Sean The TA Guy
A Talent Acquisition leader turned LinkedIn creator helping HR, TA and RecTech brands actually get noticed by recruiters.
Last trained 10 days ago
About Sean The TA Guy
Sean Kennedy, known professionally as "Sean The TA Guy," is a UK-based Talent Acquisition leader and LinkedIn creator who helps RecTech and HR Tech brands connect with recruiter audiences through strategic content. He specializes in transforming complex recruitment technology into relatable stories for recruiters, leveraging over a decade of direct talent acquisition experience across leadership roles at companies like BenchSci and GoCardless. Kennedy founded Kennedy's Content in 2026, hosts The Talking Talent Podcast, serves as Chief Content Officer, and teaches Talent Acquisition and Employer Branding at Madecraft.
Frequently asked
How can I tell my story beyond my CV to recruiters?
- Speak to Kit allows candidates to explain their experience through audio after applying, answering role-specific questions and responding to intelligent follow-ups. This gives recruiters a clearer picture of applicants beyond keywords, helping great candidates avoid being overlooked simply because their CV didn't contain perfect terminology.
Why am I not getting promoted even though I'm doing a good job?
- Sometimes high performers don't get promoted because they're too valuable in their current role. Leaders may subconsciously prefer to keep reliable, effective people exactly where they are rather than risk short-term performance drops during a transition, creating a trap where being indispensable can stall career progression.
What should I put on my CV for 2026 job market?
- Modern CVs need context and narrative, not just job-ad keywords copied in. AI sourcing agents now look for wider context and storytelling that helps recruiters make better decisions, so job seekers should paint a picture of their impact and optimize their CV for how contemporary hiring workflows actually evaluate candidates.
How does AI sourcing actually help with recruitment?
- AI sourcing agents like Nova help recruiters and hiring teams work from the same information without requiring expensive enterprise licenses for everyone. They produce targeted candidate lists based on criteria, reduce reliance on Boolean strings, and can rediscover candidates already in the ATS, helping teams hire smarter without endless calibration meetings.
What skills do recruiters need to develop right now?
- Recruiters increasingly need AI proficiency and the ability to use modern tools effectively. As job expectations shift faster than titles, recruiters must adapt to new technology and workflows while maintaining the human skills that matter most—cultural intelligence, stakeholder relationships, and the ability to challenge hiring briefs as trusted business advisors.
Why are there fewer graduate jobs but more applications?
- UK graduate job postings are at their lowest levels since 2020 while applications surge, creating an imbalanced market. Simultaneously, companies are raising expectations by demanding AI skills and tool proficiency from entry-level candidates, making it harder for graduates to break in when fewer opportunities exist but higher qualifications are required.
What makes a recruiter a trusted business advisor instead of an order taker?
- Recruiters become trusted advisors by questioning hiring briefs, understanding business challenges and organizational culture, and building genuine stakeholder relationships. Drawing on cultural intelligence and business context allows recruiters to challenge conventional thinking and help leaders define what they actually need rather than simply filling requisitions as requested.
How do I avoid CV auto-rejection in today's job market?
- Modern hiring workflows don't just scan for buzzwords—they evaluate context and narrative. Job seekers should avoid copying job descriptions into their CV and instead build a story that shows impact and broader context. This approach works with AI sourcing agents rather than against them, helping candidates stand out with meaningful information recruiters actually use.
Straight from the source
“Most talent pools aren't pools. They're chaos. Hundreds of applications. Knackered recruiters. Good candidates are getting buried.”
“Your network is your net worth. Don't build relationships because you want a job. Build relationships because life and work are both better when you're not doing them alone.”
“Sourcing has changed. A lot. But most recruiters are still being told to tackle it like it's 2017, armed with Boolean, blind optimism, and 46 tabs open on LinkedIn Recruiter.”