For many LGBTQ+ people, finding a job isn’t just about salary, progression, or perks. It’s about safety. It’s about whether you’ll have to explain yourself on day one, second-guess how open you can be at work, or quietly shrink parts of your identity just to fit in.
That’s exactly why Proud Recruitment was created.
Founded by George Beckon Khoury, Proud Recruitment is an LGBTQ+ recruitment and inclusion consultancy built around one very simple idea, people deserve to work somewhere they can actually be themselves.
After nearly 20 years working in recruitment and staffing, George saw firsthand how many LGBTQ+ candidates were falling through the cracks, not because they lacked talent, but because they lacked confidence, support, or access to genuinely inclusive employers.
“I created Proud Recruitment to be that bridge between untapped talent and employers who are ready to be truly inclusive,” George explains. “It’s about creating a space where people can be their authentic selves from day one.”
What makes Proud Recruitment different is the level of personal support behind it. Candidates don’t just get sent job listings and left to fend for themselves. George offers one-to-one support including CV building, interview coaching, confidence development, and advocacy throughout the process, entirely free for candidates.
For employers, the business also provides LGBTQ+ inclusion training, covering everything from pronouns and respectful workplace culture to creating genuinely welcoming environments that retain diverse talent, not just recruit it.
And while plenty of companies talk about inclusion during Pride month, Proud Recruitment is focused on what happens after the rainbow logos disappear.
“It comes down to the right to just exist without being a topic of conversation,” says George. “Everyone deserves to go to work, do their job, and be their authentic self without fear of being ridiculed.”
The impact of that support is already being felt.
One candidate, Jim, shared how Proud Recruitment helped him rebuild confidence during his job search:
“You’ve helped me rediscover a belief in myself that I’d lost somewhere along the way. But more than that, you’ve helped me start to define who I actually am and what I want, not just professionally but as a person.”
Another candidate, Richard, described the support as “genuine care”, praising the time and energy invested into understanding both career goals and personal aspirations.
George says stories like these are exactly why the business exists.
“I’m doing this because I want to be the person I needed when I was younger,” he says.
At a time when conversations around inclusion can often feel corporate, performative, or reduced to policy documents, Proud Recruitment feels refreshingly human. It’s built on lived experience, practical support, and the belief that LGBTQ+ people shouldn’t have to leave parts of themselves at the office door just to succeed.
For employers genuinely looking to build stronger, more inclusive workplaces, and for LGBTQ+ candidates searching for opportunities where they can thrive openly, Proud Recruitment is proving that recruitment can be about people first.
And honestly? That shouldn’t feel revolutionary, but somehow it still does.
To find out more about Proud Recruitment, visit www.proud-recruitment.uk or follow them on Instagram at @proudrecruitment.
