IT Search’s Karla O’Rourke discusses her career in recruitment and how candidates can make themselves more attractive to organisations looking to hire.

Ask anyone who has applied for a new job lately and they will likely tell you that the application process is almost a full-time role in itself as you spend weeks, sometimes even months, amending cover letters, submitting documents and interviewing, only to not be considered the ‘right fit’. Then the routine starts up again, until you finally land a job. 

“One of the most common mistakes is applying for roles that are not aligned with a candidate’s experience,” explained Karla O’Rourke, an associate director and technology recruiter at Irish recruitment agency IT Search, which is a member of the Vertical Markets Group.

She said: “While it is natural to explore opportunities, submitting applications for a large number of roles that are not a close match rarely leads to positive outcomes. Another issue is failing to tailor a CV to the role being applied for. If a job description highlights specific technologies or responsibilities, candidates should ensure that their relevant experience is clearly reflected in their CV.”

Unsurprisingly, she finds that more and more, recruiters are coming across CVs that have been created using AI technologies, which is leading to a rise in generic applications.

Artificial intelligence can be useful in assisting with format and structure. However, she noted that hiring managers are quick to recognise when a CV has not been written solely by the individual, often because AI-generated descriptions will lack detail and provide little clarity around the applicant’s specific contributions or achievements. The strongest CVs, she said, will offer a clear outline and understanding of responsibilities and projects, and how this translates to measurable results.  

So, how does an IT or technology recruiter utilise their skills to ensure that the person behind the CV is matched to a role that suits their goals and ambitions?

Don’t rush to judgement

In her own role, as someone who evaluates applications to assess whether they match the expectations of the organisation and if there is a likelihood that the person could be fulfilled working there, O’Rourke said effective recruitment depends heavily on solid judgement, communication skills and possessing a deep understanding of both the organisation and the candidate.

“A key part of the process is looking beyond the job description to understand what the organisation truly needs. While technical capability is obviously critical in technology roles, long-term success often depends on additional factors such as adaptability, communication style and how someone fits within a team,” she said. 

“Equally, understanding a candidate’s motivations and career ambitions is essential. A CV can provide a snapshot of someone’s experience, but conversations often reveal much more about how a person approaches their work and the type of environment where they will perform best.”

She is of the opinion that strong networks also play a crucial role, as recruiters who actively engage with their market build a deep understanding of the talent landscape, which allows them to introduce candidates who are not only technically capable but also well aligned with the organisation’s culture and objectives.

When it comes to technical prowess – having noted that AI should be used sparingly (if at all) in the creation of a CV – for tech and IT experts looking to move ahead, O’Rourke encourages the use of opportunities to include genuine skills in AI on their documentation. 

“Unsurprisingly, AI is one of the biggest topics across the technology sector at the moment. Organisations are actively exploring how they can integrate AI into their systems, development processes and wider business operations. At the same time, many companies are also navigating the learning curve that comes with implementing these technologies effectively.

“While the demand for AI expertise is extremely high, the pool of professionals with deep, practical experience in this area remains relatively small. Many organisations want to incorporate AI into their platforms and workflows, but there are fewer individuals who have the experience required to genuinely lead those initiatives.”

At the end of the day, IT and tech recruiters have the same end goal as someone looking to begin or continue their career in the IT and tech space. Both want to show the organisation that the application put forth is representative of the person best suited to the position. To achieve this, O’Rourke explained that applicants should find what makes them unique.

“When many candidates have similar technical skills on paper, differentiation becomes increasingly important. Rather than listing every technology you have encountered, it is often more effective to focus on the areas where you have genuine depth of experience and can clearly demonstrate value.”

And perhaps above all else, be prepared. She finds that the candidates who can confidently stand over projects, showcase the challenges they have resolved and highlight the impact of their work are significantly more likely to stand out in a positive way during the interview process. 

The career labyrinth

Knowing the direction you want to go in professionally can make the route to get there simpler, but that is by no means the only way to reach your target, nor is it as common as we might tell ourselves. Typically, the route towards a desired career diverts occasionally, and it is important to be aware and accepting of that. 

“My route into recruitment was actually quite unexpected,” noted O’Rourke, who explained that initially, she was employed at Dunnes Stores as a brand manager, with the assumption that she would eventually take up a position in the human resources division.

“Interestingly, the opportunity came from someone who had ‘mystery shopped’ me several times while I was working there. Their full-time role was in recruitment and after a number of visits, they reached out to ask whether I would consider exploring a career in agency recruitment.

“At that stage I had very little awareness of the industry, but I was open to the conversation. Looking back, it proved to be one of the best decisions I have made professionally.”

