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14 August 2024, London, England — AMS, the leading technology enabled talent acquisition and consulting business, has achieved CPD accreditation as part of a continuous drive to improve learning and development throughout its c. 8,000 employee population.

The training, aimed at improving leadership skills and promoting leadership excellence within the AMS sourcing business, encompasses 12-hour long learning modules covering a range of key topics from broad business model knowledge to specific financial understanding. With training rolled out across sourcing leaders in AMS’s global RPO organization.

AMS’s c.1000 sourcers are at the front line of talent acquisition for some of the world’s most admired companies. With specific knowledge of finding, nurturing and engaging candidates for a broad range of roles required by AMS’s diverse and global customer community. The specific “AMS Leadership Excellence” training has been put in place by the Sourcing Talent Development team to upskill and support internal talent within the AMS business and provide a more in-depth understanding of AMS’s business model and go-to-market strategy.

“Developing our internal talent and investing in their progression is fundamental to our overall business success,” said Hayden Hughes, Managing Director, Sourcing Strategy at AMS “We’re proud to offer a clear and focused route for our sourcing leadership to improve their performance management, leadership skills and commercial acumen. Forefront of our minds whilst developing the training has been to ensure we have a strong roadmap to support colleagues as they grow in experience and capability as future leaders, we’re very pleased to have achieved CPD accreditation as part of this process.”

12 August 2024 — Jonathan Kestenbaum, Managing Director for Tech Strategy and Partners at AMS, the global talent solutions business, has been named on the Staffing Industry Analysts' (SIA) '40 Under 40, The Americas' list.

Now in its eighth year, the list recognizes the most influential leaders under 40 who are driving the evolution of recruitment worldwide. Kestenbaum has been recognized for his leadership, innovative approach to talent acquisition, and significant contributions to the staffing industry's technological advancement.

"It's a great honor to be included in this prestigious list," said Kestenbaum. "At AMS, we're constantly pushing the boundaries of what's possible in talent acquisition. Our AMS Verified platform, launched in 2022, is just one example of how we're revolutionizing the industry. It provides clients with up-to-date data and insights on talent technologies, offering comparisons and highlighting benefits to support clients navigating the complex talent acquisition technology market."

Kestenbaum added, "I strongly believe that the future of our industry lies in the seamless integration of technology and human expertise. We're not just adopting new technologies; we're reimagining how they can enhance every aspect of the recruitment process. AI and other emerging technologies shouldn't be feared — they're tools that, when properly leveraged, can elevate our work, create new opportunities, and expand the horizons of what we can achieve in talent acquisition."

Jo-Ann Feely, Global Managing Director for Innovation at AMS, commented: "This recognition is a testament to Jonathan's exceptional vision and the transformative impact he's had not just within AMS, but across the entire staffing industry. His ability to anticipate market trends, identify game-changing technologies, and implement innovative solutions has been instrumental in positioning AMS at the forefront of the talent acquisition field. Jonathan's influence extends far beyond technology — his work at AMS is shaping the future of how organizations approach talent acquisition and management. This well-deserved inclusion in SIA's '40 Under 40' list reflects the breadth and depth of Jonathan's contributions. Huge congratulations to Jonathan and to all the ‘40 Under 40’ Class of 2024!"

24 June 2024 – AMS, the global talent solutions business, has announced that Judy Ellis, SVP of its DEIB consulting business has been recognised by Diversity Global Magazine in its Top 15 Influential Women who are shaping global DEI in 2024.

Laurie Padua, Managing Director, Advisory at AMS, commented, ‘Judy's exceptional contribution and unwavering commitment to creating workplaces where everyone is afforded equal opportunities, is valued, and empowered perfectly align with the core values we uphold in driving inclusive and equitable work environments. With her ground-breaking DEIB diagnostic methodology Judy guides organizations through a transformative journey, from sourcing to onboarding, fostering inclusivity at every step. The approach she and her team bring to the market not only reduces bias but also enhances efficiency, cultivates a sense of belonging, and elevates engagement across global enterprises.’

