Words from our Founder
Rested & Recharged
October was a full and inspiring month!
We were honoured to attend 10 events across Black History Month, including 6 in-person speaking engagements, supporting our incredible partners: Coding Black Females, Programme One, Black Business Show, Black Tech Fest, Rewriting the Code, Grow London, and Dock & Bay.
Each event was a reminder of the power of community, connection, and shared purpose.
November started with a week of rest and reflection; a vital reminder that self-care matters.
Black History Month can be intense, especially for those organising events and holding space for others. Take a moment to celebrate your efforts, breathe deeply, and recharge.
It’s been truly inspiring to connect, learn, and share across so many communities.
Let’s carry this energy forward, together. 🧡
BRN Member Job Share
Join the Selfridges Team ✨
BRN Community Member, Sharlene John - Head of DEI, Recruitment & Onboarding at Sefridges, is looking for their next Head of HR!
This is a pivotal leadership role based in London, responsible for driving people strategy and leading three key teams:
HR Business Partnering
Employee Relations
HR Shared Services
Ideal experience includes:
Retail, Employee Relations & Organisation Design and Transformation
Are you hiring into your Talent, People, HR, or DEI teams, and want to spotlight them in a future BRN Newsletter edition?
Reach out to the team at [email protected] with the title “Job Share“ 🧡
Now, let’s deep dive into the world of Students…
Black Recruiters Network x Student Castle
Bringing BRN Members to the Students
It’s been an exciting time for BRN!
We recently partnered with Student Castle - a leading student accommodation and property management organisation - to deliver a series of career and recruitment-focused events for university students.
This is the power of a strong network: we connected with local BRN members across Southampton, Reading, and York to deliver in-person support sessions to Black and underrepresented students at Student Castle accommodation sites.
A special thank you to the following members who made it happen:
🧡 Daniel Osundina – Director, Bright Future Recruitment (Southampton Event)
🧡 Marvin Alleyne – Talent Acquisition Specialist, Swarco (Reading Event)
🧡 Goitom Negash – Employment Advisor, The Growth Company (York Event)
The sessions covered CV support, interview preparation, and life after university, providing students with practical tools to navigate their early careers.
As we look ahead to expanding these sessions across 2026, we’re keen to connect with early-career recruiters and professionals interested in supporting students across UK locations.
Interested in getting involved?
Email the team at [email protected] wth the title “Connect with Students“ 🧡
What You Need to Know About Recruiting Students 🎓
Students today aren't just waiting until graduation.
They're actively shaping who they want to become, and that includes deciding which employers align with their future. The new Student Life Report has some pretty compelling insights about what actually works when connecting with student talent.
Download the full report here
✨Let’s run through the key takeaways:
72% of students are actively exploring their identity right now. They're not waiting until graduation; they're choosing employers who align with who they're becoming.
What this means: Show how your organisation supports their growth and values, not just what's on their CV today.
49% can spot inauthentic messaging immediately. They trust peer recommendations over expensive ad campaigns.
What this means: Skip generic messaging. Share real employee stories, transparent career paths, and genuine culture insights.
70% discover new employers during stressful moments, exam periods, application deadlines, and career uncertainty.
What this means: Show up during tough times with practical support: CV workshops, wellbeing resources, and application guidance.
They remember who was there when it mattered.
77% tune out social media ads, but campus interactions remain highly memorable and trusted.
What this means: Campus presence builds authentic relationships that digital alone can't achieve. Combine on-campus engagement with digital follow-up for maximum impact.
What Students Want From Employers 💼
88%, Financial stability
87%, Work-life balance
87%, Mental and physical health support
84%, Career growth opportunities
83%, Meaningful contribution to society
The insight: Competitive pay matters, but students want the full package: purpose, balance, and genuine wellbeing support.
To summarise:
Students are choosing their future employers right now, during university, not after. The organisations that show up authentically, support their journey, and build genuine campus relationships will win the talent pipeline for years to come.
—
Question for you:
What have you seen work when engaging and attracting student/ graduate talent?
Get involved in these conversations within our WhatsApp Channel!
Recruitment & TA Events
What’s coming up?
Equitas: State of AI in TA 2026: A live panel discussion on the state of AI in TA, where we are currently, and what to keep in mind for 2026.
Dec 9th, 11.15am GMT , Online
Grow London: Build the Team that Builds the Product: A panel conversation moderated by BRN Founder, Arsema Fessehazion, this event will bring together scaleup founders, CTOs, and talent leaders to explore what makes great tech teams tick, and how you can build (or rebuild) yours to scale.
That’s it for this week.
Thanks for being part of the BRN community; we’re growing, learning, and making an impact together. Stay visible. Stay inspired. Stay connected.
Got something you’d love to see in future editions? Reach out: we’d love to hear from you!
-The Black Recruiters Network Team 🧡