We had a chance to ask our good friend and wonderful Talent Acquisition expert, Daniel Toth, a couple of questions about recruitment and talent acquisition. Daniel is a professional with around 10 years of experience; he has worked with amazing companies like Glovo, TravelPerk, Finom and more.

We had a chance to chat about Daniel’s career, Barcelona’s talent market, business ecosystem, and industry trends!

Hey Daniel, how did you start your career in recruitment?

Hey! I can say that recruitment ‘found’ me rather than the other way around! I graduated in Applied Linguistics in the Netherlands in 2015, and when my scholarship ended, I moved back to Hungary. That summer, I was still trying to figure out what to do with my degree. I considered pursuing a PhD, but I wasn’t fully convinced it was the right path.

Then, out of nowhere, Randstad popped up. They were expanding their Shared Recruitment Center in Budapest and looking for a junior Dutch-speaking sourcing recruiter. They reached out to me, and even though I had no experience in recruitment, I read the job description and thought, ‘This seems like a match for my academic background – and I’d have the chance to use my language skills too!’

So, I went for it! And now, nearly 10 years later, I’m still in the world of recruitment… Who would’ve thought? 😊

What are your 3 favourite things about working in Talent Acquisition?

First and foremost (and I think most of my colleagues would agree!): finding the right match! It’s like solving a puzzle—connecting the right candidate with the right role and watching both the person and the company thrive. That moment of “aha!” when everything clicks is one of the most rewarding parts of the role.

Second: the ever-changing nature of the job. I know it sounds a bit cliché, but it’s true—no two days are the same in recruitment. This keeps me on my toes, forces me to think creatively and outside the box, and keeps me learning.

And third: building relationships. Recruitment is all about people—candidates, hiring managers, and everyone else involved in the decision-making process. Every search is a mix of collaboration, communication, and a bit of problem-solving!

Working in Barcelona for a long time, can you tell us what makes the business ecosystem and talent market special here?

I think that Barcelona’s business scene is pretty unique—it’s diverse and full of energy. The city has really turned into a hotspot for innovation, especially in tech and startups (I’ve been lucky enough to work at some of Barcelona’s unicorns, like Glovo and TravelPerk). What makes the talent market here so special is the mix of cultures and backgrounds. You’ve got people from all over the world, which makes it such an exciting place to be!

Plus, the quality of life here is fantastic—the climate, the lifestyle, everything. Take me, for example—I always thought I’d go back to the Netherlands, but after 7 years, I’m still here! That’s a big part of what makes Barcelona so attractive to international talent, especially in tech. The city has a strong culture of networking, collaboration, and innovation.

On the flip side, the talent competition here is tough. Companies have to get creative to stand out and offer more than just a paycheck—like an awesome work culture, flexibility, and chances to grow.

What do you think is the biggest trend in our industry now? (what skills should recruiters develop according to the trends?)

This is a tricky one, but I like the question! I feel like there are some topics we talk about a lot these days—don’t get me wrong, they’re important, but they’ve kind of become the go-to answers. So, I’ll take this chance to share a few other things I think are becoming more important—just my two cents, though, so take it with a grain of salt!

First up: being data-driven. It’s an important skill, but let’s be real—we don’t need to be data scientists. In talent acquisition, we can track loads of data, but not all of it is equally useful or relevant when we’re talking to hiring managers. The key is knowing how to pick and focus on the data points that help us in our day-to-day work. I find the simplest metrics (like conversion rates) to be the most powerful. It’s all about using those numbers to bring perspective to the conversation and help hiring teams make better decisions.

Another big trend is how process automation and AI are taking over so many tasks. Because of that, all those human skills in “human resources” are more important than ever—things like relationship-building, emotional intelligence, communication, and empathy (and yep, even business smarts and influencing skills). It’s not just about engaging and staying connected with candidates during the process; it’s also about building solid relationships with hiring managers and the wider HR team (HR ops, mobility, HRBPs, Comp&Ben etc.), really understanding each other’s perspectives, and working together to align on business goals.

Finally, I think it’s all about taking a value-focused approach. Sure, the obvious way recruiters add value is by making hires, but there are so many other ways we contribute that don’t always get talked about (or tracked). It could be using data to tackle challenges when things aren’t going smoothly – or bringing up things that hiring managers haven’t thought of but could improve decision-making. Even trying new approaches, taking small steps to refine the process, exploring new perspectives, improving operational efficiency and constantly looking for ways to get better counts as adding value.

At the end of the day, it’s about working together and being real partners. That’s why I’ve never been a fan of the term “stakeholder management.” I’d much rather work side by side with the teams I collaborate with—sharing ideas and building strategies—than “managing” them or being “managed” myself.