Host: Jason Howes, Arrow Executive Sales Guest: Jackie Strachan, CEO, HR Tactics In Episode 2 of the three-part recruitment and retention series, Jason Howes is joined by Jackie Strachan, CEO of HR Tactics, to explore one of the most costly and critical challenges facing Australian businesses today: selecting the right person and reducing hiring risk. Building on Episode 1, which focused on defining the role and creating clarity, this discussion dives into the selection process itself. Jason and Jackie unpack why too many hiring decisions are still being made based on gut feel, industry experience, or whether someone simply "feels right" in an interview. The conversation highlights the importance of moving beyond resumes and focusing on what really predicts future success: past performance, behaviours, mindset, personal qualities, and cultural alignment. Key Discussion Points ✅ Why clear and current position descriptions are the foundation of successful recruitment. ✅ The difference between skills that can be taught and personal qualities that are much harder to change. ✅ Why businesses should stop searching for the "perfect unicorn" candidate and instead focus on developing the strengths of strong performers. ✅ How behavioural interviewing helps uncover past performance and conduct. ✅ The role of reference checking, assessments, and structured interview processes in reducing hiring mistakes. ✅ Why sales leaders and HR professionals must work together to ensure hiring decisions align with business goals. ✅ The hidden cost of slow decision-making during recruitment and how top candidates are often lost through delays. ✅ Why candidates are evaluating employers just as much as employers are evaluating candidates. ✅ Real-world examples of recruitment successes, mistakes, and lessons learned. ✅ The financial impact of poor hiring decisions and the importance of building a repeatable, structured recruitment process. Key Takeaway Great recruitment is not about filling seats. It's about aligning the right person with the right role, the right expectations, and the right environment for long-term success. As Jackie shares throughout the episode: "The best predictor of future performance and conduct is past performance and conduct."When recruitment is approached strategically, businesses improve performance, increase retention, reduce costly hiring mistakes, and create a stronger foundation for growth. Coming Up in Episode 3 Jason and Jackie will discuss: Onboarding and Aligning Culture to Drive Performance and Retention This episode explores why onboarding starts long before a new employee's first day and how culture, preparation, leadership, and employee experience all contribute to long-term success. About Our Guest Jackie Strachan CEO & Founder | HR Tactics Jackie Strachan and her HR Tactics team are highly experienced HR professionals who help Australian businesses build stronger, more compliant, and higher-performing workplaces. Through HR Tactics, Jackie supports organisations with HR strategy & advice, Fair Work & WHS compliance, employment contracts, policies, position descriptions, recruitment processes, performance management, leadership support, employee relations and employment law. Website: https://hrtactics.com.au Email: jackie@hrtactics.com.au LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackie-strachan-0005011a/ About the Host Jason Howes Managing Director | Arrow Executive Sales Jason Howes is a highly experienced sales leader, recruiter, and business growth specialist who helps Australian businesses attract, recruit, and retain high-performing sales professionals. Through Arrow Executive Sales and his Crystal Ball Recruiting framework, Jason supports organisations with sales recruitment, candidate assessment, onboarding, sales team development, sales process improvement, training, and sales transformation strategies designed to accelerate growth and improve performance. Website: https://arrowexec.com.au | https://jasonhowes.com.au/ We greatly appreciate any feedback
