CVs are no longer the best tool to identify the right person for the job. Our solution minimises bias, and matches your team with diverse, values-aligned talent who have already proven their potential.
Good CV good employee
CVs are holding back diversity in businesses and making hiring less effective.
On average recruiters spend 7.4 seconds looking at a CV
CVs with Caucasian sounding names are 50% more likely to progress than an identical CV
55% of people have admitted to lying on their CV
Let’s face it, they’re a bit boring too!
Inclusivity leads to better outcomes - both social and commercial
HIRE FASTER
With Pollen you can hire for your next entry-level position 4x faster than standard jobs boards, and save weeks screening irrelevant and low quality candidates.
HIRE SMARTER
Our process 100% guarantees you'll only speak to exceptional candidates curated by us, saving you thousands in recruitment costs and risk of hiring the wrong person.
HIRE FAIRLY
Our inclusive, data-led approach means you'll meet candidates from all kinds of backgrounds, many of whom face barriers due to ethnicity, disability or neurodiversity.
Our approach builds confidence and limits bias so everyone has a chance to shine
Anyone can apply to any of our roles, regardless of their academic background, experience level or prior knowledge.
We assess candidates using an innovative combination of engaging tasks & behavioural science.
Everyone who applies gets feedback so that they can build confidence and improve their chances for next time.
COMPETENCY
VALUES
SOFT SKILLS
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We support a diverse community of over 4,000 early careers job seekers
For us this is about more than just jobs. We empower our community with the resources, guidance and support they need to succeed.
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Community Slack channel
"Pollen Pod" podcast
Hidden jobs newsletter
Mentor Directory
Resource Hub
+ so much more!
44%
of our community identify as Black, Asian and other ethnically diverse people
17%
of our community do not have a university degree
12%
of our community have a disability
21%
of our community are part of the LGBTQIA+ community
42%
of our community have been looking for a job for over 6 months
About Pollen
Pollen is on a mission to transform the entry-level job market into a more inclusive and equitable space. We innovate how job seekers access the support, skills and opportunities they need to thrive, and provide employers with access to a diverse pool of talented individuals ready to make an impact. We’re about more than filling positions; we’re changing lives, boosting your team’s diversity, and building a sustainable future of work.
Traditional entry-level recruitment isn't sustainable
TRADITIONAL RECRUITMENT
Incurs high costs due to reliance on recruitment agencies to speed up timely internal processes.
Consumes considerable time in screening CVs and applications, often prolonging the process from posting to shortlisting.
Perpetuates biases by emphasising CV details and subjective impressions, which can poorly influence hiring decisions and affect diversity.
Neglects candidate experience, frequently leaving applicants without feedback and enduring lengthy waits, which can tarnish the employer brand.
Often lacks transparency, leading to time wasted for both sides. Unclear selection processes and missing information, such as undisclosed salary ranges, erodes trust and efficiency.
Varies in success, with a higher likelihood of mismatches and subsequent turnover due to less focus on compatibility beyond qualifications.
SUSTAINABLE RECRUITMENT
Reduces expenses by optimising processes and generating relevant demand for roles.
Speeds up shortlisting through efficient, data-led matching, ensuring the process is not only quicker but also inclusive.
Employs objective methods to assess candidates, focusing on capabilities and potential rather than personal and educational backgrounds, which helps mitigate unconscious biases.
Enhances candidate experience through consistent communication and feedback, ensuring a respectful hiring process that values each applicant’s input.
Promotes transparency by clearly communicating all aspects of the recruitment process, saving time for both sides and leading to more efficient and satisfactory outcomes.
Achieves higher placement and retention rates by ensuring thorough alignment between candidates’ values, behaviours and attributes.
AS FEATURED IN
“We found Pollen's approach unique, refreshing and most importantly, very efficient when searching for new starters to our industry. Their selection process saved us time and we had every confidence in their neutrality. The candidates they sent us were of the highest quality and well matched to our business and I am happy we employed one of them. Pollen is now our go-to for career starters.”
Dan Pimm, Co-Founder at december19
"We loved Pollen's approach ​to talent identification and ​found that their approach ​and values were really ​closely to our own as a ​charity focussed on ​breaking down barriers. The ​team at Pollen worked ​swiftly and were such a ​pleasure to deal with - and ​importantly found us a ​fantastic candidate in an ​area we've previously ​struggled to recruit in! Thank ​you Team Pollen!"
Hannah Padfield, Head of People & Culture at IntoUniversity
“Working with Pollen Careers ​has been an absolute joy! I ​have previously been involved ​in recruiting for hundreds of ​roles, far too many to count, ​and the process with Pollen ​has been by far the most ​effective, and enjoyable. All of the candidates were not only appointable but were incredible! Pollen clearly and quickly understood what we wanted in a candidate, drawing out our clear prioritises with ease. Within a week of that initial conversation we were sent profiles of potential candidates. The profile, different to a normal CV, was so simple, easy to read and yet gave us everything we would have asked for. ”
Laura Littlehales, CEO at MyBigCareer
"I couldn’t recommend Pollen ​more highly. My recent ​experience working with ​them, and interacting with ​members of their ​community, was without ​question the best experience ​I’ve had in a recruitment ​process for as long as I can ​remember."
David Graham, Head of Customer Success at Mobsta
“Working with Pollen was a breath of fresh air. They took all the admin, stress and time involved in the early stages of recruiting away, giving us a shortlist of great candidates ideally suited to both the role and our business. They worked closely with us to really understand the type of business we are, our core values and the type of candidate that would flourish in our working environment. Being such a small business as we are, this was invaluable and enabled us to focus on the day to day business until the final stages. We will certainly be using them for all future recruits.”
James Dickens, Founder at Performalytics
“Pollen... a refreshing approach to recruitment. Pollen allows recruitment within HPS to be much more rewarding. Their process is efficient but also unique, allowing employers to connect to prospective candidates on a more personal level. HPS have found that all interviewees proposed by Pollen to be an incredible cultural match, as well as carrying the competence to deliver their job role to the highest standard. Pollen is a prime example of how the world of recruitment should be: open, honest, welcoming, and innovative.”
Adam Hart, Managing Director at HPS
"We've all really enjoyed the ​CV-less and inclusive hiring ​process. As a brand our ​values of being pioneering ​and for all are really important ​and in Pollen we've found a ​great match of a recruitment ​partner. Coupled with it being ​a really effective, fun and ​seamless process that ​resulted in a great hire for us. We will definitely work with ​Team Pollen again."
Katie Dolby, Managing Director at Cubitts
"I used Pollen to recruit with ​someone to assist ​production and guest ​bookings at Jimmy's Jobs of ​the Future. The process and ​list of candidates was so ​good that we ended up ​taking two people on. I ​would highly recommend to ​people looking to diversify ​their talent acquisition away ​from generic Job Ad."
Jimmy McLoughlin, Founder at Jimmy's Jobs of the Future
Work With Us
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