Category: Insights

Why the Best Recruitment Strategies Start Before the Vacancy Exists

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Most businesses don’t think about recruitment until someone resigns. A role opens up, the brief gets written, the job ad goes live, and from there it’s a race against the clock to find the right person before the team starts to feel the gap.

It works – sometimes. But it’s not a strategy. It’s a reaction.

The organisations that consistently make strong hires aren’t the ones with the best job ads or the fastest interview turnarounds. They’re the ones that started the process months before the vacancy existed.

What happens when recruitment is reactive

When a role becomes urgent, something interesting happens: the hiring process itself becomes the problem.

Without a defined recruitment strategy, teams spend the first few weeks of an active campaign just figuring out how to recruit, not actually recruiting. You’ll see the same patterns play out again and again:

  • No agreed process for how candidates move through stages
  • Nobody’s sure who’s responsible for candidate communication
  • Response times are all over the place
  • There’s no clarity on how many interviews are needed, who should be involved, or what “good” actually looks like
  • Hiring decisions get made on gut feel under time pressure

These are some of the most common ways businesses undermine their own hiring process. The result is that valuable time gets burned designing the process while the best candidates are being snapped up elsewhere.

Why most businesses start looking too late

Here’s the uncomfortable part: by the time most businesses start looking for candidates, the strongest ones are already off the market.

The typical pattern goes something like this. A role is expected to be filled within four to eight weeks, so the search begins. But the candidates who would have been a perfect fit started exploring new opportunities three months ago. They’ve already had conversations with proactive recruiters. Some have accepted offers. Others have been quietly approached by competitors who planned ahead.

What’s left is still a pool of talent, but it’s a narrower one. And when the timeline is compressed, hiring teams feel pressure to move quickly, interviews get rushed, and the candidate experience suffers. That’s how good-enough hires happen instead of great ones.

If you’ve ever seen this play out during end-of-year hiring, you’re not alone. The idea that December is a dead zone for recruitment is one of the most persistent myths in the market, and it costs businesses access to great candidates every year.

Workforce planning should be ongoing

The shift from reactive to proactive recruitment starts with one simple habit: regular workforce planning conversations.

This doesn’t need to be complex. It means sitting down, quarterly at minimum, and asking a few honest questions:

  • Where are we growing? Which teams are scaling, taking on new projects, or entering new markets?
  • Where are we vulnerable? Are there critical roles with single points of failure? Key people approaching retirement or likely to move on?
  • What’s coming? Upcoming projects, seasonal demand, restructures. What hiring needs can we see on the horizon?

When you forecast even one quarter ahead, you give yourself time to engage talent before a position formally opens. That’s the difference between choosing from a curated shortlist and scrambling through a pile of applications.

Build relationships with candidates before you need them

One of the most underused recruitment strategies is also one of the simplest: have conversations with strong candidates before you have a role to fill.

When you meet someone impressive, whether through a recruiter, an industry event, or a referral, the instinct is often to file their details away and move on because there’s nothing open right now.

The better move is to have the conversation anyway. Understand what they’re looking for. Share where your organisation is heading. Keep the relationship warm.

This is especially true for passive candidates, who make up a significant proportion of the best talent in any market. They’re not actively looking, but they are open to the right opportunity. If you’ve already built the relationship, you’re the first call they take.

When a role does open, you’ve got a pipeline of people who already know your business, your culture, and your direction. You’re not starting from scratch. And beyond the practical benefit, it sends a signal to the market that your organisation invests in relationships, not just transactions. Good candidates talk to each other. That reputation compounds over time.

Treat your candidate data as a business asset

This happens in almost every organisation: you meet a great candidate, they’re not quite right for the current role, and their details disappear into an inbox or a spreadsheet that nobody looks at again.

Six months later, a perfect role opens up. Nobody remembers the candidate. The search starts from scratch.

Candidate information, their strengths, motivations, career goals, what they’re looking for, why they weren’t quite right last time, is genuinely valuable. Organisations that capture it properly and maintain it over time can dramatically reduce both recruitment costs and time-to-hire.

A candidate who wasn’t the right fit six months ago may be exactly the right fit today. But only if you kept the notes, maintained the relationship, and had the system in place to surface them when the opportunity came up. And when you do re-engage them, how you run that process matters. A warm pipeline only works if you don’t let candidates go cold through poor communication.

Recruitment is a business function, not an event

The organisations that hire well don’t treat recruitment as something that happens to them. They treat it as an ongoing part of how they operate.

