VC Talent

Yesterday, there were blue skies, and life felt lighter.

Seasons are changing, and everyone I spoke with seemed happier.

This morning, the grey wasn’t so great.

Then I remembered all the things I’m grateful for.

I had just dropped my daughter off at school.

I’m blasting some tunes, driving to the gym, sipping on my coffee.

My eldest had gone to work, and my middle child was on his way to sixth form.

I have interviews happening today for some excellent candidates.

And later, I’m taking my mum for a blood test, and late afternoon I'm taking the dog to the groomers.

Now, for some, this might seem a bit boring.

But for me, it’s perfect.

I’m wishing everyone a lovely day.

Oh, and it was World Cancer Day yesterday.

The number of people living with cancer in the UK is at a record high.

Someone is diagnosed with cancer at least every 75 seconds across the UK.

Yesterday, Wes Streeting, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care launched a new National Cancer Plan for England.

I've linked a post from Macmillan Cancer Support in my first comment for more information on this.

A single piece of interview advice I'd like to give job seekers in 2026

Use the STAR methodology for behavioural or competency questions. Questions like "tell me about a time when" or "describe a situation when".

Basically, anytime you have to explain past experiences that align with the job description's requirements.

The number of people who are often better candidates for a role but fail to stay concise, stay on topic, answer the question asked, or demonstrate their relevance to the role is astounding. They lose the role to someone who articulates their answers better.

An interview panel will review the information they have to make a decision. Make their lives easier and win that interview by preparing some relevant answers in the STAR format based on what you see in the job description.

Think of relevant challenges, mistakes and accomplishments in advance. And put it into this format.

The STAR interview method

Situation – what's the challenge or problem? The background context. Keep this concise.

Example: "In my previous role as a data governance manager, there was resistance to adopting a new data business glossary
and data catalogue, as it seemed like 'extra work'."

Task – what's the goal? What did you need to achieve?

Example "My goal was to secure sponsorship from senior leadership and demonstrate the value of the catalogue to key business units."·

Action – what steps you took. Be specific and speak in the first person. "I", not "we".

Example "I built a business case, highlighting how common definitions would improve cross-departmental collaboration, and started with a pilot in the Marketing team, showing quick wins like faster campaign setup."·

Result– what happened because of what you did? Can you quantify this? Use numbers if you can.

"This increased adoption by 40% in the first quarter, leading to a consistent language for key metrics and faster onboarding for new marketing hires."

Keep your answer concise. Maybe up to 2 minutes.

Oh, and a bonus tip: find out in advance which dress code is most appropriate for the interview. This is just as important for video interviews as it is for in-person. If in doubt, dress smarter.

Vik | Tech Recruiter | 2026 will be a better year for job seekers

Our New Year’s resolution for VC Talent

“We aim to be the best IT recruiter you’ve ever worked with.”

What does this mean?

For candidates we work with, this means raising the bar. Helping you to get more interviews. Sharing information that allows you to do your best in these interviews. Providing honest feedback.

For the businesses we currently work with, this means assessing our performance and working with you to understand how we can do even better.

Can we make our delivery even better? Quicker? Easier? How can we ensure that all candidates are fully qualified in both fit and commitment?

I mean, we’re already seeing more than 4 out of 5 submissions result in interviews. However, we can still deliver an even better service.

For businesses we haven’t worked with yet, I’d love the chance to be the best recruiter you’ve ever worked with. It wouldn’t happen overnight, but we’d do everything possible to make it happen.

Three positive observations of the current UK IT permanent hiring
market.

1. More opportunities.
I’ve spoken with lots of candidates in tech, including many leaders in IT, Data and InfoSec, and they are being approached about more and more (real) opportunities.

2. Fewer applications.
I’ve had fewer applications for a lot of my roles. Not all, and perhaps it’s just the few that I’m hiring for, but it doesn't resemble the release of a new iPhone or PlayStation any more. Hopefully, less applications mean less competition, and not just that my advert writing skills have gotten worse, or people are simply not applying to job ads anymore.

3. People are getting multiple offers.
It’s been a while since I lost a candidate to a significantly better offer by another company. Usually, I’d have been a little disappointed. However, it is genuinely a positive sign that the market is picking up a bit.

This may be optimistic thinking, given the post-summer holidays and the period leading up to the Christmas holidays, but I have sensed a shift in the market.

It's starting to warm up, finally. Just hoping for a neutral Autumn budget that keeps the optimism going.

Vik | Tech Recruiter | optimistic about the future of UK jobs