A friend of mine is currently job searching. Smart. Experienced. Highly sought after.
He’s deep into the interview process with two organizations.
One of them, his second choice, moved decisively and made him an offer.
The other is his first choice, the organization he truly wants to join.
So, he did what we often advise candidates to do. He was transparent.
He told his preferred organization:
- He was very interested in them
- They were his first choice
- He had received another offer and needed to make a decision soon
Their response?
“We understand. Unfortunately, we have a process we need to follow and can’t speed up the remaining interviews.”
And just like that, a highly desirable candidate was left in limbo.
This moment perfectly illustrates what’s broken in how many organizations think about hiring -and why I wrote The Talent Attraction Blueprint.
Process Over People: The Silent Talent Killer
Most organizations believe their hiring process exists to protect them.
Consistency. Fairness. Risk reduction.
All reasonable goals.
But here’s the uncomfortable truth:
Top talent doesn’t wait for slow processes.
High-performing candidates:
- Are often interviewing with multiple organizations
- Are making decisions in real time
- Are paying attention to how they’re treated during the process
When a candidate says, “You’re my first choice,” that is not pressure.
That is a signal.
It’s telling you:
- You’ve done something right
- Your brand, leaders, and opportunity resonate
- You are competing…and currently winning
Responding with rigidity instead of responsiveness sends a very different message:
“Our internal process matters more than your experience.”
That message is rarely intentional, but it is always received.
What Top Talent Actually Hears
When organizations say, “We can’t speed things up,” candidates often hear:
- “We’re not empowered to make decisions.”
- “Hiring isn’t a real priority here.”
- “This is what working with us will feel like.”
- “You’re not as important as our workflow.”
Even if none of that is true, perception becomes reality.
And perception is a deciding factor for high-caliber professionals who have options.
The Core Principle We Forget
One of the central ideas I share in The Talent Attraction Blueprint is this:
Hiring is not an administrative function.
It is a leadership function.
Processes should support decision-making, not replace it.
Exceptional organizations:
- Build flexibility into their hiring process
- Empower leaders to make timely decisions
- Treat moments like this as competitive inflection points
They don’t abandon fairness, but they understand that speed and clarity are part of fairness too.
A Better Response (And a Better Outcome)
Imagine a different response:
“Thank you for being transparent. We’re glad to hear we’re your first choice. Let us regroup internally and see what flexibility we have.”
Even if the outcome didn’t change, the experience would.
That one sentence communicates:
- Respect
- Leadership alignment
- Candidate-centered thinking
And those are the very traits top talent is evaluating.
The Takeaway for Leaders and Hiring Teams
If you’re losing candidates late in the process, or struggling to land your top choice, ask yourself:
- Where are we hiding behind “process”?
- Who actually owns the hiring decision?
- What message does our speed (or lack of it) send?
Because every hiring process tells a story.
And the best candidates are always listening.
