From Caution to Confidence: A Shift in Tech Hiring

"It’ll turn."

"I can’t see it continuing like this."

"We might not be heading back to the ‘glory days’ just yet, but I’m confident things are improving."

I’m paraphrasing, but if you’ve recruited through recessions, financial crises, and a pandemic, you know optimism is essential.

So, what can we control? What’s the best use of our time? And what’s the smartest way to do it?

That’s our job as recruiters, finding answers to those exact questions.

And truthfully, many of us have been saying some version of the above for a while now.

But—whisper it—it’s starting to feel more and more accurate.

In the last three months alone, we’ve seen a 30% increase in roles, with clients stepping cautiously but confidently back into hiring mode.

Yes, AI doom-mongering is everywhere, for recruiters and the tech talent we’re trying to find, but the data suggests we’ll be just fine.

Funding is still tough, but notably better than in 2024. VC purse strings are loosening at a healthy rate.

In Q1 2025, EU tech companies raised €18.4 billion in funding across 912 deals. Not exactly small change.

And the types of roles? Everything from traditional engineering to DevOps, data to product, infrastructure to QA.

We’re seeing demand for:

• Engineers with a deep understanding of distributed systems, API design, and scalability.
• Platform candidates who can influence dev teams through clear communication and technical credibility.
• Even a QA resurgence - driven by shift-left mindsets and proactive collaboration with engineers.

What’s going to be interesting now: Will companies respond quickly enough?

Can they keep pace as the best candidates become more sought after?

For 18-24 months, the hiring market favoured the employer. The pace was slower, the options wider.

That’s changing.

So far in 2025, we’ve seen a 20% improvement in hiring speed among our clients. But even then, some processes still take 3 weeks to complete.

We're pushing for 2 weeks end-to-end, and those who can adapt will win.

We’re not back in the high-frenzy days of 2018 or post-COVID yet, but we are returning to a world where strong technologists receive multiple offers within weeks.

So, what should hiring managers be thinking about now?

Even if your hiring isn’t kicking off until after summer:

• Do you have clear priorities, criteria, and a well-defined process?
• Is your hiring committee aligned, trained, and (most importantly) motivated?
• Do you know how to sell the role, the company, the tech stack, and the challenge?
• Do you have the collateral to back it all up?
• Is sign-off, paperwork, and onboarding ready to go?

If you’re planning to hire in 2025 and can’t confidently answer all of the above, you may be in for a struggle.

And as I’ve learned from being reminded about school pick-ups or nursery drop-offs, answering confidently doesn’t mean scrambling for your calendar and hoping for the best.

The market is trending upward, and the companies that are proactive, engaged, and prepared will win the battle for top talent.

Make sure you’re one of them.