Thomas Markland

Founder

Founder at HYDP

WE'RE IN A NEW ERA OF MARKETING AND ADVERTISING!

There are now 200,000,000 people who regard themselves as content creators!

Our speciality is getting these people to solve brand challenges across the marketing mix.
 
From organic social content and paid media assets to the next generation of influencer marketing, creators power our strategies. 

Delivering guaranteed ROIs and better creative output.

Founder & Managing Director

HYDP is the worlds first creator economy company. 

We believe the future of brand communications, commerce and entertainment will be creator led.

We're on a mission to build the creator economy through storytelling, talent, and technology.

Creators are the future of human connection. Brands are the language of belonging. We're leading the next conversation.

Through Thrivve and TalentMapping.Works, we help companies hire faster, smarter, and with greater confidence.

Thrivve specialises in senior and executive search, partnering with growing businesses to identify, engage, and secure the leaders who truly drive growth. By combining market insight, data, and a strategic approach, we deliver hires that make a real impact.

TalentMapping.Works supports internal TA teams by removing the time drain of sourcing and research. We provide detailed market maps, pre-qualified talent pools, and competitor insights — giving hiring teams clarity and a head start on every search.

While we also support recruitment and search firms in strengthening their own teams, our core focus is helping companies tackle the challenges of senior hiring: speed, quality, and complete visibility across the entire process.

Jenny Vallance

I'm sure this will resonate with a few people right now 🙁 


"I was the perfect fit on paper."

"I nailed every question."

"I could have done that job in my sleep."

Then, 48 hours later, that automated "Thanks, but no thanks" hits your inbox. 😩 

It’s frustrating as hell, and you’re left wondering, what actually happened?

Hiring is rarely a data-driven decision. It's usually about trust and risk.

Here is what’s really going on behind the scenes 👇 

➡️ Someone had a referral. A "they’re great" from a trusted source beats a perfect CV every time.

➡️ Another candidate just clicked better. They made the hiring manager feel safe.

➡️ The budget was frozen or an internal move was already a done deal. It sucks, but it happens.

Skills get you the invite, but personality gets you the offer.

Hiring is a huge risk for a manager. Stop trying to prove you're "qualified" and start focusing on connecting with the human across from you. 

De-risk the decision by being the person they actually want to work with.

People hire on a gut feeling and use the CV to justify it later.

Happy hunting this week!

#job #candidate #manager #career #growth #opportunity

Recruitment Partner | Global Hiring | experts in Sales, Marketing and Creative | Talent Mapping & Market Insight

HIRING MANAGERS - stop penalising the "unemployed" label! 🛑 


I’ll take a candidate with a 6-month gap over a "top performer" about to be managed out for a toxic attitude any day of the week.

We’ve developed this weird, subconscious bias where we view available talent as "spoiled goods." If they aren't currently occupied, we assume there’s a catch.

Here’s the reality of the modern market: Great people get caught in bad timing. 

They leave companies that compromise their integrity. They take a beat to raise kids or handle a family crisis.

Being "between roles" isn't a red flag, it’s often a sign of a person who has their priorities straight or the courage to walk away from a bad fit.

Why you should hire the "available" candidate 👇 

✅  Zero baggage: They aren't mentally checked out or dragging "notice period" drama.

✅ Fresh perspective: Time away from the grind usually leads to better clarity and hunger.

✅ Speed: They can start Monday. No three-month chess game with a competitor.

The best hire isn't always the one currently sitting in a plush office. Sometimes, it’s the person who had the guts to step back, recharge, and wait for the right opportunity.

Stop looking at the gap and start looking at the human.

#hiring #candidate #opentowork #performance #team #growth #innovation #talent

Quick interview thought for senior jobseekers 👇


You don’t need to say everything to get hired.

I know the temptation…

You’ve got 15+ years of experience and you want to make sure they see all of it.

You can’t talk someone into offering you the role.

You can talk yourself out of it.

