The 6 most common hiring mistakes scale-ups are making - and how to avoid them
November 23, 2021
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Mistake #4: Too many or too few rounds
Some roles (with more responsibility) need more screenings and conversations with relevant stakeholders inside the company. Other roles don't. There's really no one-size-fits-all.
The solution to mistake #4
The amount of screening rounds you have depends heavily on seniority. Look, I get it. When hiring a CFO (or any other critical hire for that matter) you want to be really sure you have the right person for the job. But do you really need 6 rounds for a sales rep who’s just out of college? Rule of thumb: the more critical the more rounds you need.
Mistake #5: Lowballing the final offer (ouch)
We've seen it happen time and time again. You finally have the perfect candidate. She's the best at what she does. She fits your company culture. She fits in perfectly with your current team. And what do you do?
In your final offer, you offer a way too low salary. You, my friend, have shot yourself in the foot. If this is top talent, they'll know what they're worth. They know they can get higher employee compensation somewhere else. And lowballing them leaves you with an empty talent pipeline and your role still unfulfilled.
The solution to mistake #5
Apparently, founders like to offer salaries below the price people have in mind (or are worth). This lowballing can cause your dream candidate to quickly leave the whole process. Leaving you with nothing. What to do? Maybe you offer someone a low salary without knowing. That's where salary benchmarks come into play. We have one for the Netherlands here (and one for Berlin is coming soon!)
Mistake #6: not planning ahead
Planning for hiring makes sure your company's growth won't slow down. You'll have a full pipeline. Not planning means you're hiring when you need someone. This means you're already too late.
The solution to Mistake #6
You’ll always have a hiring problem. Best to plan for it. Ideally, you hire top talent before the need arises. That’s not to say you should just hire at random. Think about it like this: when you come across top talent try to hire them. They’re scarce, so if you cross paths try to take advantage. Having a clear hiring roadmap means you’ll be planning ahead.
Avoid these mistakes and you'll be 95% ahead of the curve. There you have it. Most founders and hiring managers still make these mistakes. But from this moment, you won't be one of them!
