Executives love to complain, “We just can’t find good people.” Let’s cut through the noise: the problem isn’t the talent pool—it’s your broken hiring process.
Job openings are piling up, time-to-fill is ballooning, and leaders keep holding out for some imaginary superstar. Reality check: perfect is the enemy of good.
Here’s how to slash your hiring time and land exceptional people.
1. **Ditch the Corporate Jargon**
Strip job postings down to the five skills that actually move the needle. When the role is crystal clear, the right candidates find you faster—and hiring managers can spot them in a heartbeat. While you’re at it, ask yourself: is this the job we *actually* need filled, or are we just refilling an outdated req?
2. **Burn the “Nice-to-Have” Checklist**
You’re filtering out rockstars because they don’t check every fantasy box. Hire for what success looks like in 90 days and train for the rest. You’ll save endless cycles, and you’ll build loyalty by investing in people who grow with you.
3. **End the Interview Parade**
Does someone from three departments over *really* need to sign off on your marketing hire? Plot your interviewers by actual importance. If the list stretches beyond three names, cut it in half. You’ll halve your time-to-hire without losing an ounce of quality.
4. **Teach Managers to Spot Talent**
Most hiring managers have zero formal training in selection. So they wing it, waste time, and lose great candidates along the way. Bring in an expert to coach your team live—real practice with real feedback beats any online module.
5. **Give Permission to Trust Their Gut**
We’ve all sat through interviews that were over in five minutes but dragged on for an hour anyway. Show your managers what decisive hiring looks like. It’s okay to politely end an interview early when it’s clearly not a fit—just do it with respect.
6. **Stop Cold-Starting Every Search**
Stay in quarterly touch with silver medalists, referrals, and alumni you’d rehire. A quick “thinking of you” text or LinkedIn note takes 60 seconds and puts you months ahead when a role opens.
7. **Pitch a Career, Not a Position**
Offer declines sting because you’re selling a job description, not a future. Great candidates want impact and growth. Articulate the real opportunity, and you’ll get to “yes” faster.
The faster you hire well, the sooner you can focus on creating bigger opportunities for the team you’ve built.