Every hiring manager wants to hire the best person for the job. On paper, that’s the essence of merit-based hiring: choosing candidates based on their skills, experience, and potential to succeed. Yet in practice, it’s rarely that straightforward. Even with the best initiatives in place, such as structured interviews or bias training, it's possible to unintentionally favour certain demographic groups if structure and accountability are missing.

However, the concept of merit can become blurred by bias, assumptions, and legacy hiring practices – often leaving capable job seekers overlooked. What was meant to be an objective process can easily tip into one that rewards familiarity rather than ability.

The good news is that merit-based hiring still works when it’s applied intentionally and supported by structure. 

In this article, I’ll unpack what merit really means in hiring, explore where even well-meaning hiring managers go wrong, and share a practical playbook for applying merit-based principles fairly.

What does merit-based hiring mean?

At its core, merit-based hiring means evaluating candidates on their ability to perform a role. The principle behind it is that opportunities should be earned through skill and results rather than connections or circumstance. At its best, it supports equal opportunity by rewarding competence over privilege.

The core principles are:

• Rely on objectivity, not instinct: Structured interviews, clear scoring, and evidence-based assessments should guide decisions, not gut instinct
  
  

• A transparent, DEI-aligned process: Define what “merit” means for each role and share your criteria openly with candidates – criteria should reflect your DEI commitments
  
  

• Remove unnecessary barriers: Make sure every candidate has a fair chance to prove their ability, for example, by removing exclusionary language or unnecessary degree requirements that aren’t truly job-related
  
  

• Let data inform: Track which candidates advance, who you hired, and who succeeds to identify patterns or gaps in fairness
  
  

• Review what merit means: As job roles evolve, make sure to update the criteria for success to reflect the current critical skills and qualities 

Merit-based hiring looks at everything from demonstrable skills, adaptability, and a candidate's ability to problem-solve to their potential to grow with the business. It recognizes that the best candidate isn’t always the one with the most impressive title or longest list of achievements, but the one best equipped to succeed in the specific environment you’re hiring for.

Merit-based hiring can often be confused with skills-based hiring, but there’s an important distinction. Skills-based hiring focuses purely on what a person can do today. Merit-based selection looks at the bigger picture: skills, experience, mindset, and potential to assess the overall value a candidate brings to the organization.

True merit-based hiring, however, only works when the process itself is structured and equitable. Without clear criteria, consistent evaluation, and bias checks in place, even the best intentions can produce inconsistent and sometimes unfair outcomes. 

Where merit-based hiring can go awry 

The principle of hiring based on merit sounds foolproof — and in fact, many governments have codified it through executive orders — but even the most experienced hiring managers can unintentionally let bias creep in. 

Here’s what to watch out for:

1. Unconscious bias

Merit-based hiring assumes that hiring managers can make objective decisions, but humans are wired to gravitate toward the familiar. For example, we might feel more confident hiring someone who:

• Went to a well-known university

• Speaks with a similar accent

These subtle preferences can skew results, often favouring one demographic group over another without anyone realising.

2. The credential trap

Another common pitfall to watch for is mistaking credentials for competence. An impressive job title or a big-name employer can feel like a signal of candidate quality, but they don’t always reflect competence or how someone will perform in a new environment. 

3. The myth of meritocracy

We also have to acknowledge that not everyone starts from the same place. Socioeconomic background, access to education, and professional networks all influence how “merit” is accumulated. When these structural differences go unexamined, a merit-based system can unintentionally reinforce the very inequalities it aims to avoid.

4. Confirmation bias during evaluation

Once we form an early impression of a candidate, it’s surprisingly easy to look for evidence that supports it. A polished CV or confident interview performance can overshadow objective data from skills assessments or reference checks.

While hiring managers should be aware of these pitfalls, with the right tools and structure, merit can become a measurable standard, and candidates can all be evaluated against clear, consistent criteria. This is one of the best ways to unlock talent that might otherwise be overlooked. Ignoring these factors risks drifting from merit toward convenience, undermining your DEI goals.

How to build a fair merit-based hiring process

Here’s how hiring managers can put the principles of merit-based hiring into practice.

1. Define the role objectively

• Start by mapping out what success actually looks like in the role

• Focus on the outcomes you expect

• Identify the core competencies and behaviors that drive performance

• Use the outcomes, core competencies, and behaviors to anchor your job description and interview criteria

2. Write inclusive job descriptions

• Avoid words that signal personality types rather than abilities, e.g., while “rockstar,” “competitive,” or “ninja” might sound fun, they can unconsciously deter capable applicants

• Focus instead on skills, deliverables, and the impact the role is expected to have

Here is a guide to writing an inclusive job description.

3. Broaden your sourcing

• Don’t simply rely on referrals or familiar networks, as this approach can limit diversity and perspective

• Reach out through community networks, professional associations, and job boards that connect with underrepresented talent pools

• Consider working with a specialist recruiter or temporary staffing specialist who may have access to untapped talent who are not yet actively searching and applying for roles. Read more here about why to use a recruitment agency.

The wider your reach, the fairer your merit pool becomes and the stronger your DEI outcomes.

4. Standardize assessment

• Ensure that job applications are reviewed consistently, using structured scoring or blind screening where possible

• Make sure every candidate is assessed by the same criteria

• Use structured interviews, ask for work samples, and create a robust and consistent scoring rubric

• The aim is to reduce bias and make decision-making easier and more defensible

Learn more about how to shortlist candidates without bias here and how to build an effective assessment plan here.

5. Train your interviewers

Human resource teams play a crucial role here, coordinating training, designing interview rubrics, and auditing feedback for consistency.

• Provide regular training (even to experienced hiring managers) on:

  • How to evaluate evidence

  • How to recognize bias

  • How to apply the criteria consistently 

  • How to interview fairly

6. Calibrate as a group

• After interviews, compare notes collectively

• Encourage evidence-based discussion rather than instinctive preferences. For example,  “Who gave the best example of X competency?” is a better question than “Who felt like the best fit?”

Automation as a tool for merit-based hiring

Even with the best intentions, humans are never completely objective, which is why automation is a valuable ally in creating fairer, more consistent hiring processes. 

Automation helps hiring managers focus on evaluating candidates on evidence rather than instinct. Talent assessment platforms like Bryq can use personality assessments and cognitive tests to objectively measure traits linked to job success, such as problem-solving and communication, to adaptability and culture fit. This kind of data ensures that every candidate is evaluated using the same criteria, at the same stage, every time.

It also takes pressure off the early screening process, where bias is most likely to appear. Instead of filtering candidates by keywords, education, or years of experience, automation allows you to prioritize skills and potential. That means a broader, more diverse shortlist and a more level playing field for everyone.

It can also help organisations comply with internal DEI policies or government-mandated executive orders on equitable recruitment practices.

Make hiring decisions with evidence at the core

A meritocratic approach to hiring helps hiring managers make intentional, fair hiring decisions that drive stronger job performance and greater diversity.

Using automation can help remove the concern of human bias and make space for all candidates to show what they can truly offer.

As hiring managers, we can’t control every bias or background factor, but we can control how we define and measure merit. When we do that consistently, we give every candidate the same chance to earn their place, and every business the chance to hire the very best of what talent truly looks like today.