17. March 2026

Why Most Hiring Feels Harder Than It Should Be

I was speaking to a founder recently who said something I hear all the time. “Hiring is just really tough right now.” And I didn’t disagree. It can be tough. But as we talked it through, it became clear the issue wasn’t really the market, or candidates, or even competition. It was the way they were approaching hiring in the first place.

They had been looking for months. They’d spoken to agencies, posted the role, interviewed a few people, but nothing had quite landed. Every candidate was “almost right” but not quite there. And that’s usually the point where frustration kicks in, because it feels like you’re doing everything you’re supposed to do.

But when I asked a simple question, things changed. I asked, “What does success actually look like for this hire in six months?” Not the job description. Not a list of skills. Just the reality of what this person needs to come in and fix or improve.

There was a pause. Then a slightly vague answer. Then we dug a bit deeper.

And that’s where the real problem usually sits.

Most businesses don’t struggle because there aren’t good people out there. They struggle because they’re not completely clear on what they actually need. The brief sounds fine on paper, but when you break it down, it’s often built on assumptions. “We need someone experienced.” “We need someone proactive.” “We need someone who fits.” It all sounds right, but none of it is specific enough to guide a real hiring decision.

So what happens is this slow, frustrating cycle. You speak to a candidate who seems good, but something feels off. You can’t quite explain why, so you keep looking. Then the next person is similar. Close, but not quite. Weeks go by, sometimes months, and suddenly hiring starts to feel like guesswork.

What I’ve found is that hiring gets a lot easier the moment you get specific. Not perfect, just specific. When a business can clearly explain what problems this person is walking into, what they’ll need to take ownership of, and what “good” looks like after a few months, everything sharpens. The conversations improve. The interviews make more sense. Decisions get made faster.

It also changes how candidates respond. Good people aren’t just looking for a job, they’re looking for something they can understand and buy into. If the role feels vague, they hesitate. If it’s clear, they lean in.

That’s a big part of what I focus on with Building Talent. It’s not just about finding candidates. It’s about helping businesses think properly about the hire before they even go to market. Because once that thinking is right, the rest becomes much more straightforward.

Hiring will never be completely easy. You’re still making a decision about a person, and there’s always some level of risk in that. But it shouldn’t feel chaotic or constantly uncertain.

In most cases, when hiring feels harder than it should, it’s not because there aren’t good candidates out there.

It’s because the business hasn’t made the role clear enough to recognise one when they see them.