How to Improve Entry-Level Hiring Strategies

After building TestGorilla from 0 to thousands of customers across 100+ countries, I've learned that most companies fail at hiring before they even post a job. Here are the 5 steps that separate world-class hiring from expensive mistakes: 1) Define your talent requirements (most skip this) "We need a great developer" isn't a hiring strategy - it's wishful thinking. Great companies get surgical about exactly who they're looking for: • Specific technical competencies (not just "knows Python") • Required experience levels for each skill • Cultural attributes that predict success in YOUR environment • Growth trajectory you need (steady performer vs. high-potential) Vague requirements = mediocre hires. Every time. 2) Identify their decision drivers (this is where magic happens) You're not just competing on salary. Top talent has options. Ask yourself: • What frustrates high performers in their current roles? • What career aspirations keep them up at night? • What would make them leave a "safe" job for yours? • What do they value more than money? When you understand their psychology, you can craft offers that speak to their souls, not just their bank accounts. 3) Design your evaluation framework (objectivity beats gut instinct) Most hiring decisions are made in the first 10 seconds of an interview. That's not evaluation - that's bias confirmation. Build systems that predict actual performance: • Skills-based assessments that mirror real work • Structured interviews with consistent scoring • Objective measures of potential and values fit • Efficient processes that respect everyone's time Data beats "good vibes" every single time. 4) Establish your selection criteria (know your non-negotiables) What actually distinguishes your top performers from average ones? And here's the harder question: Why should A-players choose your process over companies with bigger brands and deeper pockets? Your hiring process IS your product. Make it remarkable: • Faster time-to-decision than competitors • More meaningful evaluation than "tell me about yourself" • Clearer communication throughout • Genuine respect for candidates' time and expertise 5) Communicate your hiring philosophy (story beats specs) Stop posting job descriptions that read like legal documents. Start telling stories: • Why does this role exist? • What impact will this person have? • What's the vision they'll help build? • What's your approach to finding and developing talent? People don't join companies. They join missions. TAKEAWAY: Most companies treat hiring like procurement - find the cheapest resource that meets basic requirements. World-class companies treat hiring like product development - deeply understand your users (candidates), design remarkable experiences, and iterate based on data. The companies that master this don't just fill roles faster. They build competitive advantages one hire at a time.

If you’re planning to hire this year, please don’t just throw an ad up and hope for the best. That’s how most businesses end up rehiring six months later and wondering what went wrong. If I were hiring in 2026, this is the exact process I’d follow. 1 - Slow down and define the hire Before you do anything, get clear on what this role actually needs to solve. Not what the last person did. What the business needs now and in the next 12 months. 2 - Sense-check internally Before you go external, look inside the business. Someone might already be doing half the job or ready to step up with the right support. 3 - Properly scope the role Be clear on responsibilities, boundaries, and what success looks like at 3, 6, and 12 months. Vague roles attract vague outcomes. 4 - Plan the hiring process Decide the stages, who’s involved, what you’re assessing, and how decisions are made before speaking to candidates. 5 - Decide how you’ll go to market Your network is useful, but it’s small. Ads reach active jobseekers. The best people are sometimes neither. 6 - Write an advert that actually works A job advert is marketing. It should explain the problem, the work, and the opportunity, not just list requirements. 7 - Proactively reach out to candidates Search, shortlist, and message people who aren’t applying. This takes time, but this is where strong hires come from. 8 - Run structured interviews Assess people against the same criteria. Not confidence. Not company logos. Actual evidence of doing the job. 9 - Talk about money early and communicate properly No surprises. Be upfront about salary, keep people updated, and don’t ghost anyone. Ever. 10 - Offer, then stay close The job isn’t done when the offer’s accepted. Counteroffers happen. Doubt creeps in. Stay engaged. None of this is rocket science. But good hiring is a skill, and it’s one you only get right with experience. Which is usually the moment founders realise why hiring properly is harder than it looks.

