As 2025 comes to a close, I’ve been reflecting on how much this year has reshaped not just our business, but the way our clients hire and our candidates navigate their careers.

When I looked back at our 2024 financial recap, something stood out: At that time, there wasn’t a single mention of AI or automation in our company report. This year, we dedicated an entire section to it. That contrast says a lot about how fast the world is changing, and how far Skillfinder has come.

Over the past twelve months, we’ve made real progress: introducing smarter systems, refining how we work, and reimagining how we present ourselves to the world.
Because this year wasn’t just about technology, it was about clarity.

Everything we’ve done has been designed to make your experience, as a client or candidate, simpler, faster, and more human.

2025: A Year of Change, Balance, and Precision
This year marked a defining moment for our brand.
For years, we were known as “Skillfinder International – Technology and Business Recruitment to the Finance and Banking Industry Worldwide.”
That reflected where we’d come from, and it served us well.

But as the industry evolved, so did we.
In 2025, we rebranded as “Skillfinder International – Precision Hiring for Banking, Finance and Technology Leaders.”

That one word - precision, captures what’s become most important to the way we work.
It’s about accuracy, relevance, and the ability to move quickly without losing quality.

For our clients, it means confidence that every shortlist has been built with intent, that we understand your markets, your regulatory environment, and the specific blend of skills your teams need.

For our candidates, it means representation that’s exacting and respectful, ensuring your next move isn’t just the right role, but the right fit.

Precision isn’t just about speed; it’s about understanding. And that’s what defines every conversation we have.

What Change Looked Like - Inside and Out
Internally, 2025 has been a year of transformation and learning.
We’ve introduced automation and AI tools that allow our consultants to focus entirely on you, while the background systems take care of the admin that used to slow things down.

We’ve built our own GPTs to support our recruitment and marketing processes, helping our teams craft sharper job descriptions, improve candidate matching, and generate insights that support better hiring decisions.

But none of it would mean anything without the people behind it.

Our consultants, marketers, and operations teams have taken every new tool and made it their own, not by following trends, but by finding smarter, more personal ways to deliver real results for the people we work with.

2025 was the year we gathered momentum in North America and The Middle East. Our presence in Luxembourg increased, with upwards of 75 Consultants on projects across our financial services customers.

Technology made us faster, but people made us meaningful.

What This Means for You
Every internal improvement we’ve made this year has had one goal: to make working with Skillfinder easier, more transparent, and more effective for you.

For clients, that means:
•Shortlists built with stronger data and deeper insight.
•More time spent discussing your needs, not chasing updates.
•Communication that’s clear, timely, and precise, so you can make decisions with confidence.

For candidates, it means:
•Job briefs that reflect real opportunities, not guesswork.
•Feedback that’s faster and more constructive.
•Consultants who take the time to understand your goals, not just your CV.

Because while recruitment will always evolve, the reason we do it stays the same: to help people and businesses reach their potential.

Looking Ahead to 2026
Next year, we’ll keep refining everything we’ve built, smarter systems, sharper processes, and deeper relationships.

We’ll continue to embrace technology where it improves experience, but our focus will always be on the human connection that drives lasting results.

There’s no doubt that 2025 was a challenging market generally for staffing businesses, but there were green shoots in the second half of the year, and we are hopeful that the market will continue to improve in 2026. We still anticipate a strong demand for temp and contract workers as many companies retain a preference for flexible solutions.

Some areas of technology continue to see high demand, especially within cyber security and AI.

Because progress means nothing if people don’t feel seen in the process.
Recruitment is changing. But at its core, it’s still about people, and that’s something we’ll never automate.

To our clients, candidates, and the entire Skillfinder team - Thank you.
Thank you for your trust, collaboration, and belief in what we’re building.

2025 has been a year of evolution and renewal.
2026 will be about refining that precision - staying sharp, staying human, and continuing to deliver with purpose.
Here’s to another year of intelligent growth - built on clarity, trust, and people who care deeply about getting it right.

- Darren Hall
Chief Executive Officer & Founder, Skillfinder International

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If you’re planning your hiring strategy for 2026, explore our recruitment services and see how precision hiring can support your business goals.