Jason Marsh

⚖️ The TA Capacity Planning Guide. Created from interviews with 72 Heads of People & Talent, capturing 600+ data points. A strategic resource for TA and People leaders in tech who need to: - Understand recruiter productivity - Understand capacity calculation - Benchmark against peers - Prioritise where to invest (or defend) capacity What’s inside: - Benchmarks by Company Size Live reqs hires/rec/month sourcing mix tech / AI maturity - Tooling Trends + Automation ROI What's adopted, what’s working, and where time is actually saved - Top Bottlenecks The constraints holding most teams back - Strategic Plays for 2025 AI-native workflows, skills-first hiring, dynamic planning models 🎯 Want the full report ? Comment "CAP REPORT" and I'll share access

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"Elite Recruiters build resilience to their pipeline". Marcus Lynch is our latest guest on The Special Source. An infectious personality with the credibility to back it up. This is a MUST watch....... From punching out 500 cold BD calls a week in London to a successful exit of the business he co-founded Marcus has seen it all. A million dollar biller himself, Marcus gives us actionable insights as to what elite recruiters do to get to the top of their game. ➡️ Never fear the No ➡️ How top billers play the odds to win again and again ➡️ Being "In the contest" to build your network ➡️ Importance of managing your time as a 360 and tips on how to do it Oh....and he does it all with a nice shiner. You'll have to watch/listen to hear about that though! 👁️ Be sure to also check out his latest venture Zinger

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When we founded Alexander Daniels 15 years ago, we couldn't have imagined we’d build such a loyal team. Many of our colleagues have been with us for over a decade — which in recruitment, and in business generally, is something I feel incredibly fortunate to say. It seems strange to call them colleagues, because in truth, so many are now our friends. But here’s the reality: along the way, we’ve also lost some truly great people I would have loved to keep. Not because they weren’t performing, or because the culture didn’t fit — but because they needed new challenges we simply couldn’t offer at the time. And that’s okay. One of the hardest lessons as a leader is understanding that retention isn’t about holding on to everyone at all costs. It’s about building an environment where people want to stay — and also recognising when someone needs to spread their wings elsewhere. Sometimes the best thing you can do for a talented colleague is to let them grow beyond your business. When it is right for someone to stay, here’s what I’ve learned about keeping your best people engaged for the long haul, not just through my own journey, but also from the many great CEO's and Leader I get to work with: ✨ Clarity of mission – People stay when they’re connected to the bigger “why”. ✨ Growth opportunities – Even in a startup, you can give space for learning and stretch. ✨ Recognition – A genuine thank-you is more powerful than a bonus. ✨ Flexibility and trust – In today’s world, this isn’t a perk, it’s a baseline. ✨ Listening – Not just at review time, but through ongoing, honest conversations. Retention isn’t about perks, although we've had some great ones! It’s about creating an environment where people feel valued, trusted, and challenged. And when they do move on, it’s about celebrating their growth, not resenting it. What’s the one thing your company does that makes great people stay — and how do you handle it when they choose to leave? Do you measure retention? #Leadership #Retention #Startups #ScaleUp #Talent #Culture #Team

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5 ways to ditch your best recruiter 🫡 Thinking of pushing out your top biller? Here’s a handy guide ⬇️⬇️   🫵 Micromanage them to death Hover over every call, second-guess their judgment, re-write emails, and remind them how you did it back in the good old days. Works like a charm.   🎯 Set KPIs for KPI’s sake Who cares if they’re bringing in the most revenue? Make sure they still make 50 calls a day!   🔨 Give them broken tools Outdated CRM? No access to LinkedIn? No automation? Perfect   🙅 Offer zero support Want a healthy pipeline? Don’t bother with marketing. No client intros. No admin. Let them juggle everything   👊 Create constant turf wars Pit them against others in the team, create an environment where your recruiters won’t share candidates/clients/info – nothing like a bit of healthy competition Are you a manager reading this and feeling personally attacked? I’m sorry to say you may be creating a toxic environment 😭 Are you a recruiter reading this thinking, is this post about me? Message me ASAP 🥲 Recruiters don’t leave recruitment They leave environments that make it impossible to succeed #recruitment #agencylife #recruitertips #rec2rec #recruters  

