How to Find the People Who Stay When the Pressure’s On

#### **Identifying Reliable, Resilient Hires in High‑Stakes Environments** In industries like oil & gas, energy, aerospace, and defense, uncertainty isn’t a “what‑if”; it’s the daily norm. Equipment fails, market shocks hit, safety protocols tighten, and performance expectations skyrocket. In these settings, the cost of turnover goes beyond recruiting. To identify hires who _stay and deliver_, leading firms in 2025 are moving beyond resume checkboxes. They’re intentionally seeking signs of: - **Practical resilience**: Candidates who remain composed during simulations or pressure-based assessments, and who demonstrate real-world perseverance stories. - **Ownership mindset**: Those who proactively anticipate issues, rally a team response, and follow through without prompting. - **Adaptability cues**: Individuals who have shifted between operational modes (e.g., from scheduled maintenance to crisis response) and can speak to those transitions with confidence. According to a [recent article](https://www.searchwizards.com/2025/04/24/sustainable-hiring-in-2025-building-teams-that-last/), companies prioritizing sustainability in hiring in 2025 invest more effort upfront through transparent job descriptions, structured onboarding, and mentorship. Which leads to the reduction of turnover and deepen engagement. #### **What Companies Are Getting Right in 2025** - **Onboarding as a Risk‑mitigation Tool** A recent [Training Industry guide](https://trainingindustry.com/articles/onboarding/the-critical-role-of-onboarding-in-high-stakes-industries/?) outlines how robust onboarding, coordinated handoffs, task simulations, and frontline mentorship reduces early errors and spotlights who thrives from day one. - **Skills-based, resilience‑focused assessment** Select firms in aerospace and defense now prefer scenario-based interviews over traditional degree requirements. The goal is to evaluate real-time decision-making, not academic checkboxes. - **High‑commitment workplace models** Inspired by high‑commitment management research, successful organizations decentralize decision-making and empower resilient teams to think on their feet. This fosters self‑regulation and ownership among hires - **Health, safety, and longevity** Investment in employee well-being isn’t just about reducing burnout, but also how it signals to candidates that their long‑term performance matters. #### **How ESPO Helps Hiring Teams Filter for Action‑Takers** **🔍 1. Role‑tailored scenario testing** ESPO partners leverage customized, industry-relevant exercises to simulate real-world challenges. Instead of generic question sets, candidates respond to pressure in context (e.g., a gas-field leak scenario, or a flight-critical incident). **🤝 2. Structured interview frameworks** We train hiring panels in asking probing follow-up questions that reveal past ownership behaviors: “Describe a time you caught a critical issue nobody else saw. What did you do?” **📈 3. Post‑hire pulse monitoring** Seeing resilient potential in interviews is great but reinforcing that resilience in role is key. ESPO provides follow-up check-ins, peer‑feedback loops, and development prompts during the first 90 days, ensuring actions match promises, while leading to long-term retention. #### **Final Words** Hiring resilient, long‑term talent is neither low-effort nor low-risk, but skipping the process altogether invites far costlier outcomes. In 2025, top companies in oil & gas, energy, aerospace, and defense are combining smart, structured hiring with intentional onboarding and ongoing talent support. That’s what sustains performance and real ownership under pressure. At ESPO, we partner with hiring leaders to bring clarity and rigor to each step, helping you identify and keep the people who _stay and own it_ when it matters most.