Where the Hiring Process Goes Wrong?

Every founder or business leader knows the pain of hiring. Despite spending hours screening CVs, running interviews, and negotiating offers, many companies still end up with mismatched hires. Why? Because the hiring process is broken in more ways than one.

Let’s break it down.

1. Hiring in Panic Mode

Most companies start hiring when the pain becomes unbearable—when teams are overloaded or a client project is already slipping. The result? Rushed decisions. Instead of hiring for role fit and culture, managers hire the first “available” candidate. Six months later, the same role is open again.

Always keep a talent pipeline ready. Tools like ZigMe give you pre-vetted candidates who are job-ready, so you’re not scrambling last minute.

2. Focusing Only on Skills, Not Attitude

Many Indian freshers may have degrees but lack job readiness- communication, problem-solving, and ownership. Companies hire them based only on academic scores, then spend months in training. Some never adapt.

Assess for mindset and soft skills. A technically strong candidate without the right attitude will cost more in the long run than someone who is trainable and adaptable.

3. Interview Process is Outdated

Endless rounds of interviews, vague questions, and bias from interviewers—these are common traps. The irony? Candidates remember the experience, and the best talent often drops out mid-process.

Make interviews structured, fast, and candidate-friendly. One-shot interviews with role-relevant assessments cut bias and speed up decisions.

4. Poor Employer Branding

Job seekers today don’t just look at salary; they check Glassdoor, LinkedIn, and even employees’ social posts. If your company looks disorganized or uninspiring, the best candidates won’t even apply.

Build a strong employer brand. Showcase culture, career growth, and employee stories. Remember, top talent chooses companies, not the other way around.

5. No Data, Only Gut Feel

Many hiring managers still depend on instinct rather than metrics. That’s why bad hires slip through.

Use HR tech & analytics to track time-to-hire, offer acceptance rates, and early attrition. What gets measured gets improved.

6. AI Is Not a Magic Wand

Today, AI can scan thousands of résumés in minutes, rank skills, and even suggest culture fit. But many companies still end up with the wrong hire. Why? Because AI only works with the data it’s given.

“AI is obedient. If we give it vague inputs, it gives us vague outcomes - just faster.” The RiMakshi Perspective

Most job descriptions (JDs) are copy-pasted templates with little clarity on the real role. For example, one founder told us they spent 6 weeks hiring a Data Analyst. The JD simply said: “Excel, 5 years’ experience, analytical mindset.” AI shortlisted 60 people, 5 were interviewed, 1 joined, and left in 3 weeks.

The problem wasn’t AI. The problem was the JD. It didn’t specify tools (SQL or Power BI?), scope (reporting or forecasting?), or success metrics.

Solution: Fix the inputs.

• Let managers or subject-matter experts write the JD, not HR alone.

• Be explicit about tools, context, and success expectations.

• Use AI for speed, but rely on humans for final judgment—live conversations, task demos, and cultural intuition.

This “phydigital approach” tech + human sense is where hiring really works.

The Cost of Getting it Wrong

• A wrong fresher hire can cost up to ₹60,000 in wasted effort.

• Replacing an experienced employee can cost 1.5–2x their annual salary (LinkedIn Workforce Report).

• Bad hires don’t just drain money-they hurt morale, culture, and client trust.

Hiring goes wrong when companies treat it as a checklist task, not a strategic function. Good hiring is not about filling seats-it’s about finding people who fit, stay, and grow with the company.