Beyond the Bullet Points: Considerations Before Making Your Next Hire
Why Disruptive Talent and Broken Systems Don't Always Mix
Do Companies Really Want High Performers, or Someone Who Will Toe the Line?
A common theme among job seekers and employees is, "Do companies actually want a high performer, or someone who will toe the line?" It's a valid question in today's job market and one that deserves consideration.
I've spent over a decade in Talent and HR, and one pattern shows up again and again: key hiring decisions are made with little reflection beyond the bullet points of a job description.
Critical questions when planning your next hire should include:
- What characteristics are needed to be successful in our business environment?
- How tolerant are we of change?
- What are the team dynamics?
- Is the job description a true reflection of the realities of the role?
- What type of leader will be supporting the new hire?
Hiring is a key business process. Clarity, alignment, and honesty during this process are essential to setting both the business and the new hire up for long-term success.
Leaders often say they want High Performers. Top Talent. Game Changers. Builders. Problem-Solvers. Innovators. Job descriptions frequently include terms such as innovate, improve, and elevate.
But there is a truth that organizations may not be considering:
High performers don't just elevate an organization. They disrupt it.
The cost of a bad hire is steep. Financially, the wrong hire could cost upward of 30% of an annual salary, and some experts suggest the cost is much higher. Culturally, it could result in increased turnover and decreased morale. Operationally, productivity and results suffer.
The importance of fully understanding your needs and recruiting beyond the bullet points cannot be emphasized enough.
Martha Ekdahl (2025) discussed Purposeful Leadership, which "prioritizes meaning, values, and long-term impact." This idea should start well before a job is posted.
As leaders, we are responsible for understanding business needs and then aligning our hiring criteria with those needs. So, before you post that job looking for your next "Rock Star," "Powerhouse," or "Unicorn," here are a few considerations.
High Performers Do Not Follow Broken Systems; They Fix Them
High performers are not satisfied with "That's how we've always done it." They examine processes, identify inefficiencies, and make improvements.
A high performer will not accept outdated technology or the manual workaround that no one has gotten around to fixing. They will question decisions, offer solutions, and hold their leaders accountable.
These attributes of high-performing team members can cause discomfort because they openly challenge the status quo, call out inefficiencies, question why projects are "stuck," and expect progress.
High Performers Will Not Accept Excuses
Excuses like "We don't have the budget," "Revenue is down this quarter," "We've always done it this way," or "Let's revisit this when we're better staffed" will not stop a high performer.
Rather, they will view these statements as problems to solve—and then they will find solutions.
High Performers See Possibilities, Not Problems
When you offer an excuse, be prepared for the high performer to find the budget, challenge the "way it's always been," or figure out how to execute with existing resources.
Once the excuse is out of the way, the high performer will expect action.
High Performers Have High Expectations
High performers hold high expectations for themselves and those around them. They expect clarity, timely decisions, and follow-through. They are comfortable with accountability, including holding their leaders accountable.
If a leader struggles with honest feedback, transparency, or being challenged, a high performer can be mislabeled as "difficult."
Once labeled, even unintentionally, the focus can shift to managing the employee instead of leading them. Energy is spent "dealing with," "keeping in line," or even "managing out" the very high performer who is working to support, improve, and level up the organization.
Similar energy is misplaced on the employee side.
If a high performer is continually asked to maintain outdated processes, accept vague direction, or work with leaders who avoid feedback or fail to act, their energy also shifts—from the job to the job market.
All of this is wasted time, misdirected focus, and preventable turnover. All the while, the business suffers.
If you have been in this situation, or are currently in a situation like this, think about whether your search, qualifications, requirements, and interview questions were aligned with the realities of the role and the daily work environment.
The Responsibility of the High Performer
This article focuses on a company's role in hiring, but I want to note that it is not only a company's responsibility to reflect on and understand its hiring needs.
It is equally important for the job seeker to reflect on their own needs and characteristics.
Hiring is a two-way street. As a job seeker, reflect on your expectations and the work environments in which you thrive.
Ask yourself:
- Do you like to fix things, or are you comfortable with a good workaround?
- Do you tend to manage up and provide feedback, or do you keep quiet?
- What type of leadership do you work well with?
- What type of work do you love doing?
- What type of culture allows you to perform at your best?
As a job seeker myself, I have recently reflected on my previous roles and asked myself what I liked most and least about each one.
These answers provided a starting point.
From there, I identified my ideal roles—there is more than one—as well as the leadership style, culture, and other factors that are important to me.
I also thought through the questions I need to ask to ensure that a company or client is the right fit for me.
Reflection and Next Steps for Companies
Hiring quickly and hiring the right person for the right seat both matter, and leaders owe it to their organizations to hire with intention and in alignment with business needs.
When companies neglect this type of reflection, the costs can be high: lost time, damaged morale, rework, turnover, and ineffective or disruptive changes to the culture.
Before your next hire, take a beat and reflect beyond the job description.
What do you think about when planning for your next hire?
References
Ekdahl, M. (2025, November 5). Leading with purpose in a constantly changing world. SHRM Linkage. Retrieved November 17, 2025, from SHRM Linkage.
