How Kingfisher Group went from CV overload to phone screens worth having

How Kingfisher used IntentSignals to reduce screening volume, eliminate wasted interview time, and build a graduate cohort that arrived prepared, motivated, and ready.

"

In TA, we're constantly trying to do more with less, but cutting corners on candidate experience costs you in brand reputation. IntentSignals is the first tool I've seen that genuinely does both: it reduced our workload significantly and left candidates better informed and more positive about Kingfisher than before.

Steph

Head of Talent Acquisition, Kingfisher

The Challenge

• Kingfisher had to pause all other recruiting activity just to screen for two roles
• Most screening call time was spent explaining who Kingfisher is to candidates
• Significant late-stage drop-out from candidates lacking commitment
• Non-household employer brand made early orientation time-consuming

The Approach

• Introduced Intent Journeys as a structured pre-application experience
• Candidates required to reflect on readiness, values alignment, and suitability
• Application unlocked only via personal IntentCode after journey completion
• Candidate-led self-selection (not employer-driven filtering)

The Results

"

From having nightmares for days about the volume of CVs I was reviewing, to feeling like a weight had been lifted. Previously, the first 5–10 minutes of every telephone interview were spent explaining what the role was and who KF were - we didn't have to do that with anyone this year.

Donna

Talent Acquisition Manager, Kingfisher

Why it worked

Kingfisher sits at the intersection of retail, technology, and sustainability - an exciting time to join, with genuine scope for graduate impact. But with early careers candidates often weighing up better-known finance and professional services schemes, many simply aren’t yet aware of what makes the opportunity distinctive. Previously, that meant recruiters were spending early screening time building that case from scratch. Intent Journeys transferred that work to the candidate experience itself. By the time candidates picked up the phone, they already understood the role, the company, and why they wanted to be there.

The result wasn’t just fewer applications - it was a cohort that had already done the thinking. Every recruiter interaction had genuine substance. For a non-household brand, that’s the difference between a hiring process that exhausts your team and one that energises it.