What The Traitors Can Teach Us About Hiring
(and why 300,000 CVs would make anyone panic)
If you are hooked onThe Traitors on the BBC, you probably had at least one moment where you thought “How did they get picked?” Apparently around 300,000 people applied and just 22 made it into the castle. That is not casting. That is talent triage.
When huge numbers of CVs land for one role, the challenge is not finding candidates. It is deciding who to take forward first quickly fairly and without relying on gut feel. Recruiters need a simple unbiased way to assess everyone not just the loudest or most confident applicants. CVs help but they mostly show who can write a strong application. They do not reliably show how someone behaves under pressure or reacts when things do not go their way. The Traitors exposes that instantly.
If the producers had relied on CVs alone, they would know who could talk the talk. They would not know who
- stays calm when accused
- crumbles under pressure
- adapts quickly
- influences others without being obvious
These behavioural tendencies matter long before interviews begin.
In healthcare, triage exists to prioritise attention when demand is high. Recruitment faces the same problem. Talent Triage offers proven and reliable pre screening of all applicants so recruiters can focus their time where it matters most. The aim is not to judge or label people. It is to make sure the most suitable candidates are seen first especially when volume is overwhelming.
Some people on The Traitors make convincing Traitors. Others are clearly more comfortable playing it straight. At work those same differences show up every day. You see
- people who thrive under scrutiny
- people who prefer structure and clarity
- people who influence quietly
- people who struggle when things get uncomfortable
None of these traits are good or bad in isolation but not everyone is right for every role and spotting that early makes hiring simpler and fairer.
At Big 5 Assessments we use Talent Triage to help organisations manage high application volumes without relying on guesswork. By pre screening everyone in the same way recruiters can move forward with confidence rather than hope. Thankfully hiring does not involve banishment but getting it wrong still has consequences.
The Traitors works because watching poor decisions unfold is entertaining. In recruitment it is expensive. Talent Triage will not help you win a reality TV show but it can stop your hiring process feeling like a game of chance.
About the Author: Nikky Van Bommel
Nikky van Bommel is the Marketing Director for Big 5 Assessments and has worked in the Psychometric Testing industry for over 10 years. Nikky is responsible for all marketing and social media for the organisation. 
