The Corporate Delusion: How to Sabotage Your Own Hiring
I'm an ex-GM at Uber and now building a startup in the UK. I face one painful question: why is hiring for a startup here so difficult?
Within our entrepreneurial network, we often witness the consequences of poor hiring decisions. Failing due to bad hires happens faster and more easily than a fatal accident. The scenario is always the same:
- Startups struggle to attract top talent.
- They lower or change hiring standards.
- They onboard people who don’t fit the company culture.
As a result, projects underperform, miss revenue targets, and disappoint investors. Meanwhile, unsuitable hires simply refresh their resumes and move on.
The real issue isn’t with these “resume-seekers” but with a lack of coherence within startups. They dream of growing into large corporations but rush into hiring as if they already are one, often subconsciously.
"The ambition to become huge fools people and leads them to make decisions that go against their will and mojo."
So why is filling roles in tech, finance, or operations so challenging, even when the startup is well-funded, fast-growing, ambitious, offers above-average salaries, and has an outstanding team?
"My answer is precisely because you are a well-funded, fast-growing, ambitious project."
Startups’ ambition to scale rapidly pushes them into hiring strategies that ultimately undermine their success.
Author’s summary: Overambitious startups often sabotage their growth by hiring too early like big corporations, leading to poor fit and underperformance despite ample funding and talent.