2025 forced us to rethink how we hire in South Africa. AI crept into our processes, remote work matured unevenly across industries, and salary transparency arrived whether we were ready or not. And 2026 will ask even more of us. What shifted in 2025 AI moved from curiosity to capability Most SA companies are still experimenting rather than automating entire pipelines, but even basic AI screening saved hours. We also learnt that tech can speed the early stages, but it still can’t replace judgement, nuance or understanding of local context. Remote and hybrid changed shape Some teams went fully remote,…
Every December, something strange happens. Half the country switches off. The other half quietly gets ahead. And for years, I’ve watched the same pattern play out: The companies who “pause hiring until January” spend the first two months of the new year scrambling. The companies who stay intentional in December start January with signed offers, calmer teams, and early momentum. Let me tell you a quick story. The team that didn’t wait Last year, a client told me in mid-November: “Everyone’s going on leave soon. We’ll wait for January.” I asked them to humour me. “Let’s run one role. One…
Previously we covered the strategic hiring blueprint. This week, let’s talk about the most underutilised tool in your hiring arsenal: reference checks. Here’s the shocking truth: 87% of hiring managers do reference checks, but only 23% ask the right questions. The result? You’re missing critical insights that could save you from costly hiring mistakes. Stop Asking These Useless Questions The dead-end questions everyone asks: “How was their performance?” (Generic answer guaranteed) “Would you hire them again?” (Of course they’ll say yes) “What are their strengths and weaknesses?” (Prepared corporate speak) These questions tell you nothing. Let’s fix that. The Reference…
Hiring Developers: Expectation vs Reality 🚀 𝗛𝗶𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀? 𝗟𝗲𝘁’𝘀 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗸 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘃𝘀. 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆! 🚀Ever had a client say: “𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘴 𝘥𝘰𝘯𝘦, 𝘴𝘰 𝘸𝘦 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘭𝘺 𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘶𝘱 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘦𝘯𝘥.” Ah yes, because databases, APIs, security, and server logic just 𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 connect themselves. 🤡Hiring a 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿 isn’t about just filling a seat—it’s about understanding that 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝘄𝗼 𝗵𝗮𝗹𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗮 𝘄𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗲. You wouldn’t expect a house to stand with only a beautifully painted door and no foundation, right? 🏠🚪Yet, so often in recruitment, we see unrealistic job specs:⚡ “𝘔𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘢 𝘚𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘳 𝘍𝘶𝘭𝘭 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘤𝘬…
The 2025 Job Search Reality Check: What you Need to Know 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 𝗝𝗼𝗯 𝗦𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸: 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗡𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗞𝗻𝗼𝘄🎯Let’s discuss today’s tech job market. After 20+ years in IT recruitment (yes, I’ve seen ALL the tech trends come and go! 😅), I’ve noticed a pattern that every job seeker needs to understand. The Game-Changing Secret? Understanding the difference between what you CAN and CANNOT influence. Let’s break it down: Beyond Your Control: 🚨Those pesky ATS knockout questions (they’re like that one bug you can’t quite fix) 🚨Internal candidates who were already lined up (plot twist: the role…
Jobseekers: You asked, we answered 𝗝𝗼𝗯 𝘀𝗲𝗲𝗸𝗲𝗿𝘀 – 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝘀𝗸𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝘀𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱! I’ve seen many posts over the years where Job Seekers asked to have salary information in the job advertisements. Well, I don’t advertise any vacancy without the salary information on it. Exactly what you’ve asked for! The problem is… you are NOT reading the full job advertisement!Why?I have no idea, but it’s become more and more apparent that Job Seekers are only seeing a job title and click on apply. They have no idea what the role entails, what the requirements are, where the role is based,…
Interviews can be nerve-wracking Interviews can be nerve-wracking, but they’re also opportunities to shine.Consider this: how frequently do you get the opportunity to display your abilities and past experiences to a prospective employer?• Preparation is key• Practice makes perfect• Confidence is contagiousBut what if you’re feeling unprepared or unsure of yourself?Here is the reality: candidates who achieve great success aren’t necessarily those with the most knowledge. Instead, they are individuals who understand how to present themselves effectively.Your interview is a story about you. Make it a compelling one.The world needs more confident, well-prepared professionals.• Research the company• Practice your answers• Believe in yourselfRemember: interviews are not…
Making a Lasting Impression During an Interview Making a strong impression in an interview is very important for you to be different from other applicants. Here are some successful methods that can help make sure your impact lasts long: 1. Prepare Thoroughly:Before you go to the interview, do a lot of studying about the company and its job role. Make sure that you know their principles, way of working and recent changes they’ve made. This information helps in adjusting your answers suitably and showing true enthusiasm.2. Dress Appropriately:The way you look is important. When you dress in a professional manner,…
3 Top Tips for Staying positive during your job search 🌟 𝟯 𝗧𝗼𝗽 𝗧𝗶𝗽𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗗𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗝𝗼𝗯 𝗦𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵! 🌟 As a recruiter, I have personally experienced how hard it can be to find work. You might feel strained or let down easily, but keeping an optimistic attitude may completely change the situation. Here are my top three tips to help candidates stay upbeat during their search:𝟭. 𝗖𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗦𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗪𝗶𝗻𝘀 🎉Searching for a job is like running a marathon, not doing a quick run. You might have just updated your CV, made connection with new persons or even…
Everyone is a Genius at heart! 🌟 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗶𝘂𝘀! 🌟 “Everyone is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will spend its whole life believing it is stupid.” – Albert Einstein This quote resonates deeply with me when thinking about recruitment.Regularly, we restrict applicants using traditional qualifications or experiences as a basis, not paying attention to their individual skills and unique potential.In the hiring process, instead of trying to fit applicants into already established models, you should try to understand their unique abilities.When we accept different ways of thinking…