Let’s be honest: hiring is one of the most important functions in your business—and often, one of the most under-invested.

A single bad hire can cost thousands (if not more) in time, morale and missed opportunity. And yet, recruitment is often left in the hands of overworked TA teams, outdated processes and hiring managers who haven’t been trained to make great decisions.

It’s time to rethink how we recruit. Not just to fill roles, but to build high-performing teams with intent.

First: Start With Your Belief System

Before you improve your recruitment process, get aligned on why you hire the way you do.

Ask your team:

1. Do we value speed or quality more?
2. Are we hiring for attitude or experience?
3. Do we prioritise values fit or technical skill?
4. Is candidate experience truly at the centre of our process?

This forms the foundation for every hiring decision—and every conversation with your managers.

Second: The Iceberg: What You Can’t See Matters Most

Most interviews focus on what’s above the surface: skills, CVs, and canned answers.

But the real insight comes from identifying:

1. Behavioural tendencies
2. Core values and motivations
3. Cultural alignment
4. Learning agility and growth potential
   
   

Hiring well means building questions and processes that uncover what’s below the waterline.

Third: The Cost of Bias

We all carry unconscious biases. The danger? They silently influence who we hire—and who we overlook.

In recruitment, it’s essential to:

1. Recognise your own bias triggers
2. Build structure into interviews to reduce subjectivity
3. Avoid illegal or discriminatory questions (yes, even the seemingly harmless ones like where did you grow up)

Empowering your team with the Human Rights Act, questioning guides, and real-world examples helps everyone lift their game.

Fourth: Process with Purpose

A great recruitment process balances structure with flexibility:

1. Where do you automate?
2. Where is human judgement critical?
3. How are you measuring success?

We recommend designing your hiring framework around core competencies, with clear, objective interview guides that include:

1. SMART behavioural questions
2. Consistent candidate scoring
3. Reference best practices
4. Legal and ethical questioning guidelines

Finally: TA Teams: It’s Time to Be the Experts in the Room

TA isn’t just admin support. You’re the gatekeepers of talent—and that means owning your voice and influence.

Great recruiters:

1. Push back when the brief isn’t clear or realistic
2. Challenge outdated assumptions about what “good” looks like
3. Coach hiring managers to run better interviews
4. Close candidates with clarity and honesty

Want your team to be respected? It starts with giving them the tools—and confidence—to lead.

The Bottom Line

Candidates remember how you made them feel—long after they forget the job ad or title.

If you want to attract high performers, build a hiring process that reflects:

1. Your values
2. Your culture
3. Your ambition

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Reach out to Emerging Engines to build a talent process that delivers.
📩 hello@emergingengines.com
🌐 www.emergingengines.com

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