License to Hire: Are We Choosing Talent or Just Playing Favourites?

Every hiring manager wants to believe they’re making smart, rational hiring decisions. Yet, more often than not, hiring is less about objective assessments and more about gut feelings, personal biases, and short-term agendas. Instead of approaching hiring with a structured, scientific process, we often let unconscious preferences dictate who gets the job. The result? We miss out on great talent and end up with teams that are more about familiarity than capability.

Hiring should be a responsibility, not a privilege that allows unchecked biases to creep in. Yet, many managers operate without any real training on how to assess talent. This lack of structure leads to some obvious, yet still shockingly common hiring mistakes.

The Most Common Hiring Errors

Here are some of the biggest pitfalls in the hiring process that can derail good decision-making and hurt business growth:

1. The Prestige Trap

Many hiring managers fall into the habit of hiring based on where a candidate comes from rather than what they bring to the table. This includes:

• School Bias:Assuming someone from a top-tier university is automatically smarter or more capable than someone from a lesser-known college.
• Company Halo Effect:Believing that a candidate from a well-known brand is inherently better, rather than assessing their individual contributions.
• Alumni Club Mentality:favouring candidates who share an educational or professional background with the hiring manager.

2. The “Experience Over Potential” Obsession

Experience is valuable but overemphasizing it can lead to rejecting high-potential candidates who may outperform their more experienced counterparts in the long run. Common pitfalls include:

• Unrealistic Experience Requirements:Asking for 10 years of experience for a role that doesn’t actually require it.
• Ignoring Transferable Skills:Overlooking candidates from different industries or backgrounds who bring fresh perspectives.
• Assuming Longevity Equals Growth:Just because someone has spent years in a role doesn’t mean they’ve actually evolved or improved.

3. The Illusion of “Culture Fit”

“Culture fit” is often used as a polite way to mask biases. While aligning with company values is important, many hiring managers unconsciously reject candidates who don’t look, sound, or think like the existing team. This leads to:

• Lack of Diversity in Thought:A team that agrees on everything isn’t necessarily a high-performing team.
• Missing Out on Innovation:Different perspectives drive creativity and problem-solving.
• Unintentional Discrimination:Rejecting someone because they don’t “fit in” can mean excluding people based on race, gender, background, or even personality type.

4. The “Plug-and-Play” Fantasy

Too many hiring managers expect to find candidates who are ready to perform from day one with no need for training or mentoring. This mindset creates several issues:

• Unrealistic Expectations:No one is 100% job-ready on day one. Even the best hires need time to adjust.
• Failure to Develop Employees:Organizations that don’t invest in employee growth struggle with retention and innovation.
• Transactional Leadership:The “I pay, you work” mindset fosters disengagement and prevents long-term commitment.

5. The Job Description Nightmare

A poorly written job description confuses candidates and frustrates hiring managers. Some common JD mistakes include:

• Laundry List of Requirements:When a JD asks for too many skills, even top candidates hesitate to apply.
• Vague Responsibilities:If a candidate can’t understand what they’ll actually be doing, they’re unlikely to be excited about the role.
• Mismatch Between Role and Compensation:Expecting an entry-level candidate to handle senior-level tasks but offering junior-level pay.

The Cost of a Broken Hiring Process

When we hire based on biases and vague expectations, we don’t just lose out on great candidates we actively harm our organizations. The cost of a bad hire is significant: wasted time, lost productivity, and damage to team morale. Even worse, when word spreads that a company’s hiring process is unfair or confusing, top candidates may not even apply.

So, how do we fix this?

Three Simple CTAs for Hiring Managers and Interviewers

If you’re involved in hiring, here are three straightforward actions you can take to ensure a better, fairer, and more effective hiring process:

1. Challenge Your Own Biases

Before making a hiring decision, ask yourself:

• Am I rejecting this candidate because they’re unqualified, or because they don’t fit my personal idea of what a “good hire” looks like?
• Would I make the same decision if their resume didn’t include their school or past employers?
• Am I judging their actual ability, or just how comfortable I feel with them?

2. Clarify What You Really Need

Make sure the role is defined with clear, realistic expectations:

• Focus on what the candidate needs to accomplish, not just their background.
• Separate must-haves from nice-to-haves in the job description.
• Stop copy-pasting old JDs that no longer reflect what the job actually entails.

3. Hire for Growth, Not Just Readiness

Instead of searching for a perfect match, look for people who can learn and evolve in the role:

• Ask yourself: “Can this person grow into what we need in six months?”
• Invest in training and mentorship instead of expecting a finished product.
• Recognize that hiring someone eager to learn is often better than hiring someone who’s already stagnated.

Final Thoughts

Hiring isn’t about filling seats it’s about unlocking potential. The best talent strategy is one that balances skills, potential, and culture with fairness and clarity. So, before you sign off on your next hire, ask yourself: Are you hiring for the company’s future or just your own comfort?

A strong hiring process isn’t about eliminating risk; it’s about making informed, thoughtful choices that benefit both the company and the candidates. Because when we hire the right way, we don’t just build a workforce we build a future.