In my time as a CEO of a hard tech headhunting and talent advising firm, I’ve seen some of the most brilliant teams make hiring mistakes – big ones. The worst part? They don’t realize they’re doing it.

Clients of AdAstra Talent Advisors get a full guide on this topic with a dozen tips for what to avoid during a search. I wanted to share three of the big ones with you.

The good news is that once you’re paying attention, this stuff isn’t rocket science. Trust me… many of our clients have built spacecraft, fusion reactors, and autonomous defense systems. Yet even they sometimes overlook hiring fundamentals. Awareness is where real hiring progress begins.

How to F*** Up Your Search #1:

Unclear job requirements

One of the easiest ways to waste your time and candidates’ time during the interview process is having unclear job requirements. Starting a new search without getting very clear on your needs is a search derailer. Before you really begin the work, talk to the current team. Consult internal stakeholders. Analyze your current gaps and your future goals to get a crystal clear understanding of what this person will do, along with the skills and experience they’ll need in order to do it.

By putting in this time before the search begins, you’re going to give candidates a better experience, and you’re going to set your top candidate(s) up to transition into happy employees that received correct expectations early on.

Once you’ve identified the key elements of the role you’re hiring for, interview candidates for the specific skillsets needed to be excellent at that job

How to F*** Up Your Search #2:

Expecting top candidates to be fully bought in right away

There’s this old school belief in recruiting that candidates should be subservient, and grateful for the chance to interview. In a different candidate market, some hiring managers could get away with this mentality (however it’s still a dangerous stance when you think about the reputation of your company). That’s definitely not the case anymore, and specifically not for teams that are hiring true top talent.

I’m not saying either side should tolerate disrespect. Vetting out mission-driven candidates is a vital  part of the interview process. That doesn’t mean they’re going to be committed to your mission before they hear more about it from you. Before your company is a household name, a huge part of building a great team is compelling people that your mission is as amazing as you know it to be. Interviewing is bilateral. The company is interviewing the candidate just as much as the candidate is interviewing the company.

All of this to say – it’s a missed opportunity to enter your first interview with the expectation that the candidate will already be 100% interested. A better expectation for that first conversation is intrigue, especially when we’re talking about proactive headhunting. These highly skilled candidates are often happy where they are and you need to help them see why this role and your company will help them achieve their dreams more than their current role.. Your goal is to build enough intrigue to land that first call, and then nurture that intrigue by telling your story and educating them about the power of the mission.

Don’t be afraid to focus on information sharing and excitement building during an initial call with a strong candidate.

How to F*** Up Your Search #3:

Lack of kindness and respect throughout the process

This point ties in heavily to my last point, but it’s so important that it deserves its own section. Mutual respect isn’t just important—it’s everything. Companies that get this right attract top talent. Those that don’t? They burn bridges they didn’t even know they were building.

Regardless of whether you hire someone, you want every candidate walking away thinking that your company is a great place to work,and that the interview experience was positive. I’ve seen companies lose out on top talent because of a lack of kindness, situational awareness, or compassion during the process.

This ties into so many aspects of hiring. Here are a few big ones to look out for.

Are you showing up on time to interviews? A reschedule may happen from time to time, and that’s life. Let the candidate know if something comes up, a no-show is a problem, two no-shows is a major red flag. There’s a ton of work that goes into interview prep, and many top candidates are currently employed, so they’ve modified their schedules to make this work.

How engaged are you during interviews? Are you giving your full attention? A great way to botch your search is to show lack of engagement during the interview. I’ve advised some hiring managers to call out things like “I have a hard stop, so you may see me check my watch or phone briefly during this conversation.” The same thing is true if a candidate is giving a presentation. They’ve taken the time to prepare – participants should be paying attention, and ideally even throwing in some affirming gestures (could be as simple as a nod) when a great point is made.

I know you’re busy and it can be awkward at first to tell someone you’re not interesting. I won’t judge you too badly for ghosting on your Tinder dates but ghosting with interviews is not going to serve you in the long run. Find effective ways to exit people from your process without leaving them in limbo or crushing their spirits – it will pay dividends.

Final Thoughts

Hiring is evolving, and so should your approach. If you want to avoid these search pitfalls and hire the best talent in the industry, let’s talk. AdAstra Talent Advisors specializes in finding the top 1% of talent in space, climate, and defense for hardtech startups. Connect with me here or drop a comment below.

Candidates, what hiring mistakes have you seen that deterred you?

Companies, what are some things you do to make sure your hiring process is dialed in?