Here’s what I look for in hiring entry-level candidates — and it’s not their GPA. 1. Curiosity about the problem we’re solving. Not just the role and what they’ll be doing, but the bigger picture. It’s energy around the mission. While I don’t want employees to make work their whole life I do want them to be here to do something more than trade their time for money — for their growth, as well.  2. Self-awareness about what they don’t know. There’s so much bad “fake it ’til you make it”, “never let them see you sweat” interview advice out there. No one expects an entry-level candidate to know everything. Confidence is good. Over-confidence means someone else is going to spend a lot of time and effort fixing mistakes. The key here? It’s 100% fine to not know something — just demonstrate a willingness (and plan, if possible) to learn it. 3. Evidence that they’ve shipped something — anything. Being able to see a project (or a piece of a project) through from start to finish is such an essential skill. This could be an articulation of the role they played in a group of completing a student project, a problem they identified in a part-time job they held and how they approached solving it, or the successful organization and execution of a personal project like growing a social media account, organizing a community event, etc. 4. Whether they asked a question that made me think. Here's the bar: if your question could have been answered by spending ten minutes on our website, it's the wrong question. The right question shows you've already processed the public information and you're probing for what's underneath it. That's the difference between someone who wants a job and someone who wants to solve a problem. The job market is hard right now, but there are still many things that candidates can do to stand out. What would you add to this list? #EntryLevel #RecentGrads #EarlyCareer #GenZ #Interviewing #H22AI

Ben Horowitz, co-founder of a16z, says "knowing what you want" is the most important step in hiring. Most teams skip it. Then they wonder why their job posts attract 200 applications and zero qualified candidates. Here are 5 principles that fix this: 1. Write what they'll ship, not who they are "Strategic thinker" and "detail-oriented" tell candidates nothing. By Day 90, a Senior PM should have launched the first version of the signup experience and improved new user activation by 10-15%, built a 6-month roadmap with engineering and design, and set up the core metrics dashboard. That's outcomes. When hiring managers send you buzzword JDs, send them back with this template and three examples. You're the expert. Own it. 2. Use the action-result template every time "By Day 90, you have [action] [problem area] to deliver [measurable result]." For Enterprise Sales: built a territory plan and outreach system, started 10 qualified conversations, closed one new customer. For Engineering Manager: reduced system downtime to near zero, hired two senior engineers, cut code review time by 25%. When hiring managers push back, ask them what success looks like. They'll figure it out fast. 3. Let the wrong people opt out When outcomes are specific, qualified candidates see themselves in the role immediately. Unqualified candidates see the bar and move on before applying. This is self-selection. This saves your team 20 hours of screening per role. When you deliver better candidates faster, you become indispensable. Clarity is your leverage. 4. Measure what matters: passthrough rate A/B test buzzword post vs outcome post. Track your apply-to-screen passthrough rate by source. If it jumps from 15% to 25%, your targeting improved. If time-to-fill drops by a week, your self-selection worked. 5. Avoid vague outcomes that don't filter "Improve conversion" is not an outcome. "Lift week-1 activation by 10-15%" is. "Build relationships with customers" is not an outcome. "Close one land deal and progress two expansions to commit" is. The difference is measurability. If a candidate can't picture hitting the metric, it's too vague. Push back on hiring managers when outcomes are fuzzy. Your job is to attract the right talent, not process 200 wrong applications. Personally, I always start with first 90 days, and first 12-18 months outcomes. All the standard things you design your loop around (experience, strengths, etc.) are much easier to crystallize once you know what this person needs to do. — Try it now: Replace 3 adjectives in your next job post with 3 day-90 outcomes. Publish it. Measure passthrough. Show your hiring manager the difference. This is how you go from order-taker to strategic partner.

Reintroducing Humanity into the Hiring Process: 7 Key Principles 1- Avoid Ghosting – Every applicant deserves a response. Silence erodes trust and respect. 2- Communicate Transparently – Set clear expectations about the recruitment process, including timelines and next steps. 3- Maintain Warmth in Communication – Engage personally with candidates rather than relying solely on automated systems. Recruitment is about people, not just processes. 4- Value Candidates' Time – Only proceed with interviews if there is a genuine interest in the candidate. Don’t waste their time if they're not a serious contender. 5- Streamline Interview Rounds – Avoid unnecessary, prolonged interview rounds. Respect the candidate's time by making the process efficient and purposeful. 6- Be Willing to Take a Chance – Recognize that experience isn’t everything. Many skills can be taught on the job. Everyone deserves a chance to prove themselves, just as we all once needed a break to begin our careers. 7- Look Beyond the Resume – Candidates are more than just their qualifications. Invest the effort to understand their full story, not just what's on paper. Every job application represents a person who is navigating the often stressful and challenging journey of job searching. It is vital to remember that, at any time, any of us could be on the other side of the process. By treating candidates with the dignity, respect, and empathy they deserve, we not only improve the hiring experience but also cultivate relationships built on trust and mutual respect.

