A global logistics company faced ongoing challenges in filling a critical leadership position—Head of Talent Acquisition—which had been vacant for over a year after an internal transition. Initially, a senior internal Talent Acquisition Manager was set to lead the search; however, the VP of HR deemed it a conflict of interest and opted to enlist an external recruiting partner instead.
The VP of HR also delegated the search to a team of HR leaders who were typically not involved in recruiting or the initial interview stage. As a result, this HR team had limited experience interacting with candidates, especially passive ones, and lacked knowledge of employer branding best practices necessary to attract top-tier talent. Their approach did little to convey the value proposition of joining the organization.
Several structural flaws in the hiring process exacerbated the situation. Candidates were invited to participate in panel interviews as their first interaction with the team, without any introductory meetings or opportunities to build rapport. These interviews were rigid, overly formal, and centered around case study presentations, which left candidates feeling disengaged and unfulfilled. The process felt one-sided and transactional.
This led to a negative candidate experience. One strong prospect withdrew from the process, citing misalignment with the company’s brand, and several others voiced similar concerns. Despite these warning signs, the HR team initially resisted input from our recruiters, insisting on maintaining control over whom they would interview based on a resume review instead of collaborating with us as partners and discussing the slate of candidates we believed were strong fits.
To move the search forward, we adopted a relationship-first approach, taking time to understand the HR team’s concerns and allowing them space to experience early missteps. As we collected candidate feedback throughout the process, we delivered it back to the HR team in a constructive, actionable way, highlighting how the interview experience negatively impacted their employer brand.
We began educating HR leaders on the importance of actively selling the role to passive candidates and worked with them to adjust the structure of the interviews. This included recommending more personalized one-on-one introductory calls before any panel sessions and encouraging a shift away from rigid formats. While retaining behavioral interview principles, we helped them make conversations more conversational and dynamic, allowing room for mutual exchange and cultural fit assessment.
We also re-engaged the Head of HR—a professional relationship we had previously developed—to help reinforce the feedback internally and secure broader buy-in. As trust grew, the team began to view us as both subject-matter experts and true partners. This led to a significant turning point: the interview team agreed to revisit several candidates they had previously declined based on our recommendations and supporting insights.
The HR leaders acknowledged the gaps in their initial process and implemented the changes we recommended. As a result, the overall candidate experience improved significantly. Prospects became more engaged and enthusiastic about the opportunity, and the company’s employer brand rebounded.
Interestingly, one previously dismissed candidate became their top choice and was offered the position. However, just before finalizing the hire, the organization added responsibilities to the role without increasing the compensation package, prompting the candidate to decline. Fortunately, we maintained our engagement with another fully vetted finalist, who was equally qualified and well-aligned. Due to our ongoing communication and transparency, we quickly secured an accepted offer from the alternate candidate.
The new Head of Talent Acquisition made an immediate impact by reorganizing the team, addressing toxic behaviors, and enhancing cohesion and performance. Recognized by the VP of HR for driving meaningful change to the TA landscape.
By addressing critical issues in candidate experience and guiding the internal team through a process and mindset shift, Perpetual Talent Solutions was able to fill this key leadership position.