The difference shows up everywhere. Hiring is faster because you’re drawing from a warm pipeline, not starting cold. Candidates have a better experience because your process is defined and consistent. You get access to stronger talent because you’re engaging people before your competitors do. And hiring decisions are made from a position of strength rather than desperation.

None of this requires a massive overhaul. It starts with a conversation about what your organisation needs in six months, not just what it needs today.

The best recruitment strategies don’t start with a vacancy. They start with a plan.

What Is All This Efficiency For? AI, Society, and the Choices Business Owners Make

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There is a big push right now for AI and efficiency. Every week brings a new tool, a new capability, and a new expectation that businesses will adopt it or fall behind. I have been thinking a lot about what it is all for.

The promise of technology has always been that it would make our lives better. More productivity should mean more time for the things that matter. Healthier lives. Stronger communities. A lighter footprint on the planet. But that is not what tends to happen. Nearly a century ago, the economist John Maynard Keynes predicted that productivity gains would deliver his grandchildren a 15-hour work week. Productivity rose roughly as he forecast. Working hours barely moved. The gains were absorbed into output and consumption instead of leisure.

I worry we are repeating that pattern with AI. Workers are not working less. They are expected to work faster, with more powerful tools at their fingertips. The benefits of a productivity gain flow to whoever holds the power to claim them, and by default that is rarely the people doing the work.

The treadmill problem

Here is what this looks like from inside a small business. We are expected to spend more on tools to become more efficient. At the same time, clients expect to pay less because we are supposedly more efficient. The tools do not translate into more profit or more breathing room. They become a cost of entry. Everyone adopts them, the gains compete away, and we all run faster to stand still.

There is a genuine upside. These tools let a small firm like ours compete with much larger organisations. Technology has lowered the barriers to entry, and that means more people can own and run a business rather than working for a large corporation. I think that is a good thing for our economy and our community. But it does not feel like a triumph when margins are tight and the effort is high.

The thing I keep coming back to is this. When a tool saves a team five hours a week, that time goes somewhere. By default it goes into higher targets, because nobody consciously decided otherwise.

Where the gains land is a choice

As a business owner, I can decide otherwise.

That is the real lever owners hold. Not lobbying, not grand policy. The thousands of small decisions about how work is designed. Whether efficiency gains become breathing room for staff or just higher output expectations. Whether we keep hiring and training junior people even when AI makes it tempting not to, so the bottom rungs of the career ladder stay bolted on. Whether the people who help build the value of a business get to share in it.

At Approach Consulting, we are trying to act on this rather than just talk about it. A few of the commitments we are working towards:

Most people will never lobby government about AI. They are busy raising families, earning a wage, and getting through the week. Their experience of this technology will be shaped almost entirely by what their employers decide. That puts a quiet responsibility on those of us who run businesses. We are a small minority with our hands on a lever, and what we choose to normalise matters.

What we are trying to build

When tools make us more efficient, we want that to show up as saner workloads and better quality work, not just higher targets. Our value to clients comes from consultants who are not burnt out and who have the time to do thoughtful work.

We are building pathways for our team to share in the ownership and success of the business over the long term. If staff help create the value, they should participate in it.

And we will keep using our position honestly. Recruiters sit close to the world of work. We set terms for contractors and advise clients on how roles are designed. That gives us a chance to push back when a role is a burnout machine, and to model what fair, sustainable work looks like.

The future is not automatic

AI does not have to widen inequality or grind people down. But it will by default, unless deliberate choices are made to steer it elsewhere. Most of those choices sit with employers and governments, not with markets or the technology itself.

I cannot fix the macro picture from a recruitment firm in Canberra. None of us can individually. But if enough business owners decide that efficiency gains should buy their people a better working life, and prove that a profitable firm can run that way, that becomes something others can copy.

That is the future I want to help build. One where the technology serves the people, and not the other way around.

Michael Hoole is a Director of Approach Consulting, a Canberra-based executive recruitment, labour hire, and scribing firm working with government and private sector clients across Australia.

Interviews That Reveal The Truth, Not Rehearsed Answers

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Many interviews fail to reveal the truth. Here’s why:

  • Unstructured interviews – the kind where each candidate gets a slightly different flow – are easy to mess up, and often rely on gut feeling more than real evidence. Research shows structured interviews are significantly more predictive of future performance than unstructured ones.
  • Rehearsed answers, canned stories and polished personas often dominate when candidates know exactly what interviewers expect. That doesn’t tell you how they’ll handle real work – pressure, ambiguity, team conflict.
  • Without consistency, bias creeps in. The first impression, charisma or common background may colour the whole assessment.

