If you watched Aitch tackle the “Jungle Doomsday” challenge on I’m A Celebrity last night, you’ll have felt the pressure. One wrong move and it was over – no second chances, no going back, just pure, high-stakes chaos.
And while recruitment might not involve giant Australian pigeons and baby gators that snap, the reality is that many businesses face hiring doomsdays that could cost them more money and more time.
Below, we break down the five biggest mistakes that lead organisations straight into their own Hiring Doomsday – and how to avoid them once and for all.
Rushing the job spec
Nobody likes a vague job spec. What are the benefits? What is the working pattern? What are the key requirements? And the one everyone hates, what is the salary?
This may sound obvious, but not advertising a detailed job specification can mean you’re attracting the completely wrong candidates.
You’re then open to wasted time sieving through applications, wasted money on advertising and misaligned expectations between both you and the candidate.
Take time to understand the scope, responsibilities, required skills and cultural needs of the role. A strong job spec sets the tone for the entire recruitment process.
Hiring on gut feeling alone
While instinct has its place, relying solely on gut feeling often leads to bias, inconsistency and bad hires.
Use structured interviews, scorecards, competency-based questions and evidence-led assessments. Hire with your head and your intuition – not intuition alone.
Dragging out the recruitment process
Top candidates are off the market in as little as 7-10 days. If your process is slow or disorganised, talent won’t wait around, and your competitors gain the advantage.
Streamline interviews, communicate quickly and set expectations from the start.
The businesses that act with pace are the ones that secure the best people.
Not selling the business to candidates
Many employers stage interviews with candidates to try and determine why they should pick that candidate for their role.
The reality is, hiring isn’t just about choosing talent – it’s about being chosen by talent.
If you’re not communicating your culture, values, career opportunities and benefits, candidates have no reason to pick you over a competitor.
Showcase your strengths, be transparent about the workplace and the candidates potential place within your business.
Skipping proper screening and checks
A CV tells you part of a candidate’s story – but without a structured screening process, you risk a mis-hire.
Build a framework that digs into experience, behaviour and skills – don’t just judge based on face value.
Escaping hiring doomsday with Glu Recruit
It wouldn’t be right to not include a cheeky plug, right? At Glu, we help organisations avoid their own high-stakes hiring disasters by providing a thorough process that’s structured, transparent and tailored to your business.
From defining the role to shortlisting, screening, interviewing and supporting onboarding, our team ensures every step is handled with precision – so you never have to face a recruitment trial alone.