycles. If this momentum holds, it could signal a broader acceleration in tech hiring heading into 2026. 👉 Do you think this trend continues?

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How’s the job market? This is probably the most common question I’m asked as a recruiter. When I was at the CITT TAC Holiday Get-Together last week I must have been asked about the job market ten times. Right now at SCL Search, we are really, really busy. We have 10 job openings, plus I have another 2 client meetings this week, which could take our total number of searches to 12. Typically we run about 5-6 job openings at a time, so 10-12 is a lot. Does this mean the job market is hot? Not necessarily –a quick search tells us that the unemployment rate in Canada has been trending upward throughout 2025, reaching 7.1% in August, and the number of job vacancies has fallen to a low not seen since March 2020, a 28% decrease over the past year. So apparently, the job market is pretty bad right now. So why is SCL Search so busy? There are a couple of reasons:  at SCL Search, we work exclusively in supply chain and logistics, so what we see happening in this sector may not be an accurate reflection of what’s happening across the entire Canadian job market. Further, we are only impacted by what’s happening in a very small segment of the market. If we have just 3-4 clients, each hiring multiple roles, that’s enough to keep us really busy. It doesn’t matter if the rest of the supply chain sector isn’t hiring, if we happen to be working with a few companies who are. So my short answer to the question about the job market is, I hear the job market is slow. But at SCL Search we’re really busy. What’s been your experience? How’s the job market from your perspective?

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TA Leaders - Let’s talk budget. Annual budgets? That’s old news… Now it’s: 🧾 Start at zero 📈 Make the case 💰 Hope you get what your team needs So how do you secure a budget for the tools, headcount, consultants, or programs that would make your life easier and your team more effective? Here’s what we’ve learned from supporting dozens of companies: 👉 Budget approvals rarely start or end with Finance. Your CFO might sign the check, but the case is won or lost with your cross-functional allies. If you want buy-in, speak their language. Start with urgency → highlight the pain → paint the upside for the business. 🎯 Talking to your Head of Engineering? They need to hire 100 engineers in 6 months - 4x their usual pace: Don’t just say “we need process help.” Say: “At our current conversion rate, we’ll need 750 interviews. That’s 500+ hours of Eng time. But with structured interviews, we can reduce interview load by 40% and hire faster. Let’s invest now to save hundreds of hours later.” 💡 Pitching to your Head of People? They’re managing tradeoffs across the entire People team. Don’t say: “We need to improve our interview process.” Say: “Our current process is creating inconsistent candidate experiences - and it’s showing up in Glassdoor reviews and offer declines. If we roll out a interview training program, we’ll improve manager confidence, mitigate bias, and better support our DEI and employer brand goals. It’s a small investment with high visibility and long-term retention benefits.” 📊 And for your CFO? Quantify the cost of inefficiency. Don’t say: “We need a sourcing tool.” Say: “Last quarter, we spent over $150K on agency fees to fill roles we had already sourced candidates for - but couldn’t move fast enough. With a lightweight investment in interview scheduling automation and better funnel analytics, we could cut agency usage in half this year.” Most people outside TA don’t realize what it takes to run a high-performing function. It’s on you to educate, empathize, and make the business case crystal clear. Your ask should feel so logical, so strategic, and so tied to business outcomes - that saying no would be irresponsible. You don’t need to beg for budget. You need to build the case. 🛠️ Want help making that case? We helped the VP of Talent at FLYR Labs secure budget for fractional RecOps support when they couldn’t afford a full-time hire. And we’d be happy to help you do the same. ———————————————————————— 👋 I’m Brandon. I help TA leaders build high-performing recruiting engines - through better systems, streamlined processes, and empowered teams. Ready to lead with less stress and more support? Let’s talk. #TalentLeadership #RecruitingOperations #RecOps #BudgetStrategy #TAReality #NobleTalent

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TA credibility rises when numbers walk into the exec meeting first. I watched a CHRO flip the room dynamic overnight. Before: anecdote storytelling. After: opening slide with “Cost-per-hire ↓ 38%, TTFI 6.2 days, $181K fees avoided.” When you show up with quant before anyone asks, you stop justifying and start steering. Executives trust functions that predict, not react.

