Purpose isn’t a “nice to have” in hiring, it’s one of the strongest predictors of long-term engagement and performance. Yet many hiring processes barely touch it.
Gallup research shows employees with a strong sense of purpose are 5.6 times more likely to be engaged at work. They stay committed, push through challenges, and bring energy that fuels team momentum. Purpose also protects against burnout: only 13% of high-purpose employees report burnout, compared with 38% of low-purpose employees. Retention improves too: just 41% of purpose-driven employees actively seek new roles, versus 68% of low-purpose employees. If organisations want people who stay, grow, and perform through change, they need to start hiring for mission alignment as deliberately as they hire for skills.
Why hiring often misses the mark
Despite its impact, purpose is still an afterthought in many hiring processes. Most organisations focus heavily on skills, experience and short-term role fit, but rarely explore what drives a candidate or whether they feel personally connected to the mission. Gallup found only 30% of leaders consider a candidate’s sense of purpose “very important” when assessing success potential, leaving a major gap between what predicts performance and what hiring teams actually evaluate.
This disconnect shows up later as disengagement, faster burnout, and avoidable turnover. New hires may have the right technical skills but struggle to stay motivated, adapt during change, or commit through challenges. Without mission alignment, even high performers contribute less over time because the work doesn’t feel meaningful.
To build teams that thrive, hiring must evolve from a competency checklist to a deeper understanding of motivation. This means uncovering what candidates care about, how they interpret your mission, and whether they find genuine meaning in the work ahead. When you hire for both capability and purpose, you set the foundation for stronger performance, lower churn and long-term organisational health.
How to assess whether a candidate is mission aligned
Alongside AMS, we spoke with TA leaders across industries and regions to understand how they identify mission-aligned talent and embed purpose into every stage of hiring. Here are some of the insights and practical strategies captured in our whitepaper The power of real candidate connections, to help you deepen alignment, strengthen retention and hire people who truly believe in your mission.
Embed your mission into every touch point
Your mission should be woven into every step of the candidate journey, from job postings to interviews and onboarding. Make it clear why your organisation exists, the impact teams make, and how each role contributes. This allows candidates to self-select: those who resonate engage more deeply, while those whose motivations don’t align naturally step aside, saving time and effort for both sides.
Ask purpose-driven interview questions
Move beyond generic “why do you want to work here?” questions. Explore what energises candidates, the kind of impact they want to make, and how their values align with your mission. Look for authentic, reflective answers, not rehearsed responses. Encourage storytelling to uncover true motivators: past projects, decisions, or challenges that reflect their purpose.
“We place a strong emphasis on what we call our cultural capabilities and weave them into our interview questions to help assess cultural fit.”
Deborah Dare, Manager, Talent Acquisition Operations at La Trobe University
Probe past behaviour
Purpose tends to show up in patterns, not isolated incidents. Ask candidates to describe situations where they chose a project, role, or initiative because it aligned with what mattered to them. Look for consistency over time – are their decisions and behaviours guided by values and purpose?
“It’s not just about skills. It’s about whether candidates share our purpose and can thrive in our culture”
RoseMary Costa-Lopes, Director, Talent Acquisition Marketing Strategy and Delivery at Bristol Myers Squibb
Share the real “why” of the role
Don’t just talk about the responsibilities, explain the impact the role has on the team, organisation, and the people you serve. Watch how candidates respond: do they lean in, ask thoughtful questions, or relate the mission to their own motivations? Their engagement and curiosity reveal how well they connect with your purpose.
Involve team members who live the mission
Peer interviews offer a window into your culture and provide a more relaxed setting where candidates often open up. Teams are naturally attuned to spotting authentic alignment – does the candidate “get it,” and would they contribute positively to the mission-driven culture?
Use assessments for cultural capabilities
Structured assessments complement conversations and provide objective insights into what drives a candidate. They help hiring managers measure alignment with organisational values, work style preferences, and cultural fit, giving a clearer picture of long-term potential.
Continuously calibrate your process
Mission-driven hiring is an evolving practice. Collect feedback from candidates and interviewers to see which questions, assessments, and touch points best identify alignment. Iterate regularly to ensure you’re hiring not just for skills, but for engagement, resilience, and mission-driven performance.
Embed purpose, drive performance
Mission alignment drives engagement, reduces burnout, and lowers turnover. For TA leaders focused on retention and productivity, it deserves a central place in your hiring playbook.
Discover more ways to connect with candidates and explore insights from industry leaders in the PageUp and AMS whitepaper, ‘The power of real candidate connections’.
