80 [EB Series] The Recruiter’s Role in Building Brand Trust | Steve Bousfield from Atlassian

In this episode of the VMJPod’s Employer Brand Series hosts David Macciocca and Will Innes chat with Steve Bousfield, Senior Recruiter at Atlassian, to explore how recruiters build brand trust through authenticity, empathy and consistency.

Steve shares how transparent communication and genuine connection shape every candidate experience — from first contact to feedback. He also discusses the partnership between recruitment and employer branding, and how aligning these teams strengthens credibility and culture.

Whether you’re refining your candidate experience or building stronger collaboration between brand and TA, this episode offers a grounded look at how trust becomes the real differentiator in recruitment.

Key Topics
01:00 – Meet Steve Bousfield and his role at Atlassian.
03:10 – The realities of recruiting for a globally recognised brand.
06:00 – Why authenticity and transparency build stronger connections.
09:15 – Showing what it is really like to work at Atlassian through stories.
12:40 – Demystifying the interview process and setting clear expectations.
16:20 – The role of recruiters as brand ambassadors.
19:40 – Partnering with employer branding to ensure message consistency.
23:10 – Keeping candidates engaged and valued, even after rejection.
27:00 – Using feedback to improve candidate experience and perception.
31:30 – Empowering recruiters to post with personality and purpose.
35:00 – The importance of empathy in every candidate interaction.
38:20 – Key lessons on building trust through genuine communication.

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