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Your TA team feels invisible during hiring freezes But your impact doesn't need to pause when requisitions do Here's how to prove your value when no one's hiring When hiring slows down, talent acquisition teams often find themselves suddenly viewed as cost centers instead of value drivers. Many TA professionals go from heroes during hypergrowth to practically invisible during hiring freezes. But here's the thing about great TA professionals: Their impact doesn't have to stop just because requisitions do. The most strategic TA leaders I know are using these quiet periods to demonstrate value in ways executives rarely consider: ✅ Building internal mobility programs that reduce future hiring costs ✅ Creating detailed skill maps of current talent to identify hidden capabilities ✅ Developing proactive talent pipelines for critical roles before they're needed ✅ Strengthening employer brand when competitors have gone quiet ✅ Exploring flexible partnerships to maintain talent momentum without fixed costs These activities don't just fill the time - they create measurable business impact. Internal mobility programs can dramatically decrease recruitment costs during hiring slowdowns. Talent mapping exercises can significantly reduce time-to-hire when growth eventually resumes. The question isn't whether your TA team adds value during slow periods. It's whether you're measuring the right things to prove it. What metrics are you tracking to demonstrate your team's contribution when hiring slows?

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Most TA teams I meet are not broken, but the way they try to fix themselves often is. I was reminded of this when I was asked to assess the health of a talent acquisition team and the assumption, almost immediately, was that we would dive into tools, platforms, and technology choices that needed to be made. Instead, we paused. We spent time listening to where energy was leaking out of the process, where momentum slowed to a crawl, and where frustration had quietly become normal for recruiters, candidates, and hiring managers alike, and it became clear very quickly that the real issues were not hiding inside a system. That moment shaped the 3 A’s framework we still use today. Ask. Adopt. Assess. Everything starts with Ask, because clarity only comes from understanding how work actually feels on the ground. Time lost to manual steps, moments where trust fades, points where people stop engaging, these signals matter far more than feature lists ever will. Only after those patterns surface does Adopt come into play. This is where assumptions turn into hypotheses and small, intentional changes replace big promises, using technology as a response rather than a starting point. And then there is Assess, the part that separates movement from progress. Work becomes lighter or it does not. Friction either disappears or it simply moves somewhere else. The experience improves in ways people notice, or it stays the same behind better looking dashboards. Those signals determine what gets scaled, what gets adjusted, and what gets dropped. Then the cycle starts again. Ask, Adopt, Assess. Strong TA systems are rarely the result of one bold decision or a perfectly executed rollout, but of repeated cycles of listening, experimenting, and learning over time. How does this show up in the way your TA team makes decisions today?

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Recruiting in 2026: What’s Next? 2025 reshaped recruiting with AI, skills-based hiring, and rising candidate expectations. As we head into 2026, trends like quiet hiring, deeper skills assessments, and human-centric recruiting will define success. But challenges, like fake candidates and skyrocketing benefit costs, are on the horizon. Want to stay ahead? Check out our latest insights on how to hire smarter in 2026 #recruiting #recruitingtrends #recruitingin2026 #kmarecruiting #hrtrends #talentstrategy #kmahr #weknowtalent https://lnkd.in/g7mw2jJc

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𝗝𝗮𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮 𝗻𝗲𝘂𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀 If you’re even thinking about a lateral move in 2026, the decisions you make right now will quietly shape your outcome. In today’s market, lateral partner recruiting is no longer about reacting to a recruiter’s call. It’s about being intentional early — before the market gets crowded, before firms lock their strategic hiring budgets, and before the strongest platforms quietly fill their priority gaps. From a recruiter’s perspective, the partners who get the best outcomes aren’t the ones with the loudest books of business. They’re the ones who take time in Q1 to: • Pressure-test how portable their client relationships really are • Map their full client ecosystem — sponsors, portfolio companies, boards, lenders, regulators, and repeat counterparties • Identify which firm platforms would actually accelerate that ecosystem • Understand how compensation, credit, and cross-selling will affect their long-term growth By the time most partners start “looking” in the spring, the most strategic seats are already spoken for. The best lateral moves are built quietly and thoughtfully — not rushed when frustration hits. If you’re contemplating a move this year, the right first step isn’t a résumé. It’s a strategy. Happy to have a confidential conversation with anyone who wants to explore what that could look like. Gloria Sandrino Ata Farhadi Evan Jowers Yuliya Vinokurova #LateralPartners #LegalRecruiting #BigLaw #AmLaw100 #AmLaw200 #ClientEcosystem #PartnerStrategy

