If you're a hiring manager in the UK right now, you’ve probably noticed the shift. More applicants, fewer qualified ones. More pressure, fewer hours. More roles to fill, less time to fill them.

It’s not your imagination — it’s recruitment in 2025.

Here at Howard James Recruitment, we’ve been speaking to hiring managers daily who are all saying the same thing:

❝ We used to be able to manage hiring in-house. Now, it’s eating into everything else we need to get done. ❞

And we get it.

The market isn’t just busy — it’s messy. CVs are generic, counteroffers are on the rise, and quality candidates don’t hang around. Yet, you’re expected to manage this on top of your actual job.

So, how are top-performing companies adjusting?
They’re not hiring alone.

Here’s what we’re hearing loud and clear from decision-makers like you:

✅ “I need someone who gets our culture — not just the job spec.”
✅ “I can’t waste time interviewing poor fits anymore.”
✅ “I need to hire well... the first time.”

That’s where we come in.