The Four Biggest 4 Hiring Mistakes You’re Making (and How to Stop Them)
Hey there! I’m Dr. Tara Vossenkemper, and welcome to the Culture Focused Practice blog—aka, the place where we talk about all the messy, real-life challenges of running a group practice (without the sugarcoating).
Today, we’re tackling a big one: hiring mistakes.
If you’ve ever made a hire that felt like a dream at first but turned into a total nightmare (been there), you’re not alone. Hiring is hard. And hiring the wrong person? Even harder—on your time, your money, and your team’s sanity.
The good news? You can stop making these mistakes before they cost you. So, let’s talk about the top four hiring pitfalls that trip up practice owners and, more importantly, how to avoid them.
Mistake #1: Hiring Too Fast (a.k.a., Hiring Out of Desperation)
We’ve all been there—you need someone yesterday, so you speed through the process and end up hiring the first “good enough” candidate who shows up. And then, a few months (or weeks) later, you’re wondering why everything feels like a dumpster fire.
Rushed hires are rarely good hires. They drain your time, wreck your practice culture, and leave you right back where you started—short-staffed and frustrated.
How to Fix It:
Slow 👏 it 👏 down. If you feel the urge to hire immediately, it’s a sign to pause and stick to your process. Involve trusted team members in interviews, gut-check your decisions, and never—seriously, never—ignore your own hesitations.
Mistake #2: Ignoring Red Flags
You know that little voice in the back of your head during an interview that says, Hmm, something feels off? Yeah. Listen to that voice.
Hiring under pressure makes it easy to justify red flags–like weird gaps in a resume, vague answers to direct questions, or an attitude that’s just a bit off. But ignoring red flags now usually means bigger problems down the road.
How to Fix It:
Make it a habit to ask yourself:
Am I trying to explain away something that feels off?
Would I hire this person if I weren’t in a rush?
Better yet, bring in a second (or third) set of eyes. A colleague or team member will catch things you might be willing to overlook.
Mistake #3: Prioritizing Experience Over Culture Fit
Look, I get it—a killer resume is tempting. But if a candidate doesn’t align with your practice’s values, mission, and culture, their experience won’t save them (or you).
A highly skilled but culture-clashing hire can tank morale, disrupt your team, and leave you wishing you’d trusted your gut.
How to Fix It:
Make culture non-negotiable. Skill can be trained—mindset and values? Not so much.
When interviewing, pay attention to:
How they talk about past teams and leadership.
Whether they align with your practice’s core values.
How they react when you describe your workplace culture and expectations.
If something feels off, move on.
Mistake #4: Weak (or Nonexistent) Onboarding
Hiring doesn’t end when someone signs the offer letter—it starts there. A bad onboarding process can turn a great hire into a lost, disengaged, or overwhelmed employee. And that’s a fast track to turnover.
How to Fix It:
Think of onboarding as a 90-day roadmap, not just a one-day paperwork dump. At my practice, we use a structured onboarding process that includes:
Mentorship or buddy systems
Clear role expectations (so no one is flailing)
Regular check-ins to make sure new hires are adjusting
A little effort upfront saves you so much time and energy later.
Final Thoughts
Hiring mistakes happen, but they don’t have to keep happening. Taking the time to refine your process, spot red flags, and invest in onboarding will save you from endless headaches (and probably a lot of money).
And if you want more real talk and resources on hiring, leadership, and group practice ownership, join the Culture Focused Practice Membership. You’ll get access to trainings, community support, and guidance to help you build a team that actually works.
👉 https://www.taravossenkemper.com/culture-focused-practice
Until next time—hire smarter, not faster. 🚀
#GroupPractice #HireSmart #CultureFirst
About the Author
Dr. Tara Vossenkemper is a gently-candid consultant who’s been in the trenches of group practice ownership since 2017. With a hearty blend of depth, irreverence, and a solid dash of humor (or so she hopes), Tara helps practice owners navigate the can-be-messy process of hiring, culture-building, vision generating, people-y issues, and all the other things that keep you up at night. When she’s not consulting, she’s probably wrangling her animals or homeschooling her kids—because why not add more chaos to the mix?
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