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As internal TA teams grow, where do executive search firms still add value?” It’s a fair question. And it’s one I get asked more and more by CHROs, Talent Directors, and even CEOs. With internal talent acquisition teams scaling, investing in AI tools, and building employer brand muscle—why bring in an external partner? Here’s my answer, shaped by over a decade of executive searches across global FMCG: 1. Internal teams find active candidates. Executive search finds the ones not looking. Top-tier commercial, marketing, and general management leaders—especially those delivering results—aren’t browsing job boards. They aren’t waiting for a recruiter to email them through LinkedIn. They’re heads-down, creating value. But… they’ll talk to someone they trust. Someone who understands the industry, the business model, and their personal career arc. That’s where an external search partner earns their keep. → We don’t just reach the market—we reach beyond it. 2. Internal teams know the business. We bring what they can’t see from the inside. Great TA leaders understand their company. But what about the competitor down the street? Or the breakout startup that just poached their VP of Sales? Or why a pricing leader from beauty might outperform in snacks? External firms bring… → Market mapping across industries → Competitive intel → Emerging talent pools → Compensation benchmarks → Cultural fit markers you won’t see on a CV We see how other companies are building. We see what “great” looks like in five different flavors. That perspective is hard to replicate internally. 3. When stakes are high, objectivity matters. Hiring a CCO, a CEO successor, or a transformative VP? That decision has a ripple effect across revenue, culture, and investor confidence. Internal teams can be too close to the brief—or too influenced by internal politics. External firms bring a layer of neutrality. → We don’t have legacy bias. → We’re not trying to fill a role. We’re trying to solve a business challenge. And that changes how you search—and who you hire. This isn’t about “external vs. internal.” It’s about knowing when to partner. Because the best internal TA teams I’ve worked with don’t see search firms as competition. They see us as an extension of their brand—when the search needs more reach, more rigor, and more ROI. So if your business is entering a new market, scaling globally, or redefining its leadership—don’t ask “Why use a search firm?” Ask: → Do we have access to the people who won’t apply? → Do we know what ‘top-tier’ looks like outside our walls? → Do we want more than just a placement—but a long-term partner who sees what’s next? That’s where the value lies. And that’s where we step in. #ExecutiveSearch #FMCG #TalentAcquisition #LeadershipHiring #ConsumerGoods #CHRO #TAstrategy #SearchFirmValue #HiringInsights #FutureOfWork

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M&A Talent Partners is excited to announce the release of our 2025 Corporate Development Salary Guide! This comprehensive guide outlines compensation trends for Corporate Development professionals at every level — from Analyst to C-suite — providing critical insights into the evolving landscape of salaries, bonuses, and total rewards. Through direct engagement with hundreds of professionals across the U.S. Corporate Development landscape, we have gathered and aggregated compensation data to support both department heads in budgeting for their next hire and candidates navigating compensation packages. M&A Talent Partners remains committed to supporting M&A-focused professionals and opportunities across a wide range of industries nationwide. If you would like to receive a copy of our 2025 Corporate Development Salary Guide, please reach out to me or a member of our team directly! #salaryguide #hiringtrends #hiring #corporatedevelopment #compensation #mergersacquisitions

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Veteran Hiring Solutions has been lucky enough to have Northeastern University assist us with so many of our technology growth challenges. Today we will be discussing how to ethically and safely continue to leverage our Ai Toolkit for career seeking veterans. Here is the link to those tools: https://lnkd.in/eP2MHg3q #VeteranPowered #BuilttoLead

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It’s time for Tip #3 in my series: “How to Catch a Recruiter’s Eye” 👀 If we haven’t met yet—hi there! My name is Lorry and I’m the Sr. Talent Acquisition Specialist at Global Partner Solutions, I’m here to help job seekers stand out in today’s competitive market. Let’s dive in! 1.    Tailor Your Résumé for Each Role A generic résumé is like showing up to a potluck with plain toast—it technically works, but it won’t leave a lasting impression. To really stand out (and get past both recruiters and applicant tracking systems), tailor your résumé to each job you apply for. How to spice it up: Use the job description as your guide—mirror the language and pull in relevant keywords… Use industry-relevant terms throughout your profile, think along the lines of “Lean Manufacturing,” “ERP Systems,” “Kaizen,”. Highlight measurable results: “Improved on-time delivery rate by 22% through streamlined production planning.” Keep formatting simple and ATS-friendly—skip the tables, fancy fonts, or graphics that confuse resume scanners. 2.    Engage on LinkedIn Having a LinkedIn profile is great—but being visible is even better. Active engagement builds your personal brand and puts you on recruiters’ radar. Here’s how to show up: Comment on and share posts from leaders or companies in your field. Post your own insights, lessons learned, or recent achievements. Follow recruiters and hiring managers in your target industry. 3.   Check your email and reply Recruiters frequently reach out via email with job opportunities—don’t miss them! Make it a habit to check your inbox (and spam folder) regularly and reply promptly. A timely response shows professionalism and interest—and can help you stay top of mind. A polite, professional note can open doors you didn’t even know were there. I hope these tips help you feel more confident and empowered in your job search. Stay tuned for next week's tips on using strategic keywords to boost your visibility. And remember: Keep showing up and shining. You've got this. 💪✨

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