Hiring decisions based on instinct can be one of the most expensive mistakes a company makes.

Alec Broadfoot, in Hiring Your Right Number 2 Leader, shares his own hard-learned lesson: after ignoring an assessment tool’s red flags, he hired someone purely based on a strong interview performance and gut feeling. Within weeks, it became clear the hire was a poor fit, requiring immediate termination. This experience reinforced a crucial lesson—gut instinct is no substitute for a structured hiring process that evaluates skills, culture fit, and long-term potential.

Many entrepreneurs fall into this trap because they trust their ability to read people. However, gut-driven hiring often results in costly turnover and frustration. Without objective assessments, structured interviews, and clear success metrics, hiring becomes a risky gamble rather than a strategic investment.

Why Gut-Based Hiring Fails

1️⃣ Cognitive Biases – We naturally gravitate toward people who remind us of ourselves, which clouds objective decision-making.

2️⃣ Interview Performance ≠ Job Performance – Many candidates are skilled at presenting themselves well but may lack the ability to execute their responsibilities.

3️⃣ Resumes Can Be Misleading – Research shows that 48% of resumes contain inaccuracies, meaning that hiring decisions based solely on resumes are inherently risky​.

“Your gut isn’t a hiring strategy. It’s a shortcut that often leads to bad decisions.”