The “Truth-Revealing Interview” Framework is an easy way to make sure you’re getting the most out of your interviews.

1. Structure the interview consistently

  • Ask the same core questions to each candidate.
  • Use a scoring rubric or benchmark answers so responses are evaluated objectively. Record answers the moment they are given (or immediately after), not at the end of the interview. This is where having a dedicated recruitment scribe is helpful – they record the answers to all interviews, ensure answers are evaluated with consistency, and help give you the best chance of a fair, unbiased, and defensible outcome.
  • Rate behaviour, not buzzwords. Focus on what the candidate did – not what they say they can do.

2. Ask real-world, situational or behavioural questions

  • Situational: “What would you do if you had tight deadlines and limited resources?”
  • Behavioural: “Tell me about a time you had to learn a completely new skill quickly. What was your process?”
  • Challenge-based: simple simulation or case study relevant to the role (if feasible).

3. Dig beneath the surface

  • Ask follow-up: “Why did you choose that approach?”, “What did you learn?” “What would you do differently next time?”
  • Resist the urge to accept polished answers at face value. Look for nuance, self-awareness, realistic reflection.

4. Use multiple interviewers or stages

  • Multiple touchpoints reduce individual bias and help triangulate truth. Research on “multiple mini-interview” (MMI) formats – most often used in healthcare industries such as medicine, pharmacy, or veterinary – support this for reliability and better prediction of performance.
  • Consider combining interview results with other data (work samples, assessments, references) for a richer picture.

5. Document and compare consistently

  • Store notes, have clear benchmarks, and compare across candidates using the same criteria.
  • Encourage interviewers to reflect – not just on likability, but on evidence of competencies and potential.

Why does it work – and what do you get from it?

  • Structured, consistent interviews double (or more) the chance of picking someone who performs well on the job.
  • Bias and subjectivity are reduced, making hiring fairer and more outcome-focused.
  • Candidates with genuine ability and integrity stand out – not just those who are good at memorising answers.

Quick guide: 5-minute checklist before you hit ‘send’ on the interview invite

  • Do you have a clear job-relevant competency list?
  • Have you prepared the same core questions for every candidate?
  • Do you have a rubric or scoring guidelines ready?
  • Is there a plan for follow-up or clarification questions?
  • Will more than one person interview or assess responses (or will you gather other data)?

For candidates: how to respond so your answers reveal the real you

  • Expect behavioural and situational questions. Prepare real stories, not rehearsed lines.
  • Focus on what you actually did, learned, and how you changed. Real growth beats shiny buzzwords.
  • Be honest about mistakes and learning. Employers value self-awareness, not perfection.
  • Ask clarifying questions if a scenario seems vague. This shows you think before you answer.

Interviewing is both an art and a process – one that can be designed to cut through polish and rehearsed lines, and surface real potential, ability, and fit. If you value truth over charm, consistency over instinct, and evidence over gut-feel, this kind of interview approach will save you time, money and hiring mistakes.

Why “culture fit” gets a bad rap – and how to rescue it

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“Culture fit” started as shorthand for hiring people who help your culture thrive. Somewhere along the way, it became code for “people like us”: same background, same schools, same hobbies, same vibe.

That’s not culture. That’s comfort.

Social psychology has shown for decades that humans naturally gravitate toward people who look, think and act like them – the similarity-attraction effect. In hiring, this turns into affinity bias: we rate candidates who remind us of ourselves as “strong fits”, even when that has nothing to do with performance. 

The cost is real:

When “culture fit” really means “same as us”, you’re literally screening out the conditions that drive innovation, resilience and problem-solving.

So instead of abandoning culture fit altogether, it’s time to redefine it.

What culture fit should mean: The 3-C model

Think of culture fit as three overlapping checks:

Core values + Character additions + Collaboration potential

When all three are present, culture fit becomes growth-friendly – not a homogeneity trap.

1. Core values – shared anchors, not clones

This is the only part of “fit” that should feel similar.

You’re looking for alignment on the fundamentals of how work gets done: things like integrity, accountability, learning mindset, respect, psychological safety, and commitment to the mission.

Research on values congruence shows that when people’s values align with the organisation’s, you tend to see higher engagement, commitment and performance.

What to look for

  • How they behave under pressure, not just when things are smooth
  • How they talk about colleagues, customers and past employers
  • Whether they default to learning and accountability or blame and defensiveness

Better questions

  • “Tell me about a time you got feedback you really didn’t like. What did you do next?”
  • “Describe a situation where you had to choose between hitting a target and doing the right thing. What happened?”
  • “What does ‘a good day at work’ look like for you – and why?”

