COMMUNIQUÉ DE PRESSE
par The Stepstone Group
Stepstone launches ‘Recruiting Rebels’ initiative for young HR talent
EQS-Media / 14.04.2026 / 09:34 CET/CEST
Press release
Stepstone launches ‘Recruiting Rebels’ initiative for young HR talent
“We see many young talents in the industry who are approaching recruiting with completely new perspectives. They use technology and new ideas to find better solutions for companies and candidates,” says Sebastian Dettmers, CEO of The Stepstone Group. “At the same time, the economic situation is changing hiring behavior across many companies: budgets are shrinking and pressure on recruiting teams is increasing. This makes it even more important to find the right talent at the right time. With ‘Recruiting Rebels’, we support those who are driving new ideas forward.”
More than just a shortlist: a springboard through development, mentoring, and visibility
The “Recruiting Rebels” aim to reflect the diversity of modern recruiting profiles. The program is looking for talents who bring new perspectives, unconventional career paths, or unique skills to their work.
As part of a multi-stage program, participants gain access to professional development, personal exchange, and a strong network of recruiting practitioners. The core element is a multi-day talent camp featuring workshops, expert talks, and a hands-on challenge. Participants will develop solutions for real recruiting scenarios and present them to an expert jury.
Leading industry figures select the winners
The final selection of the two top talents will be made by a jury of representatives from leading companies, media, and recruiting technology providers. Members include Anja Fellenberg (Deloitte), Dimitri Knysch (Cammio), Hendrikje Rudnik (Business Insider Deutschland), Katrin Stockinger (Noles), Marcus Merheim (hooman Employer Marketing), Martin Spielvogel (Henkel), Miriam Engels (QIAGEN), Ronja Ebeling (Team of Tomorrow), Sarah Heister (Rheinmetall) sowie Sebastian Dettmers (The Stepstone Group). The official announcement of the first “Recruiting Rebels” cohort and the two main winners will take place at an award show on September 14, 2026.
About Recruiting Rebels
“Recruiting Rebels” is a Stepstone initiative for young recruiting talents under the age of 30. Its goal is to support the next generation of recruiters who are shaping the future of recruiting with new approaches and technologies.
The program centers around a multi-day talent camp with workshops, hands-on challenges, and exchange with industry experts. It is complemented by further development opportunities, networking, and the recognition of top talents by an expert jury.
About The Stepstone Group
The Stepstone Group is a leading global digital recruitment platform that connects companies with the right talent and helps people find the right job. AI-driven job marketplaces and programmatic-powered marketing solutionsconnect more than 130 million job applications with about 130,000 employers every year. The Stepstone Group operates in more than 10 countries - including Stepstone in Germany, Appcast in the USA and Totaljobs in the UK. The company is headquartered in Düsseldorf, Germany and employs about 3,000 people worldwide. For more information: www.thestepstonegroup.com/english
Contact
The Stepstone Group Media Relations
press@stepstone.com
Stepstone launches ‘Recruiting Rebels’ initiative for young HR talent
- A stage for the next generation in recruiting: 30 HR talents under 30 will be specifically supported and connected
- Multi-day camp with workshops, challenge, and networking for young recruiting talents
- Expert jury including representatives from Henkel, Rheinmetall, Deloitte, and QIAGEN selects the top talents
“We see many young talents in the industry who are approaching recruiting with completely new perspectives. They use technology and new ideas to find better solutions for companies and candidates,” says Sebastian Dettmers, CEO of The Stepstone Group. “At the same time, the economic situation is changing hiring behavior across many companies: budgets are shrinking and pressure on recruiting teams is increasing. This makes it even more important to find the right talent at the right time. With ‘Recruiting Rebels’, we support those who are driving new ideas forward.”
More than just a shortlist: a springboard through development, mentoring, and visibility
The “Recruiting Rebels” aim to reflect the diversity of modern recruiting profiles. The program is looking for talents who bring new perspectives, unconventional career paths, or unique skills to their work.
As part of a multi-stage program, participants gain access to professional development, personal exchange, and a strong network of recruiting practitioners. The core element is a multi-day talent camp featuring workshops, expert talks, and a hands-on challenge. Participants will develop solutions for real recruiting scenarios and present them to an expert jury.
Leading industry figures select the winners
The final selection of the two top talents will be made by a jury of representatives from leading companies, media, and recruiting technology providers. Members include Anja Fellenberg (Deloitte), Dimitri Knysch (Cammio), Hendrikje Rudnik (Business Insider Deutschland), Katrin Stockinger (Noles), Marcus Merheim (hooman Employer Marketing), Martin Spielvogel (Henkel), Miriam Engels (QIAGEN), Ronja Ebeling (Team of Tomorrow), Sarah Heister (Rheinmetall) sowie Sebastian Dettmers (The Stepstone Group). The official announcement of the first “Recruiting Rebels” cohort and the two main winners will take place at an award show on September 14, 2026.
About Recruiting Rebels
“Recruiting Rebels” is a Stepstone initiative for young recruiting talents under the age of 30. Its goal is to support the next generation of recruiters who are shaping the future of recruiting with new approaches and technologies.
The program centers around a multi-day talent camp with workshops, hands-on challenges, and exchange with industry experts. It is complemented by further development opportunities, networking, and the recognition of top talents by an expert jury.
About The Stepstone Group
The Stepstone Group is a leading global digital recruitment platform that connects companies with the right talent and helps people find the right job. AI-driven job marketplaces and programmatic-powered marketing solutionsconnect more than 130 million job applications with about 130,000 employers every year. The Stepstone Group operates in more than 10 countries - including Stepstone in Germany, Appcast in the USA and Totaljobs in the UK. The company is headquartered in Düsseldorf, Germany and employs about 3,000 people worldwide. For more information: www.thestepstonegroup.com/english
Contact
The Stepstone Group Media Relations
press@stepstone.com
End of Media Release
Issuer: The Stepstone Group
Key word(s): Services
14.04.2026 CET/CEST Dissemination of a Press Release, transmitted by EQS News - a service of EQS Group.
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
The EQS Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases.
View original content: EQS News
| Language: | English |
| Company: | The Stepstone Group |
| Völklinger Straße 1 | |
| 40219 Düsseldorf | |
| Germany | |
| Internet: | https://www.thestepstonegroup.com/de/ |
| EQS News ID: | 2307410 |
| End of News | EQS Media |
2307410 14.04.2026 CET/CEST