We often see a similar picture at EvoTalents. Founders come to us when the team is already overloaded and deadlines are looming. At this point, hiring becomes a fire: you need to find someone “for yesterday.”
The problem is that late hiring is always more expensive and more difficult.
Why late hiring costs businesses too much
Research shows that each unfilled position costs a company an average of $4,000+ per month (SHRM).
In IT, the losses are much greater. According to Lightcast, an unfilled technical position can cost over $42,000 per month in missed releases, lost productivity, and lost market opportunities.
We see this in practice at EvoTalents. When a position is opened too late, the consequences are almost always the same:
- An overworked team takes on additional tasks;
- Release or launch deadlines are missed;
- Key people burn out and the risk of layoffs increases.
One recent example: at a product company, a delay in opening a Project Manager role resulted in the team working without coordination for a month and a half. The deadline had moved, and two positions had to be closed - because another person had left.
3 reasons why founders are late in hiring
1. The illusion of “let’s wait a little longer”
The team takes on more than they can realistically handle. It seems like they can last another month, but during this time, burnout becomes inevitable.
2. Misunderstanding the timing of hiring
Many people think that “it will take a few weeks,” but the reality is this:
- 6–8 weeks of searching for complex/rare roles,
- 2–4 weeks for an offer and the candidate’s exit.
- Together, that’s an average of 3 months.
3. Fear of hiring “the wrong person”
Often, the search is postponed because it’s not entirely clear who to look for, but that’s exactly why the process drags on even longer.
How to avoid the “late hire” trap
Plan ahead
If you need someone in June, post the vacancy in March. For C-level and key roles, post it 4–5 months in advance.
Hold intake meetings
We always start the search with a question session: what is critical now, what KPIs, what are the “red flags”. This helps to avoid a blurred profile and saves time.
Prepare the team for the new person
Interviewers, onboarding, task transfer - this is no less important than the search itself. Even the perfect candidate can leave after the first month if he is left “alone” with chaos.
Conclusion from EvoTalents
Late hiring = direct financial losses and risk of team burnout.
Timely hiring = a resource that allows both the business and the people in it to grow.
The best time to think about new roles is not when “everything is on fire,” but when you are still standing on your feet. Partnering with an IT Recruitment Agency helps you build that proactive hiring strategy before the pressure hits.