You’re testing: do their lived values match the ones you say matter here? Not “would I have a beer with them?”

2. Character additions – difference as a performance asset

Once values are aligned, sameness stops helping and starts hurting.

Decades of work in organisational psychology and economics – from Cox and Blake’s “value-in-diversity” hypothesis to Scott Page’s Diversity Bonus – argues that diverse teams solve complex problems better because they bring more cognitive tools, perspectives and heuristics. 

Meta-analyses back this up: deep-level diversity (differences in perspectives, information and ways of thinking) is positively related to creativity and innovation, especially for interdependent, knowledge-heavy work. 

So the question shifts from “Are they like us?” to: “What do they bring that we don’t already have – and will that help us?”

What to look for

  • Different backgrounds, disciplines or industries that still connect to your work
  • Distinct problem-solving approaches (data-first, systems-thinking, customer-obsessed, etc.)
  • Evidence of resilience, non-linear careers, or stretching into new contexts

Better questions

  • “Tell me about a time you had to work on something completely unfamiliar. How did you approach it?”
  • “What’s a perspective you hold at work that people often initially disagree with – and why do you keep holding it?”
  • “Where do you think this team is at risk of groupthink? What would you challenge first?”

Here, a great answer should make you slightly uncomfortable – in a good way.

3. Collaboration potential – will they make the team better together?

The last C is about how they operate in the system.

Google’s Project Aristotle and Amy Edmondson’s research on psychological safety show that the highest-performing teams aren’t the ones with the “best” individuals – they’re the ones where people feel safe to speak up, admit mistakes and challenge ideas. 

Collaboration potential is your read on whether this person will contribute to – or damage – that environment.

What to look for

  • Examples of constructive conflict and resolution
  • Evidence they give and receive feedback without spiralling
  • Signs they adapt their style to different people, not just expect others to adapt to them

Better questions

  • “Tell me about a time you worked with someone very different from you. What made it hard, and how did you make it work?”
  • “Describe a conflict in a team that turned out well. What did you do differently to help?”
  • “When a colleague points out a mistake you’ve made, what usually happens next?”

You’re looking for people who can disagree without contempt, and who treat collaboration as a skill, not an accident.

Why this matters for both employers and candidates

For employers

Teams built on shared values + diverse strengths + strong collaboration are better positioned to:

  • Generate more and better ideas
  • Adapt faster when markets or technology change
  • Avoid stagnation and groupthink
  • Attract and retain people who want to grow, not coast

Large-scale evidence now shows that diverse, inclusive top teams are more likely to outperform financially – not by a tiny margin, but by double-digit percentages. 

For candidates

A redefined culture fit means:

  • You’re not penalised for thinking differently, speaking with a different accent, or taking a non-linear career path
  • Your values matter more than whether you match an unwritten “type”
  • You’re more likely to land somewhere that uses your strengths, not just asks you to blend in

How to build real culture fit into your hiring process

This is where behavioural science and selection science really help.

1. Define your core values in observable behaviours

“Team player” and “good communicator” are meaningless without detail. Translate values into specific behaviours you can see in stories:

  • “Accountability” = owns mistakes early, closes the loop, doesn’t hide bad news
  • “Learning mindset” = seeks feedback, experiments, reflects, adjusts
  • “Transparency” = shares context, explains decisions, not just outcomes

Use these to design your interview questions and evaluation rubrics.

2. Use structured, value-based interviews (and stick to them)

Unstructured “vibe checks” feel insightful but are not very predictive of performance and are highly vulnerable to bias. 

Meta-analyses show that structured interviews – same core questions for all candidates, tied to job-relevant competencies and scored against clear criteria – have significantly higher validity for predicting job performance and tend to reduce adverse impact compared with many other methods. 

Practically:

  • Ask every candidate a consistent set of value and collaboration questions
  • Use scoring guides (e.g. 1–5) with behavioural anchors
  • Discuss scores before swapping impressions like “they just felt like a fit”

This doesn’t kill humanity in hiring; it just stops bias running the show.

3. Deliberately hire for “character additions”

In your shortlists, ask:

  • “What does this person add – in perspective, experience, thinking – that we don’t already have?”
  • “If we reject them, is it because they truly misaligned on values or couldn’t collaborate – or because they’d make us rethink how we work?”

Cox and Blake’s work on diversity and competitive advantage suggests that when you manage diversity well, you gain in creativity, problem-solving quality, market reach and flexibility. 

