“The Breakthrough Hiring Playbook” – Issue 4
Now I have thought a few times whether I risk this topic. Not because it is not important, it is. But it is always one that brings strong views from every possible angle and opinion.
So before I put myself in the firing line, I want to be clear. I am still learning, still getting things wrong, but always trying to do it better!
Inclusion means different things depending on the business, and it is constantly evolving.
Over the years, I have worked with companies ranging from global enterprises to ten-person startups. I have never seen the same approach twice. However, I still hear comments that shock me from people where I least expect it. There is a fine line with inclusion. A lot of it is fact based, but plenty is still down to personal opinion. That is what makes it so difficult.
Some businesses build inclusion into how they hire from day one. Others say they care, so it stops at a green tick at the bottom of a job advert. Some are focused only on getting the best person and moving quickly. Some prioritise technical skill and figure the rest out later.
This article is not here to preach. It is here to prompt some reflection and offer a few ideas that might help you do it slightly better.
Ask yourself, can you do better, or do you even care?
The first obstacle I see when working with companies is when employees do not even know who is responsible for it in their business. Or worse, they think it is not up to them, so they do not bother.
Whereas if they are going to get this right, everyone needs to play a role.
So which group are you?
Hiring with Intent: You are actively doing the work. From leadership to team level, everyone understands their role. Your process reflects your values, and you are making real changes that candidates can feel. Bravo.
Hiring with Vibes: You mean well, and maybe you have added the right lines to the job spec, but that is where it ends. Your interview panel all follow the same playbook, ask the same safe questions, and nothing really moves forward. Well-worded intentions, but not much else. I guess it is a start.
Hiring Like It Is 1995: You are either too busy, stuck in your ways, or still watching Little Britain reruns wondering what the fuss is about. You think treating everyone the same is enough, and that updating how you hire is someone else’s job. It is not.
Most companies say they are inclusive. But what does that actually mean in practice?
If your interview panel all think the same way, If you only post jobs in the same three places, If your hiring process has not changed in years. That not it!
Bias is not always obvious. It is rarely loud.
Most of the time, it is small decisions that quietly build up:
- Booking interviews without checking for flexibility or support needs
- Filtering out CVs with career gaps
- Relying on gut feel
- Writing job ads using he or she instead of they
These are not always done on purpose. But they do shape who gets through and who quietly disappears from your process.
Not every company will have a polished strategy. That does not make them bad.
Some are further along and some are just getting started. And not every candidate wants the same thing either. That is completely fine.
Hiring is about alignment. A business chooses how it hires. A person chooses what they want from a company.
But if you are involved in hiring, whether as a founder, manager, or recruiter, even a few small changes can make a big difference. It can lead to stronger teams, better communication, and a clearer message about who you are and how you work.
I have been in recruitment for ten years. I have made plenty of mistakes along the way and still today have to think when screening candidates. After all, I review thousands of CVs on a monthly basis. Time is important when running a search, but slowing down to consider all angles matters.
This is not about ticking boxes or getting everything right. It is about noticing where things can be better and doing something about it.
So what can you do today to start?
If you are not sure where to begin, pick one area. Look at your job ads, your interview process, or your candidate feedback. Choose one and ask, does this work for everyone? Does it feel fair? Ask someone else on the team. You do not need to launch a full DEI strategy on day one. Just commit to making one part of your process a little better than it was last quarter.
Still Stuck in 1995?
First try these questions..
Share them with your team. Are you doing it right? Could you do better? Do you even care?
Have we ever asked a candidate for feedback?
Is our job advert clear and simple to read?
Are we asking for things that are not essential?
Do all our interviewers think the same way?
Can people with different needs complete the process fairly?
Do we use they instead of he or she in our writing?
Are we always posting in the same places?
Do we know where candidates drop out of our process?
Are we hiring for fit or for what someone adds?
Would this process work for someone not like us?
Am I in the firing line? Hopefully I’m safe.
If we can take away something useful from this article, even better. Often it is the smallest changes that make the biggest difference when hiring.
I have been guilty of many of the things in this article over the years, not because I am a bad person, but because I was so focused on other goals that I missed the small details.
If you would like to discuss this article further, or explore how you could improve your current hiring plans, feel free to reach out to me directly.
The next article in this series is called Hiring Remotely? Great. Managing Remotely? That Is Where It Fails. So What Should You Do to Keep Your New Hires Happy?
