Start with the first piece of work
What must this hire deliver in the first few months? Describe the outcome before the tools. A production query feature needs a different evidence bar from a research prototype.
Separate essential from useful
Keep genuine requirements explicit, including required licences or safety responsibilities. For preferences, explain why they matter. “Worked in our sector” may be a proxy for a more specific problem that someone has solved elsewhere.
Change one assumption at a time
If the pool looks weak, ask what happens if platform support is available, or a preferred framework becomes learnable on the job. Keep the same CV evidence and change only the agreed criterion. You can then see what caused the shortlist to change.
Take the trade-off back to the client
The conversation becomes concrete: “This candidate has the retrieval depth, but independent deployment ownership is unclear. Could the existing platform team cover that gap?” That is a decision the client can make.
TAKE THIS BACK TO YOUR DESK
The brief reality check
Our optional pilot compares one agreed change in a non-essential requirement against the same pool of up to 60 CVs. Scope, availability and price are agreed first.