DiscoverHiring For Grit
Hiring For Grit
Claim Ownership

Hiring For Grit

Author: MSL UK

Subscribed: 0Played: 0
Share

Description

Talent is harder to find than ever. But while businesses compete for candidates, they're overlooking a proven source of potential: system-impacted individuals.

People whose lives have been shaped by the care system, the justice system, or unsupported neurodivergence have developed one of the most valuable traits in the workforce: grit. They're resilient, adaptable and determined. Yet hiring processes are designed to filter them out, not welcome them in.

Hiring for Grit is a three-part podcast series from MSL and Bridge of Hope Careers, exploring what grit really is, why it matters for business, and what employers can do to start hiring for it.

Across three episodes, we hear from the people leading the charge to change how employers think about talent. We explore the research behind grit as a predictor of career success, hear real stories of resilience and lived experience, and get into the practical steps businesses can take to open their doors to candidates they've been missing.

This podcast is a companion to the Hiring for Grit research report, based on a survey of 226 working-age individuals, which found that 82% of system-impacted candidates believe their background has cost them a job. The report and podcast together make the case that the barriers holding these candidates back are not structural impossibilities. They're human oversights. And the fixes are simpler than you think.

Whether you're an HR leader, a hiring manager, or someone passionate about building fairer workplaces, this series will challenge how you think about potential, recruitment and what makes a great candidate.

Speakers:

  • Ben Read - Managing Partner, MSL UK (Host)

  • James Fellowes - Founder, Bridge of Hope

  • Chance Bleu-Montgomery - Co-founder, Bridge of Hope

  • Sarah Bohn - Founder, Open Space Academy

  • James Cartwright - Associate Director, MSL UK

3 Episodes
Reverse
How to hire for grit

How to hire for grit

2026-09-0236:56

In the third and final episode of the Hiring for Grit Podcast, Ben Read, Managing Partner for Employee Experience at MSL UK, is joined by Sarah Bohn, Founder of Open Space Academy, Chance Bleu-Montgomery, Co-founder of Bridge of Hope, and James Cartwright, Associate Director at MSL UK.Together, they explore what it actually takes to hire for grit, from rethinking risk-averse recruitment processes and rigid CV filters, to shifting the hiring manager mindsets that screen out high-potential candidates.The conversation is packed with practical ideas employers can act on, from open hiring and on-the-job trials to applicant resource groups, personalised feedback and the small onboarding touches that build lasting loyalty. Anchored in the research pillars of connection, communication and clarity, this episode is a hopeful, honest playbook for any business ready to find the diamonds in the rough that others keep overlooking.
Why is grit important for your business?

Why is grit important for your business?

2026-07-1621:08

In episode two of Hiring for Grit, host Ben Read is joined by James Fellowes, Founder of Bridge of Hope Careers, and James Cartwright, Associate Director at MSL, to make the commercial case for grit. In an age of economic uncertainty, AI disruption and increasingly fluid roles, they explore why resilience, adaptability and perseverance are exactly the traits businesses need most right now, and why hiring for grit is no longer just the right thing to do, but a genuine business imperative. The conversation gets into the tangible business benefits of hiring system-impacted candidates, from stronger attraction, engagement and retention to the significant social value contribution to ESG commitments. Covering everything from productivity and employer reputation to the hidden cost of overlooking grit, this episode is essential listening for HR leaders, hiring managers and anyone building the business case for a more inclusive approach to talent.
What is grit and why does it matter now?

What is grit and why does it matter now?

2026-07-0635:32

In the first episode of Hiring for Grit, host Ben Read is joined by James Fellowes and Chance Bleu-Montgomery, co-founders of Bridge of Hope Careers, to unpack what grit really means and why it should be on every employer's radar. Drawing on psychologist Dr Angela Duckworth's research, which identifies grit as the single strongest predictor of career success, the conversation explores how system-impacted individuals - people shaped by the care system, the justice system, or unsupported neurodivergence - develop extraordinary levels of resilience, determination and perseverance simply by navigating life.James and Chance share how Bridge of Hope Careers is helping employers rethink their approach to talent, from shifting hiring manager mindsets to rethinking the filters built into applicant tracking systems that screen out high-potential candidates before they even reach the table. With practical insights on retention, loyalty and the business case for inclusive hiring, this episode makes a compelling argument for why the grittiest candidates in today's workforce are the ones most employers are overlooking.
Comments 
Google Play
Download from Google Play
Castbox
Download from App Store
usUnited States