Why 6 Out of 20 New Hires Fail—And How to Build a Hiring Process That Actually Works

Why 6 Out of 20 New Hires Fail—And How to Build a Hiring Process That Actually Works

Hiring isn’t just about filling a role—it’s about shaping the future of your team, your culture, and your business.

Yet many companies are still relying on a process built decades ago: post a job, review resumes, hold a few interviews, make the best guess, and hope it works out. On paper, it seems straightforward. In practice? It’s unpredictable, risky, and often disappointing.

The Cost of Getting It Wrong

Let’s say you hire 20 people through traditional methods. Statistically, about 6 of them will fail—and not just fail quietly. A single bad hire can damage your team’s momentum, frustrate customers, create conflict, or even open you up to legal and operational issues.

But what if the failure rate was dramatically lower?

With the right hiring strategy in place—one that’s rooted in science, not guesswork—only 1 out of 20 might fail. That’s not just a win for HR. That’s a competitive advantage for your entire organization.

What the Data Is Telling Us

At HireScore, we’ve studied this process closely—not from theory, but from tracking real hiring outcomes over time.

We follow the people hired through our platform at 1, 3, and 5-year milestones. We don’t just ask “Did they stay?”—we look at how they performed, how they contributed, and what factors predicted their success or failure.

And when someone didn’t work out, we dig into the data. Were there patterns in their assessments? Did we miss a soft signal in their problem-solving style or cultural alignment? What could we have known sooner?

This constant learning cycle doesn’t just help us improve the technology—it helps our partners get better at hiring with every single candidate.

The Science Behind Smart Hiring

Here’s what we’ve learned through years of research, testing, and real-world outcomes:

There’s no one-size-fits-all solution in hiring.

You can’t rely on a resume to predict performance.
You can’t rely on interviews alone to gauge fit.
And you definitely can’t trust your gut alone when the stakes are this high.

What works is a whole-person approach—looking at candidates not just for what they’ve done, but how they think, problem-solve, and behave in real-world scenarios.

That includes:

  • Skills & experience aligned with the actual demands of the role
  • Cognitive abilities relevant to decision-making and adaptability
  • Behavioral traits that match the team culture and work environment
  • Motivation and long-term potential, not just presentability in an interview
  • Realistic job previews through simulations or hands-on work demos.

And most importantly, it means combining all of this into a structured, data-driven evaluation—not treating each piece in isolation.

Building a Process That Works for You

Imagine starting next week with a hiring process that actually works.

Your job openings automatically attract more of the right candidates.
You instantly weed out unqualified applicants with tailored screening questions.
Each candidate completes assessments that are customized to what success looks like in your company, your industry, and your team.

You’re not overwhelmed with resumes.
You’re not wasting time on interviews with people who never had a shot.
And you're making decisions based on clear, validated data—so you can hire with confidence, not crossed fingers.

That’s exactly what we’ve built at HireScore.

It’s fast, smart, and continually improving through feedback loops and performance tracking. Our platform blends decision science, automation, and customizable evaluation tools to help organizations make better hires faster.

And the results?
✔️ 90% faster time-to-hire
✔️ Up to 95% hiring success rate
✔️ Improved retention, reduced turnover, stronger teams

If you’re ready to move beyond guesswork and build a hiring process that’s actually aligned with performance and potential, we’re ready to show you how.

Ready to reimagine how you hire?

Support

Frequently asked questions

Everything you need to know about the product and billing.
How is HireScore different from an ATS or resume scanner?
Most ATS platforms and resume scanners rely on keywords and surface-level filters. HireScore goes deeper. We use validated decision science, customizable screenings and assessments, and structured ranking tools to evaluate what actually predicts success on the specific job. Instead of guessing based on resumes, you get a clear, data-driven shortlist—built around your role, your team, and your success metrics.
Can HireScore integrate with my existing ATS, HRIS, or calendar tools?
Yes. HireScore is designed to fit into your existing workflow. We can integrate with almost any ATS platforms, job boards, HRIS systems, and calendar tools—and we also support custom integrations if you’re using something unique. No need to rip and replace what’s already working.
Who is HireScore best suited for?
HireScore is built for teams of all sizes—from growing businesses without dedicated HR to large organizations that need a smarter, more scalable process. Whether you’re in manufacturing, healthcare, tech, or any other industry, each step is customized to your roles and success metrics. If you're overwhelmed with applicants, struggling to find the right fit, or tired of resume roulette, HireScore helps you hire faster and more confidently—with less effort.
Do candidates have to complete long assessments or jump through hoops?
Not at all. HireScore is designed to improve the candidate experience from the start. There’s no need to upload a resume or create an account—just a quick, job-relevant process that’s fair and respectful of their time. Assessments are tailored to the role and typically take under 20 minutes. When candidates feel the process makes sense and reflects the job, they’re more likely to complete it—and we’ve consistently seen drop-off rates go down as a result (frequently by over 50%).
How does billing work?
HireScore uses flexible, usage-based billing with no long-term contracts. You’re only billed in the months you're actively hiring. If you're not hiring, you can pause your account at any time—so you only pay when you're actually using the platform.
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