Hard truths and practical tips from 15+ years in recruitment
When you lose a candidate to another offer, it’s tempting to assume they got more money. Sometimes they did. But more often, they got something else that mattered more. Understanding what candidates actually value helps you compete beyond compensation. Flexibility Is the New Salary Post-2020, flexibility has become non-negotiable for many candidates: Remote work options. […]
Hiring ProcessEveryone knows bad hires are expensive. But most managers dramatically underestimate just how expensive. Let me show you the real numbers. The Direct Costs Start with the obvious: Recruitment costs. Agency fees, job ads, background checks, interview time. For a $100k role using a recruiter, easily $15-25k. Salary paid. If they last six months, that’s […]
Hiring ProcessSalary negotiation doesn’t have to be adversarial. But many employers handle it in ways that damage relationships before they beginâor lose candidates they should have won. Starting With a Lowball Making an offer significantly below your budget, expecting to negotiate upward, is a common mistake. What you think: “Smart negotiatingâwe’ll end up somewhere in the […]
Hiring ProcessPsychometric testing has become a standard part of many hiring processes. Personality profiles, cognitive assessments, behavioural inventoriesâthe options are endless. But here’s the hard truth: most companies are wasting their money on these tests. Not because the tests don’t work. They can be highly effective. The problem is how they’re used. The Missing Piece When […]
Onboarding & RetentionFiring people is one of the hardest parts of management. Done poorly, it’s traumatic for everyone and potentially exposes you to legal risk. Done properly, it’s still difficultâbut it can be handled with dignity and clarity. Be Sure Before You Act Termination should never be a surprise. Before reaching this point: Has the employee received […]
Hiring ProcessA senior role opens up. You could promote someone internally or hire from outside. Both options have advocates, and both can fail spectacularly. Here’s how to think through the decision. The Case for Internal Promotion Promoting from within offers real advantages: Known quantity. You’ve observed their work firsthand. No guessing about whether they can perform. […]
Video interviewPhone screens are supposed to save time by filtering out unsuitable candidates before in-person interviews. In practice, many are so poorly conducted they add work without adding value. Here’s how to make phone screens actually useful. Define Your Purpose A phone screen is not a mini interview. It’s a filter with specific purposes: Verify basic […]
Hiring ProcessA senior role opens up. You could promote someone internally or hire from outside. Both options have advocates, and both can fail spectacularly. Here’s how to think through the decision. The Case for Internal Promotion Promoting from within offers real advantages: Known quantity. You’ve observed their work firsthand. No guessing about whether they can perform. […]
Hiring ProcessI’m going to tell you something that might surprise you: in 15 years of recruitment, I’ve received exactly one bad reference. One. Out of thousands. Does that mean every candidate I’ve placed was perfect? Of course not. It means reference checks, as most companies conduct them, are largely theatre. Why References Rarely Reveal Anything Think […]
InterviewingMost interview questions are predictable. Candidates have practiced answers. You end up learning how well they prepared rather than whether they can do the job. Here are questions that actually reveal useful information. Instead of “What’s Your Greatest Weakness?” Everyone has a rehearsed weakness that’s actually a strength in disguise (“I’m too much of a […]
InterviewingHere’s an uncomfortable truth: the best interviewees often make mediocre employees, and the best employees often interview poorly. If your hiring process rewards polished interview performance above all else, you’re systematically selecting for the wrong skills. The Interview Performance Trap Interviews favour people who are: Articulate and quick-thinking under pressure. Confident, even when they shouldn’t […]
Hiring ProcessEvery company says they value diversity. Few actually achieve it. The gap between intention and outcome reveals where most diversity efforts go wrong. The Checkbox Problem Many organisations treat diversity as compliance: “We need to have X percentage of women/minorities to meet requirements or avoid criticism.” This produces: Tokenism. Hiring diverse candidates into roles without […]
Hiring ProcessFiring people is one of the hardest parts of management. Done poorly, it’s traumatic for everyone and potentially exposes you to legal risk. Done properly, it’s still difficultâbut it can be handled with dignity and clarity. Be Sure Before You Act Termination should never be a surprise. Before reaching this point: Has the employee received […]
CommunicationHere’s a hard truth most hiring managers don’t want to hear: your slow communication is why you keep missing out on top talent. Think about it this way. When you bought your house, you expected your mortgage broker to return calls within hours, not days. You wanted updates. You wanted to know where things stood. […]
InterviewingYou’re in an interview. The candidate is polished, prepared, and saying all the right things. But something feels slightly off. Trust that instinctâand know what specific red flags to look for. The Credit Thief Listen to how they talk about achievements. Is it always “I” or occasionally “we”? Constant “I accomplished,” “I decided,” “I led” […]
