Audio Coursesby JellypodLesson 06 of 44
Overview
Claire Monroe: Hey everyone, welcome back to The Science of Leading. I’m Claire Monroe, and—as always—I’m here with the one and only Edwin Carrington.Sooo… Edwin, how are you doing today?
Edwin Carrington: I’m well, Claire. Glad to be back. This topic—it’s close to my heart. Hiring smarter, not harder. I’ve seen so many companies slow themselves down with their own processes.
Claire Monroe: Same here! I mean, I’ve been on both sides of it.Like, waiting forever for feedback as a candidate… and then sitting through, I don’t know, these endless panels when I was on the team side. It’s draining.Why are we still doing it that way?
Edwin Carrington: Honestly? Habit.There’s this idea that more interviews = better decisions… but, in reality, it usually means more confusion. More fatigue.I worked with a tech company once—they had this amazing engineer. Perfect fit. But their hiring dragged on for… over a month.By the time they made the offer? She was gone. Already took something else.It happens a lot more than you’d think.
Claire Monroe: Ugh, that hurts. And it’s not just losing a good candidate, right? I mean—what happens to the team that’s waiting on that hire?
Edwin Carrington: It’s rough.You’ve got teams stretched thin, managers bouncing between meetings, HR drowning in admin...But the real cost? It’s not just the open seat.It’s the energy drain. The morale hit.And sometimes, the best people? They just… ghost. They won’t stick around for a drawn-out process.
Claire Monroe: Yeah, that makes sense.So if you’re, like, a team lead or a hiring manager—how do you spot those bottlenecks? Sometimes it’s not super obvious where stuff’s getting jammed up.
Edwin Carrington: Good point.You start with your data—just look at how long each stage takes, when candidates drop off, how many interviews you're really running.Sometimes, just sketching the process on a whiteboard? You’ll see steps that… don’t actually add value anymore.And honestly—ask your team. They know where the pain is. You just have to listen.
Claire Monroe: Yeah—and I guess there’s, like, hidden costs too?Not just time, but… rushing at the end and hiring the wrong person. Or missing someone amazing just because they didn’t wanna wait.
Edwin Carrington: Exactly.The longer you wait, the more pressure builds. You hit the deadline and suddenly it’s: “Well… they’re available.”That’s where hiring goes sideways.And if you’re not totally aligned on what you’re looking for, you risk bringing in someone who’s totally off-culture. That costs way more in the long run.
Claire Monroe: So it’s not “go fast for the sake of it”—it’s more like… move with purpose?Okay, that makes sense.Let’s talk about how companies can actually get smarter about screening—not just faster.
Edwin Carrington: Right.The big shift is moving from “gut feeling” to… real data. Things like applicant tracking systems—or, you know, pre-hire assessments—helps you focus in on who’s a real match. Technically and culturally.
Claire Monroe: Yeah, I’ve seen some of those tools in action.It’s not just like… coding tests or personality quizzes. Some of them dig into how people think, or deal with pressure, or communicate.It’s actually pretty cool.But—I mean—doesn’t all that tech come with its own biases?
Edwin Carrington: It can.But the best systems? They’re designed to reduce bias, not amplify it.Like, structured interviews with the same questions for everyone… blind screening that hides names or photos… that all helps level the playing field.The real trick is: decide what you’re measuring before you start. And then stick to it.
Claire Monroe: Okay—but what if you’re, like, a small company without a huge budget or fancy tools?Where do you even start if you want to hire more… predictively?
Edwin Carrington: Start simple.Even a spreadsheet is better than chaos.There are free or super low-cost applicant systems out there. Just having one place to track resumes and notes makes a difference.And assessments? Some providers have starter plans or trials.But none of it matters if you’re not clear on what success looks like in the role.That’s your filter.And consistency? Way more important than complexity.
Claire Monroe: Ahhh, okay.That’s actually a relief.Because, I think a lot of people—myself included—just assume you need this whole HR army and a five-figure software stack to do this right.
Edwin Carrington: Nope.Clarity and process beat bells and whistles every time.And don’t forget feedback. Like—after every hire, ask the team:What worked? What didn’t?You do that over time… and your process naturally gets sharper.
Claire Monroe: Yeah, and I guess the more you lean on data, the less you end up saying things like…“I don’t know, I just had a good feeling about this one.”
Edwin Carrington: Exactly.Gut instinct has some value—but it shouldn’t drive the whole decision.Data keeps you grounded. It helps you see past the surface stuff and focus on what actually matters for the job and the team.
Claire Monroe: Okay—so we’ve talked about screening, and tools, and not trusting your gut too much…But what about building teams that stay?Like—how do you make sure you’re not just plugging holes, but building something that’ll last?
Edwin Carrington: That’s where cultural fit and technical skill have to both show up.You want people who can do the job—but also people who’ll stay and thrive.I worked with a manufacturing company—super high turnover, lots of tension in the teams.Eventually, they defined their core values… and started hiring based on those values, not just what someone had on their resume.It changed everything.The team got stronger, more cohesive, and way more invested.
Claire Monroe: Oh wow—so, like… even the job description becomes kind of a culture filter?Not just a laundry list of skills?
Edwin Carrington: Exactly.When you write a clear, honest job description—it attracts the right people.And just as importantly? It repels the wrong ones.That saves time on both sides.And when you keep a running list of great candidates—even ones you didn’t hire right away—you’re not starting from scratch the next time.That’s huge.
Claire Monroe: Okay, I love that.And, I mean… getting current employees involved helps too, right?Like, peer interviews—or referrals?
Edwin Carrington: Yes. Peer interviews show things formal interviews don’t.Referrals often lead to better cultural alignment.And when your team helps build the team?They care more.It’s not groupthink—it’s shared ownership.
Claire Monroe: So, if I’m hearing you right… the future of hiring isn’t just faster.It’s about clarity, and consistency, and using tech intentionally—without losing the human side.
Edwin Carrington: Exactly.Smart hiring isn’t about doing more… it’s about doing what matters.Build a process that scales, supports your team, and brings in people who’ll thrive.That’s how you hire smarter—not harder.
Claire Monroe: Mhhhh okay, that feels like a solid place to wrap it.Edwin, thanks—seriously. Always such good stuff.And to everyone listening—if this was helpful, and you want to actually see how this works in real life, head over to O-A-D dot A-I.You can book a free demo and check out how tools like behavioral assessments help make hiring faster, smarter, and way more aligned.I’m Claire Monroe
Edwin Carrington: And I’m Edwin Carrington.Take care, and we’ll see you next time.
Claire Monroe: Bye for now!