Speaking of this accolade, Judy Ellis went on to express; ‘I am incredibly grateful to be recognized alongside such a remarkable group of women, and I congratulate each of the leaders featured this year. Recognizing diversity in all its richness fuels innovation and progress. By championing diversity and removing barriers to opportunity, we empower individuals to build a more inclusive world, both within the organizations we work for and across the wider landscape. I'm particularly grateful to work at AMS, that actively supports this mission—both internally by fostering an inclusive environment where everyone can thrive, and externally by championing DEIB efforts with our clients.’

London, UK, 24^th June: AMS, the global talent solutions business, has announced that it has been named, once again, as a Leader in the Everest Group’s Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) Services PEAK Matrix® Assessment 2024.

The annual PEAK Matrix provides an objective, data-driven assessment of 32 service providers based on their overall capability and impact across different global services and markets, classifying them into three categories: Leaders, Major Contenders and Aspirants. This prestigious recognition marks the fourteenth time AMS has appeared in the top of Everest Group’s ratings, demonstrating the firm’s continued leadership and global growth whilst leveraging its investments in its proprietary RPO Operating System, AMS One.

David Leigh, Chief Executive Officer at AMS commented: “To be recognized for the fourteenth time as a Leader, is testament to the exceptional team of experts that make up AMS globally and who provide excellence and truly optimized talent acquisition to our clients every single day. Our trusted advisors support clients in executing large, multi-national deals, offering deep domain expertise, analytics and cutting-edge AI technology solutions, including AMS One and ‘Hourly by AMS’. We have continued our expansion across North America and offer our clients the very best talent solutions as businesses continue to face ongoing uncertainty, skills shortages, and talent scarcity during challenging macro-economic times”.

"AMS's significant global presence and expertise in hiring roles across key industries such as financial services, pharmaceutical and life sciences, manufacturing and technology have enabled it to navigate successfully through recent market headwinds," said Arkadev Basak, Partner, Everest Group. "Its strong consulting and advisory offerings, coupled with continued investments in its AMS One platform, along with its expertise in early careers and graduate programs, and upskilling/reskilling services, have helped it solidify its position as a Leader in Everest Group's Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) Services PEAK Matrix® Assessment 2024 - Global."

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03 June 2024 – AMS, the global talent solutions business, has announced a strategic partnership with Yello, a leading provider of early talent acquisition software solutions.

The partnership builds on AMS’s position as a leading provider and integrator of talent technology solutions. Yello Assist – Powered by AMS, is a collaboration designed to enhance campus hiring efficiency for organizations looking to reduce time and cost per hire.

AMS has deep expertise in providing campus recruiting services and will support Yello’s existing and future clients with event and campus administration services. With high volumes of activity during the peak season of campus hiring, Yello Assist – powered by AMS will enable campus TA teams to have more support to provide a great candidate experience and spend more time on strategic initiatives.

Building on a long-standing relationship with Yello and extensive experience in campus hiring across a broad range of industries, this new service offering offers organizations an immediate opportunity to optimize their campus recruiting efforts.

Yello Assist – Powered by AMS will deliver the following services:

Event registration and scheduling: offering a streamlined, highly scalable, and cost-effective solution for companies looking to excel at recruiting events without needing extensive in-house resources to manage and schedule each event.
Campus administration services such as candidate screening – supporting the high volumes of applicants to campus programs
Data-driven optimization: Leveraging insights to enhance event effectiveness, ensuring higher returns on investment

Commenting on the announcement, Susan Major, Managing Director of Campus at AMS said: “Innovation within campus hiring is crucial for organizations to remain competitive and attract the best talent. We’ve seen a significant uplift in candidate applications last season putting immense pressure on campus recruiters who are also juggling campus events and managing the overall campaign. We’re excited to introduce this service offering to help organizations as they approach the start of the new campus season and with AMS’s rich experience in delivering campus recruiting services to some of the world’s biggest brand names we feel this puts us in an ideal position to partner with Yello to provide a best-in-class experience for candidates and organizations alike.”

28 May 2024 – AMS, the global talent solutions business, has been recognised by HRflag, China’s leading HR management think tank, in the “Best 100 HR Service Brands in China 2024” and was also celebrated in the “Recruitment Process Outsourcing” sub-category.

This prestigious list aims to provide HR professionals, experts and investors with an informative guide to better understand the HR services industry in China and related trends. The evaluation process takes guidance from three global brand organisations (Interbrand, BrandZ and Brand Finance) and assesses HR services organisations against eight parameters: Enterprise Scale, Market Value, Growth and Sustainability, Geographic Span, Brand Awareness, Brand Reputation, Brand Protection and Brand Exposure.

