Having challenges hiring quality employees? You are not the Lone Ranger. Here are three of the biggest hiring mistakes I have seen post-Pandemic. Make sure you are not making one of these fatal hiring mistakes.

It is NOT an Honor and Privilege to Work Here – Hiring high quality talent is a competition. The old, “This is a great place to work!” narrative no longer works. Executives are not attracted to the IBM model – work for 30 years and retire with a gold watch. Some of the biggest employers were the first to layoff this year. Many of those same companies compensate well below the going market rate, so is that REALLY a great place to work? Nope. Post-Pandemic everything has changed. Employees see work as an exchange of their time for money (paycheck). They want to be compensated fairly, a solid benefits package, a challenging job and appreciation for their hard work.

Death by Due Diligence – If it takes you two or three months to make a job offer…you won’t be hiring anyone good. Candidates in transition (not working) don’t have months to participate in your panel interviews while you kick every tire on the planet. Candidates that are gainfully employed will have three job offers in two weeks. Has hiring slowed? Yes. Have layoffs commenced. Yes. But keep in mind that companies don’t lay off their star performers. If you like a candidate, move quickly to close the deal.

Lowball Offers – Anyone that tells you money doesn’t matter…doesn’t have any. If you are paying below market rate, you won’t be hiring anyone good. Before the Pandemic you could make a job offer in the middle of the salary range, right? Let’s say you were hiring a VP with a salary compendium of $175,000 to $250,000. Pre-Pandemic it was a buyers market and you could offer $200,000. These days it’s a sellers market and you are probably $250,000, maybe a little more. During the Pandemic there was no shortage of lowball offers to mediocre executives. All those chickens (bad hiring decisions) are now coming home to roost. High quality executives are worth the extra nickels.