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On the hunt for a fresh pair of headphones that stand out in the style department? Until the end of the weekend, Best Buy has the Beats Studio Pro marked down to just $200, a $150 discount from the usual price.

While this headset isn’t nearly as fancy as some of our other favorite over-ear headsets, it makes up for it with classic Beats styling and a sound profile that the brand has become known for among its fans. They’re bass-forward and punchy, a fact you’ll just have to live with whether you like it or not, because they lack a dedicated equalizer. Thankfully they aren’t as bold and brash as the Beats of old, but it’s still something to keep in mind if your normal beat isn’t hip-hop or rock.

They’re technically produced by Apple, but the Beats Studio Pro have a feature set that’s decidedly cross-platform, with one-touch pairing for both Apple and Android mobile devices, and an impressively large wireless range in case you like to leave your phone on the porch while working in the yard. If you don’t mind being physically connected to your device, you can even use the USB-C mode to enjoy some high-resolution audio. There’s also head tracking for spatial audio, a trick we’ve seen on some other headsets that sometimes ends up being more of a gimmick, although it is neat to use while watching movies in apps that support it like Disney+ and Netflix.

They get up to 24 hours of battery life with the ANC on, or closer to 40 without, which is fine, but not quite as good as some of its more expensive counterparts. Speaking of active noise-canceling, our reviewer Ryan Waniata said “it holds its own against competitors from Sony and Bose, and outdoes rivals like Sennheiser’s Momentum 4 Wireless.” It works just as well for calling as it does for catching some tunes, and has a microphone that folks on the other hand of the call described as clear and detailed.

If you’re interested in scooping this deal on the Beats Studio Pro, make sure to head over to Best Buy to save $150, or check out our guide to the best wireless headphones we’ve head the pleasure of testing.

Based on over 20,000 reports, Amazon appears to be experiencing an outage.

According to Downdetector, reports of problems started increasing at 1:41 pm ET today. By 2:26 pm, ET, Downdetector received 18,320 reports of problems with Amazon’s website. The number of complaints peaked at 3:32 pm ET at 20,804. There have also been a smaller number of complaints about Amazon Prime Video and Amazon Web Services.

As of this writing, Amazon hasn’t confirmed any specific problems. However, an Amazon support account on X said at 3:02 pm ET today that “some customers may be experiencing issues” and that Amazon is working “to resolve the issue.”

Per Downdetector, 50 percent of reported problems happened at checkout, while 21 percent of outage reports came from mobile app users, and 17 percent of complaints pointed to problems with Amazon’s product pages.

Ars Technica can confirm that some product pages fail to load properly or at all, and that the Amazon homepage sometimes fails to load.

Update 3/5/2026 7:57 p.m. ET: As of  4:10 p.m. ET, reports of problem started declining on Downdetector and were down significantly by 5:55 p.m. ET.  

Update 3/6/2026 9:25 a.m. ET:  By 9:05 p.m. ET on Thursday, the number of reports filed on Downdetector dropped to 435. On Thursday evening, Amazon provided a statement saying: “We’re sorry that some customers may have ​temporarily experienced issues while shopping. We have resolved the issue, ​which was related to a software code deployment, and [the] website and app are now running smoothly,” 

Her scale-up Lios has been through the EIC Accelerator grant funding process and successfully secured €6.25m in 2025. Now, Rhona Togher wants other founders to learn what she wishes she had known.

The EIC Accelerator grant is part of the European Innovation Council’s (EIC) funding framework under Horizon Europe. It acts as a funding mechanism for start-ups and SMEs to drive deep-tech innovation and early-stage innovators that would otherwise be deemed too high-risk for private investors.

The EIC Accelerator is targeted at those whose technology is at a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of 6 to 8. Companies can apply for a grant component of up to €2.5m and an investment component of between €1m and €10m.

Ireland enjoys a strong track record in European Framework Programmes, winning €1.19bn in funding through Horizon 2020 – Lios being one of them, where we secured €2.3m as part of Horizon 2020.

When we applied to the European Innovation Council (EIC) Accelerator, we knew it would be competitive. What we didn’t fully appreciate was just how nuanced the process is.

Since then, through our own experience and many conversations with advisers and former recipients, I’ve gathered insights that I wish every founder knew before pressing ‘submit’. If you’re considering applying for the EIC Accelerator, this is for you.

Start with the work programme, not your deck

The single most important document is not your pitch deck. It’s the EIC work programme. If there’s a defined challenge that clearly fits your technology, you are already in a stronger position. The Commission’s priorities shift with each programme – advanced materials, climate, dual use technologies, energy. Alignment isn’t cosmetic, it’s fundamental.

