Hiring well when you don't have a recruiter

Small teams don't lose candidates because their process is bad. They lose them because it's slow.

Write the scorecard before you write the advert. Four things you're actually assessing, each scored one to four. It takes twenty minutes and removes most of the debate at the end.

Use one pipeline for every role: screening, interview, offer, hired. Resist the urge to add stages. Each extra stage costs you days, and days cost you candidates.

Name the decider up front. Panels give feedback. One person decides. Say who that is before the first interview, not after the third.