Talent Therapy

I couldn’t help but wonder… when did hiring become a chaotic, emotional rollercoaster?

Between candidates vanishing like bad dates, chaotic markets, and founders chasing unicorns on a pony budget, it’s no wonder hiring managers are quietly spiralling in their hiring syncs.

That’s where Talent Therapy comes in. You wrote in your questions, the awkward, the stressful and the oddly specific and I’m here to talk you through them.

No judgement. Just a few hard truths, a little guidance and a fresh perspective. 😉

Let’s begin.

💌 Dear Talent Therapist,

I’ve interviewed a bunch of people for a niche role on my team but none of them feel like the right fit. My recruiter isn’t presenting enough good candidates and they’re actually starting to ask me if the role is still a priority! Is it me? Am I the drama? I don’t think I’m the drama…

– ConfusedInCustomerSuccess

🧑‍💻 Dear Confused,

Ahh, the classic “I’ll know it when I see it” approach.

You’re stuck in a bit of FOMO and look, I get it. You needed to fill the role yesterday but don’t want to just say yes to whoever somewhat matches the job requirements. With that said, it’s also not always the recruiter’s fault. They can present all the candidates under the sun, but if you’re not incredibly clear (and realistic!) about what you’re looking for, then no amount of CVs will solve the issue.

My advice? Put your hands up and suggest a hiring retro with the recruiter and take a look at what’s working, and what’s causing you both to bang your heads against the wall. Perhaps you just need more touch points with your recruiter to truly understand the candidate pool. Sometimes it takes a bit of clarity and patience (and a lot of trusting the process).

Believe me, the right person will show up, and when they do, it’ll be worth the wait.

Happy hiring!

💌 Dear Talent Therapist,

I’m drowning in the admin side of hiring. Our recruitment team doesn’t have capacity but we still need to fill some key roles and it’s on me to organise all the interviews and chase for feedback. I feel like I’m spending more time managing the process than actually making decisions! Is there an AI tool that can do it all for me?

– FrustratedInFinance

🧑‍💻 Dear Frustrated,

If there were an AI tool that could coordinate multiple panel interviews, gently nudge your colleagues for feedback, answer a million candidate questions and understand the nuances of your team dynamics then I’d be using it to replace myself and writing this from a beach in Greece. 🙂‍↕️

Now until some tech genius figures out the above, I’m afraid hiring is still very much a human task. Sure, we can automate things here and there but it takes a real person to build trust with candidates and hiring teams, sniff out culture fit (or add!) and deliver offers and rejections with empathy. AI can send reminders but it can’t tell when your Head of Sales is quietly panicking about hiring someone too junior.

My advice is to share the load with someone who actually knows the ropes. An embedded Talent Partner plugs into your team, works alongside you, and helps run a smoother, human process. And the best part? You can scale up or down as needed via a simple subscription service.

Hope that helps!

💌 Dear Talent Therapist,

I’m so tired of rejecting candidates. I can’t help but feel like the bad guy, constantly crushing their dreams. How do I shake off this feeling?

– HeartbreakerInHiring

🧑‍💻 Dear Heartbreaker,

Look, you’re not breaking hearts, you’re just doing your job.

No one is saying you have to deliver bad news like some kind of hiring grim reaper. Take the opportunity to be kind, clear and offer feedback where possible. It may not make you feel good, but it doesn’t mean you can’t part on good terms. Rejection is redirection, right? It might be corny, but it doesn’t make it less true.

Thoughts and prayers. 🫡

Well, readers. As you can see, hiring is messy. But with a bit of honesty, a lot of caffeine and someone in your corner who actually gets it, you’ll survive. Maybe even thrive. 😌

Until next time,

💌 Talent Therapist