Hiring the right people can make or break your business, even for entry-level roles. Bringing the right person onboard isn’t just about filling a spot; it’s about creating space for you to step up your game and focus on what really matters. On the flip side, hiring the wrong person? It’s a drain—on your time, your energy, and your budget. The bottom line? Quality over quantity every single time. A small but sharp team will always outshine a big, less experienced one. Here are 4 keys to attracting and retaining a quality team: ✔️ Write a compelling job description: Be super clear about the role and what they can expect, and make sure your offer is competitive. ✔️ Focus on behavioral and skill-based interviews: Look for both the right skillset and a cultural fit. ✔️ Nail your onboarding process: Help them hit the ground running by setting them up for success right away. ✔️ Invest in their growth: Offer opportunities for development, whether through mentorship or training. At Little Fish, we check in every 30 days and do a full 90-day assessment to discuss performance. This allows us to address any challenges and ensure they’re meeting performance goals while feeling supported in their new role. The goal? To make sure every person is in the right role, helping us move the needle forward. Remember, your team is the foundation of your success. When you invest in quality hires, you’re not just building a stronger business—you’re creating lasting client relationships and driving sustainable growth. _____________________________________________________________ 👋🏾 I’m Keila and I run Little Fish Accounting, where we serve professional service agencies and firms with concierge level care. I am passionate about intentional growth because we can achieve big results with small teams. #HiringSmart #TeamBuilding #Entrepreneurship #BuildToEnough #ScaleToSmall #Hiring

Why traditional hiring rewards the wrong behaviors. Most hiring processes are designed with good intent. They are meant to identify performance, judgement and leadership capability. Yet the structure of many interviews ends up favouring something else entirely. They favour polish over proof. A candidate who can think quickly, speak confidently and build rapport in a 45 minute panel has an advantage. None of those qualities are irrelevant, but they are not the same as delivering a multi year transformation, stabilising a drifting function, or lifting commercial performance under pressure. Hiring is an exercise in recognizing the right signals. If you are not deliberate about which signals you value, you will default to the easiest ones to observe. Confidence. Fluency. Energy. Certainty. These are visible and comfortable. They create momentum in a room and feel like progress. But they are not always predictive. The candidate who pauses before answering, asks a clarifying question, or reframes the problem can feel slower. The one who talks in trade offs, risk and sequencing rather than bold ambition can feel less exciting. Yet those behaviours are often much closer to what the role actually requires. This is where both sides need more precision. Hiring managers should be clear in their own minds about the signals that truly matter. What does good look like in twelve months. What behaviours would increase the probability of that outcome. What evidence would demonstrate those behaviours in action. Without that clarity, interviews drift toward likeability and momentum rather than substance. Candidates have the same responsibility in reverse. Trying to be broadly impressive usually creates noise. Listing every responsibility, tool and achievement might feel comprehensive, but it does not create a sharp signal. A better approach is to decide which signals you want to send. If the role is about cost discipline, talk in measurable savings and improved margin. If it is about delivery stability, talk about predictability, reduced rework and hitting deadlines. If it is about growth, talk about revenue, speed and market impact. Do not describe everything. Emphasise what matters for this decision. Signal beats noise. When hiring managers are explicit about what they are looking for, and candidates are intentional about what they are demonstrating, the process becomes more aligned and far less performative. That is when hiring starts to reward behaviors that actually translate into results, rather than those that simply win the room.

📱 My phone’s been blowing up lately—colleagues on both sides of the hiring game are venting about the same thing. Job seekers can’t land roles, and hiring managers can’t find people who actually stay. About half of my network who were job-hunting have found something, but the other half are still stuck in the grind. Meanwhile, companies tell me that even when they do make a hire, retention is a nightmare—new employees are bouncing within six months. The disconnect is real: companies are hiring, candidates are applying, but something is clearly broken. Traditional hiring—bloated job descriptions, ATS black holes, and never-ending interview rounds—is failing everyone. So, what needs to change? 🔄 Here’s what I’ve seen work: ✅ Ditch the ATS Dependence – Get back to human recruiting instead of relying on keyword filters. ✍️ Fix Job Descriptions – Make them clear, real, and relevant—cut the jargon. 🤝 Prioritize Personal Connections – Hiring managers should actively engage instead of passively posting. 🎯 Focus on Skills, Not Just Titles – Look at what candidates can actually do, not just where they’ve been. ⏳ Speed Up the Process – The best talent won’t wait around for a four-week approval cycle. 💬 Improve the Candidate Experience – Give real feedback and make the process transparent. Here’s a real-world fix I put in place: At a previous company, the hiring pipeline was a mess—ATS filters blocked great candidates, and the process dragged on. I introduced a referral-first hiring approach, tapping employees’ networks before posting publicly. We also replaced multiple early-stage screenings with a 30-minute call with the hiring manager. 📉 Time-to-hire dropped 35% 🎯 Quality of hires improved—better fits, fewer regrets 📈 Retention rates increased—candidates knew exactly what they were signing up for 🔑 Bottom line: Hiring is broken, but it doesn’t have to be. The best hires come through real connections, not algorithms. What’s been your biggest hiring (or job search) frustration lately? Drop a comment 👇 #Hiring #Recruiting #JobSearch #TalentStrategy #HR #FutureOfWork

