Your "Hiring Problem" Isn't What You Think It Is

CARTER REPORTS

Author

David Paul Carter
July 02, 2025

The Pattern Behind Your Hiring Struggles

Welcome to this week's edition of CARTER REPORTS, where I explore the hidden connections that drive breakthrough growth.

What's inside today:

  • Why your "hiring problem" can be a leadership problem in disguise

  • Current market data revealing the real gap between talent shortage and employee engagement

  • A simple culture audit tool you can use this week

  • The question that flips your hiring approach from hunting to attracting

The big idea: Most entrepreneurs are solving the wrong problem when it comes to talent. Today, I'll show you the connection they're missing—and how to fix it.

Let's dive in...

David Paul Carter, The Clarity Guy™

What's On Deck

Your "Hiring Problem" Isn't What You Think It Is

"I can't find good people anymore."

Sound familiar? If you've said this recently, you're not alone. With 75% of employers struggling to find skilled workers, it feels like we're all fighting over scraps in the talent pool. But here's what I've discovered after working with growing businesses: when entrepreneurs tell me they can't find good people, they're often looking at the wrong problem.

The Pattern Most Leaders Miss

While you're crafting the perfect job posting and offering signing bonuses, I bet one or more of these is happening in your business:

  • Your star performer just started "checking out" mentally

  • That new hire from three months ago still feels lost

  • Your leadership meetings have turned into crisis management sessions

  • Everyone's working harder but feeling less satisfied

Most business owners treat these as separate headaches. They're not.

The Connection That Changes Everything

Here's the insight that flips everything: The companies that "can't find good people" are usually the same companies that can't keep good people. And the reasons? Identical.

The same leadership gaps that drive talent away also prevent new talent from wanting to join. When your culture is "we're too busy to train you properly," you're not just failing your current team—you're advertising to potential hires that they'll be set up to struggle.

This is pattern recognition in action. One insight that connects multiple challenges and creates a clear path forward.

Market Pulse Spotlight

The Numbers Tell the Story

While 75% of companies report talent shortages, employee engagement in the U.S. fell to its lowest level in a decade in 2024, with only 31% of employees engaged. Meanwhile, highly engaged business teams yield 21% greater profitability and companies with more engaged workers grew revenue 2.5x as much as companies with less engaged workers over seven years. The disconnect? Most leaders are solving for quantity when the real issue is quality—of leadership, culture, and employee experience.

Sources: Gallup 2025 Employee Engagement Report, Speakap Research, Bain & Company

Key Business Tool

The Culture Audit Question

Before your next hire, ask your top 3 performers this: "What would you tell a friend considering working here?" Their answers will reveal more about your hiring challenges than any exit interview ever could. If they hesitate or give generic responses, you've found your real problem.

Closing Thoughts

Here's what I keep coming back to: Every business challenge is really a leadership challenge wearing a different mask. Your hiring struggles, cash flow issues, execution problems—they're all connected by the quality of leadership decisions made months or years ago.

The good news? Once you see these connections, you can't unsee them. And that's when real transformation begins.

Question for you: What connections might you be missing in your own business? Hit reply and tell me what challenge you're wrestling with. I read every response and often spot patterns you might not see.

Did this edition spark an idea? Forward it to someone who needs to see the invisible. And if you haven’t yet—subscribe here to never miss an issue.

All the best-

How did you like today's newsletter?

Login or Subscribe to participate in polls.

Seeking impartial news? Meet 1440.

Every day, 3.5 million readers turn to 1440 for their factual news. We sift through 100+ sources to bring you a complete summary of politics, global events, business, and culture, all in a brief 5-minute email. Enjoy an impartial news experience.

Reply

or to participate.