Resources

January 2oth, 2025

How Ted Lasso Helped Us Achieve Industry-Leading Candidate Engagement Rates
Ted Lasso isn’t just a feel-good TV series; it’s a cultural phenomenon. His relentless optimism, authenticity, and ability to bring out the best in people have resonated deeply with audiences around the world. At Asymmetric Talent, we’ve drawn inspiration from Ted’s values and incorporated them into our recruitment strategies, leading to industry-leading candidate engagement rates. Here’s how the Ted Lasso approach aligns with our core values and has revolutionized how we connect with top talent.

Core Values in Action: Ted Lasso’s Influence on Our Approach

Authenticity

• Just as Ted’s genuine nature wins over even the most skeptical characters, we prioritize authentic communication in our outreach. Our emails and messages reflect who we are and what we genuinely believe about the opportunities we’re presenting.
• By crafting personalized and sincere content, we’ve increased email open rates by 47% and response rates by 35%, demonstrating the power of being real and relatable.

Innovation

• Ted Lasso thinks outside the box—whether it’s using a suggestion box or relying on homemade biscuits to build trust. Similarly, we’ve innovated our candidate engagement strategies by integrating data-driven tools to personalize content and multi-channel outreach.
• This creative approach has resulted in a 50% faster time-to-fill for open roles, delivering significant value to our clients.

Evidence

• Ted values results, and so do we. Every element of our outreach strategy is informed by data—from the timing of emails to the personalization of messages.
• For example, candidates are 3x more likely to respond to messages that include evidence-backed insights about how the role aligns with their career trajectory.

Accountability

• Just like Ted’s commitment to his team, we’re accountable to both our clients and candidates. Our follow-ups are thoughtful and consistent, ensuring no one feels forgotten or undervalued.
• This has fostered trust and engagement, leading to a 40% increase in qualified longlist talent.

Transparency

• Ted’s honesty, even in challenging situations, inspires our transparent approach. We ensure candidates have all the information they need to make informed decisions, from detailed role descriptions to insights about the hiring company’s culture.
• Transparency has been instrumental in boosting response rates and ensuring only highly interested candidates progress to the shortlist.

Confidence

• Ted believes in people’s potential and builds their confidence—and we do the same. Our outreach emphasizes the candidate’s unique qualifications and how they align with the role, helping them envision a successful transition.
• By focusing on building confidence, we’ve created a shortlist process that includes only finalist-type candidates, making hiring decisions stress-free and evidence-based.

The Impact of a Thoughtful, Multi-Channel Strategy
Recruiting is an outbound effort, and candidates rarely experience the level of meaningful content we deliver. By sharing relevant and strategic information about the hiring company, we’ve:

• Given candidates a clearer picture of their potential fit.
• Encouraged thoughtful engagement, rather than quick dismissals.

This approach has:

• Increased candidate retention for our clients.
• Delivered larger longlists of qualified, interested, and assessed talent.
• Ensured hiring choices are based on evidence, not guesswork.

Results That Speak Volumes
Leveraging Ted Lasso’s principles has not only enhanced candidate engagement but also delivered tangible benefits to our clients:

• Faster time-to-fill: Roles are filled quickly, minimizing disruption to operations.
• Improved retention: Candidates are confident and well-suited to their new roles, leading to long-term success.
• Stress-free decisions: Clients are presented with a shortlist of highly qualified finalists, simplifying the selection process.

The Final Whistle
At Asymmetric Talent, we’ve proven that the Ted Lasso way works. By embracing authenticity, innovation, evidence, accountability, transparency, and confidence, we’ve achieved unparalleled candidate engagement rates that benefit both candidates and clients. Just like Ted, we believe in the power of kindness, strategy, and genuine connection—and the results speak for themselves.

For any doubters out there… or for those who are committing a serious level of self-deprivation who have not seen the Series, take ~2 minutes and watch this inspiring video of the man, myth and legend.

Michael Russo, President
Asymmetric Talent Solutions
mrusso@asymmetrictalent.com