Managers’ Blind Spots Can Sabotage the Hiring Process

There’s art and science to recruiting, but even the best hiring manager has blind spots that, if left unaddressed, can lead to negative workforce outcomes. One of the most common is the assumption that they can fix a new recruit’s issues. Particularly prevalent at start-ups and organizations with an entrepreneurial mindset, the hiring manager is overconfident in their abilities to develop a new employee, even if there is evidence that the individual isn’t ready for growth. Validation-seeking is another blind spot many hiring managers have; qualified candidates who don’t show unbounded enthusiasm and gush over the opportunity during interviews can be passed over. Micromanaging is also a blind spot—hiring managers who hint at heavy oversight during the interview process will attract candidates who thrive in inflexible environments. These employees tend to lack passion, engagement, and prefer to be told what to do rather than coming up with novel solutions. But the other extreme can be just as bad. If a manager signals they’re hands-off, that might read as absent. When new hires feel they are in a sink-or-swim situation, it leads to unhealthy conflict, burnout, and turnover.