Make that “add” lens explicit in debriefs so it doesn’t get overridden by comfort.

4. Onboard for culture, not just tasks

Don’t assume people “pick up” culture. Use onboarding to:

  • Make values, rituals and decision norms explicit
  • Model psychological safety in early meetings (leaders admitting mistakes, inviting dissent)
  • Show how different strengths are used and celebrated in the team

That signals that culture fit = “this is how we work together”, not “this is how you should act to be liked.”

5. Measure culture health with data, not gut feel

Instead of “I just don’t think people like working here as much”, track:

  • Engagement and inclusion survey results (especially psychological safety items)
  • Retention and progression rates across different demographics
  • Who speaks, decides and gets credit in meetings and projects

This gives you a reality check: is your version of “culture fit” actually building a healthier, more effective team – or just keeping you comfortable?

Common misconceptions to retire

  • “We need people who ‘get us’.” Often translates to “people exactly like us,” which quietly shuts out diversity of thought and experience.
  • “They didn’t seem like a good fit.” Unless you can anchor that in specific behaviours against clear criteria, it might be code for “I don’t know how to work with someone who thinks differently.”

Final thought

“Culture fit” isn’t the problem. How we’ve been using it is.

When you define culture fit as shared values, complementary strengths, and real collaboration potential, you get teams that are more aligned and more diverse; more cohesive and more innovative.

Treat culture fit seriously. But treat it wisely:

  • Challenge “people like us” thinking
  • Design for culture add as well as culture fit
  • Use structure and evidence, not just instinct

That’s how you build organisations where different kinds of people can do their best work together – without diluting the culture you’re trying to protect.

The January Ghosting Spike: Why Great Candidates Disappear And How To Keep Them Engaged

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Why January triggers more ghosting than any other month

Every year the same pattern repeats itself.

As soon as people return from a break, the job market explodes. Candidates hit reset, update their CV, look around and apply widely. Job search data shows that searches for jobs and careers jump sharply in the first two weeks of January. Applications jump. Curiosity spikes. But commitment does not.

It’s the moment candidates cast a wide net.

They want to explore possibilities, not make immediate decisions. They are comparing roles and evaluating their options. Psychologists call this the “fresh start effect”. Studies show that temporal landmarks like the start of a new year prompt people to mentally separate “old me” from “new me”, which increases motivation to pursue aspirational goals such as changing job, starting a course or getting fit. January is a natural “reset point” – people feel a sense of psychological clean slate and renewed optimism. It is a powerful driver of exploration behaviour. People use January to ask, “What else could I be doing?”

At the same time, candidates are suddenly faced with a flood of options. Behavioural economist Barry Schwartz talks about the paradox of choice – how too many choices can create decision fatigue and hesitation. In January we see this play out as people browsing widely, starting multiple conversations, and then quietly stepping back when the cognitive load of choosing becomes too high or when a process feels slow or confusing. People go quiet not because they are careless, but because January amplifies indecision, comparison and perceived opportunity.

The good news is that most of this is preventable. With a few small adjustments to your process, communication habits and expectations, you can dramatically reduce the January ghosting curve.

The Five Causes of the January Drop-Off

1. The “new year, new options” mindset

January is peak exploration season. According to SEEK, job searches jump by around 30% in early January, and applications across many sectors surge immediately after the break (SEEK Employment Trends, 2023). This creates a crowded decision space and short attention spans.

What this means: Candidates are curious – but not always committed.

2. Slow or unclear timelines – that feel even slower because it’s January

If you tell candidates “We’ll get back to you soon”, they assume “weeks”. But in January, weeks feel like a lifetime. By the time you contact them again, they may already be in two other processes.

What this means: Silence feels like rejection.

3. Overly long or repetitive interview processes

Candidates quickly lose enthusiasm when they cannot tell whether they are progressing. Too many stages or unclear logic between interviews sends a strong signal about internal red tape.

What this means: Candidates choose faster-moving teams over perfect roles.

4. Roles that feel generic or poorly positioned

January candidates are looking for roles that feel meaningful. If your job ad reads like every other ad, or the “why this role matters” is unclear, they won’t stay engaged.

What this means: The role doesn’t compete well in a noisy market.

5. Poor communication habits

A lack of updates, even for a few days, creates uncertainty. In a hot market, uncertainty turns into disengagement very quickly.

What this means: Candidates prioritise roles with more clarity.

