Tech Hiring Stage
Back to the Future of Tech Hiring: Why AI agents won’t replace you – They’ll remind you why you started
The JD and the CV. Our old faithfuls. The power couple of recruitment.
But in a world where job specs rarely reflect real and CVs all start to sound the same… things just aren’t working out.
Join hackajob CEO Mark Chaffey for a time-travelling look at how tech hiring has evolved — from phone bashing and boolean mastery to admin overload, and now into a future shaped by autonomous AI agents.
Hiring demand might be slowing, but the need for highly specialised tech talent is only rising. And the avalanche of irrelevant applications? That’s not going anywhere.
This isn’t just another AI talk. This is a glimpse into the future role of the recruiter.
One who’s no longer glorified admin. One who partners with AI agents to qualify roles with real context, and build pipelines based on what actually matters – not just keywords.
And no, you don’t need to be an AI expert. You just need to know your craft.
Expect practical insights, a first look at the agent-led experience we’ve been building, and a fresh take on the future of recruitment.
Love isn’t lost. Context was. And now, it’s coming back.
Speaker:
Mark Chaffey, CEO & Co-Founder @ hackajob
The 2025 Beginners Guide to Unicorn Hunting
In 2025, the hunt for “unicorns”- rare, highly specialised tech professionals with the ideal blend of skills, experience, and potential, is fiercer than ever. But what does a unicorn really look like?
This panel brings together seasoned talent leaders from across global brands in tech, defence, e-commerce, and fast-scaling fintech to explore how different organisations define “unicorns,” the challenges in finding them, and the uncomfortable truths behind chasing big-brand CVs.
We’ll dive into niche hiring challenges, from engaging passive talent and those limited by clearance or location, to balancing AI-powered sourcing with human judgement. Learn why tech assessments still matter, how pedigree bias holds teams back, and why a standout candidate experience is key to successfully navigating the hunt for specialised talent in 2025.
Speakers:
Frankie Rooney, Product Marketing Manager @ hackajob
Anu Abodunrin, Tech Recruitment Lead @ Playstation
Robbie Lyons, Talent Acquisition & Critical Skills Manager @ BAE Systems
Sean Hynan, Head of Talent Management @ Form3
Inclusion in Tech Hiring: The New Reality
How inclusion strategies are evolving post-Big Tech shifts – and why building inclusive teams still matters in 2025.
In the wake of significant changes within Big Tech, DEI strategies are shifting fast — but not without controversy. While some companies double down on their diversity pledges, others are quietly stepping back.
This panel will ask the tough questions:
– Who’s still walking the talk on inclusion?
– What happens when diversity becomes a dirty word?
– And how do these changes impact tech and engineering teams, where inclusive hiring has taken years to build?
Expect bold perspectives, headline stats, and real stories — all grounded in the realities of building truly inclusive teams in 2025 and beyond.
Speakers:
Hilde Jones, Global Talent Acquisition Lead @ Capco
Lesa Molinari, Head of Talent Acquisition & Employer Branding @ NTT Data
Parul Singh, Founder & Neurodiversity Consultant @ Parallel Minds
Soraia Santos, Global DEI Program Lead @ Capco
Breaking Down Silos: Supporting Engineering’s Vision for Growth and Innovation
What do engineering teams want from TA?
Tech hiring isn’t just about filling positions; it’s about helping engineering teams build products and scale innovation. This session will discuss how TA can align its strategy with engineering’s long-term vision, focusing on building diverse, future-ready teams that are equipped to meet the technological challenges of 2025. Key topics will include anticipating future needs, understanding evolving tech stacks, and using data to predict the skills needed.
Speakers:
Patrick Schneider, Senior Director of Engineering @ IndeedFlex
Victoria Davies, Head of Product @ hackajob
Is AI killing tech talent attraction? Your employer brand isn’t enough any more
AI-generated applications, shifting candidate expectations, and the slow death of hybrid promises are colliding to create chaos and opportunity for TA and EB leaders. As every company scrambles to brand itself as a tech employer, how do you cut through the noise and attract the right talent?
