Model 01: Hiring Manager / DIY: What It Is, When It Works, and When to Walk Away
Every business starts here. The founder makes the first hire. The process is informal; perhaps a conversation, a gut call, a handshake. For the right business at the right stage, that is entirely appropriate.
The challenge is that most business owners don’t recognise when those conditions have changed.
What the Model Actually Is
The hiring manager owns the entire process end-to-end. They write the brief, draft the advertisement, screen applications, conduct interviews, check references, and extend the offer. No dedicated HR support. No external recruitment partner.
When It Works
• The business has fewer than ten employees and is making its first or second hire
• The role is simple, and attracting active job seekers — passive candidate outreach is not required
• The hiring manager has genuine expertise in the role being filled
• Hiring is infrequent — one to three roles per year at most
• Strong inbound interest through referrals means the candidate pool arrives without active sourcing
The Hidden Costs
AHRI research indicates hiring managers spend 15–20 hours per hire when managing the process themselves (Source: AHRI Cost of Hiring Data). For a business owner or senior leader, those hours carry an opportunity cost that is rarely accounted for when deciding to avoid an agency fee.
Without independent assessment, structured interview frameworks, or access to the full candidate market, DIY processes are disproportionately vulnerable to unconscious bias (Source: AHRI Workforce Insights),hiring in your own image, over-weighting interview performance, and under-investing in reference rigour.
AHRI and RCSA data consistently place the total cost of a mis-hire at 50–150% of annual (Source: AHRI Benchmark Reports). For a role paying $90,000, that is a $45,000 to $135,000 exposure on a single decision.
Five Signs You’ve Outgrown This Model
• The hiring manager is consistently spending more than two full days per hire
• A recent hire didn’t work out, and the process lacked structure or reference rigour
• A role has been advertised for more than four weeks with no suitable applicants
• The role is senior, technical, or niche, beyond the hiring manager’s market knowledge
• Hiring is becoming recurring, three or more roles a year signals an ad hoc approach will produce inconsistent results
The question is not whether you can do it yourself. The question is whether it is the best use of your time, and whether the process is rigorous enough to protect the decision.
Contact Barclay RPO: barclayrecruitment-rpo.com.au
Or reach out directly to Andre van der Merwe, Managing Director.