Ask yourself: Does our solution directly address an EU level priority? Can we clearly articulate the impact on Europe, not just our company? The EIC isn’t asking: “Is this clever?” They’re asking: “Is this investable and strategically important for Europe?”

You don’t need 40 people but you must look investable

There’s a misconception that only large, heavily funded companies win. Not true. Small, focused deep-tech teams, even five to six people, absolutely succeed. What matters is credibility and trajectory.

The reviewer and juror sees a snapshot in time. They are looking for: evidence of real market traction; strong, defensible IP; a team capable of executing; governance beyond the founders; and signs you won’t run out of money next month.

Bridging the ‘valley of death’

The accelerator is designed to bridge TRL 6-8, widely recognised as the hardest funding gap for deep-tech companies. At this stage, your technology works and may have pilot validation, but you are not yet at full commercial scale. In Europe especially, this ‘valley of death’ is where many strong innovations stall – too advanced for research grants, too early for most private investors.

The accelerator is one of the few instruments specifically built to support companies through this high-risk transition, making it an incredibly valuable resource for founders who are genuinely on the cusp of scale.

Evidence wins

Remote evaluators and juries look at your company through different lenses. Remote evaluators are often focused on technical merit and written clarity. Juries, however, are typically more commercial and investment driven and often tougher. They read everything: the short proposal, the full application, annexes, financials, Freedom To Operate, letters of intent. In a single week, a panel may review up to 15-20 companies, absorbing thousands of pages of material.

So how do you stand out? Be credible. Be concise. Be memorable. Be real.

Avoid volume for the sake of volume. A small number of well-written letters from genuine customers and industrial stakeholders will carry more weight than 20 cookie-cutter letters.

The reviewers and jury are looking for genuine industrial validation, not just lab results. Case studies, pilot outcomes and early commercial traction speak much louder than theoretical demand.

IP matters more than you think

Intellectual property and your freedom to operate come up time and again. It’s important to demonstrate: you understand the competitive landscape; you know who is patenting in your space; you have a clear strategy around intellectual property; and there is meaningful white space.

The jury interview is an investment pitch, not a PhD viva

This surprises many founders. The jury panel typically includes:

• Five jury members (often investors/entrepreneurs)
• An European Investment Bank (EIB) representative
• An EIC Programme manager
• An observer and moderator

Most questions are commercial. Who is on your cap table? What is your go-to-market strategy? How will you scale? Tell me about your governance? Is this plan financially robust? And what will be the economic impact of this proposal?

You may have a subject matter expert in the room, but you will almost certainly have multiple investor-type profiles. The underlying question is “Can this become an EU unicorn?” and not “Is this the most elegant piece of science?”.

Governance is a signal of maturity

One recurring theme is governance. Strong juries want to see:

• Independent board members
• Financial oversight
• Documented decision-making
• A clear split of executive responsibility

Even if this is your first company (as it was for us), showing that you are intentionally building strong governance structures and surrounding yourself with experienced advisers demonstrates maturity and ambition. It signals that you are growing the company and yourselves with scale in mind.

Alignment with EU priorities is powerful

Demonstrate how your technology strengthens European competitiveness. Impact isn’t just environmental, it’s economic. Consider how you can contribute to wealth generation, jobs and achieve strategic autonomy. Make the European case.

Be memorable for the right reasons

Will the jury remember you? Showcase your technology with warmth, confidence and simplicity.

Preparation is key. Know your business plan inside out, you are likely to encounter some difficult questions and alternative perspectives.

Remember that the jurors are human. Engage in the interview in an authentic and open way. The jurors want to see you do well.

And finally don’t be discouraged

It’s a really competitive programme, with success rates around 5pc. Sometimes remote evaluators score you highly, and the jury sees it differently. It happens. But strong companies do get funded. And even preparing for the EIC Accelerator, tightening your governance, refining IP strategy, stress testing commercial models – it makes you stronger, regardless of the outcome.

The EIC Accelerator is demanding because it sits at one of the hardest points in a company’s journey, that uncomfortable space between breakthrough and bankability.

If you are there, genuinely there, it can be transformational.

Be honest. Be investable. Be European in your ambition.

And above all, remember, the jury wants to fund companies that will make Europe stronger.

If that’s you, prepare well, and go for it.

By Rhona Togher

Rhona Togher is co-founder and CEO of Lios, an advanced acoustic materials scale-up based in Dublin. The company secured €6.25m in EIC Accelerator funding in 2025 and is now raising for their Series A.

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