Many businesses believe they’re losing great candidates because of salary or a tight labour market.

In reality, most top talent disengages much earlier — because the hiring process itself signals confusion, risk, and indecision.

In this episode of Leader Scout, Tom Millington breaks down why well-intentioned hiring processes quietly push high-quality candidates away, especially in construction and project-driven environments.

You’ll hear why unclear role expectations, slow decision-making, and late leadership involvement create doubt for candidates — and how those signals shape whether someone stays engaged or opts out altogether.

This episode also looks at current labour shortages across the construction sector and why, in competitive markets, the hiring experience becomes a differentiator.

If you’re a business owner, leader, or manager responsible for hiring, this episode will help you identify the hidden signals in your process and what to fix before you post your next job ad.