NEPRO buyers access a large, dynamic community of pre-accredited professional services suppliers.

Matrix offers clients access to temporary, permanent and consultant labour solutions across the UK

All public sector organisations can recruit healthcare professionals from overseas using a wide range of experienced international recruitment organisations.

A framework that provides Statement of Work (SoW) solutions in a clear, organised and transparent way with defined outcomes.

 All public sector organisations can hire a range of quality non-clinical workers for either through fixed-term or temporary roles.

Think Big: Network Bigger!

Transformation doesn’t happen in isolation. Building a strong professional network isn’t just about knowing the right people; it’s about creating relationships that bring fresh ideas, valuable insights, and trusted collaboration to some of the toughest challenges. This rings true across the board, in the public sector where regulated environments and procurement frameworks add extra layers of complexity, and in the private sector where speed and innovation often take centre stage.

In the public sector, professionals often face what feels like a networking paradox. On one hand, there’s a huge need for external knowledge, innovation, and collaboration, especially when managing large-scale AI or digital transformation projects. On the other, strict procurement rules and frameworks, like those managed by the Crown Commercial Service (CCS), are designed to keep things transparent and fair but can sometimes make informal knowledge sharing and relationship-building tricky. Add political visibility and risk-averse cultures into the mix, and it can be hard to connect beyond formal processes.

Meanwhile, in the private sector, networking might feel a little more straightforward but no less critical. The pace of change demands agile partnerships that go beyond simply buying products or services. Here, informal networks often lead to constructive working partnerships, collaborations that bring real value by fostering trust, enabling faster problem-solving, and sparking innovative ideas that wouldn’t surface in formal meetings.

When you’re managing complex AI-driven transformations, a strong professional network becomes essential. These projects are often multidisciplinary and high-pressure. Having a network, you can tap into gives you access to niche expertise and peer insights quickly, helps you spot risks before they become issues, and lets you share lessons learned across teams or even across sectors. It’s far more than just a list of contacts, it’s a living, breathing ecosystem of support and intelligence.

Partnerships have traditionally been seen as arrangements for procuring products or services, but leaders today know they need partnerships for ideas and insights too. Beyond vendor relationships, connections with industry experts, think tanks, specialist recruiters, and peer organisations form a kind of distributed intelligence system. These informal networks offer a space for ethical debates on AI, navigating emerging regulations, and exchanging approaches that have worked in similar projects elsewhere.

The accelerating effect of AI makes this kind of networking even more important. Technology and policy around AI move fast, often faster than organisations can adapt. A strong professional network keeps you plugged into real-time knowledge sharing and innovation ecosystems, helping you keep pace with change. It also offers early warnings about regulatory shifts and helps avoid costly mistakes, like getting locked into the wrong vendor or reinventing the wheel.

Given the unique challenges in the public sector, building networks requires a strategic and compliant approach. Professionals can engage in cross-departmental groups, attend CCS-approved forums, or participate in knowledge-sharing alliances that work within procurement frameworks. Partnering with specialist recruitment firms like Malikshaw, which have deep roots in public sector transformation, can open doors to people and perspectives not easily found through traditional channels. It’s important to remember that networking here is about transparency and good intent, not informal deals or favouritism.

At Malikshaw, we see ourselves as more than just recruiters. We’re connectors of talent, ideas, and change. Our experience bridges public service transformation and executive talent, helping clients access not only the right people but the right insights when they matter most. We support organisations in building responsible, resilient teams that can thrive in an AI-accelerated world.

Top Five Benefits of Building a Professional Network

1. Access to Expertise and Insights
   Quickly tap into specialised knowledge that might not be available within your immediate team or organisation.
2. Early Risk Identification
   Learn from others’ experiences to spot potential pitfalls before they impact your project.
3. Faster Problem-Solving
   Reach out to trusted contacts for advice or collaboration to overcome challenges efficiently.
4. Innovation through Collaboration
   Collaborate with diverse partners to spark fresh ideas and new approaches, especially critical in AI-driven projects.
5. Stronger, Constructive Partnerships
   Informal networks often evolve into strategic partnerships that bring lasting value beyond contractual agreements.

