handpick

[ hand-pik ]

/ ˈhændˈpɪk /

to pick by hand.

to select personally and with care: The boss handpicked his assistants.

Origin of handpick

First recorded in 1825–35; hand + pick¹

Hand-picked recruits were invited to rural England for basic infantry and junior command training.

Libyan Troops Go Wild in England |Nico Hines |November 4, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Then came the demands for ideological purity—and hand-picked staff.

Koch Foundation to College: We’ll Give You Millions—if You Teach Our Libertarian Ideology |Center for Public Integrity |September 12, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
After all, the company—which employs 4,000 hand-picked employees—has reportedly reaped in revenue upwards of $160 million.

North Korea’s Art Factory Has an International Fan Base | |August 5, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
The latter was scouted walking the streets of London and hand-picked by stylist Julian Ganio for a GQ Style shoot.

Celebrating Sikh Style |Soraya Roberts |October 3, 2013 |DAILY BEAST

In just 90 minutes, my hand-picked instructors will share my techniques, which took my entire career to develop.

8 Juicy Bits from New York State’s Lawsuit Against Donald Trump |Eliza Shapiro |August 26, 2013 |DAILY BEAST
Tavia was not at all particular about that part of it—whether it was hand-picked or peddler-purchased, and she said so promptly.

Dorothy Dale's Queer Holidays |Margaret Penrose
They desire that missionaries to Africa, like race leaders in the United States, be "hand-picked."

The History of the Negro Church |Carter Godwin Woodson
The fragments thus produced must be hand-picked, and those which are not perfectly free from foreign matter should be rejected.

The Methods of Glass Blowing and of Working Silica in the Oxy-Gas Flame |W. A. Shenstone
I've hand-picked a good crew for you, and sent them on ahead.

The Planet Savers |Marion Zimmer Bradley
Business was good; and by closing time on Wednesday the firm had in stock ten high-grade, hand-picked stray cats.

Sube Cane |Edward Bellamy Partridge

hand-picked

selected with great care, as for a special job or purpose; chosen