Sydney, stories & staffing: Aalap & Jaimin’s 2025 Bullhorn Engage recap

Big ideas. Powerful voices. Lasting impact. Whether you’re a recruiter, tech enthusiast or staffing professional, the 2025 Bullhorn Engage conference in Sydney was the place to be. 

With over 500 attendees, including recruitment agencies, tech vendors and talent acquisition leaders, the event offered a unique opportunity to learn, connect and prepare for the future of recruitment.

From AI-driven recruitment to transforming candidate experiences, every session delivered game-changing insights.

Aalap & Jaimin’s key takeaways:

1. The power of AI in recruitment: One standout feature of this year? The role of artificial intelligence (AI) in recruitment. In the opening keynote, Jeff Neumann, Bullhorn’s Senior Vice President of Product Marketing, along with Nathan Green, Senior Solution Consultant, discussed transformative AI strategies. Attendees had the chance to hear about the latest AI tools offered by Bullhorn, such as the AI Assistant and AI Agents, which are designed to streamline workflows, reduce manual tasks and boost productivity across recruitment agencies. These tools help automate candidate sourcing, profile summarization and even communication generation, ultimately empowering recruiters to focus on building relationships instead of administrative tasks.
   
   
2. Bullhorn hub: This interactive hub allowed attendees to engage directly with Bullhorn’s product experts, providing personalized support and insights into how they could optimize their use of Bullhorn’s platform. Whether it was training on automation tools or learning about the newest product updates, Bullhorn Hub was a one-stop destination for knowledge and expertise.
   
   
3. Breakout sessions: The conference offered an array of breakout sessions, covering everything from technology strategies to growth in the APAC labor market. Some notable sessions included:
   
   
   • Building a tech stack that drives results led by Andrew Rodger of recMate, focused on how recruitment firms can build an effective technology stack that aligns with their business goals and drives tangible results.
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   • Exploring the new world of AI on the Bullhorn platform, where Ben Carter, Bullhorn Senior Director of Automation & AI, shared about how AI is transforming talent sourcing and candidate engagement. Attendees were introduced to AI agents and assistants like data enrichment, matching, screening and messaging agents. This helped to discover practical strategies to incorporate AI into day-to-day and unlock productivity for the team.
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   • Bullhorn product roadmap, a session by Bullhorn’s Rabih Khatib & Wilbur Derham, showcased what’s new and what’s coming to the Bullhorn platform in 2025 across sales & recruiting, automation & AI and analytics.
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   • The surprising truth about the Australian labor market by Ross Clennett, where he challenged existing narratives and shared critical insights for recruitment professionals navigating the complexities of the current job market.
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   • The future of recruitment marketing discussed strategies for standing out in a competitive landscape, preparing for the next wave of growth in recruitment and innovating business development for long-term client success. Marketing industry leaders shared how they drive measurable impact—from building authentic client and candidate relationships to leveraging AI, balancing the marketing mix and advocating for greater investment.
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   • Bullhorn recruitment cloud sessions were focused on Salesforce’s Agentforce, AI-infused solutions reshaping the way recruitment agencies operate on the Bullhorn Recruitment Cloud, and innovations on Bullhorn Solutions for Salesforce. 
     
     
4. Networking and collaboration: Beyond the informative sessions, Engage Sydney was a hub for networking and collaboration. We had the opportunity to connect with industry peers, exchange ideas and discuss the latest trends in recruitment technology. With recruitment professionals from around the globe in attendance, it was an ideal platform to share knowledge and learn from the best in the industry. The event also featured a Women in Leadership breakfast, where industry leaders such as Amy Moar (WorkPac), Emily Wilson (FutureYou), and Megan Lynch (Bullhorn) engaged in a panel discussion on accelerating progress toward gender equality in recruitment. In recognition of International Women’s Day, Bullhorn explored the theme #AccelerateAction to hasten the journey towards equality for women.
   
   
5. Closing keynote with Kath Koschel: The closing keynote by Kath Koschel, founder of Kindness Factory, a global NGO that inspires ordinary people to do extraordinary things, shared her personal setbacks and how her resilience allowed her not only to overcome challenges but also to see the good in the world when most others couldn’t.

The takeaways

Engage Sydney was a reminder of the ever-changing landscape of recruitment. From AI-powered innovations to strategic technology implementations, it’s clear that the future of recruitment is driven by automation, data and an unwavering focus on improving the recruiter’s experience. The conference emphasized the need for recruitment professionals to embrace technology to stay competitive and provide more personalized and efficient services to clients and candidates.

As we wrap up, one thing is certain: With the right tools, mindset and network, recruitment professionals are more than equipped to thrive in an increasingly tech-driven world. As the recruitment industry continues to evolve, conferences like Bullhorn Engage Sydney are a crucial part of staying ahead of the curve and preparing for the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.