At the end of the day, the best leaders don’t wait until they need a network, they build it as a habit. In today’s AI-driven world, relationships are a form of resilience. Whether you work in public service or private enterprise, finding purposeful and compliant ways to nurture those networks is key to making your transformation successful.

If you’d like to explore how Malikshaw can connect you with the right people, ideas, and capabilities to navigate your transformation journey, we’d be happy to have a conversation.

5 Crucial Questions to Ask Before Accepting an Offer

Receiving a job offer, whether permanent or interim, is a major milestone. But before you say yes, it’s important to take a moment to assess whether the role genuinely matches your needs, expectations, and career trajectory.

These five essential questions can help you evaluate any offer more clearly. And if you’re working through a recruitment agency, all the better. A strong agency will help you uncover the nuances, ask the right questions, and negotiate the terms that matter.

1. What Are the Role’s Expectations Beyond the Job Description?

Job descriptions often paint a broad picture. What you really need to understand is what the role looks like in motion.

Ask this:
“Can you walk me through a typical day or week in this role?”

This helps uncover:

• Unspoken responsibilities
• Priority projects
• The team’s expectations of your contribution

A reputable agency often has this insight already. They’ve spoken with the hiring manager and know the internal pressures, timelines, and what "success" really looks like beyond the formal description.

2. How Is Success Measured in This Position?

This is critical, especially when timelines are short and deliverables are urgent, as is often the case with contract or interim roles.

Ask this:
“What do you expect me to achieve in the first few weeks?”
“Are there specific milestones tied to this assignment?”

Agencies can often pre-empt this discussion by helping define project outcomes with the client upfront. That way, both sides are aligned before the contract begins.

3. What’s the Company Culture Really Like?

Even on short-term contracts, the culture can impact your productivity, collaboration, and day-to-day experience.

Ask this:
“How do interim professionals typically integrate with the team?”
“Is the environment more structured or fluid?”

A well-connected agency can give you a candid view of the culture and whether previous contractors felt supported, isolated, or fully embedded.

4. Is There Room to Extend or Transition the Role?

This is particularly important for interim professionals. While your current focus might be delivering results quickly, it’s helpful to understand the longer-term possibilities.

Ask this:
“Is this role likely to be extended or become permanent?”
“Have other interim professionals transitioned into ongoing roles here?”

A good recruitment agency will already know the likelihood of an extension or future opportunities with the client. They’ll also help manage expectations so you can plan accordingly, whether it’s preparing for a handover or positioning for something longer-term.

5. Is the Day Rate or Contract Structure Fair and Clear?

For interim roles, clarity around pay structure, billing cadence, and contract terms is essential.

Ask this:
“Can we confirm the day rate, payment terms, and IR35 status?”
“Are expenses, remote work, and overtime clearly defined?”

A strong agency won’t just pass along the rate, they’ll negotiate on your behalf, advise on market standards, and ensure your contract terms are watertight. They’ll also flag any red flags in the small print, such as lengthy payment cycles or unclear project scopes.

Final Thoughts: Ask More Now, Regret Less Later

Whether you're considering a long-term role or a 6-week assignment, asking the right questions is the best way to set yourself up for success. Interim work moves quickly, but that’s no reason to skip over due diligence.

A reliable agency will support you at every stage, from briefing and negotiation to placement and extension.

Looking for Interim Opportunities With Clarity and Confidence?

At Malikshaw, we work with experienced interim professionals across public and private sectors, helping them secure roles that are transparent, well-scoped, and fairly rewarded.

Want to explore your next interim move with expert guidance?
Get in touch with Malikshaw today.

I was reading the news the other morning over a strong coffee, and a headline caught my eye: The UK government’s housebuilding plans risk collapse due to a shortage of planning officers.

It stopped me in my tracks.

Here we are, setting one of the most important goals for the country—tackling the housing crisis—and yet the whole thing could come undone because we don’t have enough qualified people in planning departments. Not because of budgets, bricks, or public opposition, but simply because there’s no one to say, “yes” or “no” to applications.

