The Folly of Bad Hiring: A Startup's Tale of Valuing Pedigree over Grit

What happens when you can't land a single hire even after sifting through a mountain of resumes? I have a story highlighting the perils of inflexible hiring criteria, unreasonable expectations, and the irreplaceable value of grit in the startup game.

Several years ago, a promising startup requested an audit of their search for a sales leader. To everyone's surprise, they've already sifted through a whopping 400 resumes without finding a fit. If you've been down this road and still can't nail a candidate, it's a flashing neon sign that something's broken in your hiring process. Their compass was way off, and it was time to recalibrate their expectations.

But instead of taking our advice by pausing and reflecting, the team decided they needed more volume! They reached out to another 600 candidates, making it a jaw-dropping 1,000 profiles, and still no success. It was becoming evident that quantity didn't translate into quality. Our market is tiny, and this poor company just told a good portion of the community they don’t know what they are looking for.

When asked what the candidates lacked, the hiring manager responded, "I'll know it when I see it." This vague approach to hiring leaves plenty of room for personal bias and unattainable standards. It’s also a clue that they are looking for something they don’t want to admit to. For example, they may only hire from an Ivy League talent pool.?

My theory was that our inexperienced executive was holding out for "pedigree" candidates – folks from top-tier schools and privileged backgrounds. While this requirement is an open secret and too familiar in startups, it's fundamentally flawed. In this story, they did manage to unearth an ideal, elite candidate who ticked all the boxes. The resume was “perfect,” the candidate interviewed like a pro, and the team bragged about the impressive pedigree.?

Here's the twist. The "perfect" elite candidate accepted the offer, but within a mere three months, they jumped ship. Why? They found a cushier job that didn't require the same level of grind and resilience. This narrative underscores a pivotal error in the hiring process. In a startup world, grit and determination are often the name of the game. Candidates who've invested a fortune in their education may not be too keen on cold calls for a company nobody has heard of. Starting a sales org in a startup is one of the most complex challenges in the business.?It takes dedication and grit.

An elite background isn't a reliable indicator

This real-life hiring saga in the startup world offers a critical lesson for businesses of all shapes and sizes. It highlights the importance of a finely-tuned hiring process, keeping expectations grounded in reality, and evaluating candidates based on their capabilities rather than arbitrary checkboxes. Thriving in a startup environment hinges on discovering individuals with impressive qualifications and the determination and willingness to get their hands dirty. It's worth noting that many "pedigreed" candidates do embody grit and determination, but an elite background isn't a reliable indicator of this trait. Neglecting these factors can result in costly turnovers, muddled talent pools, and significant setbacks.