Stop Waffling: 7 Decisive Hiring Moves That Will Transform Your Talent Pipeline

Decisiveness is an important trait for effective hiring. Without it, teams default to half-measures—vague job ads, wishy-washy interview questions, and “safe” middle-ground scores when discussing and evaluating candidates. By taking a firm stance at every step, you’ll not only attract the right candidates but also move faster and make better decisions. Below are seven core areas where clear, confident action pays off:

1. Define Must-Have Competencies
   Often, teams struggle to truly define their cultural edge, and end up writing an internal Target that could have been written by pretty much any startup. Decisive clarity helps everyone: your interviewers will have more clarity, your interview guides will be more accurate, and your team discussions will be more productive. 

2. Craft a Clear Job Description
   Fear of missing out on potential superstars can lead us to write vague, sprawling job ads. Yet wishy-washy language dilutes your message and confuses applicants. By boldly stating what matters, you send the right signals that attract candidates who truly fit. We encourage you to share the hard parts of the job. This will encourage the right type of candidate self-selection. 

3. Decisive Time Management in Interviews
   We often linger too long on a single question, worried we’ll seem rude or otherwise feeling awkward about moving on to the next question. But dragging out discussions wastes time and is only hurting the candidate. Ask your question, gather the key data, then decisively move on—all with great rapport and with conveying your genuine curiosity in the candidate's story. 

4. Answer Candidates Decisively
   Candidates crave clarity at all stages of the hiring process. Try to be prompt and clear with your responses. This applies to the recruiting coordinator, but it also applies to the answers that individual interviewers give at the end of interviews. If you don't know something, be honest about that, and then quickly find out the answer and get back to the candidate. 

5. Stop defaulting to the "meh" rating
   Nobody wants to cause friction by ranking a candidate too high or too low—so we default to neutral “safe” scores. This is especially true for newer, and less confident interviewers. But the middle ground often hides real strengths or serious weaknesses. This is one reason we tend to prefer a 1-4 rating system rather than a 1-5 (too many people default to using the 3 rating). And as always, foster a culture of everyone backing up their ratings with data. 

6. Argue For or Against
   When it's time to view everyone's data and discuss the "hire" vs "no hire" decision, lean into taking a stand. It’s easy to stay silent or moderate your stance to avoid conflict. Yet healthy debate and strong positions lead to better overall decisions. (This is at the root of the "adversarial" nature of the U.S. legal system!) If you believe a candidate is exceptional, fight for them. If you see red flags, speak up. That decisiveness helps the team move forward swiftly, avoid groupthink, and make better decisions.

7. Sell with Purpose
   Candidates appreciate a fast, crisp process. They also appreciate when you tailor your selling message to them rather than defaulting to a vague one-size-fits-all one. Use the data you've collected on this candidate's intrinsic motivations to deliver a confident, tailored offer, and do it within a reasonable time frame. This sends all the right signals to the top performers you want to close. 

Looking to sharpen your interviewing or hiring game? Reach out to [email protected]—we're here to help you take the next step confidently.