And it immediately reminded me of that old proverb:
“For want of a nail, the shoe was lost. For want of a shoe, the horse was lost…”
...you know how it goes. Until finally, “the kingdom was lost.”

All because of one, tiny, overlooked detail.

And I found myself wondering how often do we let something seemingly small scupper something hugely ambitious?

We’ve All Been There, Haven’t We?

Have you ever run a project or been part of a transformation where it wasn’t the big, obvious challenges that tripped you up—but the tiny, irritating, overlooked detail?

I’ve seen it. Too many times to count.

A dependency that was “definitely covered” (but wasn’t).
A single team member who didn’t quite understand the mission.
A process no one realised was still running manually until it failed.

And suddenly, the whole timeline slips. The budget swells. The stakeholders lose faith. And the transformation gets quietly downgraded from “essential and urgent” to “let’s pick this up again next year.”

In transformation work, our Trailblazers often remind us that everything touches everything else. That means the stakes are high, and the margin for error? Tiny.

No wonder almost 90% of transformation programmes don’t hit their intended goals.

What we’ve Learned (Sometimes the Hard Way)

Over the years, at Malikshaw, we’ve seen transformation programmes of all shapes and sizes—digital overhauls, operating model redesigns, massive recruitment drives. And I can tell you this with confidence:

Success doesn’t come from just having a great strategy.
It comes from spotting the nails.

The person no one invited to the early workshops but who holds the keys to adoption.
The platform that’s running on outdated tech but quietly underpins your entire process.
The middle manager who's drowning in BAU and can’t cascade the change message.

That’s why our Transformation Trailblazers—interims, execs, programme leads—aren’t just domain experts. They’re the people who’ve been through it enough times to know what to look for before it breaks.

If You’re Staring Down a Big Change…

Maybe you’re in the early planning stages. Maybe you're knee-deep in delivery and feeling the pressure. Or maybe there’s something keeping you awake at night, and you’re not sure how big it’s going to become. AI comes to mind for some reason ;)

Wherever you are, I’d love to hear your story.

And if there’s a gap on your team, or a blind spot in your plan, we might just know the person who can see it clearly and help you close it. And please do share your thoughts. We’d love to hear from you.

Every generation leaves its mark on the workplace. With Gen Z, we're seeing that shift happen right now, and it's coming with fresh expectations, new priorities, and a different way of thinking about work.

At Malikshaw, we speak with both sides every day. On one hand, hiring managers are building teams to meet complex, evolving challenges. On the other, Gen Z professionals are entering the workforce with strong values, plenty of ambition, and a clear sense of what matters to them.

These conversations give us insight into what's working, where things get stuck, and how to create stronger connections between people.

Gen Z is often misunderstood

There are a lot of assumptions about Gen Z, and most of them miss the mark. Far from being lazy or coddled, this generation tends to be self-motivated, collaborative, and open to learning. They care about diversity, and not just on paper. They want workplaces that reflect different perspectives and give space for people to show up as themselves.

They value flexibility, but they also value purpose and structure. They're practical about how they approach challenges, and many are surprisingly entrepreneurial. Having grown up through economic uncertainty, social change, and constant digital evolution, they've had to be adaptable. That mindset shows up in how they work.

There's a real opportunity here. If we can create space for collaboration across generations, we can build teams that combine new energy with seasoned experience. It's not about replacing one way of working with another. It's about learning from each other and growing together.

What Gen Z is looking for

Gen Z isn't just applying to jobs. They're trying to figure out where they belong and what they're signing up for. They want clear expectations and honest insight into the role, the company, and the culture. Vague job descriptions and corporate buzzwords don't cut it anymore.

They want to know what a typical day looks like, how decisions are made, and who they'll be learning from. The more direct and authentic you can be, the better the connection will be from day one.

Not every job needs to come with a world-changing mission. But there should be a sense of purpose behind the work. Gen Z often asks, "What impact will I have here?" If you can connect the role to a bigger picture, whether it's team goals, customer outcomes, or business values, you're already on the right track.

