Every hiring manager knows the struggle.
“We’ve had 37 CVs and no one’s right.”
“There’s no one out there.”
“The market’s dry.”
“Candidates just aren’t good enough.”
We hear it all the time.
But in most cases, the issue isn’t the market – it’s the process.
Hiring goes wrong long before a single CV hits your inbox. When briefs are unclear, expectations keep shifting, and the story behind the opportunity falls flat, you end up reviewing piles of profiles that never quite fit. You don’t need more candidates – you need more clarity.
At We Do Group, we see it constantly. One client we worked with had reviewed 37 CVs from three different agencies. No progress. No offers. Everyone blamed the market. We rebuilt the brief, refined the must-haves, repositioned the role and sent three candidates. All aligned. All interested. Offer made in 12 days.
That’s not luck. It’s focus.
Here’s what usually goes wrong in hiring processes – and how to fix it before you lose another month of hiring momentum.
1. The Brief Keeps Changing
Every time a brief shifts, your shortlist shifts too – or, to be completely honest, it resets. One week you want someone commercially focused; the next, technically strong; then suddenly they must have a specific sector background. No one can hit a moving target – so slow it down and focus.
Drift is one of the biggest killers of hiring progress. It wastes recruiter effort, confuses candidates, and makes your process look indecisive and chaotic.
The fix? Pause and fully commit.
Tighten the brief until it’s crystal clear who you need and why you need them. If you can’t answer these questions instantly, your process isn’t ready – and needs rethinking before you go to market. Once you’ve locked it in, stick to it. Clarity beats speed, every single time.
2. You’re Not Aligned Internally
Hiring breaks down when the internal decision makers aren’t aligned. One stakeholder says “we need a hands-on operator,” another wants “strategic oversight,” and candidates get mixed messages that leave them uncertain about what the business really wants – and question whether they’re the right fit for the role.
Before you go to market, bring everyone to the table – hiring managers, key stakeholders, and recruiters – and get everyone singing from the same hymn sheet. Agree on the must-haves, the nice-to-haves, and the real priorities. Internal alignment doesn’t just make the process smoother; it also helps you sell a unified story that builds confidence with candidates.
3. The Bar Is Unrealistic
Everyone wants the unicorn candidate – but unicorns rarely exist, and they definitely don’t apply for mid-banding salaries. Setting expectations too high only leads to disappointment, frustration, and wasted time.
If your budget doesn’t match your wish list, something has to give. Either reframe the level of role, rethink the structure, or adjust compensation to match ambition. The most successful hiring processes are grounded in realism – understanding what great looks like for the level you can offer to a candidate.
4. The Opportunity Is Undersold
Top talent doesn’t move for “a role.” They move for a story. If you can’t clearly explain why this job matters – why now, why this business, and why this opportunity – don’t expect candidates to get excited.
You’re not just selling a job description; you’re selling an impact story. How will this person shape the business? What will they achieve in 12 months? What challenges make this role interesting? What routes of progression are there? When you communicate that clearly, you attract people who want to contribute and drive your business forward- not just people who want a payslip.
If the story doesn’t excite you, it definitely won’t excite them.
5. The Recruiter Is Too Passive
Posting a job ad and waiting isn’t recruitment – it’s administration. Too many recruiters still take a transactional approach: gather applications, forward CVs, and hope for the best. But that isn’t realistic – hope isn’t a strategy, and it definitely won’t solve your hiring problem.
You need partners who go beyond that. Recruiters who challenge your brief, advise you when expectations are off, and push for clarity even when it’s uncomfortable. The right recruiter doesn’t just “fill a role” – they take the time to understand your business model, refine your messaging, highlight what matters most, and act as a true extension of your brand in the market.
If your recruiter isn’t adding that kind of value, you’re not working with the right one.
6. Feedback Loops Are Broken
Delays, silence, and vague rejections all chip away at momentum. The longer it takes to respond, the colder the talent pool gets. By the time you finally make a decision, your top choice has already accepted another offer.
Fast, structured feedback is a competitive advantage. Candidates don’t expect perfection – they expect communication. A consistent rhythm of feedback, progression and decision making signals that your business is organised, decisive, and respectful. That’s what keeps high-quality talent engaged throughout the process.
7. You’re Focused on Quantity, Not Quality
More CVs rarely mean more success. In fact, they often make things worse. Every additional profile adds noise, not progress. The goal isn’t to see “everyone” – it’s to identify the right few as after all, there’s generally only one role to fill.
Focused and high quality shortlists create faster decisions. When you’re working from a tight, well-qualified pool, your interviews become richer, your comparisons fairer, and your offer-to-hire ratio skyrockets. It’s not about seeing every option; it’s about seeing the best options. Set clear standards and don’t let them slip.
8. The Process Takes Too Long
The best candidates move quickly. If your process doesn’t, you’ll lose them. Every unnecessary stage, every week of silence, and every delayed decision sends a clear message that you’re unsure – and that you’re not taking the process seriously.
Modern hiring needs momentum. That means booking interviews promptly, consolidating decision-makers, and communicating timelines from the start. Got a delay? Be open and honest with your candidates. Explain why, and what it means for the process.
Transparency is key – not just to show that you respect candidates’ time, but to create a positive impression of your business. A structured, well-communicated process isn’t just efficient; it’s a reflection of how your company operates. And top talent wants to join businesses that move with intent.
9. You Haven’t Challenged the Spec
Sometimes the right hire isn’t the one you first imagined – it’s someone better. Maybe the brief has been shaped by legacy thinking or old team structures. Maybe what you really need is a different skill set altogether.
The strongest hiring leaders are willing to challenge assumptions. They ask: what does the business actually need now? Where can we flex the role to attract stronger talent? By re-examining the spec through a commercial lens, you often uncover opportunities to hire smarter, not just faster.
10. The Truth: It’s Not a Talent Problem
Most hiring issues aren’t about the market. They’re about clarity, process, and positioning. When those three elements align, the whole picture changes.
The fix?
-
Tighten the brief.
-
Align the team.
-
Tell a story that excites.
-
Work with a recruiter who won’t just nod along but will challenge and guide you to get it right.
That’s where We Do Group comes in.
We’re not here to flood you with CVs. We’re here to help you hire better – by shaping roles properly, cutting through the noise, and finding the people who actually fit.
Because when the brief is right, the right candidates follow.
Final Thought
Hiring doesn’t break because there’s “no one out there.” It breaks because clarity disappears. The businesses that hire best are the ones that slow down at the start, align internally, and commit to a clear story before they hit the market.
You don’t need 37 CVs. You need three – the right three.
At We Do Group, that’s what we deliver. Clearer briefs. Sharper processes. Better hires.
