One Way Up: Why recruitment needs to change radically
Don't just shuffle resumes, understand people – One Way Up identifies and addresses the motivations of both candidates and organizations.
Published on May 10, 2025
Bart, co-founder of Media52 and Professor of Journalism oversees IO+, events, and Laio. A journalist at heart, he keeps writing as many stories as possible.
In the overheated IT job market, plenty of candidates and vacancies seem to exist, but lasting matches remain rare. According to Niek Ottema, co-founder of One Way Up with Bram van Hest, this is due to how recruitment still works: fast, superficial, and with blind faith in resumes. “There are hardly any real matches being made. And that's a shame, because it costs companies time, money, and growth.”
Ottema and his colleague have years of experience in IT and technical recruitment. It was precisely this experience that led to frustration. “We saw how large companies simply threw CVs over the fence without really looking at what a candidate was looking for or what a client needed,” he says. “The result: people leave after a year. Then you have to start all over again. And that costs you much more than just money.”
Three crucial pillars
With One Way Up, Ottema and his team take a different approach. No standard matching based on hard skills, but an in-depth analysis of what someone needs to really flourish — and whether the work environment can offer that. “We look at three crucial pillars: security, challenge, and inspiration,” he explains. “How secure does someone feel to make mistakes? How important is it for someone to be challenged? And where does someone get their motivation from?"
They do this not only with candidates but also with companies. ”We talk to the organization: what do you facilitate in these areas? How do you ensure that someone not only starts, but also wants to stay?”
A job process with dialogue
At the heart of One Way Up is a self-developed job process, which Ottema says is based on dozens of HR methodologies. The goal: to get a complete picture of the person behind the resume and the culture behind the job profile. “Our conversations are in-depth and strategic. Because only when we really understand someone can we predict whether there is a lasting match.”
Co-founder Bram van Hest explains what that means in practice. He designed the job process based on his broad HR knowledge and years of focus on engaging and inspiring people in their work. "Together with external HR consultants, I researched and analyzed dozens of existing HR models and translated them into practice for our solution. Ultimately, five scientific HR theories were selected as the basis for our method. Based on these, we developed a unique set of questions, follow-up questions, and dialogue formats. These enable us to measure what someone needs in terms of three fundamental pillars: security, challenge, and inspiration.”
The three pillars of the One Way Up method
Security: feeling free to make mistakes, speak your mind, and be vulnerable.
Challenge: intellectual and professional growth, complexity, and responsibility.
Inspiration: what gives someone energy and what motivates them intrinsically.
Van Hest: “This method is not a questionnaire, but a strategic, in-depth process that leads to insights that we translate into concrete advice for managers. In this way, we help organizations find the right people and retain them. This process makes a difference, especially in a market where loyalty is not a given. This approach shows why we work so differently - and why it works.”
Ottema demonstrates the concrete results of this approach with a recent placement at clothing manufacturer Tricorp in Tilburg. “We had a candidate for an IT Team Lead role, but his resume was initially rejected. Tricorp didn't think his experience was suitable. Nevertheless, we insisted on an interview because our analysis told us this was the right person. After the interview, we received a phone call immediately – it was a perfect match. The contract has now been signed.”
One Way Up does not limit itself to mediation. They remain involved even after placement. “We write a personal advisory report for each manager: what does this person need to settle in well, how do you manage them, and where are the opportunities? In 2025, you won't get by with just one leadership style. You have to be able to switch gears – and our advice helps with that.”
Focus on IT and software
The decision to focus on IT and software was a conscious one. “We made a foray into technology but lacked the affinity,” says Ottema. “IT appeals to us: it's dynamic, a lot is going on, and the advent of AI makes it even more interesting. At the same time, there's a lot of scarcity. Companies want to scale up but can't find the right people. And that's often because they're looking in the wrong place.”
In a market where many recruiters struggle with a poor image, Ottema believes it's a challenge to distinguish yourself as a new player. “The negative image of recruitment hangs heavily in the air. Candidates often feel like a product; managers feel pressured. We want to show that it can be different - and has to be.”
With a growing group of clients such as Tricorp and various software companies, One Way Up is steadily building its reputation. “Until now, we have mainly wanted to show what our approach delivers. In other words, the content of our method. Now that we have realized several concrete business cases, it is time to communicate more actively. Because we see that it works!”
Recruitment with connections
One Way Up's mission is linked to its brand name: focused forward, straight up. “No quick matches, no standard solutions. Real connections. We identify the deeper motivations of people and organizations to create sustainable collaboration. Recruitment deserves better. And we are determined to show that to the world.”