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One month back at OpusRS – here’s what I’m seeing in the JavaScript contract market. It’s been great to get stuck back in, and I’ve already noticed some clear trends across the UK JavaScript contract space. 🏢 Hybrid working is shifting. Fully remote roles are becoming less common, with more contracts now asking for 2–3 days a week in the office. Collaboration and team presence are making a comeback. 💬 Contractors who know how to add value and communicate clearly with clients are being consistently extended. It’s not just about technical ability—commercial awareness and soft skills are making a real difference. 📉 Rates have taken a hit compared to a few years ago, but demand is still strong for those who can hit the ground running. ⚙️ Next.js is gaining serious traction. While React remains dominant with 39.5% of developers using it, Next.js is quickly rising with 17.9% adoption—thanks to its performance benefits and built-in features like server-side rendering and static site generation If you're a contractor looking for your next move, or a business needing top JavaScript talent, I’d love to connect. #JavaScript #NextJS #ReactJS #Contracting #TechRecruitment #OpusRS

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Enjoying my morning coffee date with Chat GPT this morning and came across a UK contract market update… 📈 One of the most popular UK staffing platforms has reported on contract hiring, suggesting a stronger than expected uptick in contract activity in September. The report notes that contract roles increased 10.4% year on year in September and month on month, contract roles increased 18%. A consideration is that employers are leaning more on contract / flexible talent strategies to manage risk… but positive signs ahead of Q4!

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How much time should you spend on a cover letter? Usually - none. The person screening your CV is going through hundreds of other profiles. Adding a cover letter doesn’t help, and will likely only be read if the CV looks good. If your CV doesn’t align with the role, fix it. 🔹 Include product knowledge from relevant roles 🔹 Highlight core functional experience the role is looking for 🔹 Have you worked with the same client base before? Make it clear 🔹 Quantify impact wherever possible 🔹 Leave nothing to guesswork 🔹 You don't need extensive bullet points on roles you did 20 years ago. And if it can’t be tailored to match the role, maybe it’s the wrong job.

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⭐ UK Startup & Scaleup Growth ⭐ What a week for the UK startup and scaleup market! 🚀 📈 As a recruiter focused on high-growth tech and finance ventures, the recent surge of £961m in tech investment and record-breaking AI funding underscores the urgent need for top-tier talent to fuel innovation and scale operations. Founders now have more opportunities to access capital, develop robust business models, and attract experienced leaders who can drive growth in data, AI, and sustainability. 🔦 This week, the spotlight is on diversity, especially female-led founders, and an expanding network of free events demonstrates how collaboration and inclusion are shaping the next generation of market leaders. For those of us building teams, it’s crucial to tap into this talent pool, invest in ongoing development, and connect candidates who thrive in fast-paced environments. 💲 Alternative financing and new policy frameworks mean the barrier to entry for founders and talent is lower than ever before. The businesses succeeding today are those that secure the right mix of skills and mindset for both commercial creativity and operational excellence. 👉 If you’re exploring your next challenge or scaling your startup workforce, let’s connect.

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So many of you keep asking me about the product market in London right now, so I thought I’d put together a quick snapshot. The reality is, the market has slowed down a bit. Right now there are around 23,000 product management roles across Europe, with London being a big hub. That’s about 12% fewer than last year, so hiring isn’t moving as fast as it was. (Plus there is so much competition!) That said, there’s still a lot happening. Most roles being advertised are in SaaS, fintech, and AI driven products, with teams focusing on growth, customer retention, and scaling up. Even though the overall volume of jobs has dipped, companies are getting more strategic about who they hire, looking for PM's who can hit the ground running, own their product area, and make a measurable impact. Looking ahead, I’m cautiously optimistic. Lots of companies are stabilising their hiring plans, and there are strong opportunities for PMs in sectors like fintech, SaaS and AI. If you stay proactive, upskill where needed, and stay connected, you’ll be well placed to land a great role over the next 6 months. It’s not the boom of a couple of years ago, but there’s plenty to be excited about if you’re in the right space. Keep learning, keep networking, and the opportunities will come. Sources: Recruited Tech European PM Job Market Insights 2025 Intelligent People: What London Companies Look For in Product Managers Mind the Product UK Hiring Managers Reveal Product Management Realities Consortia: Product Management Hiring 2025 #ProductManagement #LondonJobs #HiringTrends #CareerGrowth #PMJobs #SaaS #Fintech #AI #Networking

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