Why Do Tech Communities Matter More in the Age of AI? A Recruiter’s Guide
Technology communities matter more in the age of AI because professionals now face faster change, new skill demands, and new ways of working, and peer networks give them a trusted space to make sense of it together. At GemPool, we’ve built four communities around this exact need: CTO Community, Women…
What Are Tech Employers Really Screening for in Senior Software Interviews?
What does this blog cover: Hiring a senior software professional is rarely about confirming whether they can code. By the time someone reaches a senior interview, most employers already believe they have the core technical capability. The interview is designed to answer a harder question: can this person make good…
Is There Room to Flex Work-Flex? How to Structure ‘Flexibility Packages’ in 2026
In the Irish tech landscape of 2026, flexibility is no longer a “perk” or a line item at the bottom of a job description. It is the centre of any recruitment process, as highlighted from the candidates we surveyed for our IT Salary Guide 2026. For software developers and tech…
The Ghosting Epidemic: Fixing Your Tech Hiring Funnel
If you are seeing candidates drop out late in the process, it usually comes down to a few key things: If you’ve been hiring in tech over the last year, chances are you’ve experienced it. A strong candidate moves smoothly through the process. Good conversations. Solid technical background. Positive feedback…
Understanding the UX/UI Interview Prep Process from a Recruiter’s Perspective
Quick Summary UX/UI Interview Process Trends in Dublin and Ireland The UX/UI market in Dublin and across Ireland is picking up, with dozens of open positions ranging from junior visual designers to senior user experience roles. When I speak with hiring teams, they consistently highlight the importance of candidates who…
From Coder to Collaborator: How AI-Driven Development is Changing the Senior Software Role
As AI-powered SaaS, fintech, and digital-first businesses continue to scale, one thing is becoming increasingly clear: the senior software role is evolving. It’s no longer just about how many developers’ organisations need — it’s about what they now expect from their senior engineers. From my perspective as an IT recruiter…
Q1 2026 Tech Recruitment Market Update for Ireland
What are the key trends we see in the tech recruitment market in 2026? As we make our way though Q1 of 2026 we can already start to see some trends emerging after 2025. Building on my Q4 2025 review, the first quarter of 2026 has seen the Irish tech…
Information Technology Salary Guide Ireland 2026
The road ahead is uncertain, but what we do know is that flexibility, innovation, and adaptability will remain essential in both the software development and data centre operations sectors. To help you navigate these changes, we’ve created two highly focused guides focused on Software Development and Data Centre Operations
The Benefits That Will Define Tech Careers in 2026
Being in tech right now means you have options, and that is reflected in what candidates value most when weighing up a new role. We have just finished our 2025 Employee Benefits Survey, and one thing is clear: salary is not the be all and end all anymore. When candidates…
Software Development Hiring Trends: What to Expect in 2026
In 2026, I think software hiring will be shaped less by “will there be roles?” and more by which roles, how teams operate, and why candidates choose to join. Demand will intensify in fintech, medtech, AI-powered SaaS, and platforms doing digital transformation at scale. Irish tech talent will continue to…
Q4 2025 Labour Market Report: What Employers in Ireland Need to Know
What Is the Current State of Ireland’s Labour Market in 2025? We are heading into Q4 of 2025 and it’s been a year for caution and unpredictability so far. I speak with other recruitment leaders in Ireland and the UK all the time. Anecdotally, most recruitment businesses are not having…
Why Engineering Managers Need a Community
Being in a leadership position isn’t always easy and that’s something I’m reminded of constantly in conversations with Engineering Managers. You’re supporting your teams, driving delivery, navigating change, and balancing a whole range of expectations. Yet more often than not, you’re doing it alone. You might have a strong internal…
Candidate A vs. Candidate B: The Soft Skills That Made All the Difference
In this blog I’ll break down how soft skills in tech interviews—like communication, adaptability, and curiosity—can be the tipping point in a competitive job market like Ireland’s. If you’re wondering how to stand out in a job interview, read on for real-world insights, practical interview tips, and reflections for both…
Ireland’s Labour Market: End of Q2 2025
We are half way through 2025. The recruitment profession has been quite volatile. For tech recruitment, which GemPool specialises in, there have been pockets of activities but also, noticeably, plenty of caution resulting in less demand for recruitment. Taking a wider view, despite global uncertainty and evolving economic headwinds, Ireland’s…