When answers run too long, the impact drops. The key points get lost. The energy shifts.

Instead, try this 👇 

• Answer the question clearly
• Share the result
• Give one solid example
• Then stop

And finish with something simple like:

“Would you like me to go into more detail on that?”
 or
“Did that answer what you were hoping to understand?”

It keeps it conversational. It shows confidence. And it gives them control of the depth.

Senior interviews shouldn’t feel like a monologue. They should feel like a discussion between equals.

Less waffle. More clarity.

#interviewtips #career #interview #job #executivesearch #headhunt

Everyone says they want a “true recruitment partner.” 👀 


But when it comes to a critical senior hire, most companies end up with a CV-delivery service instead.

If you’re hiring someone who will shape revenue, strategy, culture — your expectations should be higher.

Here’s what a real recruitment partner should bring 👇 

They challenge you.

If they don’t question the brief, salary, scope or expectations, they’re not consulting — they’re order-taking.

They understand the business, not just the job spec.

Growth plans. Leadership gaps. Competitors. Culture.

If they can’t confidently represent you in the market, they shouldn’t be in it.

They bring data, not hope.

Market mapping. Talent insights. Compensation benchmarks.

You should know who’s targetable, who isn’t, and what it’ll take to secure the right person.

They prioritise quality over volume.

You don’t need 12 “maybes.”

You need 3–4 credible, well-briefed, genuinely interested contenders — with context, not just CVs.

They communicate properly.

Clear updates. Honest feedback. No chasing.

And here’s the slightly uncomfortable truth:

If your recruiter never pushes back or delivers difficult market feedback… they’re probably not doing the job properly.

Senior hiring is about precision, not numbers.

The right partner should feel like an extension of your leadership team — not a supplier in your inbox.

#hiring #recruitmentpartner #execsearch #retained #team #leadership #candidate #innovation #marketmapping

I can't be the only one that finds this so frustrating! 😡 👇 


If you’re running a video interview with your camera off, just make it a phone call.

Honestly.

We talk all day about how much communication is body language, eye contact, energy, reactions… and then candidates log into an “interview” and are greeted by a grey circle with initials in it.

No face.
No expression.
No engagement.

Just them talking into the void while staring at themselves.

I’ve had candidates tell me it feels awkward, distracting, and oddly one-sided.

They can’t read the room. They can’t gauge reactions. They can’t build any kind of natural flow. And yet we expect them to perform at their best?

I get it — people are travelling, double-booked, grabbing the call between meetings. But if that’s the case, why schedule a video interview at all?

An interview is a two-way evaluation. If a candidate showed up camera-off without explanation, most hiring managers wouldn’t love it.

So why is it acceptable the other way round? It's not!

If we want better interviews, better hiring decisions, and better candidate experiences… maybe it starts with showing up properly.

Camera on. Presence on. Respect on.

Or just pick up the phone.
 
#remote #virtualcall #interview #candidate #hiringmanager #seniorleader #job

Candidates obsess over their answers in their interview.

Interviewers often remember the questions you ask more than anything you say.

If you want to stand out, avoid asking generic stuff.

Try questions like 👇 

– “Fast forward 12 months — what would make this hire a huge success?”
– “What usually trips people up here?”
– “What’s changed since you joined?”
– “What would genuinely surprise me about working here?”
– “How does feedback actually work day-to-day?”
– “What keeps you here?”

And my favourite 👍 

- “Can you tell me a story that really sums up the team’s culture?”

Don’t ask them like you’re ticking boxes.

Ask them in a way that positions you in the role. Make it specific. Make it about impact. When a hiring manager starts picturing you doing the job, that’s powerful.

What would you add?

#hiringmanager #culture #interview #candidate #job #career #growth

taplio

The Battle

Thomas Markland

Jenny Vallance

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taplio

The Battle

Thomas Markland

Jenny Vallance

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Jenny Vallance's LinkedIn Performance

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Performance ScoreJenny Vallance's LinkedIn Performance