Interview with Sydney Samuels, Founder & Managing Director at Recruitment Platform: Loop Not Luck

Loop Not Luck is a recruitment platform dedicated to connecting young, diverse talent with leading organizations. We work with businesses across various industries who are committed to improving diversity and inclusion within their organisations.

When companies are trying to tackle the problem of achieving a diverse workforce, a common response is “we just don’t get enough diverse applicants”. We want to change this. Our technology amplifies a wide range of suitable candidate profiles to organisations that want to attract more diverse talent. Companies that join the loop will not only have access to a wide pool of talent, but they will also be able to reach some of the best entry-level talent across the UK.

Powered by artificial intelligence, we provide candidates with a bespoke stream of career opportunities that are carefully curated to suit their needs and skillsets. Our candidates will be able to find out about opportunities that are directly aligned with their career goals and aspirations in a way that’s accessible and effective.
 
 

 

How did you come up with the idea for the company?

 
I studied English and Philosophy at university but decided I wanted to start my career in Financial Services. I applied for over 15 different summer internships at various financial institutions but was rejected from them all. I then reached out to my network and I had a family friend who worked in a small wealth management company, I used my experience working there for four weeks to help me get on to the graduate scheme at a Japanese Investment Bank.

If I didn’t know someone who knew someone, I wouldn’t have been given a chance to get the experience needed to demonstrate my potential. There is so much talent that goes unrealised because people aren’t aware of or don’t have access to some of the amazing career opportunities out there. Loop Not Luck offers a technology-driven solution to the inequity found in the early careers job market, we get candidates ‘in the loop’ so they don’t have to leave their success to luck.
 

How has the company evolved during the pandemic?

 
The pandemic highlighted how important it is to have an online presence and reach when it comes to graduate recruitment. Simultaneously, there has been a huge spotlight placed on organisations; identifying those who are proactively investing in diversity of all forms and following through on statements made in the midst of the Black Lives Matter protests in 2020.

Similarly, COVID-19 combined with the call for equality sweeping the globe has made it even more of a priority for organisations to ensure that they are reflective of the communities in which they operate. It has become even harder for young people who are graduating to get their foot in the door of competitive careers, as there has been so much uncertainty over the last year.

It is the perfect time for an AI-powered diverse recruitment app to help bridge the gap between talent and opportunity in the UK. According to The Insight Partners, the Diversity Recruiting Software Market is expected to reach US$ 709.5 million by 2027, COVID-19 has only increased the demand for a product like Loop Not Luck.
 

What can we hope to see from Loop Not Luck in the future?

 
After lots of development, research and user testing, we are launching in the App Store in summer 2021! You can expect to see partnership announcements with both large organisations and SMEs, along with thousands of candidates and recent graduates joining the Loop and proactively taking luck out of the equation when it comes to finding out about the best career opportunities for them.