Problems With Traditional Hiring Processes

I remember hiring a candidate who nailed the interview without hesitation. Within months, it was a disaster. During the interview, this lawyer had seemed like a perfect fit: • confident • articulate • charismatic. Once she started, though, this lawyer showed up late and left early. She didn’t align with our firm’s values. Her work was subpar. I had to admit that I let myself get fooled by a great first impression. The truth is, the traditional hiring process is broken. • exaggerated résumés • meaningless references (who lists someone that won’t praise them?) • performative interviews. If you're hiring based primarily (or solely) on interviews, then you run the risk of hiring people who can talk—or BS— their way into a job. The problem is that you might find yourself  standing knee-deep in their accumulated BS within a couple months. I've learned that lesson the hard way. That's why we stopped relying so much on interviews at the Mike Morse Law Firm. We've incorporated methods for ensuring candidates don’t just look good on paper. In addition to interviews, we administer skills tests to ensure that a candidate actually have the skills we need for the job. We also use different  assessments to learn more about a candidate's personality and whether they share our core values. Interviews still matter. But they matter far less today than they did when I was hiring 20 years ago. And that's reduced the guesswork in our hiring process. It's also helped us avoid those scenarios where we're left knee-deep in BS. 

📱 My phone’s been blowing up lately—colleagues on both sides of the hiring game are venting about the same thing. Job seekers can’t land roles, and hiring managers can’t find people who actually stay. About half of my network who were job-hunting have found something, but the other half are still stuck in the grind. Meanwhile, companies tell me that even when they do make a hire, retention is a nightmare—new employees are bouncing within six months. The disconnect is real: companies are hiring, candidates are applying, but something is clearly broken. Traditional hiring—bloated job descriptions, ATS black holes, and never-ending interview rounds—is failing everyone. So, what needs to change? 🔄 Here’s what I’ve seen work: ✅ Ditch the ATS Dependence – Get back to human recruiting instead of relying on keyword filters. ✍️ Fix Job Descriptions – Make them clear, real, and relevant—cut the jargon. 🤝 Prioritize Personal Connections – Hiring managers should actively engage instead of passively posting. 🎯 Focus on Skills, Not Just Titles – Look at what candidates can actually do, not just where they’ve been. ⏳ Speed Up the Process – The best talent won’t wait around for a four-week approval cycle. 💬 Improve the Candidate Experience – Give real feedback and make the process transparent. Here’s a real-world fix I put in place: At a previous company, the hiring pipeline was a mess—ATS filters blocked great candidates, and the process dragged on. I introduced a referral-first hiring approach, tapping employees’ networks before posting publicly. We also replaced multiple early-stage screenings with a 30-minute call with the hiring manager. 📉 Time-to-hire dropped 35% 🎯 Quality of hires improved—better fits, fewer regrets 📈 Retention rates increased—candidates knew exactly what they were signing up for 🔑 Bottom line: Hiring is broken, but it doesn’t have to be. The best hires come through real connections, not algorithms. What’s been your biggest hiring (or job search) frustration lately? Drop a comment 👇 #Hiring #Recruiting #JobSearch #TalentStrategy #HR #FutureOfWork

The heavy cost of slow hiring 👇 I see this conversation happen all the time: Recruiter: “The candidate accepted another offer.” Manager: “But we were their first choice!” Recruiter: “You were.” Manager” “What happened?” Recruiter: “Your 8-week process. The other company? 3 weeks.” Why companies lose top talent: 1. The "perfect candidate" myth → Chasing impossible requirements → Meanwhile, great candidates accept other offers → The market moves faster than your wishlist 2. Death by committee → “Everyone must agree” → No one decides → Talent then walks away 3. Interview fatigue → 6+ rounds of same questions → Exhausted candidates → Diminishing returns 4. Fear paralysis → Obsessing over bad hire risk → Missing great talent → Competitors move faster 5. Process chaos → Delayed feedback → Poor communication → Candidates feel devalued 6. Assessment overload → 10+ hour assignments → Testing patience, not skills → Top talent opts out How to navigate this as a jobseeker: ↳ Create Urgency "I'm in later stages with other companies" isn't manipulative, it can help with planning. ↳ Watch Their Communication Radio silence or constant reschedules aren't just annoying, they can be red flags. ↳ Ask About Timeline Early "What does your hiring timeline look like?" saves everyone time and sets expectations. ↳ Trust Your Gut If they can't make hiring decisions efficiently, imagine how they handle business decisions. ↳ Keep Your Search Active Until you have a signed offer, keep looking. Being told “you’re the top candidate" isn't an offer letter. The strongest professional relationships start with mutual respect. That begins with how you handle the hiring process. Been in this situation? Share your story 👇 ♻️ Repost to help your network ➕ Follow me for more insights on navigating today's complex job market