Hiring Right
Hiring the wrong person isn’t just a small slip-up - it costs money, time, morale, and sometimes reputation. Big companies, small startups, everyone messes up sometimes. Think of those stories where a “top hire” flops, or where people leave within their first 3 months because things looked one way during interviews and turned out very different in practice. The good news: many of those failures come from avoidable mistakes. Below are ten hiring pitfalls, real-life examples, and how you can escape them.
Ten Common Hiring Mistakes
1. Vague Job Descriptions Lead to Misunderstood Roles
Example: A tech startup advertises for a “Growth Ninja” without clarifying if the role is marketing, data, or product-led growth. They hire someone expecting one thing; the new hire does something different, leading to disappointment on both sides.
Fix: Spell out the core responsibilities, tools to be used, who the position reports to, and what success in the first 90 days looks like.
2. Hiring Based on Brand Name or Star Credentials Over Fit
Example: Someone with a background at Google joins another company assuming their “Google résumé” will translate into leadership and impact - but the environment, resources, or culture differ, and expectations mismatch. Some studies show people leaving “big name” jobs underperform when moved to very different contexts.
Fix: Don’t assume prestige = perfect fit. Assess what they did (not just where), how, and in what environment. Include behavioural interviews or trial assignments to test adaptability.
3. Slow or Dragging Hiring Processes Lose Great Candidates
Example: An engineering role remains open for two months. Midway, several strong candidates accept offers elsewhere. The company is left scrambling and settles for someone less ideal. Many blogs on hiring cite “rushing to hire” after losing top picks because process was too slow.
Fix: Define timeline milestones (application review, first interview, final decision), ensure interviewers are available, and avoid unnecessary delays. Communicate the timeline to candidates so they know what to expect.
4. Not Verifying What Was Promised / Background Checks Skipped
Example: A candidate claims leadership over a large team on their résumé. But when checked, they had only managed projects, not people. The employer realises too late, after a drop in team morale.
Fix: Always check references that can vouch for specific claims (team size, impact). If needed, call prior managers or peers - not just HR. Use background checks where appropriate.
5. Believing the “Fit Culture” Myth Without Defining Culture
Example: A company says they want someone who “fits in,” but all previous hires have similar backgrounds (same school, same style). They miss out on diverse thinking. Worse, people from different backgrounds feel excluded. Some firms lose innovation this way. Wired discusses how overemphasis on “culture fit” often reinforces sameness.
Fix: Define culture clearly (values, behaviours, norms). Use those definitions in interviews. Bring in diverse voices on the hiring panel so culture fit means “aligned with core values,” not “just like us.”
6. Neglecting Onboarding – First Weeks Make a Big Difference
Example: A new sales manager starts, but there’s no 30-60-90-day plan. They struggle to understand systems, who does what, who to contact for key approvals. Within six months they leave, unhappy.
Fix: Prepare an onboarding plan: introduce systems, stakeholders, expectations, metrics. Assign a mentor or buddy. Check in regularly in the early months to ensure clarity and alignment.
7. Overly Complex or Unfair Interview/Assessment Burdens
Example: Big tech companies are criticized for making candidates do numerous lengthy technical tests or coding challenges - sometimes without enough clarity on how they’ll be used - and then not giving feedback. This causes candidate burnout and bad impressions.
Fix: Keep assessments relevant to the real job. Limit unnecessary steps. Let candidates know what's expected, how the outputs are judged, and give feedback. Make the process efficient and respectful of candidates’ time.
8. Ghosting and Poor Communication During Hiring
Example: Candidates who attend multiple interviews hear nothing back for weeks. Other companies make offers they accept. They stop replying. Your reputation takes a hit - people talk, especially in tight job markets.
Fix: At minimum, send updates even if it’s “we’re still evaluating.” At rejection, if possible, share a short reason. Be respectful; each interaction shapes your employer brand.
9. Failing to Use Data / Metrics to Improve Hiring
Example: A mid-sized company has high attrition in “junior developer” roles, but never tracks how long candidates stay, or reasons they leave. Each hire is “winged” based on what feels right, not what the data says. Costs pile up.
Fix: Track time-to-fill, offer-acceptance rates, early turnover (first 6-12 months), and candidate satisfaction. Analyze which hiring sources bring better retention. Adjust the process accordingly.
10. Underestimating Recruiting Effort, Especially in Scaling Stages
Example: Early-stage startups often think hiring will be easy once product-market fit is found. But good candidates want strong mission, clarity, stability. If the company hasn't built its employer brand or network in advance, hiring becomes reactive, expensive, and poor quality. (This is a common theme among startup advice writers.)
Fix: Start building your network early (referrals, communities, alumni). Be clear about mission, vision, culture. Prepare processes before demand spikes—so when you do hire, you can move fast without messing up.
Final Thoughts
Great hiring doesn’t happen by accident. It’s a mix of clarity, fairness, speed, feedback loops, and respect. Each mistake above is common - but avoidable. Fixing even a few can lead to big gains: better hires, lower turnover, stronger teams.
At Wytmode, we operate with a clear, structured, and people-first hiring approach that balances speed, transparency, and cultural alignment to ensure the right talent joins and thrives.