Tech firm records biggest growth year and gears up for more expansion
York-headquartered employability tech firm, Shortlist.Me – sister brand to online video interviewing solutions firm, Shortlister – has announced its biggest year of growth to date.
The business has welcomed 37 new clients to its roster and five new recruits to the team.
The two-year-old tech business has recorded a 62% increase in staffing and a 286% boost in new contracts – ending the year on a customer base of 54 and 13-strong team.
Offering users real-word interview practice, the company’s employment-readiness platform partners with global brands – including Mastercard, Virgin Media, and the NHS – to create video assessments that allow students to experience what companies are looking for from their hires.
Its employability tool began being implemented in nearly 40 more UK universities and independent schools in 2020, equating to a combined student reach of over 500,000.
New additions to the organisation’s clientele include the University of Lancaster, University of Manchester and De Montfort University, in Leicester.
Shortlist.Me’s CEO, David Dewey, said: “Employability has always been a crucial part of the Further and Higher Education agenda, but it’s received a lot more attention – and prioritisation – this year, largely due to the pandemic.
“As a result of the nation’s lockdowns, students and teachers across the country have been resorting to online learning to help drive not just education but also employability forward.
“The criticality of pressure on careers advisers to strengthen their students’ job prospects is at its peak – as is graduate competition.
“With around 90 applicants per vacancy, all eyes are on how institutions are supporting employability and preparing students to perform well in front of employers.
“As Covid-19 has caused a lot of uncertainty in the HE landscape – regarding financial strain, staffing cuts and fee reductions – we have a dangerous concoction of fewer jobs, more demand, and less resource.
“Technology is a massive enabler in helping institutes to transition online and transform the way mock assessments are facilitated — making careers advice more experiential and employer-led.
“But it is there to work alongside, not replace, careers personnel — augmenting the support they provide.
“Bridging this disconnect between education and employment has never been more crucial for the recovery of the UK’s employment landscape, especially if we’re going to help meet demand.
“And we’re proud to be leading the way in this ‘digital shift.’”
Shortlist.Me is aiming to reach 200 clients by the end of 2021, as well as increase its labour force by a further 30%.
