Mindfulness Matters in Recruitment

Lachlan Reed

G’day everyone and welcome back to Handling Difficult Candidate. I’m Lachlan Reed, tuning in from a slightly messy backyard shed in Sydney, and—don’t worry, that’s not a didgeridoo in the background, it’s just my neighbour’s lawnmower. With me, as always, is Simon Carver. How’s it going on your side, mate?

Simon Carver

Hey Lachlan, I'm good—though definitely not as noisy over here! Excited for this one today. Mindfulness, huh? I think a lot of people roll their eyes at that word at first, but, man, in recruitment, it’s probably your best friend and your emergency brake during the wildest days.

Lachlan Reed

Spot on. Mindfulness, if you’re not familiar, is just about paying attention to what’s actually happening. You know—your thoughts, the way your body’s feeling, that sort of stuff. In recruitment, where you’re juggling deadlines, candidate emails, and the odd curveball from a hiring manager, keeping focus can be tricky. I’ve heard folks talk about mindfulness as helping cut the stress, too, not just keeping your mind on track.

Simon Carver

Absolutely. There’s a fair bit of science behind that, too—some of the workplace wellbeing studies show practicing mindfulness helps not only lower stress but also, like, reduce that snap-judgment bias that can sneak up on you when you’re screening candidates. When you slow down, you make way better decisions, and you don’t get so rattled if you’re running late or an interview’s going sideways—trust me, I’ve had a few of those.

Lachlan Reed

Oh yeah—I know that feeling. And, mate, you had that story about your old admin job, yeah? I reckon that sums it up pretty well.

Simon Carver

Oh, man, yeah, that was a circus. My first real gig—phones ringing off the hook, my inbox overflowing, I was sweating bullets. And before I found mindfulness, every candidate conversation was like, I dunno, running into a burning building. But once I learned to slow down, breathe, and really listen? Everything changed. Instead of just trying to put out fires, I started actually connecting, which was…a big shift. So, mindfulness isn’t just some yoga thing. In recruitment, it’s survival gear.

Lachlan Reed

That’s gold, Simon. Alright—let’s dig into the techniques. Now, if there’s one trick that actually works when you’re getting grilled by a candidate or the tech’s glitching halfway through a Zoom, it’s breathing. Yeah, I know, sounds too simple, but hear me out. There’s one called the 4-7-8 technique: breathe in through your nose for four, hold it for seven, then a big, whooshing exhale for eight. Repeat that three times and you’ll go from red alert to, well, maybe yellow alert. It’s a circuit breaker.

Simon Carver

Yep! There’s something about taking a proper breath that changes the game. Plus, doing that before going into, like, a really tough interview—or even pausing for a deep breath before answering a loaded question—that can reset your whole mindset. Another one: just normal deep breathing. Sit up, eyes closed, slow inhale, belly fills, hold, and out. Five times. Sounds basic, but in high-pressure moments, it’s a lifesaver.

Lachlan Reed

I’ll throw in another one: mindful listening. Interviewing’s all about staying present, but it’s hard, especially with tech buzzing at you. I’ve had it where my phone lit up with notifications right in the middle of a candidate’s big answer—completely threw me off. After that, I started a little ‘breathe and unplug’ ritual. Couple of deep breaths, then all notifications off before every video call. Helps me tune in, so the candidate actually feels heard, ya know?

Simon Carver

Love that. And on that—when you’re really listening, you’re not mentally lining up your next question, but actually absorbing what the other person’s saying. You can even tell when someone switches from, like, half-listening to full attention. It makes you better at picking up details, and you’re way less likely to let distractions or old assumptions push you off the mark. Mindful listening leads to more honest, accurate reads on candidates, plain and simple.

Lachlan Reed

Yeah, it all sounds good in theory. But what about actually fitting mindfulness into a typical recruiter’s day—when your diary’s tighter than a drum and you’re eyeballing a stack of CVs at 6pm?

Simon Carver

Great question. There’s the time management side—start of the day, jot down the tasks, figure out what really matters, and let the fluff fall away. Prioritising clears your head, and if you stick to one thing at a time—single-tasking, not ping-ponging between emails and CVs—you’ll actually go faster and make fewer mistakes. It’s like that old saying, “go slow to go fast.”

Lachlan Reed

Yeah, absolutely. When I’m reviewing applications, I try treating each one like it’s the only one—no hopping between LinkedIn and Slack every five seconds. It’s tough, but you notice stuff you’d otherwise miss—and you’re less cranky at the end of the day.

Simon Carver

And then there’s routines. You don’t have to spend an hour meditating, just tiny bits—a deep breath as you walk from your desk to a meeting, five-minute pause before phone screens, that sort of thing. Give yourself a breather between back-to-back calls, not just physically but mentally. Scheduled mindfulness breaks—a quick walk, a moment outside, even just stretching—help keep the burnout monster at bay. Actually, I had a recruiter friend who, during a wild hiring spree, started building in mindful breaks every afternoon. It kept her sane and—no joke—probably saved her from tapping out mid-quarter.

Simon Carver

I’m curious—Lachlan, or anyone listening, what’s one ritual you could add to your day, just for you? Doesn’t have to be fancy—maybe it’s the 4-7-8, maybe it’s a short stroll around the block. Start tiny—just something to ground you before diving in again.

Lachlan Reed

That’s the ticket, mate. If you can find a teeny, simple thing that fits you—make it your anchor. Anyway, that's probably all we've got time for today. Thanks for tuning in—Simon, always a pleasure, mate!

Simon Carver

Always good, Lachlan. And for everyone listening, don't try for perfection—just a bit of mindful progress. We’ll be back next time with more on staying sane, focused, and, uh, maybe a little less rattled by tough candidates. Take care out there!

Lachlan Reed

Catch ya next time, folks. Cheers!