Hiring Mistakes: Where Do They Usually Start?
I was on a lot of podcasts in 2024 and there’s one question I was asked more than any other:
“What’s the most common mistake you see [founders/investors/leaders] make in hiring?”
Based on hundreds of conversations and (literally) thousands of survey responses from our training clients, here’s my top 10 list of root causes, roughly ordered by the magnitude of the problem:
10. Unstructured interviews
If you are asking things like “tell me about yourself” or “walk me through your resume,” you are essentially hiring for the skill of extemporaneous speaking.
9. Redundant, superficial interviews
If every interviewer tries to cover every aspect of the candidate, nobody goes deep on anything. And candidates will reuse the same canned stories over and over.
8. Judging candidates during the interview itself
An interview is not the time to form an early hypothesis and seek to confirm it. This is a recipe for biased decision-making. Withhold your judgments for now — focus on building rapport and gathering data.
7. Failure to conduct thorough references
Candidates have blind spots. Candidates sometimes make stuff up. Make sure you talk to the people who have worked most closely with the candidate, especially former bosses.
6. Too much selling/too little vetting
If your interviews are primarily a sales pitch, weak candidates will go undetected and strong ones will be turned off by your lack of selectivity.
5. Failing to capture data/notes
You can’t make a data-driven decision without data. You must find a way to capture the information candidates share with you.
4. Hiring someone you like vs. someone who has the skills
I have heard too many of these stories to count. Nothing compromises your objectivity quite like personal affinity. Next time your gut says “yes,” be careful!
3. Lacking clarity on what you are hiring for
Perhaps the most pernicious one of all. Get clarity on the results and competencies you need before you start sourcing candidates.
2. Lowering your bar when the hiring need is urgent
Desperation breeds mediocrity. Plan ahead — months ahead, not weeks.
1. Viewing hiring as a cost center or a nuisance
Companies are made or broken based upon the talent they assemble. It’s a leader’s most important job. Clear your calendar. Make it important. Take it personally!
This post was originally published on LinkedIn.
Jordan Burton has 18 years of experience as an executive assessor and interviewing trainer, working with top VC/PE investors and high-growth startups to help them hire the best of the best. He has trained thousands of founders, leaders, and investors on hiring and interviewing skills. He leads Talgo’s business development initiatives, managing relationships with Sequoia Capital, TH Lee, Insight Partners, Palantir, Scale AI, and over 50 venture-backed startups.
