Junaid Bokhari, Sarah-Jane Marchand, Mital Shah, and Beau Giambrone were there, soaking up all the action. We enjoyed catching up with familiar faces and meeting new ones, all while taking in some truly insightful and inspiring speaker sessions.
A big highlight for the team was the panel talk, “My Life in Recruitment: Stories of Success,” featuring our very own Junaid Bokhari. Hosted by Angela Cripps, Junaid joined Julie Fouad, Kerri-Ann Hargreaves and Patrick Murtagh on stage for a discussion on 'The Good, the Bad and the Ugly' of our industry. It was a proud moment for Pioneer Selection to hear Junaid share his valuable insights and strategies for navigating the modern recruitment landscape.
Here are a few of the key takeaways Junaid shared on the panel:
1. Recruitment remains a people business
Despite the industry's rapid evolution, Junaid reinforced that the core focus must always be on human connection and leadership:
"We are, and will always be, a people business. Leadership is key... I think you have to surround yourself with the right people. Our network is huge."
He emphasised that relationships are fundamental, advising:
"Don't be a transactional recruitment business or company, be a relationship-type of business."
2. The Power of Pivot and Agility
In a market moving "as quick as I've ever known it," Junaid stressed the absolute necessity of agility and continuous adaptation.
"If you are not able to pivot quick enough within this market, it will take you away."
For staff, this means continuously committing to professional growth:
"You have to learn, you have to adapt."
3. Embracing AI and Automation
Junaid is a strong advocate for using technology to enhance the recruiter's role, not replace it. He sees AI and automation as tools for efficiency, granting recruiters back the time needed for deeper, high-value tasks.
"I think there's a lot of areas that we can point AI and automation... to benefit our consultants and our recruiters and give them back what we call valuable time."
His clear message to the industry was to face the technological shift head-on:
"Don't run away from it. It's not going to go anywhere. It's here.Try and embrace it, look at the challenges, be an early adopter in these areas because they will just help you build your business moving forward."
All in all, the Recruitment Agency Expo was a brilliant day full of learning, laughs, and plenty of inspiration, leaving the Pioneer Selection team energised for the future!