You ever look back at how you used to hire and just cringe a little? Yeah, same.
I’ve been doing this a while, and I’ll admit — we used to think our process was solid. Structured, “thorough,” professional. It wasn’t. It was slow, outdated, and honestly, kinda painful. We didn’t realize it because back then, candidates didn’t have much leverage. They’d wait. They’d follow up. They’d take silence as part of the process.
But that’s not how it works anymore. People have choices now. Real ones.
The best candidates aren’t begging for callbacks. They’re juggling multiple offers, and the second your process feels off — too slow, too rigid, too cold — they’re gone. I’ve seen it happen more times than I care to admit.
And I get it. Honestly, I’d probably do the same in their shoes.
The Black Hole Application Thing
You know the one. You upload your résumé, then the system makes you retype everything you just uploaded. It’s 2025 and companies are still doing this — blows my mind.
I had a candidate once who said, “I almost didn’t finish your application. It felt like you didn’t want people to apply.” That stung. Because she was right. Not intentionally, of course, but right.
We built this monster process thinking it would filter for “serious applicants.” What it really did was annoy the good ones. If applying to work for you feels like an obstacle course, what do you think that says about the rest of your company?
I actually tested our own form once. Got halfway through and thought, “Nope, I’d quit right here.” That’s when it hit me — we were screening out the exact people we wanted.
And you know what’s funny? Fixing it didn’t take much. We just made it easier. Cut the fluff, modernized the system, added a quick reply email. Applicants started showing up again. Go figure.
The Interview Marathon Nobody Wants
This one… oof.
There’s “being thorough,” and then there’s “interviewing someone until they forget what job they applied for.” I once watched a company do eight rounds. Eight. The role wasn’t even senior leadership — it was a manager-level position.
I get it — we’re all scared of hiring the wrong person. But too many interviews don’t help you make a better decision. They just make you look indecisive.
I had a candidate tell me once, “By round five, I realized you guys didn’t know what you were looking for.” That hurt. Because, again, true.
We used to think, “One more conversation won’t hurt.” But it does. It tells the candidate you’re unsure. It slows momentum. And by the time you’re finally ready to make a decision, they’ve moved on.
There’s this weird comfort in more meetings — like safety in numbers. But hiring doesn’t work that way. At some point, you’ve just got to trust your gut and make the call.
Ghosting — Yeah, Companies Do It Too
Okay, so we’ve all complained about candidate ghosting. But let’s be real — employers started it.
Early in my career, I was guilty of it. We’d have a promising interview, things would go quiet, and instead of sending a simple “thanks but no thanks,” we’d just… vanish. Out of sight, out of inbox. I told myself we were too busy. Which, looking back, is just a fancy way of saying “lazy.”
Then I saw it from the other side. A candidate I knew — top-notch — told me, “I never heard back after my final interview. Not even a form email.” She said it casually, but I could tell it bugged her. And honestly, it should.
That stuff adds up. People remember how you made them feel. They might not tell you, but they’ll tell their friends, their network, or post about it online.
And here’s the kicker: sending a polite rejection takes maybe a minute. You can even automate it. There’s just no excuse.
If you don’t treat candidates with respect before they’re hired, why would they believe you’ll treat them well afterward?
The Job Post From 2007
This one makes me laugh now, but man, I’ve written some bad job descriptions in my time.
You know the ones: “Must be a self-starter,” “team player,” “thrives under pressure.” It’s like we all copied the same HR template from a dusty folder somewhere.
I once had a candidate tell me, “I read the job description twice and still didn’t know what the job was.” Fair point. It was a mess — full of jargon and buzzwords and zero personality.
Here’s what I’ve learned: job descriptions are marketing, not legal disclaimers. They should make someone want to apply. They should sound like a person wrote them, not a committee.
We stopped listing every possible skill and started focusing on three things: what the job actually does, what success looks like, and why it matters. The difference in candidate quality was instant.
And it’s not about being clever or trendy — it’s about being clear. Clarity beats complexity every time.
The Offer That Took Too Long
This one still haunts me.
We had this amazing candidate — perfect fit, culturally and technically. Everyone was excited. We told her, “Expect an offer by Friday.” Then Friday came… and went. Someone was out on vacation. Finance was slow to sign off. The VP had a few “final questions.”
By the time we sent the offer, she’d already accepted another job.
I called her anyway, just to thank her for her time. She was gracious — too gracious, honestly. Said, “I really liked your team, but they moved faster.” And she was right.
We always assume candidates will wait because we’re the opportunity. But they’re not waiting anymore. They’ve got options, and the company that moves quickest usually wins.
I’ve learned this the hard way — if you love a candidate, act like it. Move fast. Momentum is everything.
The “Perfect Fit” Myth
This one’s sneaky because it sounds harmless. “We’re just looking for the perfect fit.”
Except that phrase usually means “someone just like us.” And that’s where good companies stop growing.
I’ll never forget this one guy — totally different background, no industry experience. On paper, he shouldn’t have been right. But he had drive. Curiosity. Grit. We passed on him anyway because he didn’t have the “right” résumé. Six months later, another company hired him — and he crushed it. Outperformed everyone.
That was a wake-up call.
Sometimes the “perfect fit” isn’t the person who checks every box. It’s the one who brings something new to the table. The ones who see things differently — those are the people who push your company forward.
So What’s Left to Fix
Honestly? Everything and nothing.
The hiring world’s not broken — it’s just outdated. The problem isn’t that companies don’t care; it’s that they don’t adjust. They stick with processes that once worked and assume they still do. They don’t. Not anymore.
I’ve learned (and re-learned) that speed, communication, and empathy beat almost everything else. You don’t need fancy software or consultants. You just need to care.
I still catch myself slipping sometimes — overthinking a résumé, letting a candidate wait too long, writing a job post that sounds a little too generic. But at least now, I notice. That’s progress.
And if you’re reading this thinking, “Yeah, we do some of that,” good. You can fix it. Because hiring isn’t about being perfect — it’s about being better than yesterday.
Final Thought
Outdated hiring practices don’t scream failure. They whisper it. Quietly, over time. In missed hires. In lost trust. In candidates who never come back.
So if you want to know why great people keep walking away, don’t look at them. Look at your process. Because the truth is — they’re not leaving you. They’re leaving the experience you created.