Hiring ProcessIf you’re consistently receiving applications from unqualified candidates, the problem probably isn’t the job market. It’s your job advertisement. Most job ads are written by people who hate writing job ads. They’re copied from templates, stuffed with jargon, and designed to tick HR boxes rather than attract talented people. Let me show you what’s going […]
Hiring ProcessEvery day a role sits unfilled costs your business money. Most hiring managers understand this intellectually but dramatically underestimate the actual impact. Let me show you the real numbers. The Direct Costs Start with the obvious: lost productivity. If a role generates $100,000 in value annually (a conservative estimate for most professional positions), that’s roughly […]
InterviewingHiring someone you’ve never met in person feels risky. Without the cues of in-person interaction, how can you evaluate effectively? The good news: remote hiring can be just as effective as in-personâsometimes more soâif you adapt your approach. Video Interview Best Practices Technology shouldn’t be a barrier: Test everything beforehand. Ensure your camera, microphone, and […]
Hiring ProcessEvery company says they value diversity. Few actually achieve it. The gap between intention and outcome reveals where most diversity efforts go wrong. The Checkbox Problem Many organisations treat diversity as compliance: “We need to have X percentage of women/minorities to meet requirements or avoid criticism.” This produces: Tokenism. Hiring diverse candidates into roles without […]
Hiring ProcessYou’ve found the perfect candidate. The interviews went brilliantly. Now you need to close the deal. This is where many hiring managers fumble and lose candidates they should have won. Speed Is Everything When you’ve decided on a candidate, move immediately. Not “let’s regroup next week”ânow. Top candidates have other options. Every day you wait […]
Hiring ProcessYour job description is often a candidate’s first impression of your company. Most job descriptions are forgettable at best, actively repelling at worst. Here’s how to write one that makes top candidates want to apply. Start With “Why This Role Matters” Don’t begin with company boilerplate or generic requirements. Start with what makes this role […]
Working with Recruiters“We can handle this hire ourselves. Why pay a recruiter?” It’s a reasonable question. Recruitment fees aren’t cheap. Job boards are accessible to everyone. LinkedIn makes finding candidates seem easy. But the real cost calculation is more complex than most companies realise. What You’re Actually Paying For A good recruiter doesn’t just find resumes. They […]
Onboarding & RetentionExit interviews are polite fiction. Departing employees say they’re leaving for “a great opportunity” or “career growth” because it’s easier than telling you the truth. The truth is usually about youâor more specifically, about management. People Leave Managers, Not Companies Research consistently shows that an employee’s relationship with their direct manager is the strongest predictor […]
Working with RecruitersHiring a recruiter doesn’t guarantee results. The companies that consistently get great outcomes treat recruitment as a partnership, not a service they’ve outsourced and forgotten about. Here’s how to get maximum value from your recruiter relationship. Start With a Proper Brief “We need a marketing manager” is not a brief. Neither is forwarding a generic […]
Hiring ProcessSalary negotiation doesn’t have to be adversarial. But many employers handle it in ways that damage relationships before they beginâor lose candidates they should have won. Starting With a Lowball Making an offer significantly below your budget, expecting to negotiate upward, is a common mistake. What you think: “Smart negotiatingâwe’ll end up somewhere in the […]
Interview PreparationHiring someone you’ve never met in person feels risky. Without the cues of in-person interaction, how can you evaluate effectively? The good news: remote hiring can be just as effective as in-personâsometimes more soâif you adapt your approach. Video Interview Best Practices Technology shouldn’t be a barrier: Test everything beforehand. Ensure your camera, microphone, and […]
Onboarding & RetentionAn employee you value has resigned. They have another offer. Your instinct is to counter-offerâmatch or beat the number and keep them. This almost never works out well. Here’s why. The Statistics Are Brutal Research consistently shows that 50-80% of employees who accept counter-offers leave within 12 months anywayâeither because the underlying issues weren’t solved […]
Hiring ProcessRecruiters talk to each other. The employers who are difficult to work with become known, and gradually, the best recruiters stop prioritising their business. Here are the mistakes that burn recruiter goodwillâand how to avoid them. Slow or No Feedback This is the cardinal sin. A recruiter sends candidates, and weeks pass with no response. […]
Onboarding & RetentionYou made a hire. You were excited. Three months later, it’s clear something is wrong. The new employee isn’t meeting expectations. The cultural fit isn’t there. Your team is frustrated. You’re dreading the conversation you know you need to have. This situation is more common than most people admit. Here’s how to handle it. First: […]
Onboarding & RetentionThe first 90 days of employment are when new hires decide whether they made a good decision or a terrible mistake. Poor onboarding is the fastest way to lose someone you worked hard to recruit. The “Thrown in the Deep End” Approach Some managers believe new hires should figure things out themselves. “We’ll see what […]
Let's discuss your hiring needs and find the right solution for your business.
View Recruitment Solutions