Why the Best HR Business Partner Hire isn’t Always the Most Obvious One

Over the past few weeks, I’ve shared my thoughts on why HR Business Partner roles can be tricky to fill and what separates a good HRBP from a great one. To round off the series, I wanted to focus on the practical side of hiring. One theme that comes up time and time again when I’m speaking with clients about HRBP searches is this:

How do you differentiate between someone who looks like a strong HRBP on paper and someone who will genuinely make an impact in the role?

On paper, many HRBP CVs can look very similar. Most candidates will have experience partnering with leaders, managing employee relations and supporting change. The challenge is identifying who can genuinely influence the business and make an impact. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer because every organisation is different. An HRBP supporting a fast-growing SME will look very different to one operating in a large multinational. However, there are a few themes I see regularly.

Before you write the job description, understand the problem you’re solving

One of the first questions I’ll ask a client when taking on a job brief is: “What do you need this person to achieve?”

It sounds like a simple question, but it’s often where the most important part of the conversation starts. Sometimes the answer is building manager capability. Other times it’s supporting growth, leading organisational change, improving engagement or bringing greater commercial thinking into the HR function. Understanding the challenge you’re trying to solve is one of the most valuable parts of the process. The clearer you are on what success looks like in 12 months, the easier it becomes to identify the right person.

One thing I see quite regularly is organisations creating what I call a wish list. They want someone strategic, operational, strong in employee relations, experienced in transformation, knowledgeable of their industry, able to influence senior leaders and commercially focused. Of course, all of those things are valuable. But sometimes trying to find someone who ticks every single box means you overlook candidates who could actually be the right fit for what your business needs.

The title on the CV rarely tells the full story

This is probably one of the biggest missteps I come across. The title “HR Business Partner” means something different in almost every organisation.

I’ve spoken to HRBPs who are genuinely operating as strategic partners to senior leadership teams. I’ve also met people with the same title whose role is much more operational. Equally, I’ve met Senior HR Generalists who are already working at HRBP level despite never having held the title. As someone once told me, “titles are cheap” and honestly, that has always stuck with me. What matters is understanding the scope of someone’s role, the decisions they’ve influenced and the relationships they’ve built. Some of the strongest HR professionals I’ve worked with haven’t always had the most obvious career history on paper. They may not have held the exact title, worked in the expected sector or followed the traditional path, but when you explore their experience, the capability is there.

Why the best candidate isn’t always the most obvious one

One thing I’ve found over the years is that, as an external recruiter, sometimes I can see the wood for the trees. Hiring managers are understandably very close to the role. They know their business, their challenges and often have a clear picture of what they believe the ideal candidate looks like. My role is to bring a different perspective. Because I’m speaking to HR professionals every day, I have a wider view of the market. I see where skills are transferable, where someone may have more capability than their CV initially suggests and when a candidate is worth exploring despite not being the obvious match. There have been numerous occasions where I’ve shared a candidate with a client who hasn’t immediately seen the fit on paper. Perhaps they haven’t worked in the same sector, don’t have the exact HRBP title or don’t tick every requirement listed in the brief. In those situations, part of my role is to challenge that thinking and explain why I believe someone is worth meeting. On many occasions, those same candidates have gone on to become the successful hire. It’s a good reminder that recruitment isn’t about matching keywords on a CV. It’s about understanding the person behind the experience and recognising potential.

Look beyond experience

Of course, technical HR knowledge is important and provides a strong foundation. But in my experience, that’s rarely what separates the strongest HRBPs. The best HRBPs know how to build trust, challenge constructively and influence decisions. They can adapt their approach depending on who they’re working with and they’re confident enough to have difficult conversations when needed. They also understand the business they support. They can talk about commercial priorities, organisational challenges and business outcomes, not just HR activity.

When you’re interviewing, don’t just ask what candidates would do. Ask what they’ve actually done.

Ask them:

• Tell me about a time you changed a senior leader’s thinking.
• Tell me about a difficult stakeholder relationship you had to navigate.
• Tell me about a decision where the business and people priorities weren’t aligned.

The stories they tell will often reveal far more than their CV. Ultimately, technical capability may get someone through the door, but trust is what allows an HRBP to make an impact once they are there.

Sometimes the best perspective comes from outside your industry

It’s understandable to want someone who has worked in your industry before and, in some cases, that experience is essential. However, organisations can sometimes unintentionally narrow their talent pool by focusing too heavily on sector experience. I’ve seen candidates move successfully between sectors because those core capabilities travel with them. Strong HRBPs understand people, business challenges and stakeholders regardless of industry. Sometimes bringing someone from a different environment can also bring fresh thinking and new ideas.

There are certainly situations where sector experience matters, particularly in highly regulated or technical environments. But the question I always encourage clients to ask is:

“Are we looking for someone who understands our industry, or someone who understands our business challenge?”

Sometimes those are the same person. Sometimes they aren’t.

There is no one-size-fits-all HRBP

A fantastic HRBP in one business won’t automatically be a fantastic HRBP in another. Some people thrive in highly structured environments with clear governance and established processes. Others are at their best where they’re building things from the ground up and wearing multiple hats. Neither is right or wrong. The important thing is understanding what success looks like in your environment and assessing candidates against that.

Final thoughts

If there’s one thing I’ve learned from recruiting HR Business Partners, it’s that there isn’t a perfect HRBP CV. The strongest hires come from understanding what your organisation genuinely needs and finding someone with the judgement, curiosity, resilience and influencing skills to help deliver it. The right HRBP hire is rarely just the person who matches the job description perfectly. It’s the person who understands your business, challenges your thinking and helps your organisation move forward. That’s the difference between filling a role and making a great hire.

This is the final part of our HRBP series. You can read the full series on why HRBP roles are so hard to fill and what separates a good HRBP from a great one on our insights page. If you are currently hiring at this level, we would be happy to help.