You want to find the best professional for an assignment. But are you actually reaching that professional? Or are you always searching within the same networks, suppliers and profiles?

When hiring external professionals, the focus is often on speed, experience and availability. That makes sense, because an open assignment calls for action. But this also creates a risk. If you keep using the same channels, you often end up with the same candidates. A broader talent pool therefore requires more than different selection criteria. It starts earlier. With the question of who you reach, who feels addressed and who actually gets access to your assignments. So how do you approach this without making your hiring process unnecessarily complicated?

First, look at who you are reaching now

More diversity starts with insight. Which professionals respond to your assignments? Which profiles do your suppliers put forward? And who makes it to the selection stage? Look beyond the professionals you eventually hire. Earlier in the process, you can see where talent drops out or remains out of sight.

For example, ask yourself these questions:

  • Do our assignments reach different groups of professionals?
  • Do our suppliers mainly submit similar profiles?
  • Do certain candidates frequently drop out at the same selection stage?

This helps you identify where there is room for improvement. Perhaps the issue lies in your job description. Maybe you are searching within a limited network. Or perhaps you are unintentionally excluding professionals who are perfectly capable of doing the work.

Make assignments more accessible

A detailed job profile may feel thorough, but it can quickly narrow your talent pool. Especially when every requirement is treated as a strict condition. For each requirement, ask yourself: does someone really need this competency to perform the assignment well?

Take an assignment that requires 5 years of experience. A professional with 3 years of experience and strong results is immediately excluded. Yet that person may be an excellent fit for the role. The same applies to specific degrees, certifications or industry experience. Sometimes they are relevant. Sometimes they simply feel familiar. Make a clear distinction between requirements and preferences. Focus on what someone will do, the results you expect and the team they will join. This helps more professionals see the assignment as relevant to them.

Pay attention to language as well. Rather than describing the type of person you are looking for, describe what the assignment requires. For example, mention that someone makes decisions independently, analyses complex information or brings different interests together. This keeps the focus on the work and the experience required. It gives more professionals the opportunity to see themselves in the assignment.

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Expand your reach beyond familiar networks

You will not create a broader talent pool by changing your selection process alone. You also need to expand your reach. Many organisations work with a fixed group of suppliers. This offers speed and feels reliable. But it can quickly create a closed network, especially when suppliers search within similar networks themselves.

Explore which channels help you reach professionals who are less represented in your existing network. Consider professional networks for women in IT, communities for professionals with a migrant background, networks for neurodivergent professionals or platforms for professionals with disabilities. Also look at industry associations, alumni networks and regional business networks. This not only broadens your reach, but also connects you with professionals who may be less visible through your regular suppliers.

Where you publish assignments also determines who you reach. Look beyond your own careers website, LinkedIn and regular suppliers. Connect with professional groups in areas such as IT, finance, engineering and communications. For each assignment, consider where professionals with the right expertise are active. Looking for an IT specialist? Reach out to relevant tech communities and professional networks. For finance assignments, professional associations and specialised networks offer another way to connect with talent. This approach does not simply distribute an assignment more widely. It targets different channels more effectively, increasing the chance that professionals outside your usual network see the assignment too.

Make selection less dependent on familiarity

Familiarity often plays an unconscious role in recruitment and selection. A well-known employer, the same educational background or a similar career path can quickly feel reassuring. But familiarity says little about how someone will perform in your assignment.

Make your selection process as specific as possible. Define clear criteria in advance and assess every candidate against the same factors. Consider relevant experience, proven results and the professional knowledge required. Set these criteria before reviewing profiles. This prevents the benchmark from shifting unnoticed during the selection process.

A consistent interview structure also helps. Ask candidates the same core questions and assess their answers against predefined criteria. This reduces the influence of personal preferences. For example, do not just ask where someone has worked before. Ask what similar problem they solved, which approach they used and what the outcome was.

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Involve suppliers in your ambitions

Suppliers play an important role in external hiring. Make diversity part of your conversations with them. Do not just ask how many candidates they provide or how quickly they respond. Discuss how they build their networks and distribute assignments. Ask what steps they take to reach different groups of professionals.

Make your expectations specific. A general statement such as ‘diversity is important to us’ provides little direction. Instead, share what you want to achieve and discuss regularly what you see in the candidates coming through.

A broader talent pool starts with different choices

Diversity in external hiring does not come from a single change. It comes from a series of choices. From assignment descriptions and distribution to supplier networks and selection. Start small. Focus on one job category, department or group of external professionals. Analyse who you reach and where candidates drop out. Then make targeted changes and measure the results.

Ultimately, the question is not just: who do we select? An equally important question is: who gets the opportunity to take part in the first place?

Want to explore how to make your external hiring process more accessible to a broader group of professionals? Contact us. Together, we can look at your current hiring process and identify concrete opportunities to broaden your talent pool.

What steps can an organisation take to improve diversity and inclusion effectively?

An organisation can improve diversity and inclusion by identifying and reducing barriers in recruitment and selection. Use inclusive job descriptions, assess candidates against consistent criteria, broaden your recruitment channels and involve suppliers in your diversity goals. Regularly review which groups you reach and where improvements are needed.

What are the best practices for reducing barriers for jobseekers who face challenges entering the labour market?

Limit job requirements to what is genuinely needed for the role. For example, avoid automatically requiring specific qualifications or years of experience. Offer different ways to apply, such as an interview or practical assignment. Work with organisations that support people who face barriers to employment. Also discuss any adjustments someone needs to perform the role effectively.

How can I include people who face barriers to employment in the recruitment process as a recruiter or employer?

Work with job coaches, municipalities, UWV and specialist recruitment agencies to reach candidates directly. Train recruiters and hiring managers in objective selection and agree in advance how candidates are assessed. Invite candidates based on their skills and potential, rather than their CV alone. After hiring, provide a dedicated point of contact and support tailored to the employee’s needs.

How can I work with a recruitment agency and improve diversity and inclusion?

Make diversity and inclusion part of your agreements with your recruitment agency. Discuss which groups are currently underrepresented and where you want to broaden your reach. Ask the agency to source candidates from different networks and track applications, selection and placements together. This helps identify where talent is being overlooked and where adjustments are needed.