Why Waiting for Perfect in Executive Hiring is Your Most Expensive Mistake

There’s a notion, today, that good talent is just too hard to find. But what if your hiring process is the problem? In this episode of Mission One: The Executive Edge, hosts Gerard Miles and Dan Hampton dive deep into structuring an interview process that actually works. Together, they unpack how to select the right stakeholders and when to involve them, why timeline matters more than you think and the critical balance between finding the perfect candidate and securing a great one before they slip away. This episode is a masterclass in strategies to prep interviewers, avoid redundancy and the art of selling your opportunity to world-class talent. Mission One: The Executive Edge is brought to you by Mission One. They ensure founders and senior leaders make the most important hires they’ll ever make across consumer tech, AI, gaming, and entertainment. If you’re building your leadership team or considering your next move to the C-suite, connect with Gerard Miles or Dan Hampton on LinkedIn, or visit missionone.io/contact-us.

How to structure your stakeholder involvement strategically and get the leadership buy-in you need
The golden rule for avoiding internal sabotage
Why speed and sophistication in the hiring period are the ultimate competitive advantage
How to eliminate redundancy and build interviewer alignment
The critical sell framework and how to use company opportunity as a lever
Why "don't let perfect be the enemy of good" should be your north star

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe, rate, and review it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.

Mission One: The Executive Edge is brought to you by Mission One. They ensure founders and senior leaders make the most important hires they’ll ever make across consumer tech, AI, gaming, and entertainment.
If you’re building your leadership team or considering your next move to the C-suite, connect with Gerard Miles or Dan Hampton on LinkedIn, or visit missionone.io/contact-us.

FAQs:

1. What’s the biggest hiring mistake a company can make?
The biggest mistake is letting "perfect" kill "good” - essentially, waiting for a perfect candidate can cause you to lose a solid fit, costing valuable time and talent

2. What is the ideal length for interviews in the hiring process?
First-round interviews should be at least one hour long to ensure sufficient time to assess both candidate fit and relationship building. Nothing meaningful happens in 30 minutes.

3. Repetitions can turn potential hires off. How can they be avoided in the hiring process, though?
Pre-interview alignment meetings with interviewers, clear role-specific focuses and shared scorecards can prevent repetitive questions and improve interview efficiency.

4. Is speed important in the hiring process; what if it becomes too rushed?
Speed is a competitive advantage; a slow process increases the risk of candidates accepting offers elsewhere. Aim to complete the hiring process within 2-3 weeks.

5. Is it important to switch up the company pitch per interviewee?
Absolutely, yes. Listen to what excites candidates about their next opportunity, and adapt your pitch based on their specific motivations - whether it's equity, career growth or company culture.

6. What is the best way to set up one’s interview structure for success?
Strategically involve stakeholders early, ensure alignment among interviewers and use a shared evaluation scorecard to maintain consistency throughout the hiring process.

Episode Resources:

Gerard Miles on LinkedIn
Dan Hampton on LinkedIn
Mission One: The Executive Edge on Apple Podcasts
Mission One: The Executive Edge on Spotify
Mission One: The Executive Edge on YouTube