Purpose is a practice. So is hiring.

Purpose isn’t what you do. It’s how you do things.

It's a sense of intention, meaning or aim. The reason something exists or is done. The motivation behind an action or behaviour.

We talk a lot about purpose in the nonprofit and community sectors. Purpose gives our actions meaning and describes the impact we hope to have.

In leadership, purpose is about leading with intention and clarity of direction.

Purpose-led leaders make decisions based on values, not just outcomes. They don’t simply manage people — they help people see why the work matters.

When we want to attract purpose-driven talent:

Purpose isn’t a statement — it’s a practice.

It’s revealed in how you hire. How you communicate. How you behave. How you make decisions. How you carry responsibility. How people experience interactions with your organisation (whether they get the job or not).

These are the things candidates notice.

Candidates are evaluating if you're the right fit for them — and how you hire becomes part of this evaluation.

Candidates aren't simply looking at your organisation's mission and purpose, they're reading between the lines, too.

Purpose is a practice — how nonprofit leaders and employers hire, matters.

The job ad. Your careers page. Your employee reviews. Your language and tone of voice. Your response times. The interviews. How you handle feedback. The entire experience.

This is your culture, in public.

Leadership without purpose is management.

Peter Drucker said:

Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right thing.

While management might excel at execution and efficiency (getting roles filled, processes followed, boxes ticked), recruitment isn’t simply a process. Recruitment is the start of a relationship

Recruitment is a leadership moment.

So ask yourself: Is your recruitment approach simply about doing all the things and getting to the end of the process?

Or is it connecting with people and helping them feel seen, connected, respected — and engaged?

This is the real opportunity in recruitment — and it applies beyond the successful candidate.

Recruitment is more than an operational process or HR task.

Recruitment is a brand moment.

A trust moment. A marketing challenge. An expression of your culture.

When it’s done with care, clarity and authenticity — it's powerful.

Purpose is more than why — it's also how. How you recruit, matters.