Traditional interviewing strategies are a waste of time, especially when it comes to recruiting for startups.

Startups are all about innovation, rapid change, and flexibility. They need employees who can wear many hats, adapt quickly, and thrive in a dynamic environment. But the standard hiring process? It’s designed to find candidates who fit into well-defined roles in established organizations—hardly the type of people who will succeed in a startup.

Here’s why traditional interviews fall short when recruiting for startups:
Would you get married after a couple of hours on a first date, with everyone on their best behavior? Of course not. Yet, many companies make a life-changing decision about hiring within the first 5 minutes of an interview. In my experience, this is especially true in startup recruiting. It’s all too common for hiring managers to make snap judgments before they’ve even finished the conversation.

The Problem with Quick Hiring Decisions in Recruiting for Startups
In startups, things change quickly. The roles evolve, new projects pop up, and priorities shift. It’s impossible to know if someone will thrive in this environment based on just a 30-minute chat. Many hiring decisions are made without considering whether the candidate can handle the unique challenges that come with working in a startup.

So why do we use the same interview methods to hire for startups as we do for large corporations? It’s time to rethink the entire process.

What if we flipped the script? Instead of relying solely on first impressions, why not turn the job interview into a real trial?

Some companies already use a 90-day review period for new hires, giving both the company and the employee a chance to see if they’re a good fit. Here’s my radical suggestion: Use the first 90 days as an on-the-job interview.

1. Do a quick screening process to narrow down candidates.
2. Hire them for a 90-day period with clear goals and expectations.
3. At the end of 90 days, decide whether they’re the right fit.

This way, you get a real sense of what it’s like to work with someone, and the employee gets to experience the startup environment firsthand. No more guessing games. If it works out, great! If not, both sides can part ways amicably—no harm done.

To make this fair and attractive to candidates, offer a contract with set pay and full benefits from day 91 if they’re hired long-term. And if it doesn’t work out, consider offering part-time work or some transitional support to help them land their next role. This gives candidates some security while keeping the process transparent and fair.

Why This Works for Startups:

Startups are built on risk, innovation, and adaptability. So why are we still relying on an outdated hiring model designed for more established, predictable companies? It’s time to innovate our recruiting processes the same way we innovate our products.

Startups need talent that can evolve and grow with the company, not just people who can recite the right answers in an interview. The “90-day interview” approach gives both sides a fair shot at discovering if it’s the right match. And it removes the pressure of making a snap judgment after just one meeting.

Let’s change how we hire and make better decisions—together.

We can no longer afford to use outdated recruitment methods in the fast-paced startup world. If we want to build strong, adaptable teams, we need to rethink how we recruit for startups—and start prioritizing real-world performance over perfect interviews.

This is how we can innovate the recruiting process for startups and make better, more informed hiring decisions.

Read about ways to do candidate outreach.