Hiring Is Broken. Let us Not Be.

Job hunting today feels like shouting into a void. You polish your resume. Tweak the keywords. Write a crisp note. Hit "Apply."

Then you wait. And wait.

And most of the time, you hear nothing.

We posted one role recently and got over 1,200 applications from a single LinkedIn post. No exaggeration.

HR tries their best. They build forms, filters, templates. They rewrite JD bullets to be scarily specific. It's a survival tactic. But it also means the process becomes a lottery.

A lot of great people get missed. By the time it reaches me, it's a shortlist of maybe 20. The algorithm already decided who might be worth a shot.

I interview at least 10 people a week. Sometimes 3 a day. It's a blur. Same questions. Different names. But I try to remind myself - for me, it's a calendar slot. For them, it might be their one real shot this month.

Respect is free

There are three versions of a candidate in every interview: the one described in the JD, the one the interviewer imagines, and the one the candidate gets to show: often briefly, on a video call. Most never get past that first version. For the ones who do, the odds are still rough.

So the least we can do is treat them like humans. Greet them properly. Look up from your screen. Ask how they're doing - and mean it. Set the tone for the call, make space for them to be comfortable. If you're not up for it, reschedule. Don't drag someone through an interview just because it's on the calendar.

Remember: candidates are evaluating you too. Your clarity, empathy, energy. The best ones always have options.

What I look for

I'm not just looking for skill, that's expected. I want to understand how someone thinks, how fast they learn, what excites them, and where they're headed.

A few questions I often ask: what's something you learned recently that changed how you work? What do you know now that you wish you knew six months ago? If you had three months off, what would you go build or explore?

The point isn't to get perfect answers. I just want to know you've been thinking, trying, and evolving.

Learning power > pedigree. Every single time.

The hidden signs

I also pay attention to the small signals, how people talk about their teams, whether they ask thoughtful questions, whether they admit what they don't know. Do they explain things clearly, or hide behind jargon? Do they seem excited about the work, or just the brand?

Sometimes I'll toss in a curveball - not to test them, just to see how they think on their feet. I'd rather see someone pause and reflect than rattle off a polished answer.

Bad interviews ≠ bad candidates

Some people freeze. Overthink. Blank out. I've been there. I've bombed interviews I cared about. Dry mouth. Dumb answers. It sucks.So if someone's struggling, I try to help. Reframe the question. Give an example. Crack a joke. Bring them back in.

Because this isn't a test. It's a conversation. And sometimes the quietest, most unsure person becomes your most reliable hire.

Coach your team

To leaders/managers, if your team is running interviews, coach them. Set expectations. Share examples. Review notes. Help them get better.

The way your team interviews says more about your company than your careers page ever will. I've seen someone reject a great candidate because they didn't "vibe." Or because they were nervous. Or because they didn't know an obscure framework.

That's not evaluation. That's ego. We once had to intervene after someone told a junior dev, “You should know this, it’s basic.” You can't build a strong team with weak culture.

What we forget

Interviewing might be the most broken part of building a company. We treat it like procurement. Write a spec, compare features, choose the closest match. But that's not how people work. They grow. They change. They surprise you.

You can't predict everything, but you can build a process that's fair and human. One that remembers that no one is fully ready for a job until they're actually doing it. One that gives people room to show what they can do - not just how well they can talk.

Most interviews are too talk-heavy, too assumption-driven, too stacked against anyone who doesn't look perfect on paper. A little trust and flexibility go a long way. And a little empathy goes even further.

What I wish more candidates knew

You're not supposed to be perfect. You're not supposed to have every answer. Or speak with perfect polish. Or have a 10-year plan.

What matters:

• You're thoughtful.
• You're trying.
• You're honest.
• You're not hiding.

If you don't get the role, it doesn't mean you're bad. Sometimes it's timing. Or chemistry. Or dumb luck. Don't let one interview dent your self-worth.

Final thoughts

Hiring is hard. It takes time, judgment, and a weird kind of optimism. You're not just betting on someone's past. You're betting on their future.

But it doesn't have to be cold. Or robotic. Or adversarial.

Say hello like you mean it. Ask better questions. Listen harder.

Be human.