Recruit
You may, for the specified amount of funds, open a search. This will bring a modest number of applicants whose profile are aligned with the program's reputation. Hiring a "headhunter" firm brings a larger pool of applicants, some of them of a profile higher than through a simple search. Headhunters are, however, more expensive.
These applicants can be hired at the astronaut complex. The listing allows to review Headlines-specific properties such as profile, specialty and personality quirks.
Every time that a scouting action is successful, a new applicant of high quality appears, and a $40,000 subsidy for hiring appears. You'll still need $50K to hire, but $40K are immediately redeemed. This allows to build larger crew.