AI In Recruitment: How can you stand out?

Alfie Elliott is the Director of Select Group, a boutique recruitment business covering IT, business operations and consultancy across the UK and US. Starting as a 16-year-old apprentice in East Croydon, Alfie has spent just under 15 years in the recruitment industry, working primarily across financial services and consulting.

In this conversation, Bhairav and Alfie dig into what the UK job market really looks like right now, from graduates with first-class degrees struggling to find work through to senior banking professionals out of a role for over a year. They cover how AI is reshaping hiring at every level, why relationships and proactive networking still outweigh a polished CV, what the over-50s job market actually looks like versus the myths, and where the opportunities are in consulting, financial services and startups. They also talk about Alfie's decision to stop drinking nearly two years ago, how sobriety has changed the way he networks and operates, and what the shift away from alcohol means for business culture more broadly.

What We Cover

- How AI is filtering candidates out before they ever speak to a human - Why the same networking advice applies whether you're a graduate or a senior executive - The reality of the UK job market for over-50s - LinkedIn as a recruitment tool versus a social media platform - Where the opportunities are right now in consulting, financial services and startups - How the role of a software engineer has changed with AI - Why fractional and consultancy work is growing - Sober networking and the cultural shift away from drinking in business - The physical and mental health impact of giving up alcohol - How Gen Z's relationship with technology is affecting communication skills

Key Takeaways

The UK job market is tough at every level. Being proactive and building relationships is the single most important thing you can do, regardless of your seniority. At junior level, candidates may not speak to a human until the third or fourth stage of the hiring process. AI screening is now standard. Keeping your technical skills current matters more as you get senior. People who haven't moved with the technology are the ones most at risk in redundancy rounds. Networking is a numbers game at the start and a quality game once you know where your time is best spent. Don't wait for permission — go to events, approach people, follow up. Sobriety doesn't mean opting out of business culture. Non-alcoholic options and the broader cultural shift are making it easier to network without drinking.

Links

Alfie Elliott on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alfie-james-elliott/ Select Group: Mentech Select (IT) | Insight Select (Business Operations) | InScope Select (Consultancy)