When Recruitment Was Simple: A Pen, a Paper, an Interview and a Yes/No

November 27, 2025

When Recruitment Was Simple: A Pen, a Paper, an Interview and a Yes/No

Some of us remember the days when you circled an ad in the local paper with a leaky biro, showed up for an interview, and by the time you got home you already knew if you’d got the job or not.

One round. Done!

There were no cover letters that read like wedding vows, no IQ tests, no CEO-vibes. Just humans hiring humans, simple, honest, human.

Seems almost wild and far fetched now!

Brid Doherty-Appriou

Brid is a native English speaker, fluent in French, a graduate in both International Business Communication and in Instructional Design. She is also accredited (TEFL) to teach English as a foreign language. Her professional experience spans over 20 years in an international environment, working in CAC 40 communication groups and as a consultant in Executive Search.

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"During a period of professional reorientation where I needed financing, I used the advice of Brid to write my Skills-Based CV. Thanks to her advice, my Skills-Based CV convinced the financing organization. I highly recommend her articles".

"As an expat myself coming to the end of my current contract and planning to return home to Ireland, I found the article "La Perle Rare", particularly helpful. I will soon be searching for job opportunities. Undoubtedly, I do have to distinguish myself from the crowd. Following the suggestions and advice given by Brid, with self-reflection I discovered that I have an abundance of highly developed soft skills. These are skills I had taken for granted for so long never thinking they would highlight my uniqueness to a potential employer. In the past, my focus was on my qualifications and work experience. Although this focus is important, there is room for self-promotion too. Now, I shall forge ahead with a renewed sense of myself and the confidence to promote my other strengths in interviews. Thank you, Brid. I strongly recommend Brid’s blog to expats who find themselves seeking new job opportunities “. Fiona

"Expatrié lors d’une mission de ma conjointe, j’ai rencontré Brid qui m’a beaucoup aidé et guidé afin de développer mes activités de coach running / renforcement musculaire et de sightrunning, en langue anglaise, en particulier sur mes supports de communication.

Je recommande vivement Brid pour son enthousiasme, son dynamisme et son professionnalisme". Frédéric

http://likeyourrun.blogspot.com/

"Your content is very inspiring. It helped me a lot. Thank you." Emma

“You are so respectful! The way you treated the class, the topics we covered, “the test” you gave us without pressure. Thank you. You are great”. Soledad (English language student)

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When Recruitment Was Simple: A Pen, a Paper, an Interview and a Yes/No