In addition, AMS was also celebrated in the “Human Resources Outsourcing” category at the “Best 100 HR Services Providers in HRoot Spark Award” organised by HRoot, China's leading HR media company. The aim of these annual awards is to identify outstanding HR service organisations in different segments of the HR service industry and to provide HR professionals with a clearer and more intuitive view of China's HR service market. To ensure objectivity and fairness, the award evaluation is strictly based on data and assesses HR organisations against five parameters: financial status, growth, innovation, brand marketing and customer recognition.

Roop Kaistha, Regional Managing Director for APAC, AMS commented: “Being named on both these prestigious industry leading lists is a testament to the continued cutting-edge services that we deliver to our clients throughout China – whether that be our RPO services coupled with our technology capabilities which include AMS One and AMS Verified, to our Advisory services which span brand, digital transformation, talent technology and DEIB. Congratulations to all those who also appear on these lists – AMS is proud to share this recognition with organisations who are collectively shaping our industry for the benefit of our clients, our talent and future generations.”

In addition, Lavenda Chang, Country Manager for China, AMS, also noted: “Being recognised like this is a wonderful achievement for the AMS team in China and testament to their hard work and demonstrates the value of AMS and our commitment to delivering best-in-class outsourcing solutions and advisory to our clients. Being awarded such recognition further encourages us to remain innovative in everything we do to support the wider talent industry.”

Ground-breaking AI tool driving hiring success for hospitality industry.

28 May 2024 – AMS, the global talent solutions business, has partnered with US based Starboard Investments, one of the largest Burger King franchises in North America, to deliver AI technology which is reducing time-to-hire by 21%. The partnership demonstrates technology which is transforming hospitality hiring and which further strengthens AMS’s presence across a diverse range of industry sectors throughout the US.

AMS’s ground-breaking conversational AI platform, ‘Hourly by AMS’ screens candidates in less than 2 minutes, streamlining the interview process and reducing the administrative burden required enabling hiring managers to spend more of their time with the right candidates. This next-generation AI technology provides a completely conversational experience from explore-to-offer in a single built-for-mobile solution and delivers speed and precision for candidates and hiring managers.

With implementation in as little as 8 weeks, ‘Hourly by AMS’, cements AMS’s leadership position in the implementation, integration and utilization of safe and ethical AI.

Chip Holmes, Managing Director, Client Services Americas at AMS commented: “Our partnership with Starboard Investments and their Burger King franchises has been best in class. Not only do our cultures and values align, our AI technology, driven by ‘Hourly by AMS’ has provided immediate results. The outcomes have been undeniable; in less than 8 weeks, more than 800 candidates applied across 43 restaurant locations, taking just 2 minutes for successful candidates to be screened and interviews scheduled which amounted to a 21% decrease in time-to-hire. The impact has not gone unnoticed, far exceeding expectations and setting a new standard for recruitment excellence enabling us to navigate the ever-changing complexities of an industry where staffing needs fluctuate rapidly.”

Monte Jump, Brand President, Burger King Franchise went on to add: “ ‘Hourly by AMS’ is a great example of an AI solution that businesses across the restaurant sector urgently need right now. The use of its conversational AI technology has significantly expedited the candidate screening and interview scheduling process in less than 2 minutes, which gives us more time to focus on the service we provide our customers and is in line with our core belief that customers are at the forefront of every touchpoint! Prior to the implementation of ‘Hourly by AMS’ our restaurants grappled with the arduous task of manually screening candidates and coordinating interview schedules – thankfully this is now in the past allowing us to focus on increasing efficiency, accuracy and scalability throughout the entire recruitment process.”

May 3, 2024 — AMS, the global talent solutions business responds to latest US Bureau of Labor Market statistics. In April, the US economy added 175,000 positions while unemployment rose to 3.9%.

Commenting on the latest statistics Nicky Hancock, Managing Director, Americas Region at AMS said: “The US employment market continues to be a mixed landscape. With various sectors hiring and others remaining dormant. Some employers are focused on harnessing data insights to understand what next steps to take as they continue to confront challenges around finding the right people with the right skills.

