AI for Hiring is the Problem, Not the Solution

As part of our upcoming “Moneyball for HR! – No More Turnover” series of webcast I decided to run a quick test. In this case I converted this job posting for a $150K product marketing manager job at LinkedIn into a more compelling performance-based job description. It took about 5 seconds using our AI agent. The first one is a job that emphasizes the skills and the second offers a career move that highlights the impact the person can make.

What do you think of the differences? Please put your ideas in the comments section.

FYI: Send us a link to one of your postings and we’ll convert it into a career move to attract stronger people.

Strangers Get Lateral Transfers and Acquaintances Get Better Jobs

Now here’s the problem. If the person hired for the same job was moved internally or referred the person would be selected based on their ability and motivation to do the work defined in version two of the job posting. And it would be a more compelling job. As a result, they’d also more likely to be 50-100% more successful and unlikely to leave during the first year or two.

However, if the person was hired using the original version of the job they’d be selected based on their depth of skills, their generic competencies and how well they present themselves during the interview. Worse, they’d never even learn about the real job until after they started. As a result, there’s a good chance they’d discover the job isn’t what they expected and would then either be disengaged, underperform or 50-100% more likely to leave during the first year.

This is not fair. Why? A true job analysis was never conducted and without a proper job analysis AI won’t help. In fact, it will make things worse.

The Root Cause of Turnover: Inadequate Job Analysis

The 20-40% turnover rate for external hires in their first year (costing organizations 2-3X their annual salary) stems primarily from a flawed approach to job analysis. Traditional job descriptions focus on qualifications and skills rather than actual performance expectations. This superficial analysis leads to mismatched hires, regardless of their impressive resumes or interview performance.

The Simple Solution: Performance-Based Job Analysis

The key to cutting new hire turnover in half lies in bridging this knowledge gap through a proper performance-based job analysis. You can use this prompt on any AI system to get some instant results:?

Please convert this job description (upload or paste) into a performance-based job description using the Performance-based Hiring process.?

The Critical Step: Ensuring Hiring Manager Buy-in

Of course this great idea won’t work unless hiring managers use it. To get them to see the value of the process ask the hiring manager this question before an offer is made:

Is the candidate fully aware of the performance expectations for the job, and if so, why is the person qualified to handle the role?

If the hiring manager's answer is vague or focuses solely on experience and skills ("They have 5 years of experience" or "They're good with Excel"), don't make the offer. The answer must specifically connect the candidate's demonstrated capabilities to the required performance outcomes.

The Impact

Organizations implementing this approach typically cut their new hire turnover in half or at least similar to referred candidates. Why? Because candidates understand exactly what success looks like before accepting the role, and hiring managers are forced to think beyond superficial qualifications to actual performance potential.

The solution to high turnover isn't faster hiring or more sophisticated interviewing techniques. It's about getting to the root cause: inadequate job analysis. By implementing a performance-based approach and ensuring hiring managers use it effectively, organizations can achieve the same success rates they see with internal moves and referrals.

Remember: The goal isn't to hire faster - it's to hire better. And that starts with knowing exactly what "better" means for each role.

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