A Hiring Manger’s Grand Slam: Our unexpected wins from Wimbledon

At first glance, hiring new talent and tennis may seem worlds apart—one’s a corporate process, the other a high-energy sport. But if you look a little closer, you’ll find surprising similarities…

From the opening serve to the final handshake, both involve strategy, timing, and the ability to adapt under pressure, there’s a lot we can use to our advantage when hiring.

With Wimbledon in full swing, learn from the pros to find the perfect match for your team.

1. The Serve: First Impressions Matter

The serve is the first opportunity to make an impact.
Much like a job advertisement – it’s about precision, pace and setting the right tone to initiate a perfect response.

By making it too flamboyant, or unconcise, you’ll get an unwanted response or – worse still – a constant swing and miss.

Utilising keywords, recruitment agencies, targeted advertising and even social media to help advertise a clear, compelling job posting can immediately grab attention of the right people - serving up the perfect first impression of the role and your business.

2. The Rally: Back-and-Forth Communication

Once the ball is in play, the real game begins. Like a rally, recruiting the right person is about a fluid and consistent discourse.
Both sides need to engage in play - challenge, concede, and adjust their approach accordingly.

Considered and timely contact - emails, phone-calls, face to face interviews, follow-ups and check-ins – and clear communication is key.
All play a vital part in the sourcing and acquisition of a new talent.

Just like in a rally, hesitation or missteps can lose the point - or the perfect hire.

3. Preparation is key: Strategy & Observation

Great tennis players prepare - studying their opponent’s history and experience, practising their footwork, building on their fitness etc,

For HR and TA professionals, ensuring you don’t drop the ball on the desired candidate requires equal preparation…

Repeat training on unbiased and fair procedures, building robust and efficient onboarding processes, practicing interview and assessment techniques are all parts of a HR/TA professional’s toolkit.

Without suitable preparation, you could bounce back to the same mistakes time after time.

4. Unforced Errors: Mistakes Can Be Costly

In tennis, an unforced error - like a double fault or an easy shot missed – can cost the game.
For HR or TA professionals, it could cost them the right person for the job.

An unreturned phone call, an inefficient assessment process, or a badly managed negotiation could make the difference between scoring the perfect candidate or losing them to an opponent.

Mistakes happen, but by efficiently preparing and organising beforehand, along with having a quick recovery plan, highlights how an exceptional HR professional can bounce-back.

5. Match Point: Closing the Deal

Just like in a tennis match, the final point often comes after a long, focused exchange.
The offer stage is your match point, and a strong finish is crucial.

A rushed or poorly handled offer can undo all the good work that came before.

On the flip side, a thoughtful close - clear terms, timely communication - can seal the win and leave both sides feeling like champions.

6. Sportsmanship & Relationships: Respect Goes a Long Way

Whether you win or lose, how you handle the outcome matters. Like shaking hands at the net, showing respect for the other is important when it comes to engaging with new talent. Even rejected candidates should walk away feeling valued.

The hiring landscape is small, and reputations travel fast. Like tennis players who meet again in future tournaments, today’s candidate could be tomorrow’s client or colleague.

Whether you're holding the racquet or the résumé, the goal is the same: play the game well, respect your counterpart, and aim for the win-win. So next time you’re hiring—or applying—think like a tennis pro, and you might just ace it.

At Trace, we embody so much of what we see on court at Wimbledon - dedication, determination, respect and hard work.

If that sounds like you - get in touch for more tailored hiring and talent acquisition guidance from the Trace Team.