We’re seeing increased adoption of talent technology and AI, and companies are experimenting with leveraging tools to enhance productivity. An example of this with AI, includes teams choosing to modify skills requirements within job descriptions.

Organizations that have slowed in hiring are taking the time to re-evaluate attraction and engagement strategies which has included reviving Candidate Relationship Management (CRM) platforms with a focus on refining talent pipeline segmentation.

Additionally, companies that are forward thinking in their talent acquisition strategies are also taking the time to evaluate recruitment processes and workflow automation potential by hiring type.

Increased wages and scheduling flexibility continue to be the top two motivators for hourly job seekers.

While job and talent supply has become more balanced in 2024, there continues to be more available jobs then unemployed workers; however the available skills are not directly aligned to the available jobs and therefore re-skilling combined with internal mobility continue to be a focus for many organizations.

Organizations that have plans to expand internationally are seeing more budget being allocated to TA initiatives that specifically benefit geographic expansion. TA projects may fluctuate based on external cost pressures and teams are needing to remain agile in the face of shifting priorities.”

Despite the clear need to move to skills-based work redesign, TA (Talent Acquisition) still not seen as strategic
TA teams being asked to concentrate on saving costs in a transactional relationship—not join in the wider transformation conversation
Unexpected on-going importance of DEI to both organizations and TA leaders
Professional Services emerging as first locus for major hiring impact of AI

April 24, 2024, Cleveland, OH — The Josh Bersin Company, the world’s most trusted human capital advisory firm, and global talent solutions business AMS, today cautioned that despite the proven benefits of strategic workforce planning, organizations are failing to fully capitalize on the transformative potential it offers.

Surprisingly, defying prevailing reports portraying Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives as toxic and being de-prioritized by major U.S. corporations, the evidence indicates that such programs maintain robust investment and emphasis, at least for now.

The results emerge from a research project, the latest in the ongoing global Talent Climate research initiative, which has drawn on half a million hire-related data points of global HR and recruitment records and a global survey of executives.

The main findings of the report, Talent Acquisition at a Crossroads, include that while skills shortage remains the top issue for TA leaders (60%), they are also under tremendous pressure to improve the efficiency of their recruiting processes (58%).

While 44% of respondents cited a need for more training, this alone may prove inadequate to address the problem, as TA practitioners feel they are perceived as “order-takers” and their contribution is insufficiently recognized. Despite 55% of companies viewing TA specialists as an integral part of the business, only 32% of TA leader respondents feel they serve as a truly strategic partner to their organization.

Notably, when asked how to enhance their value, 40% responded: "The business is not ready to take a strategic approach to talent acquisition.” An even higher proportion, 45%, were told to prioritize cost reduction over strategic talent advisory.

42% also disclosed that their company does not have a workforce plan. When asked “Will DEI continue to be an important focus for you in the next 12 months?” despite the headlines questioning DEI's corporate emphasis this was agreed as a high priority—ranking it above “Skills-based hiring is too difficult for us to implement right now” (3.7 versus 2.8).

Another concern: despite the well-documented positive impact of AI (Artificial Intelligence) on the delivery of world-class TA programs through enhanced efficiency and agility, respondents ranked AI as less of a priority than increasing the efficiency of the TA team and reducing costs.

Interestingly, while overall cost reduction and efficiency remain major concerns, the metric of "reducing cost per hire," once a classic top priority for TA, is now ranked much lower on the list of KPIs, at least for the next 12 months.

Sector dynamics appear to influence these trends. Pharma stands out with 67% citing skills shortages as a top concern, which may reflect the specialized nature of roles in this sector and the critical need for specific expertise. Comparatively lower percentages in Digital & Tech (44%) and Defense & Engineering (45%) indicate that while skills scarcity is significant, it is less acute in these industries.

Overall, respondents indicate a range of organizational and operational challenges in transitioning to a more strategic position. The most prominent barrier may be the dynamic nature of business priorities, which complicates strategic TA planning.

Finally, the Professional Services sector (38%) ranked the impact of AI and automation among its top three disruptive forces. This industry is at a critical point of technological integration that will profoundly transform service delivery models and talent utilization strategies.

Commenting on the latest Talent Climate round-up, Terry VanQuickenborne, VP Research, The Josh Bersin Company, said: “With 40% of TA leaders highlighting readiness gaps, there's a clear call for strategic integration of TA into business planning.

