Equally Placed: Making Hiring Human Again
When Kate O’Brien and Andy O’Connor came back to the Highlands, they brought more than recruitment skills. They had a mission to make work fairer. They founded Equally Placed, a recruitment agency focused on equality, inclusion, and authenticity. They want to remove bias. They aim to create opportunities for underrepresented talent. Also, they want to help businesses grow through diversity.
“Recruitment hasn’t changed much in twenty years,” Kate says on the latest Growth for Good podcast. “It needs a rethink, one that focuses on people, not just positions.”
Watch the Podcast on youtube or listen here
A Partnership Built on Purpose
Kate and Andy left the Highlands early in their careers to gain experience in larger markets. Kate worked in HR and executive recruitment. Andy focused on corporate construction and building industry recruitment. Both felt that recruitment had become too transactional.
“When I came back,” Andy reflects, “I saw the Highlands changing. There’s growth in energy, tourism, and the new Green Freeport. But we lack enough people to meet the demand, and inclusion is often missing.”
Kate’s passion for women’s equality and fairness led to Equally Placed. This platform connects employers and candidates in a more human way.
Equally Placed believes that skills should outweigh stereotypes. Their online platform has “blind recruitment by design.” This means CVs hide age, gender, and other personal details. Employers focus on what matters: the candidates’ capabilities.
“It removes bias,” Kate explains. “Here, generational diversity is a big issue. Talented people can be overlooked after a certain age. We want hiring to be based on ability, not assumptions.”
The system helps job seekers find employers that match their values and support inclusion. “It’s about creating a two-way fit,” Andy adds. “Not just filling vacancies, but helping both sides understand each other’s needs.”
Changing mindsets, not just processes.
Equally Placed faces a major challenge: culture. Many companies stick to old hiring methods. Changing how they hire can take time.
“There’s a retraining of the brain that has to happen,” Andy says. “People are used to doing things a certain way. We want them to think differently and look at candidates they may have missed.”
This mindset shift is crucial as the Highlands undergo rapid economic change. Inclusive recruitment helps to tap into essential talent in areas like renewable energy and hospitality recovery.
Kate agrees. “We’ve seen how transformational it is when someone gets a chance to shine. Employers benefit too—they find loyal, capable people they might otherwise miss.”
Putting People First
For Kate and Andy, inclusion is personal. They remember inspiring moments: a candidate who found confidence after years of doubt, or an employer who changed their hiring process after a successful placement.
Andy remembers a message from a woman in London with ADHD. “She told me she felt unsafe at work and was close to quitting. We discussed what she needed next. Later, she wrote to say it was the first time someone really listened. She’s now thriving in a new arts role. That keeps us going.”
A Fair Price for Fair Work
Equally Placed challenges another norm: recruitment costs. “It’s massively overpriced,” Kate says. “Many agencies just recycle candidates. We focus on relationships, not transactions.”
They support smaller firms by offering free or low-cost listings. This helps them balance short-term profit with long-term goals. “We’re the new kids on the block,” Andy smiles, “but authenticity matters more to us than margin. If we open doors for people and businesses, growth will follow.”
AI and automation are reshaping all industries, including recruitment. Kate and Andy are cautious about relying too much on technology. “AI can help with writing ads or managing admin,” Kate says, “but if we lose the human connection, we’ve missed the point.”
They aim to use technology to reduce unconscious bias, not empathy. “We want innovation that amplifies fairness, not replaces it.”
Staying Grounded in Values
Running a purpose-driven business can be overwhelming. Kate and Andy know the importance of self-care. For Kate, this means spending time outdoors with animals and friends. Andy finds balance through family life and long walks with their dogs.
“You must make space to switch off,” Kate says. “Otherwise, you risk burning out, which defeats the purpose of helping others.”
Legacy and Leadership
When asked about their legacy, their answers are immediate.
“I want people to remember that recruitment can be kind,” Kate says. “You can treat people thoughtfully and still run a successful business.”
Andy adds, “Inclusion doesn’t have to be perfect; it just has to be genuine. If we can change even a small part of hiring and how others are seen, that’s a win.”
They believe that their message fits the Growth for Good philosophy: doing what’s right is ethical and helps growth.
Equally Placed is not about finding jobs; it aims to rewrite opportunity rules. In a time when inclusion is often discussed, Kate O’Brien and Andy O’Connor prove it in action. They put fairness, transparency, and humanity at the centre of their efforts.
