There are key details in the way a CV or resumé is written that can help you decipher exactly who to hire - and they’re not what you think they are. 

Dear Recruiter: Hire The Sam Smith Fan

There are two types of people in this world: The ones who shrugged their shoulders at Sam Smith’s evolution and let them get on with their life…

…and the ones who clutched their pearls like it was a personal attack.

If you’re recruiting for an inclusive, progressive workplace that’s genuinely committed to values that reflect this, and not just showboating for LinkedIn, you should be looking to hire the Sam Smith fan.

Exploring Underrated Talent Pools 

Sam Smith fans may be one of the most underrated talent pools for progressive employers (who didn’t ditch DEI as soon as Trump The Orange Boofhead said it was okay to do so) (looking at you Meta, Amazon, Google, Accenture, Target, Walmart, Lowe’s, McDonald’s, Disney, Boeing, Ford, Pepsi, Constellation Brands & Barclays).

Hire the candidate who’s comfortable with growth & evolution 

Sam Smith’s loyal fans have proven more than most that they’re comfortable with evolution - which means theirs as well as yours. 

Sam Smith didn’t just tweak their sound,  they evolved personally, creatively, and  very publically.

Real ones stayed the course and celebrated the bravery in this authenticity. 

Which tells you something priceless:

They don’t panic when things shift. 

They’re curious.

They don’t need things to fit neatly in any box.

New strategy? New leadership? New tech stack? No problem. 

If someone can appreciate an artist who refuses to be labelled neatly, they’re probably not obsessed with putting people into neat little categories either.

This translates to less bias, less rigidity, more flexibility, and more capacity for understanding and incorporating different perspectives.

And you already have certified proof that Sam Smith fans fiercely celebrate the rare art of being authentically true to self.

There’s a quiet confidence in backing something or someone that not everyone gets and in the right workplace that confidence shows up as speaking out when it counts, bringing fresh ideas to the table, and standing on business instead of shapeshifting into whatever they think leadership wants them to be.

Music Lovers & Emotional Intelligence

Sam Smith fans in particular are generally comfortable with emotional expression (their own and other people’s), and this is a marker for the level of higher emotional intelligence employers are prioritising in 2026.

A (not so) soft skill thait’s increasingly recognised as one of the strongest predictors of team success.

Highly emotionally intelligent people can read a room, handle feedback, and calmly keep it together in tense Teams meetings. Music fans who follow their favourite artists through personal evolution and reinvention are culturally tuned in and plugged into real shifts as opposed to fleeting trends.

And in 2026 this ability to read people and the rooms they’re in matters more than ever in every aspect of a business from product management and HR to operations.

Recruiting For Impact v Recruiting For Optics

If you’re the recruiter who would stake their integrity on their commitment to diversity, look for the calling cards on each candidate’s CV and resumé. 

If they’ve opted for a Disruptive Resumé™️ where the goal is to have their personality jump off the page, you’ll no doubt be given nuggets such as how much they genuinely love music and a nod to any lyrics that authentically represent them. 

Sam Smith’s lyrics aren’t your usual background noise. They’re emotional, layered and thought-provoking, written for fans to really sit with them.

As a personal preference this character trait can impact the workplace by signaling better collaboration, true empathy, and a team member skilled in the art of listening.

Dear Recruiter: Hire The Disruptor 

As you will have guessed by now, this is really about so much more than loving Sam Smith. 

It’s about what a candidate is signalling by loving Sam Smith.And what they’re signalling by featuring that charismatic information on a Disruptive Resumé™️.

When you’re lucky enough to come across a candidate who embraces evolution, complexity, identity, and expression in their personal life, you've probably come across a candidate who’s likely to bring those same qualities into their professional life.

And, if you’re recruiting for a self-described progressive employer, this is the exact energy the workplace you’re populating needs more of.

So next time you’re taking your initial 6-7 second sweep and reviewing the stacks of CVs, resumés and applications you’ve received, keep an eye out for the disruptor swimming against the current - because those personality traits are what separate the good from great.