Hiring the wrong person is one of the most expensive mistakes a business can make. Between lost productivity, lost opportunity, wasted training, and the cost of rehiring, a bad hire can set you back months. The problem? Many businesses keep making the same mistakes in their hiring process, leading to a cycle of wasted time and frustration. If you’re tired of interviewing the wrong people or bringing on employees who don’t work out, here’s how to fix it.

Start with a Better Job Ad

The hiring process starts long before the first interview. If you’re attracting the wrong candidates, the issue is often your job ad. A vague description that tries to appeal to everyone will fill your inbox with unqualified applicants.

The best job ads are clear and specific—defining the role, setting non-negotiable requirements, and filtering out anyone who isn’t a good fit. So,

• Be clear about your must-have skills.
• Avoid generic phrases like “strong communication skills” unless you define what that means in your workplace.
• If you need someone with a particular certification, make that an essential criteria.
• Give a realistic range for your salary. This will save you having to filter candidates who are expecting well above or well below the salary on offer.
• Describe the work environment, so candidates can self-select out if they don’t fit.

Think of your ad as a filter, not an invitation for as many applications as possible. The more clear and honest you are, the fewer time-wasting applications you’ll receive.

Screen Smarter, Not Harder

Many business owners spend too much time manually reviewing applications that never should have reached them in the first place. If your screening process isn’t filtering out weak candidates early, you’ll be drowning in resumes that aren’t worth reading.

A good first step is to add a few knockout questions to the application process, but make sure your questions aren’t generic – anyone can plug a question into ChatGPT and have a best practice answer produced:

• Ask highly specific, experience-based questions.
• Ask questions that reference real work outcomes.
• Ask for step-by-step breakdowns.
• Give a practical test with constraints.
• Ask questions that cover several of your essential criteria.

A quick phone screen—just ten minutes—is another way to confirm basic details before committing to a full interview.

Test for Skills

A polished resume and a confident interview don’t always translate to real-world ability. Many businesses make the mistake of hiring someone who “sounded great” only to realize later that they can’t actually do the job. Instead of relying on talk, use job-specific tests to confirm skills.

For technical roles, a practical assignment works well—like asking a graphic designer to complete a small project or having a salesperson pitch your product.

In non-technical roles, structured competency-based questions can reveal how a candidate has handled similar situations in the past. Ask for real examples from their experience, and if they don’t have any experiences that specifically apply, put a hypothetical situation in front of them.

Some companies take it a step further by offering paid trial projects or short-term contracts before making a full-time hire. While this isn’t always possible, it’s one of the best ways to see if someone is truly a fit before committing long-term.

Move Fast or Lose the Best Candidates

If your hiring process drags on, you’re losing top talent to competitors. The best candidates don’t wait around. Businesses that insist on multiple interview rounds, slow decision-making, or drawn-out processes often find themselves left with only the candidates no one else wanted.

Speeding up your process doesn’t mean rushing into bad hires—it means removing unnecessary delays. If a role doesn’t require three rounds of interviews, cut it down to one or two. If someone ticks all the boxes, don’t hesitate to make an offer. Many businesses operate under the false assumption that taking more time equals making a better decision, but in reality, all it does is let the best people slip away.

Know When to Get Outside Help

Some businesses insist on handling everything in-house, even when they don’t have the time or expertise to do it properly. While internal hiring can work for some roles, for others, it just wastes time. A good recruitment partner can help by filtering out the wrong candidates before they even reach you, cutting hiring time in half, and ensuring you only see top-quality candidates.

The best recruiters aren’t just resume-pushers—they understand your industry, your business, and what kind of person will truly thrive in the role. They’ll also help with market insights, salary guidance, and ensuring you don’t waste money on ineffective job ads.

Final Thoughts

Hiring the wrong person is expensive, frustrating, and avoidable. The key to finding the right fit isn’t about luck—it’s about having a process that works. Start by writing job ads that attract the right people and deter the wrong ones. Use smart screening techniques to filter applicants before they reach you. Test for skills instead of relying on resumes. Move quickly when you find a strong candidate. And if hiring isn’t your expertise, don’t be afraid to get help.

When done right, hiring isn’t a guessing game—it’s a system that consistently delivers the right people for your business. And once you have that in place, you’ll stop wasting time on bad candidates for good.