Employers need confidence to hire, not simply incentives, Clevry says

Seedling growing through blue graph paper, representing hiring confidence

Ahead of the Autumn Budget, talent specialist Clevry is calling for measures that reduce the perceived risk of hiring and help employers recognise potential beyond CV pedigree.

Employers aren’t short of willingness to hire. They’re short of confidence that a hire will work out and that they can afford the risk.

The Chancellor should do three things. First, make the Growth and Skills Levy flexible enough to fund assessment and development, not just formal training.

Second, ease the cost of hiring first-time and early-career talent, and back employers who use validated, skills-based selection over CV pedigree.

Third, give young people a way to show what they can do. Nearly one million aged 16–24 are not in education, employment or training, and most have little work history to point to.

“Hire on potential, not pedigree, and we open up opportunity and improve the quality of every hire.”

Jill Summers, Chief of Professional Services, Clevry

Explore talent intelligence and skills-based hiring suppliers

Key takeaways

  • Make the Growth and Skills Levy flexible enough to support assessment and development as well as formal training.
  • Reduce the cost and perceived risk of hiring first-time and early-career talent.
  • Use validated, skills-based selection to widen access and improve decision-making.

Related reading

Explore this subject in more depth.

Recruitment Spotlight: the people shaping recruitment. Read the interviews.The Onrec Awards: a night for the remarkable. March 2027. Explore the Awards.

Community poll

What would most improve candidate engagement during recruitment?