The uncomfortable truth about hiring entrylevel #AI talent right now The entry-level AI hiring market feels broken: strong candidates can't land interviews, while hiring teams can't easily identify top talent. Here's what's actually happening: • There are far more applicants than roles: A single junior position can attract 1,000+ applications. No process can fairly evaluate that volume. • Most profiles look the same: Same courses, same projects, same tools. Even with AI screening, it's hard to tell people apart. • AI has made it harder to prove your skills: The outputs that used to show ability can now be generated. "Good work" is no longer enough. ___ Dear frustrated AI specialist: Double down on these three things to increase your chances of landing the job. 1. Focus on internships early — don't treat them as a backup. Apply early and often. Internships give companies a chance to see how you actually work over time, not just how you perform in an interview. That is often the fastest way to get hired. 2. Learning isn’t enough — build something real: Go beyond courses and small projects. Volunteer with a nonprofit or try small projects on freelancing platforms, and take at least one idea all the way to something usable. Real-world implementation is what sets you apart 3. Show your thinking, not just your results: Your advantage is not your output — it’s your judgment. Document your process: what you tried first, what failed, and why you pivoted. A GitHub README that says “I tried X, it broke because of Y, so I did Z instead” tells a hiring manager more than a polished notebook ever will. ___ Dear overwhelmed Hiring Managers: 1. Expect candidates to use AI — don't penalize it: Using AI is not a red flag — not using it is. So stop designing interviews that ban it. Give candidates a real, messy problem. Let them use every tool available. Then ask them to defend their choices, critique the output, and tell you what they’d do differently. That’s the interview. Everything else is theatre. 2. Hire for problem-solving, learning speed, and resilience: Technical skills alone are no longer enough. In six months, the tools your new hire uses today may be obsolete. What won’t change is whether they can pick up something new fast, stay functional under uncertainty, and figure out problems they’ve never seen before. Interview for that. ___ The candidates who win will make their thinking impossible to ignore. The hiring teams who win will build processes that actually find them.

Right now, we’re experiencing a talent-market imbalance unlike anything we’ve seen since the early COVID era. Candidates are increasingly frustrated—submitting applications into a void, receiving little to no feedback, and sensing a lack of transparency in the process. Many believe the “AI boogeyman” is filtering them out, when in reality, the root cause is often far more fundamental: broken processes that prevent recruiters from identifying and engaging the right talent. AI is becoming more embedded in hiring workflows, but technology doesn’t fix flawed systems. In fact, it amplifies them. And that’s why what I’m about to say may surprise some people in recruiting: to move forward, we need to return to the fundamentals. It’s time to reinvest in the core disciplines of great recruiting—disciplines that ensure quality, strengthen trust, and elevate both candidate and hiring-manager experience. 1. Establish a structured, disciplined process that prioritizes quality over volume. We need to stop gamifying job applications and making it easy for bots and noise to overwhelm the funnel. When we control input, elevate standards, and reduce volume, recruiters gain the bandwidth to focus on the right talent. 2. Reintroduce intentional, in-person engagement where it matters. Decentralized teams with real knowledge of their talent markets—and the ability to physically show up—dramatically reduce fake applicants, increase accountability, and rebuild the human connection that today’s candidates crave. 3. Bring transparency to the forefront. If you’re hiring at scale, build a dedicated page on your career site that outlines exactly how candidates can succeed in your interview process and navigate your hiring experience. When expectations are clear, engagement improves. When candidates understand the rules, they can truly compete—and win. The job search is already hard. Let’s stop adding friction. Let’s modernize our tools, reinforce our fundamentals, and build a hiring experience that works better for everyone.