Description

Hiring the wrong person can cost you more than just money—it drains morale, kills momentum, and leaves your team picking up the pieces. In this episode of Corporate Baggage, Whitney Siders and Catie Campbell expose why most job descriptions are generic, outdated, and set you up for failure.

We’re unpacking:

✅ Why recycling old job descriptions guarantees mediocre hires

✅ The critical difference between activity-based and outcome-driven hiring

✅ How leaders, recruiters, and candidates can ask the right questions upfront

✅ The hidden costs of a bad hire—and how to avoid them

Whether you’re hiring, applying, or managing talent, this episode will give you the tools to stop filling seats and start finding top performers.

🎯 Episode Highlights & Key Takeaways:

• Outdated Job Descriptions Kill Hiring Success: Recycled descriptions attract average candidates, not high-performers.
• Shift from Activity-Based to Outcome-Driven Hiring: Focus on what the role should produce, not just a list of tasks.
• Culture Fit Matters: A candidate might look good on paper but fail if they don’t align with your company’s values.
• The Real Cost of a Bad Hire: It’s not just money—bad hires impact morale, trust, and productivity.
• Fractional & Outsourced Roles May Be the Answer: Not every position needs to be full-time. Consider alternatives before filling a role.
• Get Curious, Ask Better Questions: Whether you're a recruiter, hiring manager, or candidate, thoughtful questions expose red flags.

📚 Resources & Links Mentioned:

📖 Books We Recommend:

• Who: The A Method for Hiring by Geoff Smart & Randy Street – A proven framework for hiring A+ talent.
• The Best Team Wins by Adam Robinson – Strategies to build high-performing teams.
• Work Rules! Insights from Inside Google That Will Transform How you Live and Lead by Laszlo Bock – Insights from Google on culture-driven hiring.

🛠️ Tools to Try:

• Topgrading – A hiring method designed to identify high-performers.
• Behavioral Interview Question Guides – Ensure you’re asking targeted, outcome-focused questions.
• AI-Powered Hiring Tools – Leverage AI to screen for cultural and skills-based fit.

🚀 Your Next Steps:

💡 For Leaders & Hiring Managers:

• Audit Your Job Descriptions: Eliminate vague phrases like “strong communication skills” and focus on measurable outcomes.
• Define Success for the Role: Identify what the role really needs to produce 6-12 months from now.
• Pressure-Test the Need: Ask, “Do we really need to fill this role? Could it be fractional or outsourced?”

💡 For Recruiters:

• Coach Your Clients: Push hiring managers to define the outcomes they expect—before going to market.
• Ask Tough Questions: Probe beyond generic traits—what does success actually look like in their culture?

💡 For Candidates:

• Get Curious Early:...