The Real Hiring Challenge? It’s Not Speed—It’s Decision-Making Bottlenecks

Hiring managers say they want speed—but when it’s time to make a decision, they hesitate. 

Companies love to blame slow hiring for losing candidates. It’s easy to point the finger at Talent Acquisition. The function is forever in the hot seat. But my latest poll (combined with years on years of feedback loops and anecdotal evidence) tells a different story—decision-making bottlenecks were the biggest hiring challenge (56%), even more than slow processes, employer branding misalignment, or TA struggles. 

So why do decision-making bottlenecks happen, and what can companies do about it? 

The Root Causes of Hiring Bottlenecks

1. Hiring managers don’t listen to recruiter coaching.

Recruiters typically ask candidates about other opportunities to gauge how quickly the company needs to move. They then coach hiring managers accordingly. But too often, hiring managers hesitate, ignore the warning signs, and then get frustrated when the candidate takes another offer. The reality? Most will listen if coached correctly.

2. Hiring managers don’t know what they want.

This is one of the biggest hiring challenges—and it starts before the job posting ever goes live. 

- Many hiring managers struggle to define the role because they’re unclear about how it fits into the job architecture, job family, or leveling within the company. 

- HR partners often aren’t trained adequately on how to scope a job properly. 

- Instead of focusing on core competencies, hiring managers go hunting for a “purple squirrel”—the perfect, unrealistic candidate who checks every box (and probably doesn’t exist). 

3. Too many approvals, too much risk aversion.

- Layers of sign-offs delay hiring and frustrate candidates. Believe me—I am an avid communicator when it comes to transparency about the interview process because I am a huge advocate for the employee experience. But all the greasing of the skids in the world does not shield you from a (rightfully) angry candidate who has invested hours preparing and interviewing for a job that... might still be open?

- Conflicting opinions between hiring managers, HR, and leadership cause paralysis. 

- Fear of making the wrong hire leads to endless interview rounds, where great candidates walk away. 

The Hidden Cost of Decision-Making Delays

Hiring bottlenecks don’t just slow things down—they actively hurt the company’s ability to attract and retain top talent.

- Top candidates won’t wait. If they’re in demand, they’ll be gone before the second approval loop. 

- Employer brand takes a hit. Candidates ghost, withdraw, or share their experience publicly with their friends, on social media, or directly on your Glassdoor about how disjointed your process was. 

- Recruiting costs increase. Roles stay open longer, requiring more outreach, sourcing, and time investment. Good recruiters close high-priority jobs in under a month—I said what I said and welcome a debate. But now you need to hire an agency because you are pressed for time and your incumbent recruiters have a heavy requisition load already.

- Company reputation suffers. Poor Glassdoor reviews and a damaged culture make it even harder to attract talent, creating a cycle of hiring struggles that strategy alone won’t fix. Recruiters will be openly told by candidates they do not want to work there because the employer ratings leave a lot to be desired.

How to Fix It

Align expectations before launching a search. 

If hiring managers don’t know what they want, the search will be chaotic. Before posting a role, TA and hiring managers must align on: 

- Core skills and must-haves vs. nice-to-haves 

- Where the role fits in job leveling and compensation

- Realistic expectations of the talent market

Set approval timelines and enforce them.

- Limit decision-making loops by setting clear deadlines for feedback and approvals. 

- Standardize interview processes to avoid unnecessary extra rounds. 

Empower recruiters to move candidates forward.

- Give TA a seat at the table instead of making them an afterthought. 

- Trust recruiter market insights—when they say a candidate won’t wait, believe them. 

Final Thought: Is Your Hiring Process the Problem?

Everybody loves to point the finger at TA and HR when hiring struggles arise. 

But what if the real issue isn’t talent acquisition at all? 

Some companies struggle to hire not because of a slow process, but because their employer brand is broken. If Glassdoor reviews are brutal and the culture is damaged, hiring challenges aren’t just about tweaking strategy—they require a bigger shift in how the organization operates.

The reality? Every organization’s hiring bottlenecks look different.

We can talk about strategy all day long, but strategy and fact-finding without execution is insanity—all the planning in the world won’t get you across the finish line if you don’t take action.

Companies that streamline decision-making don’t just hire faster—they hire better.

So, what’s the biggest blocker in your hiring process? Let’s discuss.

PS: You can spend thousands of dollars on your employer brand marketing strategy, but if your culture and employee experience underneath is suffering, it won’t do anything but put lipstick on a pig.

The good news? This is all fixable with the right strategy and team on your side! Contact us for an assessment so you know where to get started.

📩 hello@benfordtalentalchemy.com 

🌍 https://www.benfordtalentalchemy.com