Flexibility still matters, but not everyone wants to work from home full-time. Gen Z is looking for balance — space to work in a way that suits them, along with time for collaboration and connection. What they really want is trust. They want to be treated like adults who can manage their time and get the job done.  Rigid rules without clear reasons are a quick way to lose interest.

This generation wants to learn. They're not expecting constant training courses or formal programs, but they do want thoughtful feedback, stretch opportunities, and regular conversations about progress. Managers who take the time to invest in people are seeing stronger engagement and better retention.

Gen Z is used to fast, seamless experiences online. If your recruitment process feels outdated or clunky, they'll notice. But it's not just about the tech. It's about making the experience simple, clear, and respectful. Quick responses, good communication, and a human approach go a long way.

A quick note for Gen Z candidates

You don't need to have everything figured out. What matters is being honest about what you care about, what you want to learn, and what kind of environment helps you do your best work. Being curious, open, and clear about your values will take you far.

There's a lot to gain by bringing generations together in the workplace. Gen Z offers fresh thinking, digital confidence, and a strong sense of purpose. Employers bring structure, experience, and long-term perspective. When both sides take the time to listen and learn from each other, everyone benefits.

At Malikshaw, we focus on helping people connect with clarity and confidence. We believe honest communication and long-term relationships build stronger teams and better results.  If you're thinking about your next hire, or your next move, we're here to help

No market stands still, and talent is no exception. At Malikshaw, we work with companies undergoing transformation—digital, cultural, operational—to find the right people, fast. And we're seeing hiring trends shift in real time.

Whether you're scaling a digital team, building a transformation office, or bringing in change-makers to lead from the front, here are our top 7 trends and tips for shaping talent acquisition.

1. Skills Over CVs
What's happening: Companies are placing less emphasis on traditional CVs and more on demonstrated skills, portfolios, and real-world results. In transformation and digital roles especially, experience often outweighs titles.
Tip: Focus your job postings on required outcomes, not just credentials. Use skills-based assessments to evaluate candidates on what they can do, not just where they've worked.

2. AI-Assisted Hiring Isn't Optional
What's happening: AI is transforming recruitment from sourcing and screening to interview scheduling. Used right, it speeds up digital hiring and supports more consistent, unbiased decisions.
Tip: Embrace automation where it counts but always layer it with human judgment. AI helps you scale, but it doesn't replace the need for strong candidate relationships, especially in senior transformation roles.

3. Remote is Normal, Hybrid is King
What's happening: Transformation work often spans departments, locations, and time zones. Fully remote roles are declining, but hybrid models are the new standard.
Tip: Be clear about your working model—and make sure your transformation leaders can work across in-office and virtual teams. Candidates want to know how collaboration happens day to day.

4. Employer Brand = Candidate Magnet
What's happening: High-calibre digital and transformation professionals are selective. They research everything: your mission, leadership, values, and even how you treat employees during change.
Tip: Show your story. Highlight your transformation journey, your culture, and the impact your teams are driving. Your next hire wants to believe in the mission.

5. Faster Hiring = Better Hiring
What's happening: The best candidates, especially in change and tech, aren't on the market for long. Dragging out the process? You're losing them.
Tip: Streamline your process. Combine interviews, tighten internal feedback loops, and communicate consistently. Transformation talent expects clarity and momentum.

6. EDI That's Real, Not Performative
What's happening: Inclusive hiring is expected especially in digital and transformation environments where diverse thinking drives better outcomes.
Tip: Review your language, assess for bias, and look at your entire funnel. Then make changes where it matters. Talent sees the difference.

7. Contract and Freelance Talent Rising
What's happening: Interim transformation leads, digital specialists, and freelance change managers are becoming essential. Flexible talent models support speed and adaptability.
Tip: Don't overlook the value of short-term expertise. The right contractor or interim leader can move a program forward faster than waiting for a full-time hire.

Looking to Build a High-Impact Transformation Team?
If you're planning a major change initiative—digital transformation, reorg, process overhaul—you need the right recruitment partner on your side. But not all partners are built for change.

That's why we've created:
The Definitive Guide to Choosing a Transformation Recruitment Partner

Request your copy here and we'll send it straight to your inbox.