Join us for a candid look at what’s broken, what’s changing, and how to stay relevant in a tech hiring landscape where the old rules no longer apply. We’ll be asking (but not limited to):
How do you distinguish genuine interest from AI-generated noise?
Has AI made genuine employer branding irrelevant?
What does a great place to work mean to engineers in 2025?
What does tech talent actually want? What do they say vs what do they do?
How are shifts in workplace policy shaping tech talent attraction?
How do you maintain a meaningful candidate experience in an age of automation?
Expect honest opinions, a few spicy takes, and practical advice on how to futureproof your tech hiring strategy in a landscape that’s changing faster than your last job spec..
Speakers:
Claire De Souza, Employer Brand & Attraction Manager @ Sainsbury’s
David Phillips, Director of Talent Brand & Recruitment Marketing @ CGI
Jared Davies, Creative Director @ Yoke
Sian Griffin, Global Employer Brand Specialist @Vodafone
Simon Crowe, Global Social Media & Creative Hub Manager @ BT
Beyond Perm: Why contractor hiring should start with you
Half the global tech workforce now operates on a freelance, contract, or gig basis yet most TA leaders still only consider perm hiring. In 2025, that’s a missed opportunity.
In this session, Sam (Worksome) and Luke (hackajob) unpack what total talent visibility really means – Challenge the traditional boundaries of TA ownership and ask: why are you leaving contingent hiring to someone else?
They’ll break down what total talent visibility really means:
- Why your workforce strategy is incomplete without contingent insight
- Owning non-perm hiring to reduce lead times and control costs
- Why creative consulting and niche technical skills increasingly live outside the perm market
- How hackajob and Worksome are teaming up to give TA true hiring visibility
With economic uncertainty, hiring freezes, and AI upheaval in the mix, this is a call to action for TA leaders to make your team stickier.
You’ve got one foot out of the future of work. Time to step in.
Speakers:
Luke Coleman, Head of hackajob on-demand @ hackajob
Sam Orrin, Global Director of Business Development @ Worksome
Scaling Smarter: Data-Driven Hiring for Tech Scale-Ups
For TA leaders at tech scale-ups, the pressure is real: hire the best talent fast, keep costs down, and earn the trust of technical stakeholders…all while working with lean teams and limited tools
This working session breaks down how to use data to work smarter, not harder. You’ll learn how to spot bottlenecks ahead of time, forecast cost per hire and engineer time, and translate recruitment metrics into language that actually lands with your product and engineering partners.
We’ll cover:
Lean Concepts: The core metrics that matter — even without an ATS — to improve throughput and track conversion.
Forecasting: How to model hiring costs and engineer hours, and use that data to support business cases.
Workforce Planning: Using recruitment data to shape headcount plans and position TA as a strategic partner
And once you’ve got the buy-in? We’ll talk about how to actually find the right talent – the specialist, hard-to-hire candidates your scale-up needs to grow.
Expect real-world examples from hyperscaling environments, practical frameworks, and free tools you can take straight back to your team.
If you want to scale efficiently, build influence with engineering, and land the talent others can’t, this one’s for you.
Speaker:
Luke Eaton, Head of Recruiting @ Matter Labs
From Hypergrowth at TikTok to Transformation at Hiscox: Your TA Resilience Reminder
This session draws on real-world experiences navigating the demanding pace and scale of tech hypergrowth in Big Tech and the cultural shift of transitioning to a more traditional, but equally fast-evolving indsutries.
Speaker:
Summer Curtis, Global Head of Talent Acquisition @ Hiscox
Global Tech Hiring in 2025: Navigating New Markets and Shifting Internal Mindsets for Cost-Effective Growth
In today’s rapidly evolving talent landscape, expanding into new international markets is a critical but complex challenge for talent acquisition teams. This session delves into the strategies and mindset shifts required to build successful hiring operations across new regions – while balancing the need for cost efficiency and high-quality talent.