What Is That Open Role Really Costing You?

I see this all the time. And to be clear – this isn’t new.

I’ve seen many clients keep jobs open for months. And months. And months. Sometimes a full year. And every time, the reason sounds reasonable:

“We’re waiting for the right person.”
“We don’t want to rush it.”
“We’re holding out for the perfect candidate.”

I get it. No one wants to make a bad hire.

But here’s the question no one asks out loud:
What is that open role costing you while you wait?

At some point, you must wonder — are you hiring… or just hoping?

The Perfect Candidate Problem

Let’s talk about this mythical “perfect” candidate for a second.

Who says they exist?

If you’re waiting for someone who checks 100% of the boxes, has zero ramp-up time, fits seamlessly into your culture, and makes a huge impact on day one… you might be waiting forever.

And meanwhile, the role is still open.

The better question is:
Can you train the missing 20%?
Can you coach the gap?
Or is the role secretly not that important if it can sit empty for a year?

Because if the job truly matters, keeping it open indefinitely doesn’t make a lot of sense.

The Salary Myth: “At Least We’re Saving Money”

This is where a lot of companies justify the wait.

“Well, at least we’re saving on salary.”

But are you?

Let’s say you save one month of salary by waiting. Two months. Even three. On paper, that might look smart.

But what about:

• The revenue that role was supposed to generate
• The growth initiatives that are now stalled
• The customers or clients not being served
• The projects that keep getting pushed to “next quarter”

That one month of salary savings is tiny compared to the opportunities you’re missing.

The Hidden Cost: Your Team Is Paying the Price

This is the part that gets overlooked the most.

When a role stays open, someone else is always picking up the slack. Always.

I had a client where someone in the same department was doing double duty for six months. Six. Months. She was covering her job and the open role.

And by the time they finally hired someone?
She was done. Burnt out. Frustrated. Ready to pull her hair out.

And when high-performing employees feel stretched for too long, one of two things happens:

• They disengage
• Or they leave

Now instead of one open role, you might have two.

Why an 80% Fit Often Wins

Here’s where I’m going to be very honest.

An 80% fit who’s motivated, coachable, and aligned with your team will almost always outperform the “perfect” candidate you never hire.

Skills can be taught.
Systems can be learned.
Processes can be refined.

What’s harder to find is someone who wants to be there and grow with you.

And while you’re waiting for perfect, your team is working harder, your growth is slowing down, and your competitors are not waiting.

So, What Should You Do Instead?

This doesn’t mean lowering standards. It means being realistic.

• Decide which skills are truly non-negotiable
• Be honest about what can be trained
• Look at the cost of waiting, not just the risk of hiring
• Ask yourself how long your team can realistically absorb the extra workload

Hiring is never risk-free. But neither is doing nothing.

Keeping a role open for months — or a year — is a decision. And it comes with real costs:

• Burned-out employees
• Slowed growth
• Missed revenue
• Damaged morale
• A reputation for indecision

Sometimes, the best move isn’t waiting for perfection.
It’s hiring a strong 80% fit and letting them grow into the role.

Because that open role is costing you far more than you think.