The Recruitment Agency Expo this year was a whirlwind of activity! We had the chance to catch up with clients, recruitment industry friends, and connect with both new and established agencies keen to ramp up their marketing efforts. The energy was high, and it was great to see so many familiar faces in the recruitment world alongside some fresh new talent.

On day two, I had the pleasure of speaking on the Elevate stage with James Whitelock. Our chat, all about recruitment marketing horror stories, felt more like one of those hangouts where you’re comparing notes on what’s working and what’s not, rather than a formal presentation. The feedback was fab, and it’s always refreshing to have these open, candid discussions that feel grounded in real-life experiences.

One thing that stood out across many talks this year was the heavy focus on AI. Dries Da Costa from Chat Automation delivered a particularly interesting and popular session – I’d highly recommend reaching out to him if you’re looking for deeper insights. AI is certainly making recruitment tools more intelligent and efficient, but my takeaway from Rec expo is that we need to exercise caution. While AI can enhance the way we work, there’s a risk of becoming over-reliant. If we lean too much on AI, we might weaken the human connection with clients and candidates – and that’s something we can’t afford to lose in the recruitment industry.

The cherry on top for me was hearing from James Cracknell and Ellie Simmonds. Their talks on resilience were exactly what we all needed. Running a business can be taxing, and hearing their perspectives on pushing through challenges was nothing short of inspiring.

As we pack away from another fantastic expo, it’s clear that while technology is evolving, the core of what we do – building relationships – remains as vital as ever.