Executive Search Blog

Our executive search blog offers expert insights into a range of recruitment and business topics.

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Generative AI: Record-Breaking Investments in 2024
Oakstone International Oakstone International

Generative AI: Record-Breaking Investments in 2024

Generative AI continues to captivate venture capitalists worldwide, setting new records for funding and innovation in 2024. The sector is thriving from the U.S. to Europe, fuelled by record-breaking investments, cutting-edge talent, and strategic government support. The scale of funding highlights generative AI's transformative potential, promising to reshape industries and drive global technological progress.

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A Roadmap to Success: How to Set Goals for 2025
Oakstone International Oakstone International

A Roadmap to Success: How to Set Goals for 2025

As the new year unfolds, individuals and businesses stand at the crossroads of possibilities, ready to embark on a journey of growth and achievement. Goal setting is a powerful tool that helps map journeys, providing direction, motivation, and a sense of accountability.

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LinkedIn Global Hiring Trends
Oakstone International Oakstone International

LinkedIn Global Hiring Trends

The last 4 years have been a rollercoaster from hiring surges to mass redundancies, remote working to return to office and back again. The unpredictable talent trends in sectors such as technology have proven challenging for everyone in the industry to navigate.

Making sense of current talent trends can help us predict future trends, including desirable skills, ways to attract talent and ways to boost retention.

LinkedIn recently published the findings of their 2024 Global Talent Trends. The data comes from LinkedIn's Economic Graph, the LinkedIn Executive Confidence Index survey, and the global community of more than 1 billion members on the LinkedIn platform. 

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The Future of SaaS: 2025 Key Trends
Oakstone International Oakstone International

The Future of SaaS: 2025 Key Trends

Despite mass layoffs in 2023, SaaS continues to evolve at pace, and businesses that can anticipate and adapt to these shifts will maintain their competitive edge. Here's a look at the trends we see shaping the future of SaaS and influencing strategic hiring decisions.

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How Low-Performing Individuals Impact the Productivity of A-Players
Oakstone International Oakstone International

How Low-Performing Individuals Impact the Productivity of A-Players

Every leader aims to build a team that consistently delivers exceptional results, especially in highly competitive sectors like SaaS and sales. However, balancing diverse talents within the team can be challenging. High-performing individuals, or "A-players," often carry the heaviest load, innovating, problem-solving, and setting the standard for success.

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How to Optimise Your Sales CV/ Resume
Oakstone International Oakstone International

How to Optimise Your Sales CV/ Resume

Sales professionals know that success hinges on hitting targets, achieving growth, and making a measurable impact on revenue. Yet when it comes to putting together a CV, one key ingredient that can set a candidate apart is often overlooked: performance figures. A sales CV without quantifiable achievements lacks the proof recruiters and hiring managers need to assess past effectiveness and potential future value.

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How to Increase Your Productivity at Work?
Oakstone International Oakstone International

How to Increase Your Productivity at Work?

How can you increase productivity at work? What are effective strategies to boost efficiency? Discover practical tips and AI tools to enhance your workplace productivity.

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Transform Your Recruitment Strategy: Stop Relying on Job Ads
Oakstone International Oakstone International

Transform Your Recruitment Strategy: Stop Relying on Job Ads

If your internal acquisition team are expected to find your ideal candidate through advertising the job alone, they are set up to fail. And if your company is working with a recruiter who advertises the job and boasts about having 3000 applications, you are most likely wasting time and, therefore, money.

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MarTech Companies: How to Stand Out and Grow
Oakstone International Oakstone International

MarTech Companies: How to Stand Out and Grow

With tools that simplify everything from data collection to customer engagement, MarTech is designed to make business life easier, however, the rapid growth of the industry presents its own challenges. With a staggering 133.8% growth rate between 2014 and 2023 and a predicted additional 19.8% growth by 2030, standing out as a MarTech company is becoming increasingly difficult. Offering a great product is no longer enough. So, what can MarTech companies do to stand out in an increasingly crowded marketplace?

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HRIS, HCM, and HR Software: Growing and Competing for Top Talent
Oakstone International Oakstone International

HRIS, HCM, and HR Software: Growing and Competing for Top Talent

The success of these HR tech companies doesn't solely rely on the innovative solutions they offer. Like every other sector, their ability to scale and innovate is directly tied to their ability to attract, retain, and develop top-tier talent.

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The 10 Core Principles That Drive Oakstone's Success
Oakstone International Oakstone International

The 10 Core Principles That Drive Oakstone's Success

At Oakstone, we've honed our approach to finding high-performing leaders and creating results-driven teams for our clients. Our success is built on our people and experience, and we maximise effectiveness to deliver exceptional results for both candidates and companies.

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The Benefits Of Collaborative Hiring
Andy Strong Andy Strong

The Benefits Of Collaborative Hiring

Written by Oakstone Divisional Director Andy Strong.

In the world of Talent Acquisition, collaboration is key. At Oakstone International, history has clearly shown that internal TA teams and external recruiters can achieve remarkable results when they work together.

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How To Manage a Counter Offer
Oakstone International Oakstone International

How To Manage a Counter Offer

If you have considered leaving your current position, you would have already analysed why you want to change jobs. During this analysis, you would have identified and worked to resolve issues within your or your manager's control.

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How To Streamline Your Cybersecurity Recruitment Plan
Oakstone International Oakstone International

How To Streamline Your Cybersecurity Recruitment Plan

Partnering with executive search firms can provide cybersecurity companies a strategic advantage in securing top-tier professionals who meet their specific needs, streamlining their recruitment plans and growth.

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How To Prioritise Recruitment Without Losing Focus
Oakstone International Oakstone International

How To Prioritise Recruitment Without Losing Focus

Steven Bartlett, founder of Social Chain Group and host of Diary of a CEO, publicly announced he allocates a substantial amount of time—25 to 30 hours per week—towards internal recruitment. While this level of dedication showcases his commitment to building a strong team, it's not always feasible or practical for everyone. For most leaders, a strategic approach is necessary to manage recruitment effectively without neglecting other pivotal responsibilities.

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The Benefits of Using a Specialist Recruiter to Find Talent
Oakstone International Oakstone International

The Benefits of Using a Specialist Recruiter to Find Talent

Businesses often turn to recruiters to save time and money on talent acquisition, however, a specialist recruiter offers even more significant advantages for sectors with unique skill requirements, such as technology, SaaS and FinTech.

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How Can You Optimise Your Hiring Process?
Oakstone International Oakstone International

How Can You Optimise Your Hiring Process?

Talent acquisition is a crucial component in driving organisational success. However, the traditional methods of advertising job roles, while providing broad exposure, often result in an influx of unqualified candidates. This inefficiency can be particularly detrimental when hiring for executive-level positions, where the stakes are higher, and the need for the right fit is critical.

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