Hiring isn’t just about finding the right person; it’s about finding them efficiently, without derailing your team or sacrificing quality. For startups, where time is a precious commodity, the hiring process can feel like an uphill battle. The numbers don’t lie: hiring even one person takes a substantial amount of time – 71 hours to be exact. And in the fast-paced world of startups, that’s time most teams simply don’t have.
So, what’s the solution? Let’s break it down.
Table of Contents
Why Hiring Takes So Much Time 🕛
Here’s a step-by-step breakdown of the time commitment required to hire just one person:
- 4 hours: Crafting a candidate profile and writing a compelling job advert.
- 8 hours: Sourcing relevant profiles from databases, job boards, and networks.
- 3 hours: Filtering through inbound applicants to identify potential fits.
- 3 hours: Managing initial candidate communications.
- 24 hours: Conducting 20 initial screening interviews (allowing for scheduling).
- 4 hours: Conducting 6 reference calls, including scheduling and follow-ups.
- 5 hours: Creating detailed candidate reports for stakeholders.
- 10 hours: Holding 5 second-round interviews (scheduling included).
- 1 hour: Final decision-making meeting with stakeholders.
- 4 hours: Conducting 3 final-round interviews (scheduling included).
- 3 hours: Maintaining communication with candidates throughout the process.
- 2 hours: Sending rejection emails to those not selected.
That’s 71 hours, or nearly two full working weeks, to fill a single role.
The Real Costs of Delayed Hiring 💰
For startups, losing a team member to the hiring process isn’t just inconvenient—it’s expensive:
- Sales Teams: Can you afford to lose a salesperson for two weeks of revenue-generating activity to make a single hire?
- Engineering Teams: What happens to your development velocity if a key member of your scrum team misses an entire sprint?
Taking shortcuts might seem tempting, but they come with risks:
- The Cost of a Bad Hire: A rushed process increases the likelihood of hiring the wrong person—a mistake that could cost you a full year’s salary.
- Stalled Growth: Delayed hiring can hurt your ability to scale, meet deadlines, or maintain service quality.
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Common Mistakes Startups Make 📉
Even with the best intentions, startups often stumble in the hiring process:
- Shortcutting the Process: Skipping steps like reference checks or screening interviews leads to poor outcomes.
- Untrained Interviewers: Are your team members trained in interview techniques, or are they making it up as they go? ‘Winging it’ can lead to missed red flags or a lack of consistency in candidate evaluations.
- Waiting for the Perfect Time: Hiring often gets postponed for “when we have more time,” but the opportunity cost of leaving roles vacant can be just as damaging.
Tips for Building a Better Hiring Process 
Hiring isn’t rocket science, but it is a skill that requires time and attention to do well. Here are some tips to streamline the process while maintaining quality:
- Invest in Training: Equip your interviewers with the skills to assess candidates effectively.
- Structure the Process: Stick to a well-defined hiring plan to ensure no steps are missed.
- Learn from the Experts: Books like WHO by Dr Geoff Smart offer invaluable guidance for mastering the art of hiring.
- Use Resources: Check out Transparent Technology’s insights for additional tips to optimise your recruitment strategy.
Final Thoughts and Support 
Hiring may seem like a daunting, time-consuming task, but the stakes are too high to cut corners. Whether you choose to tackle it yourself or seek support, the key is a well-structured, intentional approach.