How to reduce ghosting and keep great candidates engaged

1. Speed up the first touch

Respond within 48 hours of an application or referral. Early momentum prevents candidates from drifting to other opportunities.

Try saying: “We’re moving quickly on this role. Here’s what the next week looks like.”

2. Set expectations from day one

Spell out the full process clearly. Tell them:

  • how many stages
  • who they will meet
  • when decisions are made
  • how long each stage will take

Clarity builds trust.

3. Personalise your communication

A short, human, specific update beats a polished corporate email. Candidates respond better when they feel like people, not tasks.

4. Shorten the process where possible

Aim for:

  • one structured interview
  • one panel or capability-based discussion
  • final checks

Two to three meaningful stages outperform five shallow ones.

5. Keep the role compelling

Amplify why the role matters. What problems will they solve? Why is this role important now? What impact will they have in the first 90 days? January candidates respond to purpose and momentum, not just duties.

6. Use small engagement touchpoints

Short updates keep candidates warm without overcommitting you. Examples:

  • “Just finished panel alignment, will update you tomorrow.”
  • “Checking availability for next steps.”
  • “Team loved your example about X. I’ll update you once we finalise timings.”

Tiny signals, big retention impact.

The December Slowdown Myth: Why Smart Teams Hire Now, Not Later

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Every year, the same pattern plays out. Many organisations wind down their hiring as Christmas approaches, while a smaller group leans in. The second group consistently wins.

They get better access to talent, faster turnaround times, and noticeably stronger hiring outcomes. At Approach, we see this cycle play out across hundreds of recruitment processes in every corner of the Canberra market.

December is not a quiet period. It is an advantageous period. Here’s how to make the most of it.

1. More candidates are quietly open to change

December brings reflection. People reassess their workload, leadership, culture and growth, and many decide they want something different for the year ahead. Candidates don’t always apply for roles publicly, but they are more willing to have conversations, explore options and move when the right opportunity comes along. We see a noticeable increase in passive candidates taking recruiter calls during December compared to any other month.

Tip: Move quickly on strong talent. If someone is open now, they are likely weighing up a January move.

2. There is less competition for top talent

Most organisations hit pause until the new year, and the result is simple. Fewer job ads. Fewer processes. Fewer offers.

This creates a rare window where top candidates are not juggling multiple opportunities at once. They have more space to engage properly. Your message is more visible.

Tip: Treat December as a visibility advantage. Even one smart role launched now can attract candidates you would normally miss.

3. January bottlenecks slow everything to a crawl

The idea that hiring “starts again” in January is partly true, but it comes with a heavy cost. January is the most competitive month of the year. Job ads triple. Shortlists take longer. Candidates get pulled in multiple directions. Every step is slower because everyone else is trying to start at the same time.

Tip: Do the foundational work before Christmas. Even a half-completed process means you are ahead of the January surge.

4. Candidates value certainty during the holidays

While some candidates go on leave, most are still contactable and open to updates. What they value more than anything is clarity. Even small moments of communication over the break show progress and build trust. It reduces the risk of losing talent to faster-moving teams in January.

Tip: Set a simple holiday engagement plan. Even two short touchpoints can hold momentum until mid-January.

5. A head start in December becomes a head start for the year

Teams that hire in December don’t just fill roles sooner – they walk into the new year with capability in place, onboarding planned, and projects moving. That creates a compounding and competitive advantage. It is one of the most consistent patterns we see across our recruitment cycles.

Tip: Think of December hiring as a January investment. Every action now saves you time later.

How to get started this week

You don’t need a full hiring push – you just need a structured, low-friction approach.

  • Review your priority roles for Q1 and identify one or two that would benefit from a head start.
  • Align your interview availability before staff leave.
  • Ask your recruiter for a shortlist you can begin reviewing this week.
  • Set clear expectations with candidates about holiday timing.
  • Schedule your first January interview now so momentum is guaranteed.

December works when you keep it simple and intentional.

Final thought

Most teams wait until January to begin the year. The most successful teams begin in December. The difference isn’t huge effort – it’s timing and intention. If you want a more competitive year ahead, December is your moment to move.

If you would like support, a December shortlist, or a quick Q1 hiring plan, the Approach team can help you get ahead before the break.

The 3 Most Common Ways Businesses Undermine Their Own Hiring Process

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Most hiring mistakes don’t come from bad intentions – they come from good intentions, done badly. Businesses want to move fast, make the right call, and secure great talent. But in the rush, they often create barriers that push the best people away.