“And while skills shortages continue to pose a significant challenge, necessitating innovative approaches to talent sourcing and skills-based hiring, the concern for AI and automation underlines the urgent need for structured technology adoption in modern Talent Acquisition.

“It also seems that DEI remains central in expanding talent pools and combating skills shortages.”

Josh Bersin, global industry analyst and CEO of The Josh Bersin Company, said: “These findings further emphasize the need for closer alignment and integration of TA teams within broader organizational strategy discussions.

“TA’s lack of inclusion in strategic discussion and a seemingly widespread absence of a clear workforce plan are significant obstacles that prevent the TA team from aligning its efforts with long-term business plans.

“Additional internal constraints such as insufficient capacity and capability, along with organizational readiness further complicate the landscape—and the lack of a convincing AI adoption plan does put this vital business function at a ‘crossroads,’ where it is straining to achieve its full potential but hampered by a continuing lack of consistent CEO support.”

Janet Mertens, Managing Director, Data, Insight & Analytics, AMS said: “Talent acquisition teams have a key role to play in enabling the strategy of the businesses they serve. Their ability to analyse key labour trends, skills requirements and candidate behavior puts them at the forefront of establishing how effectively organizations can build for the future and achieve growth.

The current global workforce climate means organizations cannot afford to simply have a transactional relationship with talent acquisition. They are the connection between candidates and employer brands and are increasingly sophisticated in their use of data and insights to spot the trends which can help to engage that harder to reach talent.

With time-to-hire rates increasing and an increased focus on the need for technology and AI skills in the workforce, building strategic relationships with the teams at the forefront of understanding the future workforce are critical for success.”

On Methodology

Talent Acquisition at a Crossroads is the latest in The Josh Bersin Company "Talent Climate" series, offering an in-depth exploration into the current talent acquisition landscape. Produced in close collaboration with AMS, the study leverages a robust data set amalgamating over half a million data points from AMS's business intelligence, supplemented by The Josh Bersin Company's extensive database spanning hundreds of HR practices. Together, the data provides a panoramic view of the hiring volumes, internal hiring trends, and time-to-hire statistics in the talent acquisition ecosystem. Data from more than 13 industries in a wide variety of countries around the globe was analyzed.

05 April 2024 — AMS, the global talent solutions business responds to latest US Bureau of Labor Market statistics. In March, the US economy added 303,000 payroll positions, as well as lowered unemployment down to 3.8%.

Commenting on the latest statistics Nicky Hancock, Managing Director, Americas Region at AMS said: “Across the HR landscape we are seeing momentum and innovation. There will be a great transformation in this space over the next 2 years.

We are seeing organizations that are in growth mode who have already started planning for their 2025 TA budgets, specifically where investment in transformation or technology is on the horizon. Enterprise organizations are investing in optimizing the tools they have while small and medium businesses are continuing to purchase new hiring technologies at a consistent pace over the last 12 months.

In the Energy, Engineering and Industrials job market the first 18 months of the US Inflation Reduction Act has seen the creation of over 211,000 jobs in the US, with nearly half of these being created in electric battery manufacturing. The push for clean technology and the associated green skills will continue as the world attempt to decarbonize.

In Investment Banking, we are seeing teams review the structure of their TA function as they consider technology to provide more scalability and agility. Generally, there is still some nervousness about what to try and how to stay compliant, but excitement is growing about how efficiencies can be achieved with new tools – such as in piloting AI.

In High Volume/Hourly hiring job growth continues, such as in the construction industry. Across many industries there is an increasing interest in utilizing a skills-based approach, often focused on soft skills, to determine the strongest candidates for the role. While speed is a priority in in consumer and retail hiring, the most important factor for Hiring Managers remains Quality of Hire and finding the right match is paramount.

We have seen a new law come into effect in California increasing the minimum wage for the fast food sector to $20 per hour. A sign of the times that will likely have consequences to other sectors and parts of the country. This presents an additional layer of complexity to an already complex talent acquisition landscape.

Lastly, in the Contingent labor ecosystem, we are expecting that organizations will be looking to hire more contingent labor workers as they bounce back from lower hiring volumes and a continued uncertain economic landscape across many sectors is creating a greater focus on creating flexibility in organizations workforce make up.”

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