Most companies think growth means hiring more people. According to Mike Bettley (Senior Director of Talent, StackAdapt), that mindset is exactly what leads to wasted budgets, bloated teams, and stalled growth.

In this episode of Looks Good on Paper, Mike explains why hiring is the most expensive decision a company makes — and why adding headcount is often a lazy substitute for real strategy. Drawing on his experience at Google, Thomson Reuters, and OpenCare, Mike breaks down how high-growth companies decide who to hire, when to hire, and what problem each role is actually meant to solve.

This is a must-listen for founders, hiring managers, recruiters, and talent leaders navigating today’s volatile job market.

In this episode, we're covering

• Why “we need more people” is usually the wrong answer
• How to identify the real business bottleneck before hiring
• When scaling too early creates long-term damage
• Why company pedigree (Google, Meta, etc.) is a misleading hiring signal
• Whether CVs still matter in an AI-driven hiring market
• The skills talent leaders will need heading into 2026

👤 About Mike Bettley

Mike Bettley is Senior Director of Talent at StackAdapt, leading global hiring across a company that has grown from 800 to over 1,600 employees in just two years. His career spans Google, Thomson Reuters, and high-growth startups, giving him a rare perspective on what actually works at every stage of scale — from scrappy startups to global enterprises.  

👉 https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelbettley/

About Looks Good on Paper

Looks Good on Paper, powered by Willo, explores modern hiring, talent strategy, leadership, and how work is changing beyond what shows up on a résumé.

Episode Chapters

00:00 – Why hiring is more dangerous than people think
01:40 – From Google to startups to StackAdapt
03:10 – Why hiring is the most expensive business decision
04:15 – The biggest hiring mistake companies keep making
05:30 – Headcount vs solving real business problems
07:00 – CEOs, hiring strategy, and the 80/20 rule
08:25 – Why hiring too far ahead backfires
09:25 – The hidden bias of company pedigree
13:55 – Can hiring work without CVs?
15:50 – Writing, communication, and AI-era skills
19:45 – The skills talent leaders need in 2026
21:40 – Final thoughts

Show Resources

• Willo: willo.video - The most cost-effective way to screen candidates at scale. Interview candidates anywhere & at any time
• CV Free Toolkit: cvfree.me/join - Break up with the CV and get everything you need to modernize your hiring approach with skills-based assessments
• Anita Chauhan: linkedin.com/in/anitachauhan - Connect with the host