Research from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) estimates that the average cost of a bad hire can reach up to five times the position’s annual salary when you factor in lost productivity, rehiring costs, and team disruption. And the root cause is rarely that there weren’t enough good candidates. It’s usually that the process itself got in the way.

After working with hundreds of organisations, we’ve seen the same avoidable mistakes play out time and again. So let’s talk about the three most common ways organisations get in their own way – and how to fix it.

1. Hiring before defining the role properly

This is the most common one, and the most expensive.

Many businesses start recruiting before they’ve properly worked out what the role is actually for. The job ad describes tasks and responsibilities, but nobody has answered the more important question: what does success in this role look like after six or twelve months?

Without that clarity, hiring decisions end up being based on familiarity rather than fit. Research published in the Journal of Applied Psychology has consistently shown that systematic job analysis, the process of defining what a role truly requires, is one of the strongest foundations for hiring success. When you skip it, you’re essentially guessing.

What to do instead:

Before you write the job ad, answer three questions:

  • What problem does this role solve?
  • What outcomes define success in the first 6 to 12 months?
  • How will this person improve the team, not just fill a gap?

If you can’t answer these clearly, pause the process. The time you spend here saves weeks down the line.

2. Confusing speed with efficiency

There’s a difference between a process that moves quickly and a process that cuts corners.

Skipping conversations, condensing interviews into a single rushed session, or making offers before doing reference checks might feel efficient in the moment, but it typically costs more in the long run. Research from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) consistently shows that structured, multi-stage hiring processes outperform rushed approaches when it comes to predicting job performance, even when they take slightly longer.

The real efficiency gain comes from having a clear, well-designed interview process that everyone understands. A purposeful process feels fast because it’s focused, not frantic.

What to do instead:

  • Use structured interviews with consistent questions across all candidates
  • Set clear decision points so everyone knows when and how decisions get made
  • Make sure each person involved in the process knows their specific responsibility

Slow down to speed up. It sounds counterintuitive, but it works.

3. Overlooking the candidate experience

Every interaction a candidate has with your organisation tells them something about what it would be like to work there. Poor response times, unclear communication, and disorganised interviews send a message, and it’s not a good one.

A 2023 CareerPlug study found that 58% of candidates have declined a job offer specifically because of a poor experience during the hiring process. And candidates share negative experiences far more readily than positive ones. One bad process doesn’t just cost you that candidate. It costs you every person they tell about it.

This matters even more in a competitive market. When strong candidates are weighing up multiple opportunities, the quality of your process often becomes the deciding factor. And if your hiring process isn’t keeping pace with candidates’ expectations, you lose them to organisations that move with more intention.

What to do instead:

  • Communicate timelines clearly at every stage
  • Provide honest feedback when possible
  • Honour your commitments. If you say you’ll call on Thursday, call on Thursday

Small gestures, a personal call, a timely update, create lasting impressions. Candidates remember how you made them feel long after they’ve forgotten the details of the job ad.

The common thread

All three of these mistakes share a root cause: treating recruitment as something you figure out on the fly rather than a process you’ve thought through in advance.

The organisations that hire well are the ones that plan ahead, define what they’re looking for, and respect both the process and the people in it. Whether that’s thinking more carefully about what “culture fit” really means, designing interviews that reveal the truth rather than rehearsed answers, or simply responding to candidates on time, the difference isn’t perfection. It’s intention.

Attracting Passive Candidates in the Australian Public Service: Your Guide to Finding Hidden Talent

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Appealing to passive candidates is crucial for the Public Service because the people with the deepest subject expertise, strongest policy experience, and most relevant institutional knowledge are often already in secure roles and not actively job-hunting. Relying only on active applicants limits the talent pool and can produce weaker shortlists, especially in a competitive Canberra market.

But the highly structured, merit-based system of APS recruiting can be tough – it must always be transparent, fair, and defensible at every step. Good recruitment practices will always consider both talent pools – the ones who are looking, and the ones who aren’t.

Attracting those passive candidates takes more than a job ad – because they’re not looking at those. Let’s look at 5 tips to help hiring managers in the APS attract these hidden gems.

1. Develop a Strong Employer Brand

If you’ve ever been responsible for hiring anyone, you know how important employer brand is. It’s the thing that makes a candidate pick up the phone with excitement – or skip over your job at altogether. It’s what makes someone smile or wince when they hear the Department name. And people are out there building it for you – whether you like it or not.

Your job is to proactively create a clear and attractive employer identity that embodies the values and mission of the Australian Public Service. Use your website, social media platforms, and employee
testimonials to highlight why working with you is a fantastic choice. Show off what makes
your department or agency a great place to work – so you’re always in the back of someone’s mind.

