Saiyō framework
The Reactive Hiring Cycle
The self-reinforcing loop of open roles, agency spend and quality drift.
What the framework says
Reactive hiring is a loop, not a one-off failure. A role opens after the gap is already hurting, urgency spikes, agencies are briefed in parallel, the bar quietly drops to whoever is available, and the resulting mis-hire reopens the role. Each turn costs more and returns less, because every stage is compensating for the stage before it. The loop only breaks when hiring is planned ahead of the requisition rather than triggered by it.
When to use it
Cost per hire is rising, roles are taking longer, and nobody can point to a single decision that caused it.
How to apply it
- 1Map your last five hires against the five stages and mark where each one entered the loop.
- 2Measure the lag between the business need appearing and the requisition being approved.
- 3Break the loop upstream: forecast the roles, not the resignations.
- 4Treat any repeat opening within twelve months as a signal about the process, not the person.
The common mistake
Trying to fix the loop at the agency-briefing stage, which is the fourth symptom rather than the cause.
Pattern observed across Saiyō client hiring reviews. Stage sequence is consistent; timing and cost impact vary by role type and market.
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Choosing a Hiring Model for a Technology Scale-up
The right hiring model depends on the pattern of hiring, not the company size. Most mature scale-ups run a deliberate portfolio, not a single provider.
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