Some People Want the Resort. Some People Want the Beach.
This summer we did 2 very different family holidays. First was 10 days in Lanzarote, staying at the Princess Yaiza for the second time. With young kids, it’s hard to beat. Pools, kids’ clubs, soft play, discos, entertainment every evening and pretty much guaranteed sunshine. We had a brilliant time. A couple of weeks later, […]
How Do We Develop Tomorrow’s Senior Talent?
If AI Removes the First Rung of the Career Ladder, How Do We Develop Tomorrow’s Senior Talent? One of the lessons from The Big Short is that headline numbers don’t always tell you what’s happening underneath. Sometimes the real story is sitting in the detail nobody is paying much attention to. I think there’s a […]
The Best Leaders Manage Their Minds First
We often assume that great leadership is about making better decisions, setting a compelling vision or inspiring others. While these qualities are undoubtedly important, they all rest upon a much deeper foundation. The Best Leaders Manage Their Minds First Leadership doesn’t begin in the boardroom. It begins in the space between stimulus and response. Before […]
Abrivia’s Newsletter Is Back — Here’s What’s Inside
Abrivia’s Newsletter Is Back — Here’s What’s Inside for You Hi, how are you? I’m Donal O’Brien, Chairman of Abrivia Recruitment, and I’m delighted to be welcoming you to our latest newsletter. You’ve probably noticed we haven’t sent a newsletter out in a while. We wanted to fix that. Life gets busy, things slip, […]
Why Inspiration Beats Motivation for Leaders
Why Inspiration Beats Motivation for Leaders Most leadership conversations I have start with some version of the same question: How do we get our people more motivated? It’s the wrong question or at least, it’s aiming at the wrong target. In my coaching work, and in Finding Your True Passion and Purpose, I make a […]
The Best Candidate May Not Be the One Who Waits the Longest
The Best Candidate May Not Be the One Who Waits the Longest Over the years, I have seen businesses invest significant time defining a role, approving a salary, engaging stakeholders and beginning a recruitment process only to lose their preferred candidate during the final stages. It is only occasionally because the candidate suddenly decided the […]
Why Your Recruitment Process Might Fail in the AI Era of 2026
Why do recruitment blunders occur? Every company will have experienced some form of a disappointing recruitment drive, an unhappy candidate, a no-show, a counter-offer. The list goes on. Quite simply, human beings are uniquely complex, and without a well-crafted candidate journey that accounts for rapid technological shifts and new regulatory demands, pitfalls can quickly derail […]
Martin O’Neill Leadership Lessons: Why Your Number Two is Your MVP
A few weeks ago, I had the privilege of attending a talk by the legendary football manager, Martin O’Neill. While his stories from the touchline were highly entertaining, two core principles resonated deeply with me as a business leader and recruiter. If you run a business, big or small, read on for insights from the […]
Recruiter Advice: Maximise Your Job Search and Hiring During the Holidays
Employers and job seekers! Don’t let the holidays derail your career and business goals. The festive season brings a welcome break for many, but for job seekers and proactive hiring managers, it presents a unique strategic opportunity. As a recruitment consultant, I see the common mistake of slowing down in December, leading to a January […]
Do You Have a Sales AND Marketing or Sales Vs Marketing Function?
As a specialist sales and marketing recruiter, I spend my days working with businesses that are scaling their commercial teams. One of the most common challenges I see, and one of the biggest missed opportunities, is the ongoing disconnect between the Sales and Marketing functions. Traditionally, they’ve been viewed as two distinct departments: Marketing (often […]