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James Preselo

SME
TALENT
ADVISORY

Unlocking Potential for Small and Medium Enterprises in the UK

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About

Mission

I help SMEs build and optimise their in-house talent attraction capabilities - so you can hit growth goals, save money, and protect your most valuable commodity: time. Many of my clients face challenges like: - Overspending on recruitment agencies - Unstructured hiring processes - Difficulty standing out to top candidates - Losing hours managing recruitment themselves - Tools and processes that no longer scale Smaller businesses often don’t have a dedicated talent function - or they’re relying on a stretched or hybrid one. Hiring a full-time resource can feel like too big a leap, but relying on agencies isn’t sustainable either. That’s where I come in. My approach is different: I focus on building the foundations of your in-house capability so you can be self-sufficient, cost-effective, and future-proof. From a single day project to a complete hiring system transformation - I’ll help you create a talent engine that works. Take a look at my Services page to see how this could look for your business.

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My

Background

I don't just fill roles. I build sustainable hiring systems that scale companies. 

About me

Before founding JP Talent, I was Head of Talent at a UK digital consulting firm. 

 

I designed and implemented an award-winning (IHR) talent strategy from scratch. It delivered headcount growth of more than 200% (40 → 140), significant cost savings and helped pave the way for our acquisition by Version 1 in 2024. I led the talent function through the integration.

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Prior to that, I spent 10 years at a boutique international search firm hiring in the UK and Overseas. I trained at a FTSE 250 recruitment company and studied Law (LLB). 


Outside of work, you’ll often find me with my family, painting, surfing, travelling, or walking the dog.

Areas of Support

Here is an overview of some of the areas I can support on. These can be delivered. For a deeper dive, check out the case studies page and contact me here for a full service prospectus. 

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Workforce Planning

By aligning talent OKRs with business goals, forecasting hiring needs, and embedding data-led insights, I turn recruitment into a forward-looking growth driver.

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Marketing & EVP

Showcase what makes you different. This can include optimising your LinkedIn, Glassdoor, and careers pages, creating culture-led content and designing bespoke talent packs. I help you articulate and market your unique value and attract the right people through the right channels.

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Reducing Agency Spend

From designing & implementing a direct sourcing and refining referrals to maximising existing tools and streamlining suppliers, I help you cut costs. All without compromising quality & culture. 

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Tools & Process

Future-proof your hiring systems for scale. From implementing an Applicant Tracker System (ATS) and automation to embedding data, streamlining workflows and removing bottlenecks. I help you build a faster, smarter and fully compliant hiring engine.

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Precision Hiring

Through deep role and culture discovery, market mapping, and targeted outreach, I can deliver a high-quality, tailored shortlist for critical and difficult to fill roles.

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Retention and Growth

Keep your best people and help them thrive. Skills mapping and internal mobility models to early careers frameworks, L&D initiatives, and salary benchmarking. I build strategies that develop talent from within and strengthen long-term loyalty.

James achieved close to seven figure savings over two years, while delierving a quality pipeline of candidates for a rapidly growing business.

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My approach

1

Customer Obsessed

I listen to what YOU want and need - then deliver. As a one person business, my professional reputation and livelihood depends on it. 

2

Highly Collaborative and Agile

I understand the importance of bringing people on the journey with me. I have experience influencing at board level, empowering hiring managers, liaising with finance (as a budget holder) and all areas of the people function. 

3

No ego

No-one wants to engage an external consultant who acts like they know it all. 

4

Creative

Depending on your appetite, I am ready to bring fresh ideas and innovation to your talent function. 

FAQs

What options do I have to engage you

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What options do I have to engage you

Collapsible text is great for longer section titles and descriptions. It gives people access to all the info they need, while keeping your layout clean. Link your text to anything, or set your text box to expand on click. ................................................

What options do I have to engage you

Collapsible text is great for longer section titles and descriptions. It gives people access to all the info they need, while keeping your layout clean. Link your text to anything, or set your text box to expand on click. ................................................

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