2. Cultivate an Engaging Online Presence

Don’t let outdated websites and social media profiles lose you passive candidates. Share success stories, thought leadership articles, and community engagement activities to showcase the positive aspects of working in the APS. An appealing online presence will capture the attention of passive candidates and leave a lasting impression. Work closely with your social media manager to make sure the online presence of the Department is always working in your favour.

3. Tap into Professional Networking Platforms

Passive candidates are more likely to respond to engagement on professional networking sites like LinkedIn rather than traditional job boards. Make the most of these platforms by actively engaging with industry professionals, joining relevant discussions, and showcasing the benefits of a career in the APS. The work you put in “off-season” – when you’re not hiring – will pay off when you are…especially when it comes to attracting excellent candidates who aren’t even looking.

4. Leverage Employee Referrals

Passive candidates often consider opportunities recommended by people they trust. Your existing employees can be a powerful resource for recruitment. Implement an employee referral program that rewards staff for referring potential candidates. Referrals often lead to high-quality hires who are more likely to fit well within the APS culture.

5. Engage with Passive Candidates Strategically

When reaching out to passive candidates, it’s crucial to take a personalised approach. Understand their professional goals and motivations by conducting thorough research. Craft tailored messages that highlight how the APS can offer unique growth opportunities, challenging projects, or a better work-life balance. This personalised touch can make all the difference in sparking their interest.

Final thoughts

When the APS engages passive candidates, it widens access to high-calibre talent, strengthens diversity of thought, and reduces the risk of settling for “available” rather than “ideal.” It also helps agencies move faster when roles open, because relationships and interest have already been built long before a vacancy is advertised.

Mastering the bulk recruitment round

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A bulk recruitment round is a process by which multiple, similar roles are recruited in one go and meet a demand for specific types of skills, but can be a challenge to pull off successfully.

In this blog post, we will explore some techniques and best practices for managing bulk recruitment rounds, ensuring efficiency, and getting the outcome you want from the process.

Plan, plan, plan:

  • Define job roles and requirements: clearly identify the positions you need to fill and outline the necessary qualifications, skills, and experience for each role.
  • Streamline the screening process: develop a standardised screening process from application form stage to phone screens to allow efficient filtering of a large pool of applicants.
  • Create a detailed recruitment timeline: establish a timeline that outlines key milestones, including application deadlines, screening dates, interview rounds, and final decision-making.
  • Allocate resources: ensure you have adequate staff available, interview rooms, and technological infrastructure in place to successfully manage this process.

Leverage technology:

  • Applicant Tracking System (ATS): an ATS can help manage and track candidate applications, automate communication, and store applicant data securely.
  • Video interviews: using video conferencing platforms to conduct initial screening interviews can help you save time and eliminate geographical constraints. Record these interviews for further evaluation and comparison.
  • Online assessments: evaluate candidates’ skills and competencies using online assessments which can be customised for each job role and provide valuable insights into candidates’ capabilities.

Make interviews fit-for-purpose:

  • Panel interviews: opt for panel interviews to evaluate multiple candidates simultaneously. This allows for consistent evaluation, reduces interview time, and facilitates direct comparisons between candidates.
  • Structured interviews: develop a standardised set of questions for each job role to ensure objective evaluation of each candidate and make the process more transparent.
  • Behavioural questions: include behavioural questions to not only assess technical skills but also problem-solving abilities, and cultural fit.

Prioritise candidate experience:

Even in a bulk recruitment process, it is essential to prioritise the candidate experience. A positive experience can enhance your employer brand and attract high-quality candidates. Consider the following:

  • Prompt communication: make sure to provide updates to candidates at every stage of the recruitment process. Ideally, candidates are notified of outcomes of applications within two weeks and outcomes of interviews within one week.
  • Personalised approach: find ways to personalise the interview experience for each candidate, ensuring they feel valued and respected.
  • Post-selection feedback: once the recruitment process is complete, provide feedback to candidates, whether they were successful or not. Even an automated message to unsuccessful candidates can make or break their perception of your company.

Conducting bulk recruitment rounds can be overwhelming, but with proper planning, leveraging technology, and focusing on candidate experience, you can streamline the process and find the best talent for your organisation. By following these strategies and best practices, you will be well-equipped to handle large-scale hiring efficiently and effectively, ensuring a successful outcome for your recruitment efforts.

If you want more advice or direct assistance with managing a bulk recruitment round, get in touch with us at info@approachconsult.com.au.